Your monthly Underserved Grant Resource Email

August 2019
This product of the ALSO Underserved TA Project is designed for Underserved grantees to provide them with regular and concise information including resources, training opportunities, open solicitations and more.

You can always find more resources on the Underserved TA Tools and Resources page on ALSO's website or through the Online Private Portal for OVW Underserved Grantees.

Happy Resource & Opportunity Finding!
Your Underserved TA Team
Image Description: ALSO's Underserved TA team posing
in downtown Atlanta at the 2019 Summer Institute.

From L-R: Quenette Walton, Lori Crowder, Cristina Damiani,
Zarena Leblanc, Lisa Gilmore, Topher Williamson 
Underserved Summer Institute
We would like to thank all participants who attended the 2019 Underserved Summer Institute, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia from July 16-18. We appreciated everyone’s engagement and flexibility with changes in lodging and meeting venues. You can find all session materials  posted on ALSO's website. Materiales disponibles también en español.

In addition, please keep an eye out for communications on behalf of the Sheraton Hotel regarding billing matters resulting from the change in accommodations. 
Image Description:   OVW Program Manager Kara Moller sitting at her desk with numerous posters on the wall.
OVW Corner
Happy Summertime Underserved Grantees! I hope you are finding ways to stay cool and getting to enjoy some fun outside. I have lots of updates and reminders this month, so let’s get started: 

FY 2019 Application Update:

FY 2019 Awards are made on a rolling basis. All notifications will be made no later than September 30.
  • I am unable to share any information about the status of an application until October 1. 
  • Grantees with pending applications should NOT wait to request an extension of their current award, if applicable. (See the section on Extension Reminder for more information).
  • If your FY 2019 Underserved application is not selected for funding, please contact me to request your peer review feedback. I strongly encourage everyone to keep trying and come back next year with a stronger application! 

Reporting Reminders: 

The Quarterly Financial Status Report (SF-425) for the period ending June 30, 2019 was due on July 30, 2019! 
  • If you have not yet submitted your report, please do so ASAP. 
  • You will not be able to draw down funds until your SF-425 Report is complete.

The Semi-Annual Progress report for the period January 1-June 30, 2019 was due on July 30, 2019!
  • If you have not yet submitted your report, please do so ASAP. 
  • Please respond to requests for changes to your Progress Reports in a timely manner. If changes are requested, you will see a status of “Change Requested” by your report in the Grants Management System GMS, which also sends an email notification to the registered contact. 
  • Please note that OVW does not want additional information attached. All data should be entered into the report form. Materials and products must be submitted by Grant Adjustment Notice in GMS for OVW review and approval. 

Extension Reminder:

For grants ending on September 30, requests for No-Cost extensions must be in GMS by the end of this month. 
  • Requests for extension must be submitted through the Grant Adjustment Notice (GAN) module in the GMS system and provide the required information.
  • A no-cost extension may be made only for award recipients that have no significant performance or compliance issues.
  • No-Cost Extensions only extend the award period. Approval of the Change in Project Period GAN, regardless of what is included in the request, only approves the new project end date. Requests to alter activities, staffing, budgets, etc. are submitted separately through other types of GANs. 

Closeouts:

For grants ending on September 30, final reports and your closeout package are due within 90 days of the end of the award. If you fail to submit a closeout package within 90 days, a closeout package and a freeze of funds GAN will be automatically generated by the GMS system. 
  • The complete package includes a Final Progress Report, Final Federal financial report (SF-425), special condition compliance, a complete Financial Reconciliation, and submission of Programmatic Requirements Certifications. All components must be complete in the GMS closeout package before you can submit the closeout. 
  • Please note that the Final Progress report must be “Approved” before you can submit your closeout package in GMS. Please factor in time for OVW to review the report.  
  • Detailed directions on how to complete a closeout are contained in the DOJ Financial Guide as well as the OVW Closeout Instructions. 

Looking Ahead… FY 2020

Fiscal Year 2020 starts October 1 for us here at OVW and we are already in full planning mode:
  • Call for Peer Reviewers for FY 2020: I am looking for people with experience and expertise in providing victim services and conducting outreach to survivors of sexual assault/domestic violence in underserved communities. If you are interested in becoming a Peer Reviewer, or have recommendations for reviewers, please contact me. OVW peer reviewers receive compensation of $150 per application and travel costs. Generally, reviewers are assigned 7-9 applications and the review takes place in person over 3 days. 
  • FY 2020 Grantee Orientation: Orientation is tentatively scheduled to be held the second week of December 2019 in New Orleans. FY19 grantees will be required to attend and send two participants, regardless of whether they have received prior awards or attended last cycle. There will be a limited number of spots for grantees from previous grant award years.
  • Feedback for OVW: Help us improve! Please contact me with any feedback or suggestions about the OVW Underserved program, processes, resources, training, or any aspect of your experience as a grantee. If you do not want to put it in email, contact me to arrange a time to meet by phone. 
Non-Underserved Sponsored Webinars
Building Cross Cultural and Multi-Disciplinary Partnerships
Time: 11:00 am PT, 12:00 pm MT, 1:00 pm CT, 2:00 pm ET
Date: Monday, August 19
This critical and intersectional conversation will provide models of successful multi-disciplinary collaborations in the domestic violence and sexual assault movements created as responses to historical and current policies and practices that cause harm to marginalized communities. The conversation will also highlight what gets in the way of collaboration and building meaningful relationships.

Survivor Data: Collection, Retention & Deletion Best Practices
Time: 12:00 pm PT, 1:00 pm MT, 2:00 pm CT, 3:00 pm ET
Date: Thursday, August 22
Victim service providers often collect a significant amount of personal information about survivors. In addition, information is often stored electronically, without policies determining how long the information should be retained. This webinar will discuss best practices related to victim service programs' confidentiality obligations and data collection, retention, and deletion processes.

Crime-Free Housing Programs: What They Are, How They Work, and How They Harm Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence
Time: 11:00 am PT, 12:00 pm MT, 1:00 pm CT, 2:00 pm ET
Date: Wednesday , August 28
This webinar will explore the issue of crime-free housing programs, and how they negatively impact the housing stability of survivors of domestic violence and other populations. Panelists will discuss how survivors interact with police, the history of crime-free programs, how these programs negatively impact the housing stability of survivors and other groups, and ways that these programs and policies have been challenged.

Insightful Reading
Title:  Understanding Racism and its Connection to Sexual and Domestic Violence
Approximate Reading Time:  10 minutes
Ending sexual and intimate partner violence won’t happen if the systems, organizations, practices, and people leading the charge oppress people of color in their work inside and outside the organization. 

Your ALSO TA Team
Image Description: ALSO's Underserved TA team posing
in a beige hallway at the 2018 Grantee Orientation.

From L-R: Quenette Walton, Lori Crowder, Lisa Gilmore,
Cristina Damiani, Zarena Leblanc, Topher Williamson 
Have Questions? We are here to help!
  • For questions about grant administration: Contact your OVW Program Manager Kara Moller at kara.moller@usdoj.gov.

  • For technical assistance support related to substantive and programmatic issues: Contact your ALSO Underserved TA point of contact at their individual email or the team at underservedtaproject@also-chicago.org

  • Remember to check out the TA Tools and Resources page on ALSO's website. Please also register for the Private Portal for access to resources available only to Underserved Grantees. Contact ALSO Program Assistant Topher Williamson at twilliamson@also-chicago.org for assistance navigating these resources.
Your feedback is important to us!
Have ideas on how to improve this Resource Email, or any other aspect of our TA and trainings? Please send them to us at  underservedtaproject@also-chicago.org . If you have any programmatic highlights or noteworthy news that you would like to see in future Resource Emails, please reach out to your point of contact or email the Underserved team directly. 
Underserved TA Project   | 773.235.5705 |   Email   |   Website
This project is supported by Grant No. 2016-TA-AX-K034 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, Department of Justice.
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