[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 199 (Monday, October 16, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53686-53689]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-25590]




[[Page 53685]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV





Ounce of Prevention Council

Department of Housing and Urban Development





_______________________________________________________________________



Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development



_______________________________________________________________________



Ounce of Prevention Grant Program; Funding Availability; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 199 / Monday, October 16, 1995 / 
Notices   

[[Page 53686]]


OUNCE OF PREVENTION COUNCIL

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development
[Docket No. FR-3959-N-01]


Ounce of Prevention Grant Program; Notice of Funding Availability

AGENCIES: The Ounce of Prevention Council and the Office of the 
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability.

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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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