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Community Capacity Development Office
Operation Weed and Seed is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to combating violent crime, drug use, and gang activity in high crime neighborhoods.
The goal is to "weed out" violence
The strategy emphasizes the importance of a coordinated approach, bringing together Federal, State and local government, the community, and the private sector to form a partnership to create a safe, drug-free environment.
Considerable progress has been made in implementing the Weed and Seed strategy in over 300 sites with DOJ funding (and in additional "Officially Recognized" sites without funding).
Under the guidance of the United States Attorney in each site, Federal, State, and local officials are working together to implement a wide variety of activities designed to reduce drug crime, gangs, and other violent crime out of high crime neighborhoods and to revitalize those areas by implementing a range of human service programs and economic development to keep crime from recurring.
These activities are based on four core elements that are essential to the success of the Weed and Seed strategy: enhanced law enforcement; community policing as a bridge between law enforcement and social revitalization efforts; prevention, early intervention, and treatment efforts; and neighborhood restoration, including opportunities for economic development.
The following communities have funded sites: Akron, Ohio; Albany, Georgia; Albany, New York; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Anchorage, Alaska; Androscoggin, Maine; Athens, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Augusta, Georgia; Aurora, Colorado; Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland-West Area; Baltimore, Maryland-East Baltimore Action Coalition, Inc.; Beaumont, Texas; Benton Harbor, Michigan-Benton Township; Birmingham, Alabama; Boston, Massachusetts; Brevard County, Florida; Bridgeport, Connecticut; Brockton, Massachusetts; Bronx, New York; Brooklyn, New York; Brownsville, Texas; Buffalo, New York; Burnsville, Minnesota; Cape Girardeau, Missouri (part of Southeast Missouri(SEMO) Weed and Seed); Capitol Mall--Phoenix, Arizona; Caruthersville, Missouri (part of SEMO); Castle Hill--Bronx, New York; Charleston, Missouri (part of SEMO); Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Charlottesville, Virginia; Chattanooga, Tennessee--Westside Community Development Corp.; Chelsea, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Clearwater, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Contra Costa County, California; Corpus Christi, Texas; Corpus Christi, Texas--Area #2; Dallas, Texas; Duluth, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Des Moines, Iowa; Detroit, Michigan-- Northwest Area Business Assoc.; Durham, North Carolina; Dyersburg, Tennessee; East Chicago, Indiana; East Point, Georgia; East St.
Louis, Illinois; Eatonville, Florida; Enemy Swim, South Dakota; Estate Bovoni, Virgin Islands; Euclid, Ohio; Far Rockaway (Queens), New York; Flagstaff, Arizona; Flint, Michigan; Florence, South Carolina; Freeport, Illinois; Fresno, California; Frogtown, Minnesota; Ft.
Myers, Florida; Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida; Ft.
Worth, Texas; Gainesville, Florida; Galveston, Texas; Gary, Indiana (Non-Profit); Grand Rapids, Michigan; Greensboro, North Carolina; Greenville, North Carolina; Greenville, Mississippi; Hamilton, Ohio; Hartford, Connecticut; High Point, North Carolina; Highland Park, Michigan; Hillsborough County, Florida; Holland, Michigan; Homestead, Florida; Honolulu, Hawaii; Houston, Texas; Humboldt, Tennessee; Huntington Station, New York; Huntsville, Alabama; Indianapolis, Indiana; Inkster, Michigan; Ivy City/Trinidad, Washington D.C.; Jackson, Mississippi; Jacksonville, Florida, Community Alliance Development Corporation; Kansas City, Missouri; LaFourche Parish, Louisiana; Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico; Las Vegas, Nevada; Lima, Ohio; Los Angeles, California-South Central; Los Angeles, California-Pico Union/Koreatown; Louisville, Kentucky; Lowell, Massachusetts; Madison, Wisconsin; Manatee/Sarasota, Florida; Maywood/Bellwood, Illinois; Mc Allen, Texas; Memphis, Tennessee; Miami, Florida; Midcoast, Maine; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Wisconsin--Area #2; Minneapolis/Central, Minnesota; Minneapolis/Northside, Minnesota; Minneapolis/Phillips, Minnesota; Mobile, Alabama; Montgomery, Alabama; Moorhead, Minnesota; Muskegon/Muskegon Heights, Michigan; N.W.
RivieraBeach, Florida; New Haven, Connecticut; New Cassel, New York; New Bern, North Carolina; New Britain, Connecticut; New Orleans, Louisiana; Newark, New Jersey; North Amityville, New York; North Bellport, New York; North Capitol Area--Washington D.C.; North Charleston, South Carolina; North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Northern Cheyenne, Montana; Northwest Austin, Chicago, Illinois; Norwalk, Connecticut; Oakland, California; Ocala, Florida; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Omaha, Nebraska; Orlando, Florida; Orlando, Florida - Area #2; Oxnard, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Area #3; Phoenix, Arizona; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-East Liberty; Polk County, Florida; Poplar Bluff, Missouri (part of SEMO); Portland, Oregon; Prichard, Alabama; Racine, Wisconsin; Raleigh, North Carolina; Reno, Nevada; Richmond, Texas; Richmond, Virginia--Weed and Seed, Inc; Rochester, New York; Rockingham, North Carolina; Roosevelt, New York; St.
Croix, Virgin Islands; St.
Louis, Missouri; St.
Paul, Minnesota; St.
Paul/ECON, Minnesota; St.
Paul/Summit U., Minnesota; St.
Petersburg, Florida; Salinas, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Jose, California; San Antonio, Texas; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Santa Ana, California; Savannah, Georgia; Seattle, Washington; Southeast Raleigh, North Carolina; Southeast Seattle, Washington; Selma, Alabama; Selma, California; Shreveport, Louisiana; Sikeston, Missouri (part of SEMO); South Tucson, Arizona; Springfield, Illinois; Stamford, Connecticut; Syracuse, New York; Tacoma, Washington; Tallahassee, Florida; Tampa, Florida; Texarkana, Arkansas; Texarkana, Texas; Toledo, Ohio; Toledo-Lagrange, Ohio; Topeka, Kansas; Trenton, New Jersey; Tucson, Arizona; Tupelo, Mississippi; Valdosta, Georgia; Vernon, Texas; Village of Hempstead, New York; Volusia County, Florida; Washington, D.C.; Washington Heights, Maryland; West Valley City, Utah; West Palm Beach, Florida; Wheeling, West Virginia; Wichita Falls, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; Wilmington, Delaware; Winslow, Arizona; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Woburn, Massachusetts; Youngstown, Ohio.
The Department of Justice enforces the law and defends the interest of the United States, ensuring public safety against threats foreign and domestic; providing Federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; seeking just punishment for those guilty of unlawful pursuits; and ensuring fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
Program Accomplishments
Weed and Seed sites have experienced significant declines in crime rates. The Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) has been working to supplement Weed and Seed funds by coordinating with other Federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. In addition, CCDO continues to assist sites in adopting the Weed and Seed strategy and in seeking both funding and Official Recognition of local efforts without funding. CCDO works with other agencies to design and provide training and technical assistance related to the Weed and Seed strategy and coordinates with the participating agencies to inform the sites when that training is available. CCDO has upgraded and expanded the Weed and Seed program newsletter, " In-Sites." It is published quarterly and announces developments in Weed and Seed policy and shares information among Weed and Seed sites. CCDO has also developed a videotape library for use by those developing a Weed and Seed strategy. Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo for more information.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Weed and Seed funding is for intergovernmental agreements, including grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts, with State and local law enforcement agencies engaged in the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes and drug offenses in "Weed and Seed" designated communities, and for either reimbursements or transfers to appropriation accounts of the Department of Justice and other Federal agencies which shall be specified by the Attorney General to execute the "Weed and Seed" program strategy.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
The eligible applicant is a coalition of community residents, local, county, and State agencies, Federal agencies, and the private sector.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Eligibility criteria for selecting and funding Weed and Seed sites are as follows: High incidence of violent crime; existing, workable community infrastructure; cooperative governmental partnerships; good cooperation between governmental and private civic and social service organizations; cooperative business community; strong U.S. Attorney Office; and history of innovative programming at the local level. If a large city is being considered, the project site should be a clearly, easily identifiable section of the metropolitan area. The strategy also seeks to encompass available funding from reprogrammable Federal program dollars and existing private/local leveraged funds.
Credentials/Documentation
An interested community should establish contact with the United States Attorney, who convenes a formal steering committee. The steering committee, through the guidance and facilitation of the United States Attorney, produces an implementation plan along the lines set forth in the Weed and Seed Implementation Manual.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
The solicitation for FY 2008 new competitive funding is closed.
The solicitation for new competitive FY 2009 funding will likely be posted in the spring of 2008.
Existing sites must submit an annual application for continuation funding.
These are usually due early in the calendar year.
This program is covered under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
The DOJ solicitations for continuation and competitive applications for fiscal year 2006 funding were issued in April 2006. A competitive applications kit was issued in April 2006 for sites which are interested in becoming Weed and Seed Communities. Letters of intent to apply will be due in late June 2006 with full applications due in January 2007.
Award Procedures
As set forth in the application.
Deadlines
As set forth in the application.
Authorization
As amended, the authorizing statute for CCDO is contained Section 1121 of the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-162). Former authorization was under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2003, Public Law 108-7.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
As provided in the application.
Appeals
As provided in the application.
Renewals
As provided in the application.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
The nature of the program anticipates significant leveraging of contributions from the public and private sectors of participating local communities. Current match requirements are 25 percent of the Weed and Seed funding level.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Approximately 1-year funding is provided, subject to consideration for continuation for up to 5 years based on past performance and the availability of funding.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Program and Financial Monitoring Reports.
Audits
All organizations that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in any fiscal year must have a single audit for that year in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-133, as amended, unless the audit condition on the award says otherwise. These audits are due to the cognizant Federal agency not later than 9 months after the end of the grantee's fiscal year.
Records
Community Capacity Development Office files and Office of Justice Programs files.
Financial Information
Account Identification
15-0334-0-1-751.
Obigations
FY 07 $49,361,400; FY 08 $32,100,000; and FY 09 est not available.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
The site award levels assuming program compliance are $175,000 for first year sites, $250,000 for second year sites, $275,000 for third year sites, $200,000 for fourth year sites and $100,000 for fifth year sites.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
Operation Weed and Seed Implementation Manual, Newsletter ("In-Sites"), and "Weed and Seed Best Practices" periodical. Visit www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ccdo for more information.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
Dennis Greenhouse, Director; Denise Viera, Deputy Director; Faith Baker, Division Director for Programs; Erin Holbert, Supervisory Grant Management Specialist; Norena Henry, American Indian/Alaska Native Officer. Community Capacity Development Office, 810 Seventh Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20531. Telephone: (202) 616-1152. Fax: (202) 616-1159.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
The criteria for selecting and funding Weed and Seed sites are as follows: High incidence of violent crime; existing, workable community infrastructure; cooperative governmental partnerships; good cooperation between governmental and private civic and social service organizations; strong U.S. Attorney involvement; history of innovative programming at the local level; if a large city is being considered, the project site should be a clearly, easily identifiable section of the metropolitan area; available funding from reprogrammable Federal program dollars and existing private/local funds.
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