OAJJA: Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN)

• Registration with SAM and an UEI (assigned through your SAM registration) is required to submit your Project Application on-line.
• Eliminate jargon wherever possible; define or do not use acronyms.
• Make sure there is a thread that ties the project application together from the problem statement through the project activities to the goals and objectives and the budget, the elements should all be related, flow, and make sense.
• Organize goals and objectives. Make sure goals are broad and objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.).
• Use only whole dollar amounts in your budget and be sure to have the financial person who will be working on the project with you look over and verify your proposed budget.
• Justify and explain all budget items and calculations in the budget narrative Example: price per unit x number of units = total price.
• Demonstrate how the costs were determined.
• Double-check the budget descriptions to make sure that they contain a sufficient level of detail and all figures add correctly.

Summary Tab

Application Title/Project Name: Please be descriptive of the project to be funded and do not label it merely “PSN 2021 - 2022 project.”

Amount Requested: Enter the amount of PSN funding requested in this application. 

Applicant Information: (Account Owner) Enter the name and contact information of the person completing the application. More information can be found on the ZoomGrants Roles downloadable pdf. Note: Returning DCJ ZoomGrants users may already have this information populated.

Organization Information: Enter all requested information for the applicant agency. Note: Returning DCJ ZoomGrants users may already have this information populated.

Do not change the Organizational information without first consulting Gillian Trickett. Changing information that has already been reviewed and validated by DCJ may result in a delay in funding.

CEO/Executive Director: If the applicant agency does not have a CEO/Executive Director, enter the individual that is authorized to enter into a legally binding contract with DCJ. Note: Returning DCJ ZoomGrants users may already have this information populated.

Changes to the Applicant Information, Organization Information, and CEO/Executive Director can only be made by the Account Owner. See the ZoomGrants Roles downloadable pdf for more information.

Pre-Application/Organizational Details Tab

Applicant “Doing Business As” (DBA) under a parent company/unit of Government: Choose Y for Yes or N for No.

Legal Entity Name: If your agency is a DBA, the Legal name will be different than the Applicant Agency Name.  If your agency is NOT a DBA, then the Applicant Agency Name and Legal Entity name will be the same. 

Legal Entity Physical Address: Street Address, City, State, Zip +4

Applicant Type: Select either 1) State-level, quasi-governmental and pre-approved not-for-profit or 2) Public/ Government 

Are you a Colorado State Agency? Mark yes only if a state agency.

Legal Entity County: Enter the county of your legal entity address.

Entity’s Fiscal Year End: Enter the month and last day of your fiscal year.

Total Federal Expenditures during the entity's last fiscal year: Enter the amount of federal contract and grant award expenditures from your most recently completed fiscal year. 

Statement of Work Tab

Project Duration: (Q1 & Q2) The project start date is October 1, 2023 and the project end date is no later than September 30, 2025. Project duration may be up to twenty-four (24) months. Enter the anticipated project duration dates using the month/day/year format.

Application Type: (Q3) Please select 2022 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

Project Officials: (Q4-15) You must have a minimum of three contacts for this application: 1) the Project Director, 2) Financial Officer and 3) Signature Authority (also called the Authorized Official). All three must be from the applicant agency and must be unique individuals; one person cannot serve in more than one role.

PROJECT DIRECTOR: This must be an individual other than the authorized official or financial officer and must be from the applicant agency. Enter the name, title, agency, mailing address (use the ZIP+4 Code), telephone number, and e-mail address, if applicable, of the Project Director. The project director is the individual who will be in direct charge of the project and must be within the organizational structure of the applicant agency. This should be a person who combines knowledge and experience in the project area with ability in administration and supervision of personnel and will be expected to devote a major portion of his/her time to the project. This person will be required to sign all quarterly reports, and other grant forms.

FINANCIAL OFFICER: This must be an individual other than the project director or authorized official and must be from the applicant agency. Enter the name, title, agency, mailing address (use the ZIP+4 Code), telephone number, and e-mail address, if applicable, of the Financial Officer. The financial officer is the person who will be responsible for fiscal matters relating to the project and in ultimate charge of accounting, management of funds, verification of expenditures, and grant financial reports.

SIGNATURE AUTHORITY: This must be an individual other than the project director or financial officer. Enter the name, title, agency, mailing address (use the ZIP+4 Code), telephone number, and e-mail address, if applicable, of the Authorized Official. This is the individual authorized to enter into binding commitments on behalf of the applicant agency. For local units of government, this normally will be a city manager, mayor, district attorney, and/or the chair of the county commission. At the state level, this individual will be a department or division head.

STATEMENT OF WORK:

Project Summary: (Q16) (Limit 1000 characters) Provide a brief description of the proposed project, which will be used for reporting purposes to the Bureau of Justice Assistance for funded subgrant projects.  Include a brief description of how your project will address the 2021 - 2022 PSN Goals/Purpose Areas.  

Problem Statement: (Q17) (Limit 5000 characters) Provide a description of the problem to be addressed, clearly identifying the need and justification for the project, using local data/statistics/information related to the PSN Board’s goals:

• Enhance the capability of task forces within Target Enforcement Areas to identify and prosecute individuals perpetrating the most violent acts.
• Enhance prevention resources and community engagement efforts in Target Enforcement Areas.

This section should include the following specific to your community:

• A description of the problem in terms of causes and consequences.  
• The extent and nature of the problem in your target population and/or community. Use data to support your description. 

Project Plan: (Q18) (Limit 6500 characters) In this section, address your proposed PSN violence reduction strategy/strategies and and your plan to implement the strategy. Provide a description of how the proposed project is likely to positively impact the PSN Board’s goals, and demonstrate that the proposed project will solve the identified problem within the local community(ies). This should also include a description of the proposed violence reduction strategy(ies) for addressing the problem outlined in the problem statement section, clearly linking the strategy to the specified problem description.  

This section must include the following:

• A description of each specific violence reduction strategy and/or service model(s) to be implemented including relevant research on program effectiveness.
• A discussion of the evidence that supports each strategy relative to the stated problem with relevant research provided as appropriate.
• A discussion of the applicant’s experience implementing each strategy and related success.
• A discussion of how the applicant will implement the approach, including, as appropriate, ensuring fidelity to the selected program model. 

Geographic Area Where Grant Funds Will Be Utilized: (Q19 - Q24) List each Colorado US Congressional District, State Senate District, State House District, Colorado Judicial District, County, and City where services will be delivered - separate each by a comma. This may include more areas than where the applicant agency is located. Enter "statewide" if services/project will be delivered across the state.

Implementing Agency: (Q25) The Implementing agency is the agency that is responsible for the actual implementation of the project and may be the same as the applicant agency, a component of it, or another agency entirely.

Examples:

1. The applicant agency is the county, but the sheriff’s office is the implementing agency
2. The city is the applicant agency but a non-profit organization is the implementing agency. Provide the agency name if it is different from the applicant agency.

Implementing Agency Entity Function: (Q26) Select the most appropriate agency function.

Budget Summary Tab

Budget Summary Requested/Awarded: Enter totals for each Budget Category you are requesting. 

Budget Summary Narrative: Provide a narrative discussing each of the Budget Category items and amounts entered in the Budget Summary above.

Tables (Goals & Objectives, and Budget Details) Tab

GOALS & OBJECTIVES:

These are the elements against which your project will be evaluated and which you will use to report quarterly and final progress. 

Goals are broad statements (i.e., written in general terms) that convey a project's overall intent to change, reduce, or eliminate the problem described.  For this application, the goal is not in and of itself measurable.  Progress made relative to the goal should be reflected in data related to specified objectives and their related outcomes and measurement.

Objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (S.M.A.R.T.) and directly tied to the project.

Describe what the program will achieve in relation to each goal. The specified objectives under each goal should be logically related to that goal. Each objective should be measurable. Objectives may be client-based (number served; changes in knowledge, behavior; reduced system involvement), environmental (larger changes at the community level), product-based (development of a specific product), or system improvement (specific changes to system to improve functioning).

Measurement is the description of what data will be collected to measure the change. Please describe how and from where you will collect data for each outcome.

Timeframe: The month in which the objective will be completed or the duration of the project if ongoing throughout the grant award period.

BUDGET:

These funds cannot be used to supplant (replace) dollars that would, in the absence of these federal funds, be made available for the proposed project; however, they may enhance or expand an existing program funded from other sources.  If the request is to sustain a program that has lost previous funding through no fault of its own, the loss must be clearly documented.

Budget items should be detailed, reasonable, specifically defined, justified and the applicant should demonstrate how the costs were determined.  No concerns of supplanting have been identified. Budget must be completed entirely and each item listed should be accompanied by a description, which provides justification for the budget items and details the basis for determining the cost of each item.

• The budget must cover the entire project duration.
• In figuring the budget, work with WHOLE DOLLAR AMOUNTS ONLY. When necessary, round to the next highest whole dollar amount.
• The budget is broken into seven Budget Categories: Personnel, Supplies and Operating, Travel, Equipment, Consultants/Contracts (Professional Services), and Indirect Costs. 

PERSONNEL:

This budget category should be used when employees are positions within the applicant agency and the implementing agency is a division (under the same unit of government) of the applicant agency.

The Personnel Budget should consider overtime, time needed to acquire new staff, and changing demands for personnel during the course of the project. If the implementing agency is contracted by the applicant agency (i.e., non-profit organization), these costs should be included in Consultants/Contracts (Professional Services). Questions regarding the difference between a contract employee and a regular employee may be directed to the Internal Revenue Service. Contract employees or independent contractors should be shown under Consultants/Contracts (Professional Services).

Position Title and Name:  Add each position by title and name of employee, if available; if two individuals have the same title, list it twice.

Annual Base Salary to be Paid by Grant Funds: Enter the annual salary or base pay for the position to be paid by grant funds.
% to be paid by Grant Funds: ZOOMGRANTS will automatically calculate this % based on the amounts you entered in the annual salary columns.  

% to be paid by Grant Funds: ZoomGrants will automatically calculate this % based on the amounts you entered in the annual fringe columns.

Annual Fringe:  Enter the amount of Fringe Benefits for that position in column 1 and the percentage of time to be devoted to the project by this position in column 2.

Annual Fringe to Be Paid by Grant: Enter the annual fringe for the position to be paid by Grant funds.

Total Base Salary + Fringe: ZoomGrants will automatically calculate this total based on the amounts you entered in the annual salary and fringe columns.

Total Base Salary + Fringe to Be Paid by Grant: ZoomGrants will automatically calculate this total based on the amounts you entered in the annual salary and fringe columns.

Budget Narrative and Justification:  Explain how the salary and fringe benefit rates for this position were determined. An explanation and justification are required if the budget is not for an entry-level position. If the salary is expected to increase during the project year, indicate the percentage of the increase, the months covered by the increase, and justify it. Be sure that scheduled salary increase has been included in the Salary row, and that the proposed salary is one that is paid for equivalent positions and employee qualifications in your area.

NON-PERSONNEL

Item:  Add the name of each item.

The Division of Criminal Justice recognizes that governments are constantly faced with the challenges of limited resources. It is important that you describe how maximizing resources will be accomplished and that this project is not duplicating services.

Budget Narrative and Justification: The applicant must provide a justification and explanation of the budget items listed in each Budget Category, as well as detailing the basis for determining the cost of each item. Failure to justify and explain/show calculations could result in denial of funding.

Describe the criteria used to compute budget figures. All budget figures should be justified and explained. The budget narrative should show the relationship between budget figures and proposed project operations. For example, if this is a training project, explanation of the Consultants/Contracts budget category amount should include an explanation of the need for consultants to provide the training and the hourly cost of the services to be provided.

SUPPLIES AND OPERATING: Add expendable or non-durable items within this category by major type (e.g., office supplies, software, training materials, research forms, telephone, tuition, postage, etc.,) and show the basis for computation. Large items should be listed and justified (e.g., unusual supply items, special printing, etc.)

Example: $200 per month for office supplies x 12 months, $1,500 per person for training tuition x 3 people, telephone-base charge plus long distance at $50 dollars per month x 12 months.

Special Considerations:

• Tuition and registration fees (even if they include lodging and/or subsistence), vehicle gas, leases, and maintenance on project- or government-owned vehicles are operating expenses, NOT travel. These types of costs must be shown in the Supplies and Operating category. Out-of-state training costs must be justified in terms of availability of comparable training in state.
• Software, regardless of the price, belongs in the Supplies and Operating category. If custom development of software is contracted out, it is subject to prior approval by OAJJA and should be shown in the Consultants/Contracts (Professional Services) Budget. All purchases should be made through competitive bid, state or local award, or established purchasing/procurement procedures.
• Items costing $5,000 or more should be listed under Equipment. All other items with a per unit cost less than $5,000 are considered supplies and should be listed in Supplies and Operating

Budget Narrative and Justification: Explain how the cost of each item was determined and justify the need for the item.

TRAVEL: Add travel expenses for project personnel by purpose (e.g., to attend training sessions, to transport clients, etc.) and show basis for computation. Show airfare, ground transportation, automobile, lodging and meals individually. Indicate if the travel is in state or out-of-state.

• Out-of-state travel must be justified and tied to the project goals and objectives.

Where a jurisdiction has an established travel policy, those rates must be used. Otherwise, Federal GSA travel rates are the maximum allowed. Allowable Federal GSA travel rates are:

• Mileage: $.655 cents per mile for use of a personal automobile.
• Lodging: In-state is actual cost of reasonable accommodations. However, lodging costs in excess of the statewide standard rate of $98.00/night must have prior approval of the Project Director. Out-of-state costs should be Federal GSA rates.
• Meals & Incidentals (M&I): Exceptions to the following rates are available from the DCJ for higher cost areas.
  • Meals In-State
    • Breakfast: $13.00
    • Lunch: $15.00
    • Dinner: $26.00
    • Incidentals: $5.00

NOTE: Tuition and registration fees (even if they include lodging and/or subsistence), vehicle gas, leases, and maintenance on project- or government-owned vehicles are operating expenses NOT travel. These types of costs must be shown in the Supplies and Operating category.

Budget Narrative and Justification:  Explain the relationship of each cost item to the project, (e.g., if training or conference travel expenses are requested, explain the topic of the conference and its relationship to the project). You must explain why this training cannot be achieved in state. Out-of-state travel is discouraged and needs to be thoroughly justified. 

EQUIPMENT: Add each item separately, by unit cost. This category should include all items with a unit cost of $5,000 or more and useful life of more than one year. Items not meeting these criteria should be included in the Supplies and Operating category. Equipment must be justified as necessary and not currently available.

If the proposed equipment is to be shared with entities outside this project, the cost should be prorated based upon the percentage of use of the equipment by this project.

NOTE: DCJ must provide prior written approval for the actual purchase of all equipment, separate from approval to fund the project. All equipment must be purchased through competitive bid, state or local award, or established purchasing/procurement procedures.

Budget Narrative and Justification: Explain how the cost of each item was determined. Explain why the proposed equipment is essential to conducting the project and is not currently available for use within your agency or organization. 

CONSULTANTS AND CONTRACTS (PERSONAL SERVICES): Provide a detailed budget and budget narrative for anything listed under Contracted, Consultant and Professional Services. List each consultant, contractor, or type of service with proposed fee (by eight-hour day or hourly rate). If the applicant agency is contracting with an outside agency to conduct the day-to-day operations of the project, the total cost should be in Consultants/Contracts (Professional Services). 

Rates for individual professional services must be based on an hourly rate (including preparation and travel time), and must have explicit, separate prior approval from DCJ. Rates for individual consultants/contractors cannot exceed $650 per day or $81.25 per hour. Justification is required to establish a “usual” or “going rate” for similar services. Some contractors provide services at a flat rate rather than an hourly rate. If that is the case, identify the service to be provided, including all covered expenses such as travel, and the rate for each “unit” of service. Contact DCJ if you have questions. 

NOTE:

• Honoraria are NOT an allowable expense.
• Professional services should be procured competitively. Sole source contracts must be justified and must have specific prior written approval from DCJ before execution of any contract, separate from approval to fund the project. Refer to the Administrative Guide for Federal Grant Programs (downloadable PDF) or contact DCJ for additional guidance.

Budget Narrative and Justification:  Explain why proposed consultant/contract services cannot or should not be provided by project staff. Explain how the hourly rate or flat rate was determined. For each consulting organization added, indicate the number of people to be assigned to the project, number of hours per person per day to be spent on the project, and a breakdown of the contract price by major cost item (e.g., supplies, rent, equipment, travel, contracted services).

INDIRECT COSTS: Indirect costs are costs of an organization that are not readily assignable to a particular project, but are necessary to the operation of the organization and the performance of the project. Examples of costs usually treated as indirect include those incurred for facility operation and maintenance, depreciation, and administrative salaries.

If the applicant meets any of the two requirements below, they are eligible to request indirect costs at the approved rate.  

• A governmental department or agency unit that receives more than $35 million in direct Federal funding must submit its indirect cost rate proposal to its cognizant agency for indirect costs for approval.
• Other governmental department or agency (receiving less than $35 million in direct Federal Funding) must develop an indirect cost proposal in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 C.F.R. Part 200 of the Uniform Requirements (Department of Justice regulations) and maintain the proposal and related supporting documentation for audit. These governmental departments or agencies are not required to submit their proposals unless they are specifically requested to do so by the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

If the applicant has never received a federal negotiated indirect cost rate, and is not required to have a federal negotiated indirect cost rate, they are eligible to request the "de minimis" rate which is 10% of the Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC).

When using this method, cost must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. Also, if this method is chosen then it must be used consistently for all Federal awards.

What is the Modified Total Direct Cost, or MTDC? 

• This base includes all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and subawards up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award).
• MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency (OJP).

ADDITIONAL PROJECT FUNDING:

This question is to collect information about other sources of funding that will support this project.  It does not include this PSN application funding.

If yes, complete the table that appears.  Be as descriptive as possible allowing the PSN Task Force to understand the commitment from your organization or other agencies to this project.

Documents Tab

Organizational Chart: Required if personnel is being requested. If your project has personnel in the budget category, you must attach your organizational chart in this section. 

Financial Management Questionnaire: Required.  All applicants are required to download this form, complete, save, and upload back into ZoomGrants. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify the agency’s ability to administer funds and comply with federal and state accountability requirements. The questions should be answered by the Applicant Agency with the assistance of the Financial Officer. 

Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension; and Drug-Free Workplace: Must be submitted with the application if amount requested is greater than $100,000.

Most Recent Full Financial Audit and Governance Letter (or Full Financial Review if revenues under $300,000): Must be submitted with the application.

**DCJ reserves the right to reject any and all applications, to waive informalities and minor irregularities in the applications received and to accept any portion of the application for funding, if deemed to be in the best interest of the State of Colorado and PSN to do so.

**DCJ reserves the option of holding for future consideration those applications with merit that were not funded. Any future consideration is dependent on the availability of federal funds.

A total of $323,224 is anticipated for subgrants (dependent upon funding availability). Successful Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 - 2022 PSN Grant Program applicants will be provided awards that fall within one or more of the two following purpose areas:

Category 1 for violence responsive programs to targeted law enforcement intervention aligned with the PSN strategy, of which 30% must be dedicated to activities of Targeted Enforcement Areas (TEAs) focused on gang violence reduction efforts – specifically on the investigation and prosecution of criminal and/or transnational organizations that are engaged in high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.

Category 2 is for violent crime prevention resources and community engagement efforts.

See application instructions for more specific information.

October 1, 2023 - September 30, 2025

Applicants may apply for up to 24 months of funding, although it is anticipated that some will not require the full 24 months to fully expend their grant awards and complete their projects.

The PSN application does not require a match.

Allowable uses of funding include:

• Salary, wage, and fringe benefits of individuals supporting the PSN project
• Overtime compensation of individuals supporting the PSN project
• Workshops and events associated with the support of the PSN project (pending approval by OJP/BJA)
• Travel associated with implementation and evaluation of the PSN project
• Equipment purchased to support the execution of the PSN project
• Printing, publication, and duplication of materials that support the PSN project

Exclusions and limitations for grant funding are as follows:

Applications with projects that fall outside of Category 1 and Category 2 purpose areas and that propose services outside of the four TEAs (see eligibility) will not be considered.

Food (and beverage) should not be included in applications as this is a prohibited expense. Program monetary incentives should also be avoided as they are generally unallowable costs. 

Additional information can be found in the ZoomGrants library.

Project applications that fall within one or more of the Category 1 and Category 2 purpose areas (see above) will be accepted from law enforcement agencies* and from other organizations providing relevant services in Colorado within the four TEAs outlined as follows:

1. Denver Metro area
2. Colorado Springs
3. Northern Colorado (including the cities of Fort Collins, Greeley, and Loveland)
4. Southern Colorado (including the city of Pueblo).

Category 1 and Category 2 applications will be accepted from law enforcement agencies* and from other organizations providing relevant services in Colorado within the four targeted enforcement areas listed.  

*A law enforcement agency serving as the fiscal agent for a Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force (MJTF) can apply both as an individual agency and then also as the fiscal agent of a MJTF.

Reviews will be conducted by the PSN Board, members of which will not be eligible to apply for funding. Criteria for scoring to be used
by the PSN Board will be based upon Colorado’s PSN Program purpose areas/goals, and using the criteria listed below. Only those projects denied funding are eligible for reconsideration. If a project is denied funding, a letter describing the reasons for the denial of funding and information on how to request reconsideration (if eligible for reconsideration) of the PSN Board’s decision will be sent to the applicant.

Review Criteria

• Applicant meets eligibility requirements.
• Application addresses one or both of the PSN Board’s goals and fits within one or both of the Category 1 and 2 purpose areas.
• The applicant clearly identifies and justifies the problem and the need to address it through use of current and local data/information related to the PSN Board’s goals.
• The applicant clearly described their proposed PSN violence reduction strategy, their specific plan to implement the strategy, and linked their proposed PSN violence reduction strategy to the specified problem description.
• Goals and Objectives are logical, sensible, clearly written, and directly tied to the project.
• Goals are written as broad statements that convey a project's overall intent to change, reduce, or eliminate the problem described.
• Objectives as written are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
• Objectives and Outcomes are realistic and able to be accomplished in the timeframes described.
• Applicant describes how the data as described in the Goals & Objectives section will be collected and used to monitor the project and to adjust to maximize success. Applicant describes how the data will be collected for the BJA performance measures.
• Budget items and budget narratives are detailed, reasonable, allowable, specifically defined, justified, and the applicant demonstrates how those costs were determined. No concerns of supplanting have been identified.

If a project application is denied funding, a letter describing the reasons for the denial of funding and information on how to request reconsideration (if eligible for reconsideration) of the PSN Board decision will be sent to the applicant. Disqualification for failing to meet the minimum requirements is not subject to reconsideration. Applications that are denied funding may submit an appeal within five (5) business days of notification. The reconsideration process will be outlined in the notification letters sent to applicants via the grants management system informing them of the initial
funding decision.

The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) requires quarterly reports that document how the grant funds were utilized, including data and other relevant information on performance metrics in DCJ’s online grants management system.

In addition to DCJ reports, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has established mandatory performance measures which must be submitted by the 15th day following each calendar quarter using BJA’s on-line Performance Management Tool or PMT.  These performance measures can be found on the BJA website.

Reporting Deadline
All quarterly reports are due by the 15th day following each calendar quarter and must be submitted online using the grants management system.

DCJ maintains the right to withhold payments if reporting requirements are not met in a timely manner.  

If you experience problems or have questions about how to use ZoomGrants, please contact dcjgms@state.co.us.

There are specific instructions regarding ZOOMGRANTS that you should read prior to beginning your application:

• Module 101 Grant Administration and Set-Up
• Grants Guidance & Resources

What are allowable projects for this grant program?

The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Blueprint is a resource to help prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, and community partners develop an effective and sustainable initiative to address violent crime in their districts. The Blueprint contains information about the history of the PSN Grant Program, how to build a strong initiative, and examples of successful projects from around the country. The Blueprint can be accessed through the PSN Training and Technical Assistance website.

A list of the most recent PSN projects funded by DCJ may be found on the PSN Funded Projects web page.

Are there examples of eligible activities?

Project applications will be accepted from law enforcement agencies and from other organizations providing relevant services in Colorado within the four TEAs outlined as follows:  1) Denver Metro area; 2) Colorado Springs; 3) Northern Colorado (including the cities of Fort Collins, Greeley, and Loveland); and 4) Southern Colorado (including the city of Pueblo).  

Additionally, projects must fall within one or more of the two following purpose areas: Category 1) is for focused and strategic enforcement by law enforcement agencies, of which 30% must be dedicated to gang/violent crime task forces – specifically on the investigation and prosecution of criminal and/or transnational organizations that are engaged in high levels of violent crime, firearms offenses, human trafficking, and drug trafficking; and Category 2) is for violent crime prevention resources and community engagement efforts (see application instructions for more specific information).

Some examples of eligible activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Salary, wage, and fringe benefits of individuals supporting the PSN project
• Overtime compensation of individuals supporting the PSN project
• Workshops and events associated with the support of the PSN project (pending approval by OJP/BJA)
• Travel associated with implementation and evaluation of the PSN project
• Equipment purchased to support the execution of the PSN project
• Printing, publication, and duplication of materials that support the PSN project
• Some examples of ineligible activities/costs include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Food and beverages
• Prizes, rewards, entertainment, trinkets (or any type of monetary incentive)
• Client stipends
• Gift cards
• Other costs identified in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide 

What online tools and resources do you recommend for reference?

Below is a non-exhaustive list of resources:

• An overview of and resources for the the Department of Justice (DOJ) Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program can be accessed on the agency's website
• Colorado specific PSN Program information and other grant resources are available through DCJ’s Project Safe Neighborhoods information page.
• The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Blueprint is a resource to help prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, and community partners develop an effective and sustainable initiative to address violent crime in their districts. The Blueprint contains information about the history of the PSN Grant Program, how to build a strong initiative, and examples of successful projects from around the country. The Blueprint can be accessed through the PSN Training and Technical Assistance website.
• BJA’s required performance measures for the PSN Program can be found on the BJA website 
   

Can you provide insight as to an approximate expected award amount for agencies?

Applicants should ask for what is needed. Keep in mind the amount of funding available is $323,224 for up to a twenty-four month project duration and there are four TEAs eligible to apply. Applications are not typically received from all four TEAs each funding cycle. 

The Board making decisions will evaluate the number of applicants, and requested amounts when making decisions.

How much funding is available?

There is $323,224 available in the FY 2021 - 2022 PSN Program funding opportunity.  

There is no set amount pre-determined for each applicant.  Applicants will submit applications requesting what they need.  The PSN Board will review and evaluate applications and recommend funding.

What is the potential award date and the grant period?

The project start date is October 1, 2023 and the project end date is no later than September 30, 2025. Project duration may be up to twenty-four (24) months, although it is anticipated that some will not require the full twenty-four (24) months to fully expend their grant awards and complete their projects.

Is this grant program a supplement-only grant or can it also be a replacement grant?

These funds cannot be used to supplant (replace) dollars that would, in the absence of these federal funds, be made available for the proposed project; however, they may enhance or expand an existing program funded from other sources.  If the request is to sustain a program that has lost previous funding through no fault of its own, the loss must be clearly documented.

If you are requesting equipment that is under $5000 each but are requesting more than one, making your total over $5000 will it be okay to enter under Equipment and not Supplies?

These are considered supplies and must be entered into the supplies and operating category.  Equipment is considered an individual item costing $5,000 or more.

Do we need to include a breakdown budget for any contractors/vendors?

Yes.  A line item budget must be included in the budget narrative under the consultants/contracts (professional services) category.  Suggested budget format is: list personnel, supplies and operating, travel, equipment, and contracted services or professional services. The budget should include only those items for which you are requesting PSN funding.

On consultants/contracts (professional services) – can that be for the cost of the accountant that oversees our grant financial management?

All funds that are being requested for administrative functions, which can include accountant services, must be requested under the “Indirect” Line Item of the budget and clearly identified as administrative costs.

Can the applicant agency be a City or County or must they be the City or County’s law enforcement department?

In ZOOMGRANTS, the City or County is considered the Legal Entity. The Police Department or Sheriff’s Office would be the Applicant Agency (applying agency). The DBA status should be set to Yes.

We have not registered with SAM and do not have an UEI, will this stop us from applying?

No.  If your agency is not currently registered in SAM you will not have an UEI assigned yet and must begin this process now due to the time required for completion.

How do I update my SAM end date on my new application?

Using data released by the federal government, ZOOMGRANTS completes a SAM verification (via each applicant’s UEI) and presents the results for each applicant in the Application Summary tab of their applications. The federal government releases this data every month, and SAM checks are completed once an applicant submits their application and are automatically updated monthly, following the release of the new data. 

NOTE: The SAM verification will only appear in the Application Summary tab on an application if the applicant has entered a valid UEI.

How do I add another contact person to the Project Application?

See pages 14-15 of the PDF entitled Navigating ZoomGrants and Setting up New ZoomGrants Accounts instructions

If your Agency is within more than one Congressional District does ZOOMGRANTS allow you to enter them all?

The application will collect information regarding the Geographic Area(s) where grant funds will be utilized and is not linked to the physical address of the agency.

What are the character limits for each section?

Pre-Application/Organization Details and Questions/Statement of Work Tabs:

• Short Answers: Single Line- 250 characters
• Multiple Choice: Only one answer is allowed
• Checkboxes: One or more answer is allowed
• Table Format: 10 characters each       
• Long Answers: Each long answer question will indicate the character limit associated with each question.

Tables (G&O, Budget Details, Additional Funding) Tab:

• Large text boxes: 6500 characters
• Medium text boxes: 25 characters
• Small text boxes: 10 characters

NOTE: carriage returns counts as two (2) characters.
 

What do I do if I get the message that I exceeded the maximum length for a question?

If there is a character limit it will appear with each question. As you type, a box indicates how many characters are remaining. There may be a slight discrepancy in character counts upon saving the answer. Carriage Returns count as two (2) characters when SAVED, but count as one (1) character when TYPING/EDITING. The final character count may be off by 1 character for each carriage return. You may need to shorten your answer if your initial answer uses the maximum character limit.

Our Authorizing Authority must approve all applications prior to submission in order to ensure they are in keeping with our mission and goals and do not violate laws or regulations

In that case, you can “Print/Preview” the application prior to submission. This can be found on the top right corner of the individual application. You may save to PDF and/or print a hard copy to submit for prior approval from your Authorizing Authority.

How do I find my project application if I don’t complete it all at the same time?

When you log into ZOOMGRANTS, click on My Account Home. Any incomplete applications will appear under the Incomplete tab. If the application deadline has passed the incomplete applications will move to the Archived tab.

All potential grant applicants who plan to apply for federal funding from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice or any other agency must make sure that their agency has registered with SAM and has an Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). These are required as part of the implementation of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act).

A UEI is a unique number that identifies an organization and helps track the distribution of grant money.  Verify whether your agency is currently registered in SAM. If your organization is currently registered in SAM.gov with either an active or inactive registration, you have already been assigned a UEI. Your UEI is viewable on your entity’s registration record in SAM.gov.

If your agency is not currently registered  or inactive in SAM you will not have an UEI assigned yet and must begin this process now due to the time required for completion.

Grant awards without a current registration in SAM and an UEI will have a Special Condition placed on award documents to complete this requirement within 30 days of the start of the grant award period.  It is imperative that this timeframe is met per reporting requirements under the Transparency Act.

To register with SAM:

• Go to www.sam.gov
• Click on Create an Account
• Choose Individual account
• Provide the requested information and submit
• Receive the email from “notifications” and click through the sam.gov link to validate your Account
• Log in at sam.gov with the username and password you created
• SAM will send notifications to the registered user via email 60, 30, and 15 days prior to the expiration of the Entity registration.
• To update or renew your Entity records(s) in SAM you will need to create a SAM User Account.

A Full Users Guide as well as Quick Users Guides are available at www.sam.gov, which you may want to review prior to registering.

NOTE:  IF YOU HAVE NOT REGISTERED WITH SAM AND DO NOT HAVE A UEI, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT APPLICATION ONLINE.

All material submitted regarding the application for PSN funds becomes the property of the State of Colorado and is subject to the terms of Colorado Revised Statutes 24-72-201 through 24-72-206, Public Open Records.

The State of Colorado has the right to use any or all information/material presented in reply to the Announcement, subject to limitations for proprietary or confidential information.

Disqualification or denial of the application does not eliminate this right.

Any restrictions on the use or inspection of material contained within the proposal shall be clearly stated in the proposal itself. The contents of the application will become contractual obligations if the project is funded. 

The State of Colorado is committed to providing equitable access to our services to all Coloradoans. The Division of Criminal Justice is committed to making its physical campus and digital resources accessible to everyone. The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) strives to ensure equal access to the services we provide to everyone with and without disabilities. To best meet reasonable accommodation needs for effective communication or a reasonable modification to programs, services, or activities, please contact us a week prior to the activity or event.

DCJ will make every effort to provide requested reasonable accommodations, however, failure to notify DCJ of requested accommodations at least 3 business days prior to the date of the activity or event date may result in delay or denial of the accommodation.