OVW FY 2020 Sexual Assault Forensic-Medical and Advocacy Services for Tribes (FAST) Initiative | OVW 2020 17592

FAQs: OVW FY 2020 Sexual Assault Forensic-Medical and Advocacy Services for Tribes (FAST) Initiative

1) What is the FAST Initiative?

The OVW FY 2020 Sexual Assault Forensic-Medical and Advocacy Services for Tribes (FAST) Initiative is a discretionary grant program from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). It was created to strengthen tribal responses to sexual assault by expanding access to trained Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs) and trained sexual assault victim advocates in Indian Country, including Alaska Native villages.

2) What problem is this funding meant to address?

The initiative targets a specific service gap in many tribal and Alaska Native communities: survivors often cannot reliably access trained forensic examiners and specialized advocacy services when they need them. Geographic distance, limited infrastructure, and workforce shortages can prevent survivors from getting timely, trauma-informed medical forensic exams and consistent advocacy support.

3) What are the main goals of FAST?

The core aim is to ensure survivors in tribal communities can receive timely, trauma-informed medical forensic exams and consistent advocacy support. FAST also emphasizes coordinated, survivor-centered community responses by supporting the development and strengthening of Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs).

4) What types of services does FAST funding support?

FAST funding is meant to help communities build practical capacity to deliver sexual assault medical forensic exams and victim services. It can support launching a new program, sustaining an existing program, or expanding services into additional locations.

5) Who are Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs) in the context of this program?

Within this opportunity, SAFEs are trained providers who conduct sexual assault medical forensic exams. FAST is focused on expanding access to trained SAFEs so survivors can receive high-quality exams soon after an assault, including in remote or underserved tribal areas.

6) What role do sexual assault victim advocates play under FAST?

The program supports trained sexual assault victim advocates who provide consistent advocacy support to survivors. The overall intent is to reduce barriers for survivors and help them navigate the aftermath of assault with survivor-centered assistance.

7) What is a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), and why does FAST support it?

A SART is a multidisciplinary partnership that typically brings together healthcare providers, victim advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, and other community partners to coordinate a survivor-centered response. FAST supports SART formation and improvement to reduce gaps in care, improve communication across agencies, and make it easier for survivors to access coordinated services.

8) Does FAST prioritize rural or remote tribal communities?

Yes. A notable feature of this opportunity is its explicit priority for innovative approaches that address the realities of remote and rural tribal communities, including Alaska Native villages. OVW indicates preference for creative, workable models that connect experienced SAFEs with hard-to-reach locations.

9) What kinds of innovative approaches are specifically highlighted?

The solicitation highlights examples such as traveling SAFEs who rotate through multiple sites, telemedicine models that extend expert guidance and support across distance, and rural preceptorships designed to help train and retain providers in underserved areas.

10) Is this funding intended only for new programs, or can it support existing services too?

FAST is intended to support multiple stages of capacity-building. It can fund the launch of a new program, sustain an existing program, or expand services into additional locations.

11) Is this opportunity a grant or a contract?

This opportunity is a grant (not a contract).

12) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $2,000,000.

13) About how many awards did OVW expect to make under this solicitation?

The solicitation indicated an expectation of about 6 awards.

14) When was this opportunity posted, and what was the closing date?

The opportunity was posted on November 4, 2019, and had an original closing date of January 10, 2020.

15) What is the funding opportunity number and title?

The funding opportunity number is OVW 2020 17592, and the title is OVW FY 2020 Sexual Assault Forensic-Medical and Advocacy Services for Tribes (FAST) Initiative.

16) What CFDA number is associated with this program?

This opportunity is associated with CFDA number 16.841.

17) What is the broad funding category for this program?

The program aligns with the broad funding activity category of Health, Law, Justice, and Legal Services.

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations. It also includes state, county, and local governments; public and private institutions of higher education; and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories).

19) If eligibility is broad, does the program still focus on tribal communities?

Yes. Even with a wide eligibility list, the program is clearly oriented toward improving services within tribal communities. Competitive applications would generally be expected to show strong collaboration with tribal partners and a clear plan to deliver culturally responsive, victim-centered services in the community or communities being served.

20) What does FAST emphasize about service quality and survivor experience?

The initiative emphasizes timely, trauma-informed medical forensic exams and consistent advocacy support, paired with coordinated SART practices that are designed to reduce gaps, improve cross-agency communication, and lower barriers for survivors seeking care and support.