We are applying for continuing funding, do we have to reduce our request by 10% although we are adding to our project?
No, continuation applicants are no longer required to decrease their requests until the 4th year when they are asked to reduce their budgets by 15%. If you are applying for the 4th year of funding then yes, you must reduce your request by 15% from the previous year’s awarded amount, even if you are adding new program components.
Can we request more than one year of funding?
No. This is a one-year grant and your budget must reflect a one-year budget. Projects are eligible for a maximum of 48-months of funding. You must apply again for each year of funding. Funding beyond the first year will be determined based on the performance of the grantee, meeting reporting requirements, and availability of funds.
We are a non-profit and will be partnering with a unit of government; does the Project Director need to be from the applicant agency (unit of government) or can our agency designate a Project Director?
The Project Director must be from the applicant agency (unit of government). However, you can list your agency’s Primary Contact in the Implementing Agency section of the application.
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 category. Suggested budget format for breaking out the costs in the Consultants/Contracts category is: list personnel and cost of each position/consultant, supplies and operating, travel, equipment, and contracted services or professional services/consultants. The budget should include only those items for which you are requesting JAG funding.
If a nonprofit is the primary actor in a project, will a full budget be necessary from the agency as has been the case in the past?
Yes. A line-item budget for the JAG-funded work of that non-profit organization must be included in the budget narrative under the consultant/professional services category. The suggested budget format is: list personnel and cost of each position/consultant, supplies and operating, travel, equipment, and contracted services or professional services.
If requesting a piece of equipment with a unit cost of less than $5000, but more than one piece of equipment is requested making the total of all the items over $5000, can I enter the items under Equipment instead of Supplies & Operating?
No. 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.
What is the average grant amount for the last/current funding cycle?
We recommend applicants request only what is truly needed for each project rather than what has been funded in the past.
What budget category do I use to capture the cost of an accountant that oversees our grant financial piece?
All funds that are being requested for administrative functions, which can include accountant services, must be requested under the Consultants/Contracts Line Item of the budget and clearly identified as administrative costs.
Are food and beverages allowable expenses?
The DCJ has been advised that providing food and beverages for conferences, meetings, and trainings that are not a direct service of a program are prohibited. If you are interested in providing food and beverages for direct service recipients (children, youth and families), this requires an expressed pre-approval from the federal Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and there are no guarantees that this will be approved. DCJ suggests that if the need is critical to a direct service program, you try to secure other sources of funding to cover these expenses. If absolutely impossible, and you are approved for grant funding by this Office, we will work with you to seek the food and beverage approval necessary from the federal government, but again this approval is not determined by DCJ and these expenses could be disallowed by OJP.