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OFFICEFORCIVILRIGHTSOfficeofJusticeProgramsDepartmentofJustice8107thStreet,NWWashington,DC20531Tel:(202)307-0690TTY:(202)307-2027E-mail:askOCR@usdoj.govWebsite:www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ocrSeptember21,2015ChiefKathleenM.O'TooleSeattlePoliceDepartmentPOBox34986Seattle,WA98124-4986DearChiefO'Toole:Congratulationsonyourrecentaward.Inestablishingfinancialassistanceprograms,Congresslinkedthereceiptoffederalfundingtocompliancewithfederalcivilrightslaws.TheOfficeforCivilRights(OCR),OfficeofJusticePrograms(OJP),U.S.DepartmentofJustice(DOJ)isresponsibleforensuringthatrecipientsoffinancialassistancefromtheOJP,theOfficeofCommunityOrientedPolicingServices(COPS),andtheOfficeonViolenceAgainstWomen(OVW)complywiththeapplicablefederalcivilrightslaws.WeattheOCRareavailabletohelpyouandyourorganizationmeetthecivilrightsrequirementsthatcomewithDOJfunding.EnsuringAccesstoFederallyAssistedProgramsFederallawsthatapplytorecipientsoffinancialassistancefromtheDOJprohibitdiscriminationonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,religion,sex,ordisabilityinfundedprogramsoractivities,notonlyinemploymentbutalsointhedeliveryofservicesorbenefits.Afederallawalsoprohibitsrecipientsfromdiscriminatingonthebasisofageinthedeliveryofservicesorbenefits.InMarchof2013,PresidentObamasignedtheViolenceAgainstWomenReauthorizationActof2013.ThestatuteamendstheViolenceAgainstWomenActof1994(VAWA)byincludinganondiscriminationgrantconditionthatprohibitsdiscriminationbasedonactualorperceivedrace,color,nationalorigin,religion,sex,disability,sexualorientation,orgenderidentity.ThenewnondiscriminationgrantconditionappliestocertainprogramsfundedafterOctober1,2013.TheOCRandtheOVWhavedevelopedanswerstosomefrequentlyaskedquestionsaboutthisprovisiontoassistrecipientsofVAWAfundstounderstandtheirobligations.TheFrequentlyAskedQuestionsareavailableathttp://ojp.gov/about/ocr/vawafaqs.htm.EnforcingCivilRightsLawsAllrecipientsoffederalfinancialassistance,regardlessoftheparticularfundingsource,theamountofthegrantaward,orthenumberofemployeesintheworkforce,aresubjecttoprohibitionsagainstunlawfuldiscrimination.Accordingly,theOCRinvestigatesrecipientsthatarethesubjectofdiscriminationcomplaintsfrombothindividualsandgroups.Inaddition,basedonregulatorycriteria,theOCRselectsanumberofrecipientseachyearforcompliancereviews,auditsthatrequirerecipientstosubmitdatashowingthattheyareprovidingservicesequitablytoallsegmentsoftheirservicepopulationandthattheiremploymentpracticesmeetequalopportunitystandards.