FEDERAL AGENCY:

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

AUTHORIZATION:

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, Section 285 (a); Public Law 100-690; Public Law 102-586, 42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq.

The purpose of the Challenge Grant Program is to provide incentives for States participating in the Formula Grants Program to develop, adopt, and approve policies and programs in one or more of ten specified challenge activities to improve the State's juvenile justice system.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Formula Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funds must be used to support the ten challenge activities specified in Section 285(b)(2) of the (Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) Act, as amended.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   The only eligible applicants for Part E Challenge Grants in a given fiscal year are the State agencies, designated by the Chief Executive of the State pursuant to Section 223(a)(1) of the JJDP Act, which receive OJJDP Formula Grant awards under Section 223 of the JJDP Act for the same fiscal year.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   State governments participating in the OJJDP Formula Grant Program. Youth involved in the continuum of the juvenile justice system and their families.

Credentials/Documentation:   Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87 for State and local governments.

Pre-application Coordination:   The juvenile justice State Advisory Group established pursuant to Section 223(a)(3) of the JJDP Act must be involved in the development of approval of the application. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   The standard application forms are furnished by the Federal agency, in accordance with 28 CFR, Part 66 (Common Rule) must be used for this program.

Award Procedure:   Letter to the Governor and designated State agency Director upon approval of OJJDP. The grant award must be signed by the Director and returned to OJJDP. Part E funds not awarded by the end of the fiscal year due to absence of an acceptable application will either be: (1) made available to the State in the subsequent fiscal year along with the Part E funds appropriated for that year, or (2) in the case of a State not participating in the Formula Grants program, the State's Part E funds will be reserved for one year if the State submits: (a) a written statement of intent to reserve participation and (b) describes activities that are designated to enable the States to participate in the following fiscal year.

Deadlines:   All Challenge grant applications are due no later than March 31 of the fiscal year for which the funds are allocated.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   None.

Appeals:   Hearings held by OJJDP.

Renewals:   Applications are invited annually.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Each State may apply for a Part E grant in an amount equal to the sum of not more than 10 percent of such State's Formula Grant allocation received, for each Challenge activity in which the State chooses to participate, not to exceed the total amount of the State's Part E allocation. No matching funds are required.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Part E grants will be awarded for a 36-month project period.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Financial and other reports required by the effective edition of the OJP Financial Guide. However, programmatic progress reports for Challenge Grants are required semi-annually.

Audits:   All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the Office of the Comptroller and the Federal Audit Clearinghouse no later than thirteen (13) months after the close of each fiscal year during the term of the award (for fiscal years beginning on/after July 1, 1998, audit report packages are due none (9) months after the close of the fiscal year.

Records:   Grantee must keep complete records on disposition of funds.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   15-0405-0-1-754.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $10,751,540; FY 02 est $13,185,522; and FY 03 est $9,978,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   Eligible States and territories will receive an amount determined by the ratio of Part E funds to Formula Grant funds available to the States and territories in a given fiscal year. States and territories are notified of Part E allocations annually.

In fiscal year 2001, 54 out of 56 eligible States and territories participated in the Challenge grants program.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Regulations for Formula Grants and OJP Financial Guide applicable editions, and Challenge Grants Program Guidelines published in the Federal Register, May 10, 1995.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   None.

Headquarters Office:   Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20531. Contact: Heidi Hsia. Telephone: (202)307-5924 or email: hsiah@ojp.usdoj.gov.

Web Site Address:   http://www.usdoj.gov

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Programs implemented by States under the ten eligible State Challenge Activity areas include a broad range of systems change efforts. Examples are: developing curriculums on gender-specific issues for female offenders, juvenile justice personnel and service providers; drafting program regulations, policies and regulations for the needs of runaways; developing mental health referral checklists, risk assessments, screening instruments for placements; developing case review systems and ombudsman programs, and etc.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Criteria are established by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, as amended, and the Guideline governing the Challenge Grant Program provisions of the JJDP Act as published in the Federal Register.