Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Training and Technical Assistance
- BJA FY 15 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Training, and Technical Assistance
- BJA FY 13 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Training, and Technical Assistance
- BJA FY 12 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Training, and Technical Assistance
- BJA FY 11 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Training, and Technical Assistance
- BJA FY 18 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Training and Technical Assistance
The Department of Justice enforces the law and defends the interest of the United States, ensuring public safety against threats foreign and domestic; providing Federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; seeking just punishment for those guilty of unlawful pursuits; and ensuring fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
Program Accomplishments
Not Applicable.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Category I: Tribal civil legal assistance grants: Under Category I, applications are solicited to provide civil legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes and tribal justice systems within tribal court forums, pursuant to the Federal poverty guidelines.
Category II: Tribal criminal legal assistance grants: Under Category II, applications are solicited to provide criminal legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes and tribal justice systems within tribal court forums, pursuant to the Federal poverty guidelines.
Criminal legal assistance services may include adult criminal actions, juvenile delinquency actions, and guardian-ad-litem appointments arising out of criminal or delinquency acts.
Category III: Tribal Justice advocacy Training and technical assistance (TTA) GRANTS: The selected advocacy training and technical assistance provider under Category III shall demonstrate the capacity to: deliver national or regional scope advocacy training and technical assistance to tribal justice systems; coordinate, ensure no duplication of trainings, and work closely with all Tribal Justice System Training and Technical Assistance providers, specifically providers for the Tribal Courts Assistance Program, Correctional Facilities on Tribal Land Program and Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program; support OJP s Tribal Justice and Safety web site.
The selected advocacy training and technical assistance provider under Category III shall provide the following deliverables: plan and conduct 2 training events based on gaps in service currently provided to Tribal Justice Systems in the area of advocacy; provide on going technical assistance, not limited to the legal assistance grantees, during the grant period, including four on-site assistance visits during the grant period.
Technical assistance formats include, but are not limited to, telephone, distance learning, web-based, written, and/or onsite assistance; develop and disseminate, during the grant period, one publication to be determined in conjunction with BJA, as well as other program and training related materials; Conduct distance learning training, as appropriate, to complement classroom training; provide scholarships to support tribes with inadequate resources to attend tribal justice system trainings, specifically the two trainings that will be provided as deliverables under Category III.
Targeted to non-profit organizations, the grants serve to strengthen and improve the representation of indigent defendants and clients in civil and criminal causes of action under the jurisdiction of Indian tribes.
Also included in this solicitation is a request for a national or regional tribal membership organization to provide advocacy training and technical assistance, not limited to the legal assistance grantees under Categories I and II, to all tribes for the development, enrichment, and enhancement of judicial system personnel within tribal justice systems.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants for Tribal Legal Assistance Grants in Category I (civil cases) and II (criminal cases) are limited to tribal and non-tribal non-profit entities that provide legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes, or tribal justice systems in tribal court forums pursuant to Federal poverty guidelines.
Tribal justice systems are defined as the entire judicial branch, and members of Indian tribes, dispute resolution forums and other culturally relevant justice approaches, trial courts, appellate courts, inter-tribal courts, alternative dispute resolution systems, and circuit rider systems, established by inherent tribunal authority whether or not they constitute a court of record.
Under Category I, applications are solicited to provide civil legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes and tribal justice systems within tribal court forums, pursuant to the Federal poverty guidelines.
Under Category II, applications are solicited to provide criminal legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes and tribal justice systems within tribal court forums, pursuant to the Federal poverty guidelines.
Criminal legal assistance services may include adult criminal actions, juvenile delinquency actions, and guardian-ad-litem appointments arising out of criminal or delinquency acts.
Applicants for Tribal Justice Advocacy Training and Technical Assistance Grants in Category III are limited to national or regional membership organizations and associations whose membership or a membership section consists of judicial system personnel within tribal justice systems.
Judicial personnel are defined as any judge, magistrate, court counselor, court clerk, court administrator, bailiff, probation officer, officer of the court, dispute resolution facilitator, or other official, employee, or volunteer within the tribal judicial system.
Beneficiary Eligibility
N/A.
Credentials/Documentation
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Environmental impact information is not required for this program.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.
Award Procedures
BJA reviews applications for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with all program requirements. Upon approval by the Assistant Attorney General, OJP, award letters and award documents are sent to the grantee. One copy of the grant award must be signed by a duly authorized representative and returned to BJA.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Authorization
Indian Tribal Justice Technical and Legal Assistance Act of 2000; Statute 2778; Public Law 106-559 Title I Training and Technical Assistance, Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Grants, Section 101 et seq. (25 U.S.C. 3661).
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 90 to 120 days.
Appeals
Other - Not Specified.
Renewals
Other - Not Specified.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Up to 24 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: See program office for more information. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: lump sum.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Program reports are not applicable.
Cash reports are not applicable.
Progress reports are due semi-annually.
FInancial report are due quarterly.
Performance measurements will be required.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
Recipients of Federal funds are expected to retain documentation supporting all program transactions for at least 3 years after the closure of audit reports related to such funding. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving records has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records must be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all related issues, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.
Financial Information
Account Identification
15-0404-0-1-754.
Obigations
(Project Grants) FY 09 $0; FY 10 est $3,000,000; FY 11 est $0
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
CATEGORY I: TRIBAL CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS. Grants will not exceed $250,000. CATEGORY II: TRIBAL CRIMINAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS. Grants will not exceed $250,000. CATEGORY III: TRIBAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TTA) GRANTS. Grant will not exceed $400,000.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide and Handbook 4500.2c, Policies and Procedure for the Administration of OJP Grants, are applicable.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
Kim Ball Norris, 810 Seventh Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia 20531 Email: AskBJA@usdoj.gov Phone: (202) 514-1473 or (1-866) 859-26
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Not Applicable.
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
The Social Innovators of 2014
For 2014, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has recognized 37 individuals for their outstanding work in the field of social enterprise.
