E-ALERT: Volume 1, Number 4List Subscription In our attempts to inform as many people and organizations as possible about the latest developments with the President's Faith-Based and Community Initiative, as well as the latest information concerning grants and programs at the Department of Justice, we have added a number of names to our E-Alert email list from the lists being kept by Department components and from the list of attendees at the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Regional Conferences. If for any reason you do not want to continue to receive our E-Alert updates, you may send an email to Majordomo@lists.ojp.usdoj.gov with the following command in the body of the email message: unsubscribe fbci If you should have any trouble unsubscribing, or if you need to talk with someone regarding the list, you can send an email to owner-fbci@lists.ojp.usdoj.gov. Important Legal Opinion on Faith-Based Access to Formula Grant Funds One of the largest grant programs offered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is the Edward M. Byrne Memorial Fund. This formula grant fund is administered by OJP's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The Byrne Fund is a partnership among Federal, State, and local governments to create safer communities and improved criminal justice systems. BJA grants awards to States and units of local government to carry out a number of specific program purposes. To learn more about the Byrne Program, you can visit http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/byrne.html. The chief executive of each state designates a State office to administer the State's Byrne Program. These offices are known as State Administering Agencies (SAAs). To identify the SAA for your state, you can visit http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/state.htm. One issue that had been raised about the potential use of Byrne Program funds was whether or not non-profit groups, including faith-based organizations, would be eligible to receive funds from the Byrne Program as sub-grantees or as recipients of "pass through" funds. OJP's Office of General Counsel has issued an opinion that states that non-profit organizations, including faith-based groups, are eligible to receive Byrne Program funds as long as the activities involved are in relation to the Byrne Program's specified purposes. Faith-based organizations interested in potentially becoming partners with State or local government activities funded by the Byrne Program are encouraged to contact their state's SAA or their local law enforcement officials.New Faith-Based Resource and Upcoming Faith-Based Training Conferences The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has a National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) that is designed to provide extensive training and technical assistance to individuals and groups interested in obtaining Federal grant program funds. The NTTAC has created a special component called Accessing Resources for Community and Faith-Based Organizations (ARC). ARC is planning to hold a series of four regional trainings entitled "Navigating the Federal Funding Process". These free trainings will take place between May and August of 2004 and will be held in Atlanta, GA (May 25-26); Philadelphia, PA (June 29-30); Chicago, IL (July 20-21); and Los Angeles, CA (August 24-25). Conference registration is now open and can be obtained by visiting http://arc.nttac.org/training/registration.cfm. For more information on the training registration deadlines, hotel information, and potential scholarships for travel and lodging, see the ARC Training Calendar at http://arc.nttac.org/training/calendar.cfm.New Faith-Based Grant Opportunity To Help Young Offenders The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has just announced a new grant program entitled the Young Offender Reentry Program (YORP). The YORP grant is designed to assist juvenile and young adult offenders who will be returning to communities all across the nation. Applicants for this grant are expected to form collaborative stakeholder partnerships that will plan, develop, and provide community-based substance abuse treatment and related reentry services for the targeted populations. Faith-based organizations with the capabilities and interest in this type of program are encouraged to apply for funding. The application deadline is June 15, 2004. Additional information on this grant program is available at http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2004/nofa/ti04002rfa_yorp.htm. |