1122-0003 Supporting Statement A (2023)

Annual Progress Report for STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program

OMB Control Number 1122-0003

OMB Expiration Date: 09/30/2023

SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR

Annual Progress Report for STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant

Program

1. JUSTIFICATION

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statute and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.

The primary goal of the STOP (Services*Training*Officers*Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program (STOP Formula Grant Program) is to develop and strengthen the criminal justice system's response to violence against women and to support and enhance services for victims. The STOP Formula Grant Program was authorized through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and reauthorized and amended by the VAWA of 2000, by the VAWA of 2005 and by the VAWA of 2013. Grant awards are made to state governments and administered through a STOP State Administrator. Each state and territory must allocate OVW grant funds to law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services within the statutory parameters. Eligible applicants for the STOP Formula Grant Program include any state within the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Currently, there are different statutory and regulatory reporting requirements that affect STOP Formula Grant Program grantees. VAWA 2000 required all VAWA grantees, including STOP Formula Grant Program grantees, to report on the effectiveness of their programs to the Attorney General who, in turn, must report to Congress every two years. Section 1003 of VAWA 2000 states that (a) REPORT BY GRANT RECIPIENTS. The Attorney General or Secretary of Health and Human Services, as applicable, shall require grantees under any program authorized or reauthorized by this division or an amendment made by this division to report on the effectiveness of the activities carried out with amounts made available to carry out that program, including number of persons served, if applicable, numbers of persons seeking services who could not be served and such other information as the Attorney General or Secretary may prescribe. (b) REPORT TO CONGRESS. The Attorney General or Secretary of Health and Human Services, as applicable, shall report biennially to the Committees on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives and the Senate on the grant programs described in subsection (a), including the information contained in any report under that subsection. 34 U.S.C. 10238.2 The Department of Justice regulations provide that states and local and Indian tribal governments receiving federal grants must submit periodic performance reports that include a comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives established and the reasons for slippage if the objectives were not met. 28 CFR 66.401 OVW must also comply with the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) (Pub. L. 103-62) which was enacted to increase Congressional and Administrative focus on the results from government programs and activities. To meet its GPRA reporting obligations and elicit more meaningful information about grantee performance, OVW has recently developed performance measures, including output measures, regarding which the STOP Formula Grant Program grantees must report on an annual basis.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

OVW uses data from the information collection2 in different ways. OVW will review each

annual progress report to ensure statutory compliance and to ensure that the goals and objectives

set forth in applications for funding and award documents are met. The STOP Formula Grant Program subgrantees collect information that addresses the following grant-funded activities (different sections on the reporting form): staff, statutory purpose areas, informational materials, and victim services. Narrative questions at the end of these different sections enable subgrantees to give more detailed qualitative information about their grant-funded activities. In addition, subgrantees must answer narrative questions on the most significant areas of remaining need with regard to improving services to victims/survivors of sexual assault, increasing victims/survivors safety, and enhancing community response (including offender accountability or sex offenders), what has federal funding allowed the grantee to do that grantee could not do prior to receiving funding, additional information about the STOP Formula Grant program subgrant and/or the effectiveness of the subgrant and any additional information about the data submitted. In addition to the proposed information collection, OVW will continue to use a number of other techniques to review the activities of the STOP state administrators and of subgrantees.¹ These may include OVW staff attendance at site visits, grant-funded training and technical assistance events, and ongoing consultation with OVW staff. OVW will aggregate data from all subgrantees progress reports to assess the performance of the STOP Formula Grant Program as a whole and to respond to Congressional, Department of Justice, and other inquiries about how these funds are being used. In addition, information collected from grantees will support the following OVW GPRA measures: Number of victims receiving requested services; Number of advocates funded: Number of protection orders issued; Number of policies developed/revised; Number of victims requesting services who received them; Number of grant funded multi-disciplinary training events that have occurred; and Number of professionals trained to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Information collected from STOP state administrators and subgrantees will enable OVW to respond to statutory requirements to report on the effectiveness of grant-funded activities. OVW has submitted the 2016 Biennial Report to Congress on the STOP Grant program, which includes information about how funds were expended and an assessment of the effectiveness of funded programs. This report is based on data submitted by grantees reflecting STOP awards made and STOP-funded activities during the calendar year 2013 and 2014. The data that OVW collects on the annual progress reporting forms is currently not used in connection with an evaluation of the STOP Formula Grant Program. OVW is currently exploring the development of a multi-layered evaluation agenda for its grant programs. The data that OVW collects on the annual progress reporting forms is currently not used in connection with an evaluation of the STOP Formula Grant Program. OVW is currently exploring the development of a multi-layered evaluation agenda for its grant programs.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also, describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.

The collection of information will involve the use of automated, electronic, mechanical or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. STOP administrators are required to submit annual progress reports through the Grants Management System (GMS).

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item A.2 above.

There is no other mechanism by which OVW collects information about grant funded activities including number of victims served, victims seeking services who could not be served, 4 or persons trained.

5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.

There is no significant impact on small business or other private entities.

6. Describe the consequence to federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

Through the VAWA, Congress has mandated that STOP administrators and subgrantees report to the Attorney General on the effectiveness of their activities funded under VAWA. If OVW was not able to collect the information necessary to complete these reports on behalf of the Attorney General, not only would it be failing to meet statutorily required reporting mandates, but also the existence of this important and necessary formula grant program could be jeopardized. The STOP Formula Grant Program supports important programs that provide critical training to address violence against women, provide victims services, and support coordinated community responses to such crimes. The STOP Formula Grant Program promotes a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to improving the criminal justice system’s response to violence against women and supports partnerships among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim advocacy organizations to enhance victim safety and to increase offender accountability.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

• requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;

• requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document;

• requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records for more than three years;

• in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

• requiring the use of statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

• that includes a pledge of confidentially that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or

• requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secret, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentially to the extent permitted by law.

There are no special circumstances.

8. If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.

Describe efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

Consultation with representatives of those from whom information is to be obtained or those who must compile records should occur at least once every 3 years -- even if the collection-of-information activity is the same as in prior periods. There may be circumstances that may preclude consultation in a specific situation. These circumstances should be explained.

The 60-Day Notice was published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2023 (88 FR 42390). The comment period ended on August 29, 2023. No comments were received.

9. Explain any decision to provide any payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

No government funds will be used as payment or for gifts to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

Confidentiality is not required in the processing of this information collection.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.

The annual progress report will not contain any questions of a personal, sensitive nature such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information. The statement should:

• Indicate the number of respondents, frequency of response, annual hour burden, and an explanation of how the burden was estimated. Unless directed to do so, agencies should not conduct special surveys to obtain information on which to base hour burden estimates. Consultation with a sample (fewer than 10) of potential respondents is desirable. If the hour burden on respondents is expected to vary widely because of differences in activity, size, or complexity, show the range of estimated hour burden, and explain the reasons for the variance. General, estimates should not include burden hours for customary and usual business practices.

• If this request for approval covers more than one form, provide separate hour burden estimates for each form.

• Provide estimates of annualized cost to respondents for the hour burdens for collections of information, identifying and using appropriate wage rate categories. The cost of contracting out or paying outside parties for information collection activities should not be included here. Instead, this cost should be included in Item 14.

Estimated Annualized Respondent Cost and Hour Burden

Activity	Number of Respondents	Frequency	Total Annual Responses	Time Per Response	Total Annual Burden (Hours)
STOP Annual Progress Report	2,556	1	2,556	1 hr.	2,556 hrs.
Unduplicated Totals	2,556		2,556		2,556 hrs.

13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information. (Do not include the cost of any hour burden shown in Items 12 and 14).

• The cost estimate should be split into two components: (a) a total capital

and start up cost component (annualized over its expected useful life); and (b) a

total operation and maintenance and purchase of service component.

The estimates should take into account costs associated with generating,

maintaining, and disclosing or providing the information. Include descriptions of

methods used to estimate major cost factors including system and technology acquisition, expected useful life of capital equipment, the discount rate(s), and the time period over which costs will be incurred. Capital and start-up costs include, among other items, preparations for collecting information such as purchasing computers and software; monitoring, sampling, drilling and testing equipment; and record storage facilities.

• If cost estimates are expected to vary widely, agencies should present ranges of cost burdens and explain the reasons for the variance. The cost of purchasing or contracting out information collection services should be a part of this cost burden estimate. In developing cost burden estimates, agencies may consult with a sample of respondents (fewer than 10), utilize the 60-day pre-OMB submission public comment process and use existing economic or regulatory impact analysis associated with the rulemaking containing the information collection, as appropriate.

• Generally, estimates should not include purchases of equipment or services, or portions thereof, made: (1) prior to October 1, 1995, (2) to achieve regulatory compliance with requirements not associated with the information collection, (3) for reasons other than to provide information or keep records for the government, or (4) as part of customary and usual business or private practices.

OVW does not believe that there is any annual cost burden on respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of this information.

14. Provide estimates of the annualized cost to the Federal Government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information. Agencies also may aggregate cost estimates from Items 12, 13, and 14 into a single table.

The annualized costs to the Federal Government resulting from the OVW staff review of the progress reports submitted by grantees are estimated to be $143,356.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

There are no program changes or adjustments for the estimates identified in Section 13 and in Section 14. This is a information collection that is necessary for OVW and its STOP administrators and STOP Formula Grant Program subgrantees to comply with the statutory reporting requirements and the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103- 62).

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulations, and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

There will be no complex analytical techniques used in connection with the publication of information collected under the request. Information will be gathered once a year at the end of the reporting periods. OVW is statutorily required to submit a report on the effectiveness of all grant-funded activities on a biennial basis.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons that display would be inappropriate.

We are requesting no exemption.

18. Explain each exception to the certification statement.

This collection of information does not include any exceptions to the certificate statement.

B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATON EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS.

This collection does/does not contain statistical data.

1 In addition, VAWA requires that “[U]pon completion of the grant period..., a State or Indian tribe shall file a performance report with the Attorney General explaining the activities carried out, which report shall include an assessment of the effectiveness of those activities in achieving the purposes of this part. 34 U.S.C. 10446(h). Under a cooperative agreement between OVW and the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service, data collected from OVW grantees on all of OVW’s progress report forms is transmitted to the Muskie School for analysis. For the analysis of the data,

standard descriptive statistics (frequency, sum, percentage, mean, etc.) are used to describe the characteristics of the grantees and report basic findings. All analyses are conducted in SPSS 13.0

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