BJA FY 13 Enhancing Firearm Background Checks Grant

The Bureau of Justice Assistance is offering a grant to improve the completeness and accuracy of firearm background checks through enhanced state data sharing. This competitive grant opportunity focuses on expanding data accessible to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) at the time of a firearm background check to ensure lawful purchases. Priority is given to proposals that enhance reporting completeness, accuracy of information, and inclusion of under-reported disqualifying data sets. The program aims to strengthen reporting of mental health information, domestic violence protection orders, warrants, and felony court dispositions, and enhance positive identification using biometric identifiers like fingerprints. This grant is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program and aims to combat gun violence and improve criminal justice outcomes.

Opportunity ID: 227902

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General Information

Document Type::	Grants Notice
Funding Opportunity Number::	BJA-2013-3544
Funding Opportunity Title::	BJA FY 13 Improving the Completeness of Firearm Background Checks through Enhanced State Data Sharing
Opportunity Category::	Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation::
Funding Instrument Type::
Category of Funding Activity::	Law, Justice and Legal Services
Category Explanation::
Expected Number of Awards::
Assistance Listings Number(s)::	16.738 — Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement::	No
Version::	Synopsis 1
Posted Date::	Mar 22, 2013
Last Updated Date::
Original Closing Date for Applications::	May 13, 2013
Current Closing Date for Applications::	May 13, 2013
Archive Date::	Jun 12, 2013
Estimated Total Program Funding::
Award Ceiling::	$1,500,000
Award Floor::	$0

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants::

Private institutions of higher education

Additional Information on Eligibility::

Eligibility to apply is determined by the specific funding category. In this solicitation, there are two funding categories:
Category 1 (Implementation Grants): Eligible applicants are state agencies with the ability and authority to implement data sharing and reporting as described in this solicitation. The preferred applicant is the BJA State Administering Agency (SAA). However, other state-level agencies may apply with the inclusion of a letter of support or other documentation from the SAA’s office that demonstrates a commitment to coordinate activities statewide. BJA anticipates receiving no more than one application from each state in order to promote comprehensive strategies and multi-agency coordination.
Category 2 (Technical Assistance): Eligible applicants are for-profit (commercial) and nonprofit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or management fee.
Prospective applicants should verify which funding category is being applied for and confirm that the associated eligibility requirements are met. For information on SAAs and to obtain contact information, visit the OJP SAA web page.

Additional Information

Agency Name::	Bureau of Justice Assistance
Description::	Through the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and with the support of Congress, OJP funds the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) and the NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP).Both of these programs provide essential support and guidance to improve reporting of criminal history and related records used for background checks conducted through the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, for individuals seeking to purchase certain firearms. Recent acts of violence have focused national attention on the urgent need to close several persistent information gaps remaining in the background check process. Closing these information gaps will promote more effective enforcement of our nations existing gun laws. BJA, in close coordination with BJS and the FBI, is releasing this competitive grant opportunity to improve and expand the data accessible to NICS at the time of a firearm background check to ensure lawful purchases. Funding priority will be directed to agencies whose proposals would achieve the most significant gains in (1) reporting completeness; (2) accuracy of information; and (3) inclusion of disqualifying data sets which are currently under-reported in the system. Specifically, successful applications will include improved sharing of mental health information, domestic violence protection orders, warrants, and felony court dispositions. In addition, the program will enable expanded use of techniques for positive identification, including biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, to promote more effective identity matching and record linking. This one-time grant program will complement the ongoing NCHIP and NARIP programs by providing expanded resources and onsite support to address these priority issues, while sustaining existing operations and enhancement activities. This program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a) et seq.) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state, local, and tribal jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program has been used historically to address a wide range of criminal justice challenges, including gun violence, and has resulted in the development of numerous products and case studies consistent with the goals of this solicitation, and from which recipients of funding will benefit. Some of those resources have been identified and are listed on page 6. The JAG Program authorization also provides that up to 5 percent of the funds available to carry out subpart 1 of Title I, Part E of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (Omnibus) may be granted, among other reasons, for one or more of the purposes specified in Section 501 of Title I, Part E, Subpart 1 of Omnibus upon a determination that it is necessary to combat, address, or otherwise respond to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime (42 U.S.C. 3756(b)(1)).
Link to Additional Information::
Grantor Contact Information::	If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:

Version History

Version	Modification Description	Updated Date
Synopsis 1

Package Status

Below are CLOSED Opportunity Package(s) no longer available for this Funding Opportunity:

Package No: 1

Assistance Listings:	16.738
Competition ID:	BJA-2013-3545
Competition Title:	IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS
Opportunity Package ID:	PKG00171156
Opening Date:	Mar 22, 2013
Closing Date:	May 13, 2013
Agency Contact Information::	For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the BJA Justice Information Center at 1-877-927-5657, via e-mail at JIC@telesishq.com, or via live web chat at www.justiceinformationcenter.us. The BJA Justice Information Center hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date.
Who Can Apply::	Organization Applicants
mendatory_forms	Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) [V2.0] Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) [V1.1] Budget Narrative Attachment Form [V1.1] Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) [V1.1] Other Attachments Form [V1.1] Project Narrative Attachment Form [V1.1]
optional_forms	Faith Based EEO Survey [V1.2]

Package No: 2