E-ALERT: Volume 2, Number 12
TASK FORCE FOR FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

The DOJ Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives announces the release of two FY2006 Grant Program Solicitations from the Department of Justice and a solicitation for applications under the President’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative.

FY 2006 Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grant Program

The Department of Justice is currently accepting applications for the Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grant Program for FY2006.

The primary purpose of the Rural Program is to enhance the safety of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and child abuse by supporting projects uniquely designed to address and prevent these crimes in rural America. The Rural Program welcomes applications that propose innovative solutions for achieving this goal. The program challenges victim advocates, law enforcement officers, pre-trial service personnel, prosecutors, judges and other court personnel, probation and parole officers, and community leaders to work together to craft solutions to overcome the problem of domestic violence. All entities must collaborate to ensure that victim safety is a paramount consideration in developing their strategy to address domestic violence. Faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) are encouraged to apply. The deadline to register on Grants.Gov is December 22, 2005, and the application deadline is January 12, 2006. (Apply Online) (Solicitation: PDF)

For more information, we invite you to visit the DOJ Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives website, at http://www.usdoj.gov/fbci, or the Office on Violence Against Women website, at http://www.usdoj.gov/ovw/.

FY 2006 Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program

The Department of Justice is now accepting applications for the Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Program.

The Legal Assistance for Victims Grants Program is intended to increase the availability of legal assistance necessary to provide effective aid to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, or sexual assault who are seeking relief in legal matters arising as a consequence of that abuse or violence. The LAV Program awards grants to law school legal clinics, domestic violence victims' shelters, bar associations, sexual assault programs, private nonprofit entities, Indian tribal governments, legal aid or statewide, faith and/or community-based legal service provides. These grants are for providing direct legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in matters arising from abuse or violence and for providing enhanced training for lawyers representing these victims. The goal of the LAV Program is to develop innovative, collaborative projects that provide quality representation to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) are encouraged to apply. The deadline to register on Grants.Gov is January 10, 2005, and the application deadline is January 24, 2006. (Apply Online) (Solicitation: PDF)

For more information, we invite you to visit the DOJ Task Force for Faith-based and Community Initiatives website, at http://www.usdoj.gov/fbci, or the Office on Violence Against Women website, at http://www.usdoj.gov/ovw/.

FY 2006 competitive grant announcement - President’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative

The Bureau of Justice Assistance is now accepting applications for the President’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative.

President George W. Bush’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (PRI) seeks to strengthen communities characterized by large numbers of returning. With the support of several federal agencies, PRI is designed to reduce recidivism by helping returning inmates find work and access other critical services in their communities. On November 8th, 2005, the Department of Labor (DOL) awarded grants to faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) to develop an employment-centered program that incorporates mentoring, job training, and other transitional services to the offenders. The Department of Justice (DOJ) will subsequently award grants to state agencies to provide pre-release assessment, programming and services, transition planning, and post-release supervision and coordination of services for prisoners returning to communities served by DOL grants. For more information on PRI activities, go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry/.

PRI’s target population includes individuals ages 18 and older convicted as an adult and imprisoned in a state or tribal prison or a tribal, regional, county, or local jail pursuant to state or tribal law, and who have never been convicted of a violent or sex-related offense. Jurisdictions unable to provide a sufficient pool of candidates for this target population may request a waiver from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to expand the target population to offenders who may have a violent offense in their record. Approval of such a request will require the use of a validated risk assessment tool and consideration of any prior violent offense. Funding is limited to jurisdictions in which grants were awarded by DOL. State government agencies, including state Departments of Corrections and State Criminal Justice Administering Agencies, and federally recognized tribes may apply. All PRI applications are due by 8:00 PM Eastern Time on January 26th, 2006. (How To Apply) (Apply Online) (Solicitation: PDF)

DOJ Task Force Contact Information

The Task Force welcomes your comments and inquiries. Please contact us at:

Task Force for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
US Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC 20530

Website: http://www.usdoj.gov/fbci
Telephone: (202) 514-2987
E-Mail: FBCI@usdoj.gov