Discretionary Grant Application Review Process

Responsiveness Review

Applications are screened to ensure that basic minimum requirements of the NOFO are met. Ineligible or incomplete applications are removed from further consideration. Eligible and complete applications typically go on to peer review and programmatic review.

Review Criteria

Our peer review process is based on the specifications outlined in the NOFO under which the application was submitted. We may use internal reviewers, external reviewers, or a combination of both. Reviewers read applications and score them on to the strength of their responses to the NOFO’s criteria.

All reviewers are required to adhere to our peer review conflict of interest policy, which is designed to identify and resolve any issues that may call into question a reviewer’s impartiality or objectivity regarding an application.

Programmatic Review

Programmatic review involves us assessing the application for alignment with the program’s scope, flagging activities that compromise victim safety, and, if applicable, reviewing the applicant’s past performance. We may deduct points from an application’s peer review score for these reasons: 

1. Activities that compromise victim safety and recovery and undermine offender accountability (maximum point deduction: 25)
2. Out-of-scope and unallowable activities (maximum point deduction: 25)
3. Past performance (maximum point deduction: 25)
4. Formatting and technical requirements (maximum point deduction: maximum point deduction: 5)

We may also add up to 10 points to applications that meaningfully address priorities identified in the NOFO or provide non-mandatory certifications.

We will not fund an application that is substantially out-of-scope, proposes a lot of unallowable activities, or includes activities that pose a significant threat to victim safety or a serious breach of confidentiality. An applicant with considerable past performance issues may also have points deducted from their peer review score or be removed from funding consideration.

Past Performance Review

As a part of the programmatic review, we review applicants with current or recently closed OVW awards under the program to which the applicant applied, based on the following: