Grant Community - Comprehensive Information For Grant Administrators

Grant Community.com

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Descriptions

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE

16.200: Community Relations Service

Objectives: To provide free Federal conciliation and mediation services to communities in preventing and resolving community tensions, conflicts, and civil disorders arising from actions, policies, and practices that are perceived to be based on race, ethnicity, or national origin. No grants of funds are provided to outside organizations to provide these services or to community programs.

PROGRAM AND AWARD FINANCIAL AND INFORMATION CONTACTS

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS INFORMATION CONTACTS

RELATED PROGRAMS ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS

16.200 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility: CRS provided services without cost assistance to representatives of groups, communities, Federal, State or local governmental units that seek to resolve, reduce or prevent conflicts related to race, ethnicity, or national origin may be considered for CRS assistance. CRS does not provide grants to communities for conciliation and mediation assistance programs.

Beneficiary Eligibility: CRS does not provide grants to communities, but beneficiaries may include any group, representatives of a community, or Federal, State or local governmental unit that experiences tensions involving race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Credentials/Documentation: None.

16.200 APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination: This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure: Parties interested in requesting free conciliation and mediation service may write, phone, or contact in person, headquarters or regional offices. No standard form is used. CRS does not provide grant funds to purchase assistance or to fund community programs.

Award Procedure: Assistance is provided by direct response from an appropriate agency official to the applicant in the form of conflict prevention and resolution services. CRS will provide on-site services in major racial or ethnic crisis situations within 24 hours from the time when your community notifies CRS or CRS becomes aware of the crisis. In non-crisis situations, CRS will contact you within three days of when your community notifies CRS or CRS becomes aware of the situation to discuss your request for CRS services.

Deadlines: None.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time: In major racial or ethnic crisis situations, on-site services are provided within 24 hours of notifying CRS. In non-crisis situations, CRS will contact the requestor within 3 days to discuss the request.

Appeals: Applicant can request assistance again. If the agency is not authorized to provide a response, the applicant will be referred to an appropriate agency or resource for assistance.

Renewals: Each request for service is given a separate response by CRS.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals: Not applicable. CRS does not fund projects. Rather, its staff provide services directly to the public.

Examples of Funded Projects: Not applicable.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance: No financial assistance is provided by CRS. Rather, CRS staff provide appropriate services at no cost to the requestor.

16.200 RELATED PROGRAMS:

None.

16.200 PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, CRS was called upon to resolve or prevent racial and ethnic community conflicts throughout the country. Often, these agencies of the private and public sector need the independence and authority of the Federal government to help them resolve disputes in which they are one of the parties in conflict. In fiscal year 1999, CRS had an active case load of more than 1450 cases and has closed about 425 of these cases. Most of CRS' conflict prevention services in fiscal year 1999 focused on reducing racial and ethnic tensions between law enforcement and communities across the U.S., preventing racial and ethnic violence in public schools, and resolving community tensions associated with hate crimes.

16.200 FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFO:

Federal Agency: COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Type of Assistance: Provision of Specialized Services.

Obligations: (Salaries and expenses) FY 99 $7,096,000; FY 00 est $7,479,000; and FY 01 est $9,829,000.

Budget Account Number: 15-0500-0-1-752.

Authorization: Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title X, Public Law 88-352, 42 U.S.C. 2000g-1-2000g-2.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature: There are no regulations or guidelines for requesting assistance from CRS, except as noted under: 081, above. Pamphlets and other materials developed by CRS for use by communities include: "Principles of Good Policing: Avoiding Violence Between Police and Citizens"; "Guidelines for Effective Human Relations Commissions"; "Police Use of Deadly Force: A Conciliation Handbook for Citizens and the Police" (Spanish & English); "The Community Relations Service: Catalyst for CALM"; "Avoiding Racial Conflict: Guidelines for Municipalities."

16.200 INFO CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office: REGION I: Suite 1820, 99 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02110; serving the States of CT, ME, MA, NH RI, and VT. REGION II: Room 36-118, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, New York, 10278; serving NY, NJ, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. REGION III: Room 208, 2nd and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia, PA, 19106-2902; serving DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, AND WV. REGION IV: Room 900, 75 Piedmont Ave., N.E., Atlanta, GA 30303; serving AL, FL, KY, GA, MS, NC, SC, and TN. REGION IV Field Office: Room 624, 51 S.W. First Ave., Miami, FL, 33130. REGION V: Room 420, 55 West Monroe Street, Chicago, IL, 60603; serving IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI. REGION V Field Office: Room 1404, 211 W. Fort Street Blvd., Detroit, MI, 48226. REGION VI: Suite 250, 1420 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75247; serving AR, LA, NM, OK, and TX. REGION VI Field Office: Room 12605, 515 Rusk Ave., Houston, TX 77002. REGION VII: Suite 1320, 1100 Main Street, Kansas City, MO, 64105, serving IA, KS, MO, and NE. REGION VIII: Suite 650, 1244 Speer Blvd., Denver, CO, 80204; serving CO, MT, ND, SD, WY, and UT. Region IX: Suite 790, 120 Howard St., San Francisco, CA, 94105; serving American Samoa, AZ, CA, Guam, HI, and NV. REGION IX Field Office: Suite 1880, 888 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017. REGION X: Room 1808, 915 Second Ave., Seattle, WA, 98174; serving AK, ID, OR, and WA.

Headquarters Office: For general information, Community Relations Service, Department of Justice, Suite 2000, 600 E St. NW., Washington, DC 20530. Phone: (202) 305-2935. Use the same number for FTS.

(See Appendix IV for more contact info.)

16.200 ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements: None.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance: Continuous until action is taken that leads to resolution of the conflict, or when CRS no longer has jurisdiction under 42 U.S.C. 2000g.

Uses and Use Restrictions: The Community Relations Service (CRS) employs conciliation, mediation, technical assistance, and training techniques to provide free services to communities in preventing, reducing, and resolving racial and ethnic conflicts. Through conciliation, CRS facilitates communication among disputing parties. Through mediation, CRS intervenes to promote the settlement of disputes through the terms of an oral or written agreement between the disputing parties. Through technical assistance, CRS provides subject matter expertise to communities by providing such services as: participating in, and facilitating community meetings and task forces; and sponsoring, cosponsoring, or making presentations at conferences and forums. CRS conducts training in such areas as community policing, police/community relations, response to hate crimes, and conflict resolution techniques (e.g., student peer mediation). CRS also develops resource materials and prepares articles for publication on preventing, and resolving racial and ethnic conflicts in communities.

16.200 POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports: None.

Audits: None.

Records: None.