FEDERAL AGENCY:

AUTHORIZATION:

Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2001, Public Law 106-113.

The Program's objective is national implementation of Operation Weed and Seed. Operation Weed and Seed is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to combating violent crime, drug use, and gang activity in high crime neighborhoods. The goal is to "weed out" violence and drug activity in high crime neighborhoods and then to "seed" the sites with a wide range of crime and drug prevention programs, human service resources, and neighborhood restoration activities to prevent crime from reoccurring. The strategy emphasizes the importance of a coordinated approach, bringing together Federal, State and local government, the community, and the private sector to form a partnership to create a safe, drug-free environment.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

Provision of Specialized Services. Place Cursor Here for Definition

Applicant Eligibility: The eligible applicant is a coalition of community residents, local, county, and State agencies, Federal agencies, and the private sector.

Beneficiary Eligibility: Eligibility criteria for selecting and funding Weed and Seed sites are as follows: High incidence of violent crime; existing, workable community infrastructure; cooperative governmental partnerships; good cooperation between governmental and private civic and social service organizations; cooperative business community; strong U.S. Attorney Office; and history of innovative programming at the local level. If a large city is being considered, the project site should be a clearly, easily identifiable section of the metropolitan area. The strategy also seeks to encompass available funding from re-programmable Federal program dollars and existing private/local matching funds.

Credentials/Documentation: An interested community should establish contact with the United States Attorney, who convenes a formal steering committee. The steering committee, through the guidance and facilitation of the United States Attorney, produces an implementation plan along the lines set forth in the Weed and Seed Implementation Manual.

Pre-application Coordination: Interested parties should contact their local United States Attorney's Office. 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 DOJ solicitations for applications for fiscal year 2000 funding were issued in February 2001.

Award Procedure: As set forth in the application.

Deadlines: As set forth in the application.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: As provided in the application.

Appeals: As provided in the application.

Renewals: As provided in the application.

Formula and Matching Requirements: While there is currently no specified level of matching funds, the nature of the program anticipates significant contributions from the public and private sectors of participating local communities.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Approximately 1-year funding is provided, subject to consideration for continuation based on past performance and the availability of funding.

Reports: Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Program and Financial Monitoring Reports.

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 cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.

Records: Executive Office for Weed and Seed files and Office of Justice Programs files.

Account Identification: 15-0334-0-1-751.

Obligations: (Grants) FY 01 $39,536,053; FY 02 est $59,254,890; and FY 03 est $58,925,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance: To date, the typical site award level ranges from $175,000 for first year sites to $225,000 for continuation sites.

Weed and Seed sites have experienced significant declines in crime rates. The Executive Office for Weed and Seed (EOWS) has been working to supplement Weed and Seed funds by coordinating with other Federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. In addition, EOWS continues to assist sites in adopting the Weed and Seed strategy and in seeking both funding and Official Recognition of local efforts without funding. EOWS works with other agencies to design and provide training and technical assistance related to the Weed and Seed strategy and coordinates with the participating agencies to inform the sites when that training is available. EOWS has upgraded and expanded the Weed and Seed program newsletter, " In-Sites." It is published bi-monthly and announces developments in Weed and Seed policy and shares information among Weed and Seed sites. EOWS has also developed a videotape library for use by those developing a Weed and Seed strategy.

Operation Weed and Seed Implementation Manual, Newsletter ("In-Sites"), and "Weed and Seed Best Practices" periodical. Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows for more information.

Regional or Local Office: None.

Headquarters Office: Robert Samuels, Acting Director; Cheryl Driscoll, Acting Deputy Director; and Nancy Ware, Director of Training and Technical Assistance: Executive Office for Weed and Seed, 810 Seventh Street, NW., Washington, DC 20531. Telephone: (202) 616-1152. FAX (202) 616-1159.

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

Considerable progress has been made in implementing the Weed and Seed strategy in over 200 sites with DOJ funding (and in additional "Officially Recognized" sites without funding). Under the guidance of the United States Attorney in each site, Federal, State, and local officials are working together to implement a wide variety of activities designed to reduce drug crime, gangs, and other violent crime out of high crime neighborhoods and to revitalize those areas by implementing a range of human service programs and economic development to keep crime from recurring. These activities are based on four core elements that are essential to the success of the Weed and Seed strategy: enhanced law enforcement; community policing as a bridge between law enforcement and social revitalization efforts; prevention, early intervention, and treatment efforts; and neighborhood restoration, including opportunities for economic development. The following communities have funded sites: Akron, Ohio; Albany, Georgia; Albany, New York; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; Androscoggin, Maine; Athens, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Augusta, Georgia; Aurora, Colorado; Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland-West Area; Baltimore, Maryland-East Baltimore Action Coalition, Inc.; Beaumont, Texas; Benton Harbor, Michigan-Benton Township; Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; Brevard County, Florida; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Brockton, Massachusetts; Bronx, New York; Brooklyn, New York; Brownsville, Texas; Buffalo, New York; Burnsville, Minnesota; Cape Girardeau, Missouri (part of Southeast Missouri(SEMO) Weed and Seed); Capitol Mall--Phoenix, Arizona; Caruthersville, Missouri (part of SEMO); Castle Hill--Bronx, New York; Charleston, Missouri (part of SEMO); Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Charlottesville, Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee--Westside Community Development Corp.; Chelsea, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Clearwater, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Contra Costa County, California; Corpus Christi, Texas; Corpus Christi, Texas--Area #2; Dallas, Texas; Duluth, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Des Moines, Iowa; Detroit, Michigan-- Northwest Area Business Assoc.; Durham, North Carolina; Dyersburg, Tennessee; East Chicago, Indiana; East Point, Georgia; East St. Louis, Illinois; Eatonville, Florida; Enemy Swim, South Dakota; Estate Bovoni, Virgin Islands; Euclid, Ohio; Far Rockaway (Queens), New York; Flagstaff, Arizona; Flint, Michigan; Florence, South Carolina; Freeport, Illinois; Fresno, California; Frogtown, Minnesota; Ft. Myers, Florida; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; Ft. Worth, Texas; Gainesville, Florida; Galveston, Texas; Gary, Indiana (Non-Profit); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Greensboro, North Carolina; Greenville, North Carolina; Greenville, Mississippi; Hamilton, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; High Point, North Carolina; Highland Park, Michigan; Hillsborough County, Florida; Holland, Michigan; Homestead, Florida; Honolulu, Hawaii; Houston, Texas; Humboldt, Tennessee; Huntington Station, New York; Huntsville, Alabama; Indianapolis, Indiana; Inkster, Michigan; Ivy City/Trinidad, Washington D.C.; Jackson, Mississippi; Jacksonville, Florida, Community Alliance Development Corporation; Kansas City, Missouri; LaFourche Parish, Louisiana; Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada; Lima, Ohio; Los Angeles, California-South Central; Los Angeles, California-Pico Union/Koreatown; Louisville, Kentucky; Lowell, Massachusetts; Madison, Wisconsin; Manatee/Sarasota, Florida; Maywood/Bellwood, Illinois; Mc Allen, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Miami, Florida; Midcoast, Maine; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Wisconsin--Area #2; Minneapolis/Central, Minnesota; Minneapolis/Northside, Minnesota; Minneapolis/Phillips, Minnesota; Mobile, Alabama; Montgomery, Alabama; Moorhead, Minnesota; Muskegon/Muskegon Heights, Michigan; N.W. Riviera Beach, Florida; New Haven, Connecticut; New Cassel, New York; New Bern, North Carolina; New Britain, Connecticut; New Orleans, Louisiana; Newark, New Jersey; North Amityville, New York; North Bellport, New York; North Capitol Area-- Washington D.C.; North Charleston, South Carolina; North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Northern Cheyenne, Montana; Northwest Austin, Chicago, Illinois; Norwalk, Connecticut; Oakland, California; Ocala, Florida; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Omaha, Nebraska; Orlando, Florida; Orlando, Florida - Area #2; Oxnard, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Area #3; Phoenix, Arizona; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-East Liberty; Polk County, Florida; Poplar Bluff, Missouri (part of SEMO); Portland, Oregon; Prichard, Alabama; Racine, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina; Reno, Nevada; Richmond, Texas; Richmond, Virginia--Weed and Seed, Inc; Rochester, New York; Rockingham, North Carolina; Roosevelt, New York; St. Croix, Virgin Islands; St. Louis, Missouri; St. Paul, Minnesota; St. Paul/ECON, Minnesota; St. Paul/Summit U., Minnesota; St. Petersburg, Florida; Salinas, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Jose, California; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Santa Ana, California; Savannah, Georgia; Seattle, Washington; Southeast Raleigh, North Carolina; Southeast Seattle, Washington; Selma, Alabama; Selma, California; Shreveport, Louisiana; Sikeston, Missouri (part of SEMO); South Tucson, Arizona; Springfield, Illinois; Stamford, Connecticut; Syracuse, New York; Tacoma, Washington; Tallahassee, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Texarkana, Arkansas; Texarkana, Texas; Toledo, Ohio; Toledo-Lagrange, Ohio; Topeka, Kansas; Trenton, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Tupelo, Mississippi; Valdosta, Georgia; Vernon, Texas; Village of Hempstead, New York; Volusia County, Florida; Washington, D.C.; Washington Heights, Maryland; West Valley City, Utah; West Palm Beach, Florida; Wheeling, West Virginia; Wichita Falls, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; Wilmington, Delaware; Winslow, Arizona; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Woburn, Massachusetts; Youngstown, Ohio.

The criteria for selecting and funding Weed and Seed sites are as follows: High incidence of violent crime; existing, workable community infrastructure; cooperative governmental partnerships; good cooperation between governmental and private civic and social service organizations; strong U.S. Attorney involvement; history of innovative programming at the local level; if a large city is being considered, the project site should be a clearly, easily identifiable section of the metropolitan area; available funding from reprogrammable Federal program dollars and existing private/local funds.