OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative - Solicitation | O OVW 2023 171476

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OVW 2023 171476

The OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), under CFDA 16.025. It is rooted in the Indian Civil Rights Act framework (25 U.S.C. 1304(h)(2)) and is part of OVW's broader Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) Program, which helps tribes prepare to investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate certain crimes committed by non-Indians in Indian country when federal law allows tribes to exercise that authority. The central purpose is to strengthen tribal justice systems so they can safely and effectively use STCJ as a tool for victim protection and offender accountability, alongside OVW-supported technical assistance for planning and implementation.

The grant focuses on building the policies, staffing, training, procedures, and interagency coordination needed to exercise STCJ over a limited set of "covered crimes." These covered crimes include assault of tribal justice personnel, child violence, dating violence, domestic violence, obstruction of justice, sexual violence, sex trafficking, stalking, and violation of a protection order. In practice, the funding is meant to help tribes make the kinds of criminal justice system changes required to take on these cases in a way that meets applicable legal standards and protects defendants' rights while centering victim safety. OVW also ties the program to its performance measurement and effectiveness reporting under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), meaning recipients should expect to track progress and outcomes consistent with OVW reporting expectations and program goals.

What makes this solicitation distinct is that it is a targeted FY 2023 special initiative designed specifically for Alaska Native tribal governments, or consortia of Alaska Native tribal governments, that intend to seek designation by the U.S. Attorney General to participate in the Alaska Pilot Program for STCJ. That pilot program was established by the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (25 U.S.C. 1305(d)) and is intended to expand opportunities for Alaska tribes to exercise STCJ under the pilot's statutory framework. The solicitation is essentially planning and readiness support for tribes preparing to pursue that designation, including the groundwork necessary to operate as a participating tribe if designated.

A key limitation is explicitly stated in the solicitation: receiving an OVW award under this special initiative does not itself confer STCJ authority and does not replace the formal designation decision by the Attorney General under the Alaska Pilot Program. In other words, the grant is meant to help tribes get ready for participation and implementation, but the legal ability to exercise STCJ through the Alaska pilot depends on a separate designation process. The Department of Justice also points applicants to its tribal consultation framing paper for more detail on the pilot program requirements and designation considerations (www.justice.gov/file/1518536/download), signaling that applicants should align their planning work with those statutory and DOJ-described expectations.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity number is O-OVW-2023-171476. It was posted on February 9, 2023, with an original closing date of May 9, 2023. OVW anticipated making up to 6 awards, with an award ceiling of $500,000 per award. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments, as well as other eligible entities as clarified in the solicitation's additional eligibility language, with the intent here clearly oriented toward Alaska Native tribes and tribal consortia preparing for the Alaska STCJ pilot.

Overall, the solicitation is best understood as targeted capacity-building support for Alaska Native tribes that want to expand safety and justice options in cases involving non-Indian offenders who commit covered VAWA-related crimes. It funds the planning, system development, and implementation preparation work that tribal governments typically need to undertake before they can successfully and sustainably exercise STCJ authority, especially within the unique legal and operational context of the Alaska Pilot Program.

• The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVW Fiscal Year 2023 Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative - Solicitation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.025.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 09, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 09, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O OVW 2023 171476

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: