OJJDP FY 2015 Court-Appointed Special Advocates Membership and Accreditation Program and Training and Technical Assistance

The Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, as amended (Public Law 101-647), contains provisions that support efforts to ensure that all abused and neglected children involved in dependency proceedings have access to a court-appointed special advocate. Through the Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program, OJJDP seeks to ensure that abused and neglected children receive high quality representation in dependency court hearings. The successful applicant will provide:• membership, accreditation, and subgrants to regional, state, and local CASA organizations who represent abused and neglected children...

Eligible applicants are nonprofit (including tribal nonprofit) organizations. As set forth in the authorizing language in 42 U.S.C. Section 13013, the successful applicant shall be: (1) a national organization that has broad membership among court-appointed special advocate programs (OJJDP defines as having a network of volunteers representing the interests of abused and neglected children operating in a minimum of 40 of the nation’s 56 states and territories) and in providing training and technical assistance to court-appointed special advocate programs; or (2) a local public or not-for-profit agency that has demonstrated the willingness to initiate, sustain, and expand a court-appointed special advocate program.

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov. Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the Response Center by telephone at 800-851-3420, by e-mail at responsecenter@ncjrs.gov, or by Web Chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. Answers to frequently asked questions that may assist applicants are posted at www.ojjdp.gov/grants/solicitations/FY2015/FAQ/CASAFAQ.pdf.