OVW FY 2018 Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner Training Initiative Solicitation | OVW 2018 14604

Opportunity Information: Apply for OVW 2018 14604

The OVW FY 2018 Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner Training Initiative (SAMFE Training Initiative) Solicitation is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), offered as a cooperative agreement. It was created on May 18, 2018, with an original application deadline of June 29, 2018. The program is authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. No. 115-141) and 34 U.S.C. 40723, and it is developed in partnership with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), signaling a strong emphasis on evidence-based practices and the practical, real-world needs of forensic medical response.

At its core, this initiative is designed to strengthen the medical forensic response to sexual assault by improving how professionals identify, collect, preserve, analyze, and ultimately use DNA samples and DNA evidence. The focus is not limited to one profession; instead, it targets the broader response team involved when a victim seeks care and when evidence is documented for potential investigative or prosecutorial use. The solicitation highlights intended audiences such as doctors, medical examiners, coroners, nurses (including sexual assault nurse examiners and similar roles), victim service providers, and other allied professionals who play a role in treating victims and supporting the forensic process. The overall aim is to improve the quality and consistency of medical forensic examinations and related evidence handling, which can have direct implications for victim care, case outcomes, and system accountability.

The types of activities that may be supported are broad but clearly centered on capacity-building and operational improvement. Funding may be used for training and education to enhance practitioner skills and standardize best practices. It may also support technical assistance, which often includes hands-on guidance, implementation support, and problem-solving help for programs trying to build or improve their forensic examiner capacity. In addition, the solicitation allows for equipment and information resources tied to the medical forensic and DNA evidence workflow, reflecting an understanding that strong training alone is not always enough if the tools, protocols, and supporting materials are outdated or insufficient.

Eligibility is open to several categories of organizations that are positioned to deliver training, technical assistance, and education at scale. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (excluding universities), and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments). This mix suggests OVW anticipated applications from universities with forensic nursing or medical programs, national or regional training and technical assistance providers, and specialized nonprofit organizations with expertise in sexual assault response and forensic practice.

The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 16.526 and falls within the broad funding activity categories of Health, Law, Justice, and Legal Services, reflecting its intersectional purpose: improving healthcare-based forensic services while strengthening the justice system’s ability to make appropriate use of DNA evidence. The solicitation anticipated making a single award (ExpectedAwards: 1), with an award ceiling of $1,000,000, indicating a competitive, potentially national-scope project rather than multiple smaller local awards. The funding opportunity number associated with the solicitation is OVW 2018 14604.

• The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women in the health, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OVW FY 2018 Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner Training Initiative Solicitation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.526.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 18, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 29, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for OVW 2018 14604

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