NICS Act Record Improving Program (NARIP)

The purpose of the NICS Act Record Improving Program Grant is to establish and upgrade information and identification technology for firearm eligibility determination.

BOARD PRIORITIES: The Criminal Jusice Information Systems Task Force, comprised of ten members uses a consensus decision-making process in determining the use of the grant funds.

ELIGIBILITY: Eligible applicants are limited to (a) the agency designated by the Governor to administer the NARIP, (b) the state or territory central administrative office or similar entity designated by statute or regulation to administer federal grant funds on behalf of the jurisdiction’s court system, or (c) federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior.

DELIVERABLES:

Applicants should focus efforts on (1) identifying, flagging, and making immediately accessible to NICS records of persons prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms for domestic violence convictions and (2) reporting records of persons prohibited from possessing firearms for mental health reasons. Therefore, recipients must agree to use a portion of awarded funds to make such records accessible to the NICS, unless the state certifies in the application that it—

1. already makes available to the NICS information on all persons prohibited from possessing firearms due to a domestic violence conviction or prohibiting mental health reason; or
2. will focus funds on another category of qualifying NICS records that the state reasonably argues represents a greater information gap.

State Grants

Section 103 of the NIAA (codified at 34 U.S.C. 40913(a)) provides that the grants “shall be used by the States and Indian tribal governments, in conjunction with units of local government and State and local courts, to establish or upgrade information and identification technologies for firearms eligibility determinations.” In accordance with the NIAA, a grant to a state, which includes territories, or Indian tribe may only be used to—

• Supply accurate and timely information to the Attorney General concerning the identity of persons who have a federally prohibiting mental health adjudication or commitment
• Create electronic systems that provide accurate and up-to-date information directly related to checks under the NICS, including court disposition and corrections records
• Assist states in establishing or enhancing their own capacities to perform NICS background checks
• Supply accurate and timely information to the Attorney General concerning final dispositions of criminal records to databases accessed by the NICS
• Supply accurate and timely court orders and records of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence for inclusion in federal and state law enforcement databases used to conduct NICS background checks
• Collect and analyze data needed to demonstrate levels of state compliance with the NIAA
• Maintain the required relief from disabilities program in accordance with the NIAA (however, by statute, not less than 3% and not more than 10% of each grant shall be used for this purpose).

SUBMIT AN APPLICATION:  The application is currently closed.

GRANT NOTIFICATION:  To be placed on the mailing list to receive a Notice of Funding Opportunity, contact the Federal Grants Division at 405-264-5008 or email dac-grants@dac.state.ok.us and provide your name, agency name, mailing address, and grant name for which you want to receive the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Cassandra Obi, Grant Programs Specialist, Federal Grants Division, at 405-264-5008 or via email at DAC-Grants@dac.state.ok.us.