BJA FY 18 Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) | BJA 2018 13628

FAQs: BJA FY 18 VALOR (Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability)

What is the BJA FY 18 VALOR initiative?

The BJA FY 18 Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) initiative is a U.S. Department of Justice funding opportunity administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Its purpose is to strengthen law enforcement safety and improve officer wellness by supporting national-level efforts that reduce violence against officers and increase their resilience and survivability.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The main goal is to reduce violence and victimization against law enforcement officers while improving officer resilience, survivability, and wellness. The program emphasizes strategies, training, and support mechanisms that help officers anticipate, prevent, and respond to threats, and it also addresses the physical and mental demands of the profession.

Who is the sponsoring federal agency and which office administers the program?

The sponsoring federal department is the U.S. Department of Justice. The opportunity is administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

What type of award is this?

This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement. In practical terms, that generally means BJA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period, rather than issuing funds without ongoing participation.

What does "cooperative agreement" mean for applicants and awardees?

Based on the description provided, a cooperative agreement indicates that BJA anticipates substantial involvement in the funded work during the project period. The project is not described as a hands-off grant; instead, it is framed as national initiatives where BJA may be actively engaged as the work progresses.

Is this opportunity focused on local projects or national initiatives?

The funded work is framed as a set of national initiatives. The emphasis is on efforts that can have national-level impact, particularly through training and technical assistance that can be strategically targeted to identified law enforcement safety and wellness needs.

What kinds of activities or projects does VALOR typically support?

Projects under this umbrella typically align with national-level training and technical assistance efforts. Examples of activities mentioned include developing or delivering specialized training, creating practical tools and guidance for agencies, providing direct technical assistance to departments, and spreading evidence-informed approaches that can be adopted across jurisdictions.

Does the program focus only on officer safety, or also on wellness?

It focuses on both. The initiative is designed to strengthen law enforcement safety and improve officer wellness, including addressing the physical and mental demands of the profession alongside threat prevention and response.

What is the funding opportunity number for this solicitation?

The funding opportunity number is BJA-2018-13628.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number is 16.738.

When was the solicitation created?

The solicitation was created on March 15, 2018.

What was the original closing date for applications?

The original closing date was April 30, 2018.

How many awards did BJA anticipate making?

BJA anticipated making about three awards.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling was up to $1,000,000 per award.

Is eligibility limited to certain applicant types?

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is open to a wide range of applicant types, provided they meet any additional eligibility conditions described in the full solicitation.

Which broad activity categories does this program fall under?

The program sits at the intersection of law enforcement and workforce development priorities. The activity categories listed are law, justice and legal services, as well as education, employment, labor, and training.

What is the overall focus or strategy of the VALOR FY 2018 opportunity?

Overall, VALOR FY 2018 is described as a competitive federal investment aimed at reducing officer victimization and strengthening officer performance and well-being through scalable, national-impact training and technical assistance efforts.

What does the opportunity mean by "evidence-informed approaches"?

The opportunity emphasizes spreading evidence-informed approaches that can be adopted across jurisdictions. Based on the information provided, this refers to approaches that are informed by available evidence and are suitable for broader adoption and replication.

Does this program emphasize training and technical assistance?

Yes. A strong focus is placed on training and technical assistance that can be strategically targeted to identified law enforcement safety and wellness needs.

What kinds of deliverables are implied by the solicitation description?

The description implies deliverables such as specialized training content or training delivery, practical tools and guidance for agencies, and the provision of direct technical assistance to law enforcement departments, with an emphasis on national applicability and scalability.