Grant Details

Under the Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program, the SMART Office funds projects that assist jurisdictions in implementing the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The program works to improve sex offender registry systems to support and maintain implementation of SORNA's standards. The goals of the Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program are to:

1. Facilitate, enhance and maintain jurisdictional implementation of SORNA;
2. Provide training and technical assistance to jurisdictions implementing SORNA; and
3. Facilitate information sharing and access among states, tribes, territories and the District of Columbia. 

The Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART) Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program assists jurisdictions with developing and/or enhancing programs designed to implement the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The Support for Adam Walsh Act (AWA) Implementation Grant Program assists jurisdictions with developing and/or enhancing programs designed to implement requirements of SORNA. In summary, SORNA requires:

• All States, the District of Columbia, the principal U.S. territories, and participating federally recognized Indian tribes to maintain a sex offender registry; and
• Sex offenders to register and maintain a current registration in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, is an employee, or is a student. SORNA also sets forth requirements for sex offender registries, to include: specified required information, duration of registration, and in-person verification of sex offender identity as well as participation in the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW), and the utilization of the SORNA Exchange Portal.

Examples of strategies and projects to develop or enhance jurisdiction-wide SORNA implementation programs or functions:

• Developing proposed legislation and administrative materials (such as policies and procedures) which address SORNA's requirements, including through legal support.
• Providing support for coordinated interagency efforts to enhance implementation of SORNA requirements.
• Developing or enhancing law enforcement and other criminal justice agency information sharing at the jurisdiction level as well as between and among jurisdiction level agencies and local level agencies.
• Implementing records management projects, such as converting documents to digital format as required by SORNA.
• Developing and implementing training for law enforcement and other criminal justice agency personnel responsible for sex offender registration, notification, monitoring, or management.
• Enhancing address verification strategies, collaborating with other jurisdictions and agencies on absconder investigations, and expanding community education and prevention programs related to sex offender registration, notification, or management.
• Enhancing infrastructure to assist implementation of SORNA, such as for the collection, storage, submission or analysis of sex offender biometric data (finger and palm prints) and DNA.

Tribal applicants:

• Tribes that have elected to carry out the requirements of SORNA are encouraged to apply for funding to support SORNA implementation activities carried out by a consortium of tribes that have elected to implement SORNA.
• Tribes that have been found to have substantially implemented SORNA may apply for funding to create and improve sustainment strategies, including but not limited to developing community education programs on sex offender topics or collaborations with intra–tribal organizations including victim service agencies, courts, probation, schools and other entities.
• Tribes that have been found to have substantially implemented SORNA may apply for funding to develop or enhance their inter-jurisdictional cooperation, including but not limited to information-sharing infrastructure improvement.

States with tribal jurisdictions within their borders:

• States may apply to support efforts of local or state units of government, or P.L. 280 tribes, to develop or enhance their sex offender registration and notification functions as they pertain to tribal nations that have been delegated to the state for the purpose of substantial implementation of SORNA.
• State jurisdictions that include P.L. 280 tribes are encouraged to design projects that address SORNA implementation as it relates to these tribes.
• State jurisdictions that have Tribal SORNA Jurisdictions within their borders may apply for funding to enhance their collaboration with SORNA tribes including but not limited to enhancing information sharing such as tribal access to NCIC/NSOR.

The SMART Office will prioritize funding to the following:

• State and territorial applicants that have already implemented SORNA.
• Tribal applicants that have implemented SORNA, submitted a SORNA substantial implementation package to the SMART Office for review, or submitted a request for additional time to implement SORNA.
• Tribal applicants that have not implemented SORNA, but whose SORNA registration activities have not been delegated to the state, if the funds are being used to move the tribe closer to substantial implementation.
• State applicants who have not implemented SORNA, but whose application request is for activities that will be used to further their efforts to implement SORNA.
• Jurisdictions that have not previously received funding under this program.