Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of 41 juvenile mentoring programs funded by OJJDP with Fiscal Year 1994 and 1995 funds and 6 additional juvenile mentoring programs funded through OJJDP's SafeFutures initiative in Fiscal Year 1995. The recipient of this award also will provide technical assistance to juvenile mentoring programs that receive Fiscal Year 1996 funds.
Background: The Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) was established in 1992 through an amendment to the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Act of 1974 (Public Law 93 415), as amended. Congress made annual appropriations of $4 million for JUMP in each of FY's 1994, 1995, and 1996. Of the $8 million appropriated for FY's 1994 and 1995, $1 million was awarded to the six SafeFutures sites for juvenile mentoring programs. The goals of JUMP are to reduce juvenile delinquency and gang participation, improve academic performance, and reduce school dropout rates.
In July 1995, OJJDP competitively awarded grants to 41 recipients of up to $180,000 each for a 3-year project period. More than 500 local education agencies, in partnership with nonprofit public or private agencies, institutions, or businesses, applied for these grants. Programs funded under the JUMP initiative link at-risk children, particularly those living in high-crime areas and experiencing educational failure, with responsible, working adults. The programs also accomplish one or more of the following objectives:
To provide for the timely initiation of evaluation activities, OJJDP tasked its management evaluation contractor, Caliber Associates, to design an evaluation and prepare for initial data collection. Caliber produced a workbook containing an overview of the JUMP initiative and the national evaluation, and defining the roles of OJJDP, the evaluator, and JUMP grantees. Caliber also developed data collection instruments, procedures, and schedules for adminis-tering the instruments and submitting the data.
With the funding of this evaluation program, Caliber will have introduced all grantees to the evaluation requirements and conducted a pilot test. Grantees will have received, reviewed, and commented on the workbook, and the data collection instruments will have been pilot tested in five sites. Pilot testing will include grantee administration of the data collection instruments, site visits by Caliber to each of the pilot sites to note any grantee concerns about the data collection, analysis of the data, completion of a report to OJJDP, and followup interviews with participating grantees. Caliber will also help coordinate the transition to the evaluation grantee.
Goals: The goals of this evaluation are to assure that the mentoring program is operating as designed and determine whether the mentoring program is meeting its goals, including program processes and outcomes for mentees, such as academic performance and behavior.
Objectives: The objectives of this evaluation are:
Program Strategy: The evaluation grantee will guide the 41 existing JUMP grantees and the 6 juvenile mentoring grantees funded under the SafeFutures Program through the startup of the data collection phase. The evaluation grantee will be responsible for coordinating the data collection, providing technical assistance to the JUMP grantees during the data collection, gathering data collected by the JUMP grantees, and conducting analyses that will answer the questions associated with the JUMP goals and other objectives being accomplished at the program level, as discussed in the Background section. In addition to an outcome study, the evaluation will include a process component. Applicants should be prepared to fully address both types of evaluation in the grant application.
The evaluation of the JUMP program will be accomplished through a partnership effort among the JUMP grantees, OJJDP, and the JUMP evaluation grantee. This partnership will be critical to evaluation in the six SafeFutures sites because of the complexity of the overall SafeFutures evaluation.
Products: The JUMP evaluation grantee will prepare special quarterly reports and summary annual reports. They will be developed using data and information collected and forwarded to the JUMP evaluation grantee by the JUMP grantees. The reports will be provided to the JUMP grantees to provide continuous feedback on grantee progress.
The JUMP evaluation grantee will provide OJJDP with special reports designed to meet congressional reporting requirements.
Eligibility Requirements: OJJDP invites applications from public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, or individuals. Applicants must demonstrate that they have experience designing and implementing process and outcome evaluations. Private, for-profit organizations must agree to waive any profit or fee. Joint applications from two or more eligible applicants are welcome, as long as one is designated primary applicant and any others co-applicants.
Selection Criteria: Applicants will be evaluated and rated by a peer review panel according to the criteria outlined below.
Problem(s) To Be Addressed (15 points)
Applicants must include a clear and concise statement of the problem. They should also discuss how to coordinate and manage the evaluation to achieve evaluation objectives and overcome potential problems associated with process and outcome evaluations.
Goals and Objectives (10 points)
Applicants must define goals and objectives for coordinating and managing this evaluation program that are clear, measurable, and attainable.
Project Design (30 points)
Applicants must present a clear work plan for the conduct of these evaluations and the formu-lation of a strategy to carry out this evaluation. The work plan must be sound, feasible, and capable of achieving the objectives set forth in this solicitation. Possible problems in con-ducting this type of evaluation and their solutions should be described.
Management and Organizational Capability (35 points)
Applicants' management structure and staffing must be adequate and appropriate for the successful implementation of the project. Applicants must identify responsible individuals, their time commitment, and major tasks. Applicants must document evidence of the organization's ability to conduct the project successfully. Organizational experience with evaluation of programs for youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare or social service system is recommended. Key staff should have significant experience with evaluation. They must demonstrate the ability to work effectively with practitioners in data collection and analysis issues and other requirements of the project. Staff r�sum�s should be attached as part of the appendixes.
Budget (10 points)
Applicants must provide a proposed budget that is complete, detailed, reasonable, allowable, and cost effective in relation to the activities to be undertaken.
Format: The narrative must not exceed 25 pages in length (excluding forms, assurances, and appendixes) and must be submitted on 8 1/2- by 11-inch paper, double-spaced on one side of the paper in a standard 10- or 12-point font.
Award Period: This project will be funded for 24 months in two 12-month budget periods. Funding after the first budget period depends on grantee performance, availability of funds, and other criteria established at the time of award.
Award Amount: Up to $150,000 is available for the first 12-month budget period.
Delivery Instructions: All application packages should be mailed or delivered to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, c/o Juvenile Justice Resource Center, 1600 Research Boulevard, Mail Stop 2K, Rockville, MD 20850; 301 251 5535. Note: In the lower left-hand corner of the envelope, you must clearly write "Evaluation of the Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP)."
Due Date: Applicants are responsible for ensuring that the original and five copies of the application package are received by 5 p.m. EDT on September 20, 1996.
Contact: For further information call Eric Peterson, Program Manager, Research and Program Development Division, 202 307 5929, or send an e-mail inquiry to [email protected].
References
Beiswinger, G. L. One to One: The Story of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Movement in
America. Philadelphia, PA: Big Brothers/Big Sisters, 1985.
Caliber Associates. OJJDP Juvenile Justice Mentoring Program Evaluation Workbook.
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, December 1995.
Freedman, M. The Kindness of Strangers; Reflections on the Mentoring Movement.
Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures, 1992.
Furano, K., P. A. Roaf, M. Styles, and A Branch. Big Brothers/Big Sisters. A Study of
Program Practices. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures, Winter 1993.
Greim, J. L. Adult/Youth Relationships Pilot Project: Initial Implementation Report.
Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures, 1992.
"Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) Guidelines. Notice." Federal Register 59 (144), July
28, 1994, 38520 38522.
Mecartney, C. A, M. B. Styles, and K. V. Morrow. Mentoring in the Juvenile Justice System:
Findings from Two Pilot Programs. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures, Winter
1994.
Morrow, K. V., and M. B. Styles. Building Relationships with Youth In Program Settings: A
Study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures, 1992.
Pittman, K. Defining the Fourth R: Youth Development Through Building Relationships.
Washington, DC: Academy for Educational Development, 1992.
Roaf, P. A., J. P. Tierney, and D. E. I. Hunte. Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America: A Study
of Volunteer Recruitment and Screening. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures,
Fall 1994.
Styles, M. B., and K. V. Morrow. Understanding How Youth and Elders Form Relationships:
A Study of Four Linking Lifetimes Programs. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private
Ventures, 1992.
Tierney, J. P., and A. Y. Branch. College Students as Mentors for At-Risk Youth: A Study of
Six Campus Partners in Learning Programs. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private
Ventures, 1992.