The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), is pleased to announce the availability of federal funds through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Grant Program.
Donor Name: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS)
State: Virginia
City: Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/26/2023
Size of the Grant: $325,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
The PSN program awards federal funds to provide comprehensive, collaborative, and community-based approaches to reducing violent crime using a full range of appropriate violent crime reduction strategies.
The BJA PSN Grant Program funds allow organizations within the Eastern District of Virginia to support a broad range of activities to reduce gun and gang violence. Programs should address deterrence efforts aimed at potential offenders, the implementation of evidence-based programs and proven enforcement strategies to prevent and reduce gun and gang crimes, and/or the prosecution of significant firearm, controlled substance, and violent crime offenses.
Funding Areas
The overall goal for this initiative is to promote safe communities across the state through the reduction of gun violence and gang activity, with special focus on areas with increased rates of violent crime/gang activity. Toward that goal, the program seeks to fund projects that will enhance progress toward the below priorities. However, innovative, evidence-based projects outside of these priorities, which are aimed at reducing firearm and gang violence, will also be considered.
- Gun and Gang Crime Investigation/Suppression: Programs (or task forces) to focus on perpetrators of gun and gang-related crimes. This can include the illegal possession of firearms, the illegal sale of guns, or other crimes committed to benefit a “gang.” Multiagency cooperation should be demonstrated (e.g., both state and federal involvement).
- Firearms Analysis: Programs that should enhance and provide support for state and local law enforcement agencies that analyze firearms and ballistic evidence (including NIBIN analysis and tracing of firearms).
- Prevention and Reentry Programs: Programs dedicated to violent crime prevention and the identification of persons at high risk of offending (e.g., educational, faith-based, community-oriented, outreach, etc.). Programs dedicated to the successful reentry of offenders with housing, educational, and vocational partnerships.
Funding Information
The amount of funding available for this solicitation of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program is approximately $325,000. Of this amount, there are no restrictions on the amount for which an entity may apply. However, the selection committee, to the extent practicable, will attempt to ensure that the awarded funds will be used to support all four of the above-listed PSN design features.
Grant Period
Grants will be awarded for a twelve (12) month period from September 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. Grant projects that are programmatic in nature may be considered for multi-year awards.
Eligible Expenses
- Personnel, training as a component of an overall program, equipment, and supplies are allowable expenses. All expenditures must be related to the implementation of an actual program. This program must be defined in the program narrative sections of the application.
- All grant-funded personnel must have a majority of their time dedicated to grant activities.
Eligibility Criteria
- This grant announcement is open to local and state law enforcement agencies, local and state governmental entities, educational institutions, and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations located in, or serving the Eastern District of Virginia. Three regions impacted most by violent crime will receive a funding preference—Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk—but other cities across the Eastern District with high violent crime rates will also be considered.
- Applications from multi-jurisdictional partnerships will be considered, provided that one locality or organization serves as the primary applicant. Each locality or organization must certify its consent to participate via a letter of support, which should be included in the grant application.
- In addition, the following points should be noted regarding eligible applicants:
- Police Departments, Sheriffs’ Offices, and Public Defenders’ offices are not eligible to apply directly but would be the implementing agency for the grant. A city or county would be the legal applicant/recipient and manage grant funds on behalf of the implementing department or agency.
- A Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, for grant purposes, is funded as an office within a lead county or city. The lead county or city must meet the following requirements:
- Maintain the financial records for the grant;
- Include the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in its payroll records; and
- Include the financial records of the grants to the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office in its organization-wide audit.
- Information for the following individuals will be required on the grant application:
- Project Director – Implementing Agency/Department Head or person involved in the daily operations of the project.
- Financial Officer – City or County Finance Director or state agency Chief Financial Officer; and
- Official Authorized to Sign – Mayor, City or County Administrator, or state agency director.
- Entities may only submit one application in response to this solicitation.
For more information, visit VDCJS.
