Victims of Crime Act 2013-2015
Office of Victims' Services (OVS)
Request for Applications
Victims of Crime Act 2013-2015
Funding Announcement and Guidelines (.pdf)
The application must be electronically submitted in the PCCD Egrants System.
Announcement Date: January 22, 2013
Deadline for application submission: March 15, 2013
This is a competitive solicitation. Late submissions and materials not received in Egrants will not be considered.
Agencies eligible for participation:
The recipient agencies or subcontractors who are responsible for provision of the services must be public (governmental) or non-profit organizations, or a combination of both, that provide direct services to crime victims. To be eligible for VOCA funds an organization must:
· Have a history of a minimum of two years of experience in serving victims of crime as the principal mission of the organization.
· Derive at least 25% of funding from non-federal sources.
· Demonstrate a record of providing effective services to crime victims; including having the support and approval of its services by the community.
· Have a history of providing direct services in a cost-effective manner.
· Use volunteers unless there is compelling reason to waive this requirement and have a waiver granted by PCCD (refer to Page 16 of these Guidelines).
· Promote, within the community, coordinated public and private efforts to aid crime victims. Coordination efforts qualify an organization to receive VOCA funds, but are not activities that can be supported with VOCA funds.
· Assist victims in seeking crime victims’ compensation benefits. Such assistance must, at a minimum, include identifying and notifying crime victims of the availability of compensation and referring them for further assistance.
· Provide services to victims of federal crimes on the same basis as victims of state crimes.
· Provide free services to crime victims through the VOCA-funded project.
· Maintain confidentiality of client-counselor information and confidentiality of research information.
· If a religiously affiliated organization, ensure that services are offered to all crime victims without regard to religious affiliation and that the receipt of services is not contingent upon participation in a religious activity or event.
· Attest that they do not discriminate against victims because they disagree with the way the state is presenting the criminal case (as amended to Section 1404 (b)(1) of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 by the USA Patriot Act, P.L. 107-56).
· Meet applicable program standards established by PCCD.
Additional Requirement for Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs)
§ A Children’s Advocacy Center must:
o Not supplant existing rape crisis services.
o Have a written agreement with the VOCA-funded rape crisis program.
§ The VOCA-funded rape crisis program’s participation on the CAC’s multidisciplinary team will also constitute as an agreement.
o Meet the National Children’s Alliance standards for accredited members.
Each program must indicate as part of the application process that all of the criteria listed above are met and be able to provide supporting documentation to the Local Policy Board and/or PCCD upon request.
Contact Person:
Please feel free to contact PCCD if there are any questions concerning this announcement. Program-related questions should be directed to Daisy Pagan of the Office of Victims’ Services at (717) 265-8516. Fiscal or budgetary questions should be directed to James Stank at (717) 265-8510.
Questions concerning the Egrants system should be made directly to the Egrants Help Desk by phoning (717) 787-5887 or toll-free within Pennsylvania at (800) 692-7292, option 9 and then option 6. Please note: While Egrants will accept your application up until midnight of the due date, Help Desk staff will not be available after 4:00 p.m.
