Ounce of Prevention Grant Program; Notice of Funding Availability

SUMMARY: This Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) announces the

availability of up to $1.2 million of FY 1995 funds for grant

assistance under the Ounce of Prevention Council's (the Council) Ounce

of Prevention Grant Program. These funds will be awarded competitively,

through a selection process conducted by HUD, after consultation with

the Council, for projects that are targeted to Federally-designated

urban and rural Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community areas (EZ/

EC). The grants will be awarded for projects that support local

community-based efforts to improve the coordination and, to the extent

possible, integration of youth crime and violence prevention programs

and initiatives in these areas. Grants may not be used to fund new

programs or services or to duplicate existing collaborative efforts;

rather, these funds are to be used for projects that build upon, and

add to, current efforts to coordinate and integrate youth crime and

violence prevention programs and services.

DATES: In accordance with section 470 of the Housing and Urban-Rural

Recovery Act of 1983 (Pub.L. 98-181), commencement of this

demonstration program will await the conclusion of a 60-day period

during which full consideration will be given to all public comments

received during the 30-day public comment period. After the close of

the 30-day public comment period, another Notice may be published

setting forth revised requirements and procedures, if public comments

received indicate that such changes are necessary. Comments received

after the close of the 30-day public comment period, but before the end

of an additional 30 days, will be considered for future program NOFAs.

Comment Due Date: November 15, 1995.

Application Due Date: The deadline date for submission of an

application to HUD for funding under the Ounce of Prevention Grant

Program is on or before 5:00 p.m., eastern standard time, December 15,

1995 at the HUD Headquarters office set forth below.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION: Application kits may be obtained by calling the

Office of Economic Development, Department of Housing and Urban

Development, at (202) 708-6355. (This is not a toll free number.) An

original and two copies of the completed application for grant funds

must be submitted. Applications must be received by the deadline set

forth above at the following address: Processing and Control Unit,

Office of Community Planning and Development, Department of Housing and

Urban Development, 451 Seventh St., SW, Room 7255, Washington, DC

20410. Applications sent by facsimile (FAX) will not be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: All questions should be directed to

the Office of Economic Development, Department of Housing and Urban

Development, Room 7136, 451 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20410.

Telephone: (202) 708-6355; TDD: 1-800-877-8339. (These are not toll-

free numbers.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Information Collection Requirements

The information collection requirements contained in this notice

are being submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review

under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C.

3501-3520). No person may be subjected to a penalty for failure to

comply with these information collection requirements until they have

been approved and assigned an OMB control number. The OMB control

number, when assigned, will be announced in the Federal Register.

Part I. Purpose and Substantive Description

The Federal government currently supports a wide range of programs

aimed at reducing youth crime and violence and promoting positive youth

development by addressing specific social problems; i.e., drug abuse,

gang activity, family violence, dropouts and teenage pregnancy.

However, there is a growing recognition at both the Federal and local

levels that communities must coordinate these independent programs to

make a substantive positive impact on the lives of youth.

Many communities across the country have undertaken significant

planning efforts relating to community improvement, public safety,

youth development and delinquency prevention. In particular, the

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Pub.L. 103-66) created the

Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities Program to promote

cooperative, public-private efforts to restore economic opportunity to

distressed neighborhoods. The 105 EZ/EC communities have already

undertaken an intensive planning effort which brought together all the

segments of the local community to determine the needs of the local

community and develop a comprehensive plan to meet those needs. Each

plan has a public safety component; many include a focus on youth crime

and violence prevention.

This program is intended to build on the public safety and youth

development efforts already underway in EZ/EC communities and link them

with similar prevention efforts in surrounding neighborhoods. Grants

will be awarded to support cooperative efforts aimed at coordinating

and, where possible, integrating multiple prevention programs,

initiatives and service delivery mechanisms and the organizations that

direct them. This grant initiative is designed to demonstrate that

local youth crime and violence prevention efforts must include not only

comprehensive community planning, but also improved linkages among

multiple prevention programs and initiatives, and must integrate

services and their delivery, where possible.

A. Authority

The Ounce of Prevention Grant Program is authorized under Sections

30101 and 30102 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of

1994 (42 U.S.C. 13741) (the Act). Pursuant to Section 30101(a)(3) of

this Act, the Council has delegated to HUD the authority to carry out

this program in consultation with the Council.

B. Funding Availability

Under this program, HUD, after consultation with the Council, will

award up to $1.2 million. Up to one-third of the funds will be awarded

to rural EZ/EC designees and at least two-thirds to urban EZ/EC

designees. Applicants may request no more than $150,000. HUD reserves

the right to fund less than the full amount requested in any

application.

As mandated by statute, grant recipients must provide 25 percent of

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the total project cost, either in cash or in-kind, fairly valued, as a

non-Federal match.

HUD, after consultation with the Council, reserves the right to

waive any part of the 25 percent matching requirement if it is

satisfactorily determined that an applicant is unable financially to

meet the requirement. Matching requirement waivers will be made only

upon written request and under extreme circumstances. If applying for

the waiver the applicant must submit three years of financial

statements, when available, with a narrative documenting the inability

to meet the matching requirement.

Funds made available under this NOFA shall not be used to supplant

other funds (state, local, Federal or any other funds) that will or

have been committed for the same purpose.

C. Definitions

Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) means an urban or

rural area so designated by the Secretary of HUD or the Secretary of

Agriculture pursuant to sections 1391-1393 of the Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Pub.L. 103-66). For purposes of this NOFA,

this term shall include Supplemental Empowerment Zones and Enhanced

Enterprise Communities, as defined below.

Supplemental Empowerment Zone/Enhanced Enterprise Community (SEZ/

EEC) means an urban area which was designated by the Secretary of HUD

as either a Supplemental Empowerment Zone (SEZ) or an Enhanced

Enterprise Community (EEC) and announced as such in the Notice of

Designation printed in the Federal Register on February 23, 1995 (60 FR

10018).

Part II. Overview of Ounce of Prevention Grants

A. Maximum Awards

Under the competition established by this NOFA, the maximum award

for an Ounce of Prevention Grant is $150,000.

B. Locational Considerations

Applications shall be geographically-based in particular

neighborhoods or sections of municipalities or particular segments of

rural areas.

A Federally-designated EZ/EC, or a portion of it, must be the

primary focus of the proposed project, and its children and youth the

prime beneficiaries of the proposed collaborative efforts; however, the

target area may be enlarged beyond the EZ/EC area to respond to

physical (e.g., highways) or governmental (e.g., school districts)

boundaries and to permit cooperation among neighborhood-based entities,

local agencies, and outside organizations.

C. Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be cities, counties, or other municipalities,

Indian tribal governments, school boards, colleges and universities,

private not-for-profit organizations, or consortia consisting of these

entities. EZ/EC governing structures may apply if they meet this

definition.

Applicants that are not an EZ/EC governing structure must obtain

and submit a letter of endorsement from the local EZ/EC governing

structure demonstrating its approval of, and willingness to collaborate

in, the proposed project. In some cases, for example, where a governing

structure is yet to be established, HUD, after consultation with the

Council, may waive this requirement. Applicants requesting this waiver

must submit a brief statement describing their inability to comply with

this requirement.

Due to the purpose of this program, which is to strengthen

cooperation and collaboration among community-based youth development,

youth crime and violence prevention programs and organizations,

applicants are strongly encouraged to work with other potential

applicants in their area to develop a single application. In the event

that more than one application is received from an EZ/EC area, priority

will be given to the applicant that demonstrates greater compliance

with the objectives of the program. No more than one grant will be

awarded in any EZ/EC area.

D. Eligible Activities

Applicants can propose any combination of activities that lead to

the improved coordination and integration of youth development and

youth crime and violence prevention programs, initiatives and service

delivery in the target area. Such activities may include the hiring of

staff, increasing linkages, assessing prevention needs and developing a

collaborative prevention action plan that responds to the needs of the

target area.

The Council and HUD anticipate that funds will be used to

coordinate and integrate, where possible, programs such as: summer and

after-school education and recreational activities; mentoring,

tutoring, and other programs involving participation of adult role

models; programs assisting and promoting employability and job

placement; and prevention and treatment programs to reduce substance

abuse, child abuse and adolescent pregnancy, including outreach to at-

risk families.

Funds may not be used for the delivery of new or existing programs

and services. Rather, these grants are designed to provide additional

support for the coordination and integration, where possible, of

programs, initiatives and service delivery.

E. Grant Period

Any grants awarded must be expended for their appropriate

activities within 18 months of the date of award.

Part III. Criteria for Review and Evaluation of the Grant

Application

Grantees will be selected based on the qualifications, experience,

or potential capabilities of the applicant and participating parties

and the extent to which the proposed project would fulfill the purposes

of this program. The criteria set forth below in paragraphs A and B

will have equal weight for reviewing and evaluating grant applications.

In cases of equally weighted applications, priority will be given

to applications from coalitions consisting of a broad spectrum of

community-based and social service organizations that have a

coordinated team approach to reducing gang membership and the effects

of substance abuse, and providing alternatives to at-risk youth.

A. Capability

Applications must include: (1) The applicant's experience, planning

and management capabilities and the proposed manager/coordinator's

qualifications to lead the proposed project; (2) a description of the

applicant's current efforts that demonstrate the ability to collaborate

with other organizations addressing public safety, youth development

and youth crime and violence prevention, such as youth-serving

organizations, schools, health and social service providers, employers,

law enforcement professionals, local government, and residents of

target areas, including young people; and (3) a description of matching

funds with documentation, including letters of commitment.

B. Objectives

Applications must also include: (1) A concise project summary

including the specific neighborhoods or sections of municipalities or

rural areas that will be targeted and a description of the need for the

project; (2) a description of how this project will complement and

build upon the relevant goals (benchmarks) in the EZ/EC plan and other

existing plans or coordinating efforts in the target area that deal

with youth development, public safety and youth crime and

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violence prevention; (3) a description of the specific approaches to be

used (including ways to reach out to other neighborhood-based programs

and initiatives, especially Federally-funded efforts such as PACT, Weed

and Seed, Safe Futures, CSAP Partnerships, and Youth Gang Prevention

Consortia); the outcomes expected; and the process for determining how

well the outcomes are being achieved; and (4) a description of the EZ/

EC and other resources (public and private) that are currently

dedicated to coordination and plan implementation and any other

resources, in addition to the matching funds described under paragraph

A, that will be used to support this project.

Part IV. Other Submission Requirements

In addition to the information requested in Part III of this

notice, the applicant shall submit the following:

a. SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance.

b. The certification regarding lobbying required under 24 CFR part

87 (Appendix A).

c. Certification of a Drug-Free Workplace, in accordance with the

Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, and HUD's regulations at 24 CFR part

24, subpart F.

d. A copy of the organization's IRS ruling providing tax-exempt

status under section 501(c) of the IRS Code of 1986, as amended, if

applicable.

e. Line-item budget reflecting the use of funds for the activities

to be enhanced or coordinated;

f. Copy of an endorsement from the EZ/EC governing board, if a

waiver has not been requested.

g. Evidence of commitments for the sources of matching dollars, if

applicable.

Applications of no more than 20 pages should be submitted on 8.5''

x 11'' paper, with lines double-spaced and printed on only one side.

All pages of the application shall be numbered sequentially.

Reports

Each grantee will be required to submit, in a form prescribed by

HUD, after consultation with the Council, interim reports, and a final

report within 90 days after the completion of the project. The final

report shall describe the use of the grant funds and include a

description and an analysis of the project, the approaches taken, the

outcomes expected, and the results and benefits achieved.

Technical Deficiencies

To the extent permitted by law, HUD may advise applicants of

technical deficiencies in the applications and permit them to be

corrected. Due to the requirements of the HUD Reform Act, HUD staff is

limited in the assistance it is permitted to provide regarding

applications for grants. The assistance and advice that can be provided

includes such activities as explaining and responding to questions

about program regulation, identification of those parts of an

application that need substantive improvement, the dates by which

decisions will be made and procedures that are required to be performed

to process an application. This term, however, does not include

advising the applicant how to make those improvements.

In addition, any information published in the Federal Register and

in this NOFA, and any information that has been made public through a

means other than the Federal Register or NOFA, may be discussed.

Other Matters

Environmental Impact

It is HUD's determination that an environmental finding of no

significant impact is not required under this NOFA. HUD environmental

regulations (24 CFR 50.19) state certain activities assisted under HUD

programs, such as the eligible activities in this NOFA, would not alter

any conditions requiring environmental review or compliance with other

Federal laws and authorities cited in Section 50.4.

Executive Order 12612, Federalism

The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a)

of Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that this NOFA

will not have substantial, direct effects on States, on their political

subdivisions, or on their relationship with the Federal Governments, or

on the distribution of power and responsibilities between them and

other levels of governments.

Executive Order 12606, the Family

The General Counsel, as the Designated Official for Executive Order

12606, The Family, has determined that the policies announced in the

NOFA would not have the potential for significant impact on family

formation, maintenance and general well-being within the meaning of the

Order. No significant change in existing HUD policies and programs will

result from issuance of this NOFA, as those policies and programs

relate to family concerns.

Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities

The use of funds awarded under this NOFA is subject to the

disclosure requirements and prohibitions of section 319 of the

Department of Interior and Related Agencies Appropriation Act for

Fiscal Year 1990 (31 U.S.C. 1351) and the implementing regulations at

24 CFR part 87. These authorities prohibit recipients of Federal

contracts, grants, or loans from using appropriated funds for lobbying

the Executive or Legislative Branches of the Federal Government in

connection with a specific contract, grant, or loan. The prohibition

also covers the awarding of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements,

or loans unless the recipient has made an acceptable certification

regarding lobbying. Under 24 CFR part 87, applicants, recipients, and

subrecipients of assistance exceeding $100,000 must certify that no

Federal funds have been or will be spent on lobbying activities in

connection with the assistance.

Prohibition Against Lobbying of HUD Personnel

Section 13 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act

(42 U.S.C. 3537b) contains two provisions dealing with efforts to

influence HUD's decisions with respect to financial assistance. The

first imposes disclosure requirements on those who are typically

involved in these efforts--those who pay others to influence the award

of assistance or the taking of a management action by the Department

and those who are paid to provide the influence. The second restricts

the payment of fees to those who are paid to influence the award of HUD

assistance, if the fees are tied to the number of housing units

received or are based on the amount of assistance received, or if they

are contingent upon the receipt of assistance. HUD's regulation

implementing section 13 is codified at 24 CFR part 86. If readers are

involved in any efforts to influence the Department in these ways, they

are urged to read the final rule, particularly the examples contained

in Appendix A of the rule. Appendix A of this rule contains examples of

activities covered by this rule.

Prohibition Against Advance Disclosure of Funding Decisions

HUD's regulations implementing section 103 of the HUD Reform Act

are codified at 24 CFR part 4 and apply to the funding competition

announced today. The requirements of part 4 continue to apply until the

announcement of the selection of successful applicants.

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HUD employees involved in the review of applications and in the

making of funding decisions are restrained by part 4 from providing

advance information to any person (other than an authorized employee of

HUD) concerning funding decisions, or from otherwise giving any

applicant an unfair competitive advantage. Persons who apply for

assistance in this competition should confine their inquiries to the

subject areas permitted by 24 CFR part 4.

Any questions concerning the rule should be directed to the Office

of Ethics, Room 2158, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451

Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20410-3000. Telephone: (202) 708-3815

(voice/TTD). (This is not a toll-free number.) Forms necessary for

compliance with the rule may be obtained from the local HUD office.

Accountability in the Provision of HUD Assistance: Documentation and

Public Access Requirements

HUD's regulation implementing section 102 of the HUD Reform Act is

codified at 24 CFR part 12. Section 102 contains a number of provisions

that are designed to ensure greater accountability and integrity in the

provision of certain types of assistance administered by HUD. On

January 16, 1992 (57 FR 1942), following publication of the March 14,

1991 final rule, HUD published additional information that gave the

public (including applicants for, and recipients of, HUD assistance)

further information on the implementation, public access, and

disclosure requirements of section 102. The requirements of section 102

are applicable to assistance awarded under this NOFA.

(i) Documentation and Public Access Requirements: HUD will ensure

documentation and other information regarding each application

submitted pursuant to this NOFA are sufficient to indicate the basis

upon which assistance was provided or denied. This material, including

any letters of support, will be made available for public inspection

for a five-year period beginning not less than 30 days after the award

of the assistance. Material will be made available in accordance with

the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's implementing

regulations at 24 CFR part 15. In addition, HUD will include the

recipients of assistance pursuant to this NOFA in its Federal Register

notice of all recipients of HUD assistance awarded on a competitive

basis. (See 24 CFR 12.14 (a) and 12.16 (b), and the notice published in

the Federal Register on January 16, 1992 (57 FR 1942) for further

information on these requirements.

(ii) Disclosures: HUD will make available to the public for five

years all applicant disclosure reports (HUD Form 2880) submitted in

connection with this NOFA. Update reports (also Form 2880) will be made

available along with the applicant disclosure reports, but in no case

for a period of less than three years.

Dated: October 11, 1995.

Kumiki Gibson,

Counsel to the Vice President.

Dated: October 11, 1995.

Andrew M. Cuomo,

Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.

[FR Doc. 95-25590 Filed 10-13-95; 8:45 am]

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