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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS Std/ . id . t Office of Justice Programs Department of Justice 810 7th Street,NW Washington,DC 20531 Tel:(202)307-0690 TTY:(202)307-2027 E-mail:askOCR @usdoj.gov Website:www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ocr August 6,2014 Chairman Ken Pawluk County of Cass P.O.Box 2806 211 9th Street South Fargo,ND 58108 Dear Chairman Pawluk: Congratulations on your recent award. In establishing financial assistance programs,Congress linked the receipt of federal funding to compliance with federal civil rights laws. The Office for Civil Rights(OCR),Office of Justice Programs(OJP),U.S.Department of Justice (DOJ)is responsible for ensuring that recipients of financial assistance from the OJP,the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS),and the Office on Violence Against Women(OVW)comply with the applicable federal civil rights laws. We at the OCR are available to help you and your organization meet the civil rights requirements that come with DOJ funding. Ensuring Access to Federally Assisted Programs Federal laws that apply to recipients of financial assistance from the DOJ prohibit discrimination on the basis of race,color,national origin, religion,sex,or disability in funded programs or activities,not only in employment but also in the delivery of services or benefits. A federal law also prohibits recipients from discriminating on the basis of age in the delivery of services or benefits. In March of 2013,President Obama signed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The statute amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994(VAWA)by including a nondiscrimination grant condition that prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived race,color,national origin,religion,sex,disability,sexual orientation,or gender identity. The new nondiscrimination grant condition applies to certain programs funded after October 1,2013. The OCR and the OVW have developed answers to some frequently asked questions about this provision to assist recipients of VAWA funds to understand their obligations. The Frequently Asked Questions are available at http://ojp.gov/about/ocr/vawafaqs.htm. Enforcing Civil Rights Laws All recipients of federal financial assistance,regardless of the particular funding source,the amount of the grant award,or the number of employees in the workforce,are subject to prohibitions against unlawful discrimination. Accordingly,the OCR investigates recipients that are the subject of discrimination complaints from both individuals and groups. In addition,based on regulatory criteria,the OCR selects a number of recipients each year for compliance reviews,audits that require recipients to submit data showing that they are providing services equitably to all segments of their service population and that their employment practices meet equal opportunity standards.