Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Application Instructions

Project Name/Project Title: Please be descriptive of the project to be funded and do not label it merely “JAG Grant Program”.  It should be unique to your project and agency.

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

Applicant Information:* (Account Owner) Enter the name and contact information of the person that will be responsible for this account. 

Organization Information*: Enter all requested information for the applicant agency.

SAM Verification and UEI Number: All applications seeking federal funding must have an active registration with the federal System of Award Management (SAM); as required under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act) that went into effect January 1, 2009.

• Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number: Assigned during registration with SAM.gov, that identifies an organization and helps track the distribution of grant money.
• Entity Administrator: Individual within an organization responsible for registering and renewing entity registration in SAM.gov.
• Entity renewal is required annually.
• Individuals, other than the entity administrator, may create an account to perform a search.

Additional Contacts for this Application: Additional Contacts will be copied on all emails sent to the application owner regarding this application. Enter ONLY email addresses separated by a comma. No names. No titles. No phone numbers.

If you have questions about updating your Organization Information, please contact Cindy Johnson at 303-239-4443.

* Returning DCJ ZoomGrants users will already have this information populated. Changes made to these fields may only be performed by the Account Owner and will update all applications/grants associated with this account. DO NOT CHANGE the Organizational information without first consulting Cindy Johnson. Changing information that has already been validated may result in a delay in processing payments or other aspects of your grant application.

Visit SAM.gov to check registration status. SAM.gov provides extensive resources and instructions in the help section: https://sam.gov/content/help

NOTE:  If you do not have a UEI at application time enter “000000000000” (12 zeros) in order to submit your application. If awarded, you will not be disbursed any funds until registration is complete.

CEO/Executive Director* (if NA, enter Signature Authority): 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.

(Q1) Legal Entity Name: If your agency is a DBA (doing business as), 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. 

(Q2) Legal Entity Physical Address: Street Address, City, State, Zip + 4

(Q3) Organization Type: Select either

• Not for Profit (quasi-governmental and pre-approved not-for-profit)
• State Government  (For example, Colorado Department of Revenue)
• Public / Government

(Q5) Entity’s Fiscal Year End:  (For example, December 31, June 30)

(Q6) Total Federal Expenditures during entity’s last fiscal year. This includes all federal expenditures regardless of funding source.

(Q4) Legal Entity County Enter the county of your legal entity address.

Project Duration:  (Q1 & 2) The project period will be October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. If you anticipate an abbreviated project period (such as 6 months) or are a continuation grant which has been extended, you can adjust the start and/or end dates accordingly. Enter the anticipated project duration dates using the month/day/year method.

(Q1) Project Start Date (MM/DD/YYYY): Enter “10/01/2023” or a later date

(Q2) Project End Date (MM/DD/YYYY): Enter “09/30/2024” or an earlier date

Application Type

(Q3) Select the best description of your request for funds: (This response will show or hide subsequent questions in ZoomGrants)

• Body Worn Cameras
• Purchase of Goods,
• Equipment, or Basic Gear
• Program/Project and Purchase of Goods
• Continuation

Applicant Contact

(Q4) Applicant Primary Contact: Name Phone, email address: This is the individual who will be contacted during the review period and will be notified of award decisions and next steps.   Enter the name, telephone number, and e-mail address.

STATEMENT OF WORK:

(Q5) Purpose Area: Indicate the appropriate Purpose Area for this project to ensure that the project falls within the parameters identified. Only one option can be chosen. 

PURPOSE AREA DESCRIPTIONS: The JAG program goal may be accomplished within the 8 Purpose Areas listed and described below. JAG funds may be used for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, information systems for criminal justice, as well as research and evaluation activities that will improve or enhance:

(01) Law Enforcement Purpose Area Description: These projects improve the operational effectiveness of law enforcement through a variety of techniques such as resource allocation, purchasing new equipment, and changing policies and/or procedures, among many other options.  A key concept of this area is integrating services so that law enforcement agencies can better prioritize requests around the need for services and maximization of resources in fighting crime.  Types of projects can include the purchase of basic law enforcement equipment and supplies such as mobile data terminals, computers, cameras, police cruisers, and tactical equipment, etc. which state and local law enforcement agencies were unable to purchase due to falling revenues.  Past projects have included programs to divert mentally ill offenders at the arrest stage, sex offender apprehension units, and tactical teams to address emergency situations. 

(02) Prosecution, Court, and Indigent Defense Purpose Area Description: These programs improve the operational effectiveness of the court process by: 1) expanding prosecutorial, defender, and judicial resources, and 2) implementing court programs with a special emphasis on management and process improvement based on better utilization of personnel or case routing. This area includes innovative or unique programs focused on drug, violent, or serious crimes, that are not typical of or similar to programs previously funded in this or other states, programs giving an especially innovative "twist" on previous approaches to a problem; and/or programs that cut across systems to involve law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, etc. and non-criminal justice entities.  Please note the exclusion of Drug Courts as listed under the JAG Funding Exclusions and Limitations.

(03) Prevention and Education Purpose Area Description:   Community and neighborhood programs that assist citizens in preventing and controlling crime, including special programs that address crimes committed against the elderly and special programs for rural jurisdictions. Over the past several years, the JAG Board has affirmed its support for quality, evidence or research-based prevention and education programming which reflects the Board’s commitment to long-term planning and systemic change which occur when focusing on long-term prevention.  It is understood by the JAG Board that if the state is committed to truly addressing crime and reducing recidivism, it must offer resources that can impact crime before it occurs.  To that end, prevention and education programs including delinquency prevention will be considered.  As in past years, the JAG Board encourages the commitment of other resources to support prevention and education services including funding from local governments.  The Board also encourages local governments to build structures to support these services and prioritize them within their community.  

(04) Corrections and Community Corrections Purpose Area Description:  Programs and strategies that demonstrate diversion or hinder further penetration into the criminal justice system. Programs designed to provide additional public correctional resources and improve the corrections system, including treatment in prisons and jails, intensive supervision programs, reentry, and long-range corrections and sentencing strategies. In Colorado, the types of projects previously funded in this purpose area include services to special populations such as offender and inmate populations with mental illness, sex offenders, domestic violence offenders, juvenile offenders and the homeless/offender population.  Colorado has also been a leader in addressing the systems issues related to serving offenders with mental illness.  Through the increased awareness of the needs of this population as well as the needs of the various systems that have contact with this population, Colorado has been able to establish innovative programs that address both these needs.  

(05) Drug Treatment and Enforcement Purpose Area Description: These programs and strategies identify and meet the treatment needs of adult and juvenile offenders with substance abuse, mental health and/or co-occurring issues using a collaborative multidisciplinary approach.  Programs in this area can target clients in the full spectrum of the criminal/juvenile justice system and have previously included programming such as gender-specific treatment for female offenders, aftercare programming for substance abusing offenders, substance abuse evaluation, testing and treatment for juvenile offenders, specialty treatment services for opiate and heroin using/dependent individuals, among others.  The JAG Board will not fund applications to support multi-jurisdictional drug task force activities.

(06) Planning, Evaluation, and Technology Improvement Purpose Area Description: Projects in this area support criminal justice planning at the state and local level through research and evaluation.  This includes: 1) projects that facilitate integration of information technology in the criminal justice system with the goal of sharing information across systems and across separate and distinct jurisdictions; 2) research and evaluation projects which serve to improve and expand the current knowledge-base about the criminal and juvenile justice systems which ultimately leads to better decision-making and program implementation; and 3) projects that are proven effective and which ultimately serve to promote system improvement. Information technology-related applications from state agencies must provide evidence that such project proposals have been reviewed and approved by the applicant agency’s Office of Information Technology Chief Information Officer (CIO).

(07) Crime Victims and Witness Programs (other than compensation): Programs, activities, or spending focused on assisting crime victims, families, or witnesses. This program area for JAG funding can include programs to coordinate and integrate services to identify and respond to victims of crime. This can include, but is not limited to: innovative approaches to education about crime victimization and how to access services; specialized victim advocate positions focused on populations with unique needs, such as victims of elder abuse, human trafficking, identity theft, domestic violence, and sexual assault/abuse; support of unmet victim/witness protection needs; or assisting law enforcement agencies and district attorneys’ offices in building capacity to adequately address crimes with complex victim needs, which again may include, to name a few, elder abuse, human trafficking, and identity theft.  

(08) Mental Health Programs and related Law Enforcement and Corrections Programs, including behavioral programs and crisis intervention teams: Disproportionate numbers of people with mental illness are involved in the criminal justice system often as a result of untreated or undertreated mental illness. This is an issue that impacts numerous facets of the criminal justice system. The JAG Board is interested in projects which support programs and policy changes aimed at the following: identifying and treating people with severe mental illness before they reach crisis point; training law enforcement and correctional officers on mental health and mental health-related crisis-intervention; increasing justice system diversion strategies to divert offenders with mental illness from unnecessary arrest and incarceration to more appropriate and cost-effective community-based treatment and supervision; mental health courts;  allowing inmates to continue psychotropic medication in jails; and improving oversight of mental health care in jails, increasing post-jail housing options and enhancing community mental health services. 

Colorado is also seeing a rise in heroin and opiate use, dependence and overdose-related deaths. The JAG Board is interested in projects that assist in training law enforcement and other personnel in the criminal justice system in identifying high-risk individuals; implementing specialized treatment services which may include medication-assisted treatment and other innovative approaches to assist this population. 

(Q6) Project Summary:  (Limit 1000 characters) Provide a concise description of your project, stating the issue or problem you are wanting to impact, a description of your goals, how they will be measured, and how your project will address the 2022 JAG goal.  Be clear and succinct.

(Q7) Problem Statement: (Limit 5000 characters) What problem are you trying to solve? Use local or state information or data that supports your problem statement.

All projects must show the capability to improve the administration of justice and/or impact the reduction of crime or delinquency. Applicants must provide enough detail within this application for a reader to fully understand what the project is, what it will be doing, and how it will impact the described problem.

Clearly identify need through use of information or data at the level of the project (i.e., using current state or local data, not national). This section should include the following:

1. A description of the problem in terms of causes and consequences.  Articulate why this problem should be addressed. Use data in the form of published literature to support your description where appropriate.  
2. The extent and nature of the problem in your target population and/or community. 
3. NEW Include information on any underserved community’s disparity impacted by the problem.
4. Explain why you are requesting grant funds; did you experience a loss of funding, is this an unexpected and unplanned emergent issue that arose, etc.?
5. Applicants shall provide evidence that demonstrates their efforts to secure other financial support for the project costs, including requests through the entity’s regular funding process, before applying for JAG funds. If such requests were not made in advance of the JAG application submission, the applicant shall explain why other resources were not sought.

Equipment:  (Purchase of Goods, Equipment, or Basic Gear) (Limit 5000 characters) Show how your agency will benefit from this purchase.

• Applicants without a purchasing policy/price agreement must use the State of Colorado’s Price Agreement as a guideline for the allowable amount that may be requested for each piece of equipment. If the item requested is higher than the State Price Agreement the JAG Board will consider the request on a case-by-case basis. Visit osc.colorado.gov for more info.
• Applications for equipment (e.g., portable radios, EID-electro muscular incapacitation devices (Tasers) will be required to address the following:
  • Is funding requested for a specific make and model?  If so, why was this specific make and model selected?
  • What is the applicant’s staffing pattern; specifically, what is the maximum number of people on shift for a regular day who would be using this equipment? 
  • What are the alternate funding sources sought prior to this application (e.g., local government budget, e911 authority boards, other grants, and surplus programs)?
• Preference will be given to applicants who use a pooled/banked equipment approach.
• Applicants shall provide evidence that demonstrates their efforts to secure other financial support for the project costs, including requests through the entity’s regular funding process, before applying for JAG funds. If such requests were not made in advance of the JAG application submission, the applicant shall explain why other resources were not sought.

(Q8) Implementation Plan: (Limit 6500 characters) 
What do you plan to do? What are the steps in your process? Your response should address the 6 questions below:

1. Describe what this project will do, how funds will be used, and what will be different (for your agency, community, and population to be served) as a result of these funds. 
2. Aside from these requested grant funds, what other resources are available to support this project?  Include collaborations with other agencies and/or any funding that others will dedicate to support the project.
3. Outline the steps to be taken to implement this proposed project throughout the grant period.
4. Who will be responsible for this project overall and who will be responsible for individual steps, if different?
5. How will you evaluate your progress throughout the grant period to know if you remain on track or if changes need to be made due to unexpected challenges? 

(Q9) Implementing Agency: Will this be implemented by a different agency? If yes, enter Agency Name below. If not, enter NA.

CONTINUATION APPLICANTS: Describe how the project/program is on track to complete current goals and outcomes. Discuss how administrative and reporting requirements have been met timely. Discuss proposed project changes and how they are appropriate.

(Q10) Project Accomplishments: (Limit 2000 characters) Provide a brief synopsis of what this project accomplished with its previous grant award.

(Q11) Project Changes: (Limit 5000 characters) Describe any significant project changes (programmatic or budgetary) in this proposal from the previously funded project.

(Q12) Evaluation of Past Progress: (Limit 5000 characters) Summarize the extent to which each of the project's goals and/or outcomes were met, with supporting data included. If a specific objective was not achieved, or only partially achieved, provide an explanation.

Explain the effectiveness and impact of the project to date and whether modifications are being made to the current goals, outcomes, and evaluation plan. 

This section can highlight information contained in past quarterly reports. Projects applying for a third or more year of funding should provide a cumulative evaluation of past progress for the previous years of funding, emphasizing the impact made on the stated problem.

Direct Services Projects

(Q13) Direct Services Specific Projects:  Applicants who intend to provide direct services must project the number of clients (adults and/or juveniles) to be served using grant funds. Be advised that you will be expected to collect information for quarterly reporting purposes on the number of clients served by race/ethnicity as well as gender.  Be realistic. You will be assessed quarterly on progress toward meeting the number you indicated you would be serving in this application.

Project Officials

(Q14-25) You must have a minimum of three contacts for this application, the Project Director, Financial Officer, and 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.

(Q14) Project Director Name: This must be an individual other than the authorized official or financial officer and must be from the applicant agency. 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. Enter salutation, first, last, title, and agency for the project director (e.g., Mrs. Sally Smith, Program Coordinator, ABC County)

(Q15) Project Director Mailing Address:  Enter street Address, City, State, Zip +4 for the project director.

(Q16) Project Director Email Address: Enter email address for the project director to be used for primary communication.

(Q17) Project Director Phone Number: Enter primary phone number for the project director.

(Q18) Financial Officer Name: This must be an individual other than the project director or authorized official and must be from the applicant agency. The financial officer is the person who will be responsible for financial matters relating to the project and is in ultimate charge of accounting, management of funds, verification of expenditures, and grant financial reports. Enter salutation, first, last, title, agency (e.g., Mr. John Doe, Senior Accountant, Acme County)

(Q19) Financial Officer Mailing Address: Enter street Address, City, State, Zip +4 for the financial officer.

(Q20) Financial Officer: Email Address: Enter email address for the financial officer to be used for primary communication.

(Q21) Financial Officer Phone Number: Enter primary phone number for the financial officer.

(Q22) Signature Authority Name: This must be an individual other than the project director or financial officer. This is the individual authorized to enter into binding commitments on behalf of the applicant agency. For local units of government, this will normally 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. Enter salutation, first, last, title, agency (e.g., Ms. Jane Austen, County Commissioner Chair, Acme County)

(Q23) Signature Authority Mailing Address: Enter mailing address for the signature authority to be used for mailing documents related to this application. Enter Street Address, City, State, Zip + 4 (e.g. 700 Kipling Street, Suite 1000, Lakewood, CO 80215-8957)

(Q24) Signature Authority Email Address: Enter email address for the signature authority to be used for primary communication.

(Q25) Signature Authority Phone Number: Enter primary phone number for the  signature authority.

Geographic Area where Grant Funds will be Utilized: (Q26-Q31)

Enter each US Congressional District, Colorado Judicial District, State Senate District, State House District, County, and City where services will be delivered.  Separate each by a comma. Enter Statewide if services will be delivered across the state. This may include more areas than where the applicant agency is located.

(Q26) Colorado US Congressional District (01-07)
Enter district information that corresponds to the Service Area of this project. If Statewide, enter Statewide in the box provided. All other responses designating district should be separated by a comma.

(Q27) State Senate District (01-35)
Enter district information that corresponds to the Service Area of this project. If Statewide, enter Statewide in the box provided. All other responses designating district should be separated by a comma.

(Q28) State House District (01-65)
Enter district information that corresponds to the Service Area of this project. If Statewide, enter Statewide in the box provided. All other responses designating district should be separated by a comma.

(Q29) Colorado Judicial District (01-22)
Enter district information that corresponds to the Service Area of this project. If Statewide, enter Statewide in the box provided. All other responses designating district should be separated by a comma.

(Q30) Counties
Enter district information that corresponds to the Service Area of this project. If Statewide, enter Statewide in the box provided. All other responses designating counties served should be separated by a comma.

(Q31) Cities
Enter district information that corresponds to the Service Area of this project. If Statewide, enter Statewide in the box provided. All other responses designating counties served should be separated by a comma.

Goals & Outcomes  This is a table.

Goals and Outcomes: These are the elements against which the project will be evaluated and which will be used to report quarterly and final progress. Using the format below; provide project/program goal(s), outcomes, measurement, and timeframe.

Goals: Goals are logical, sensible, clearly written and directly tied to the project.

Write one or more goals you will focus on this project. 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.

Outcomes: Outcomes are realistic and able to be accomplished in the time frames described. Outcomes identify the amount of intended change expressed as a rate, percent or whole number. Include measures that will sufficiently document any change that occurs. 

Please write at least one measurable outcome for each goal.  Outcomes statements should include:

• The specific type of change or improvement that will occur
• The number or percent of individuals impacted (where appropriate)
• The expected magnitude, on average, of the expected change
• If client based, include outcomes reflecting the number of clients to be served

Measurement: is the description of what data will be collected to measure the change. Please describe the specific measurement tool(s) you will use to collect data for each objective.  If you do not have a tool, please state TBD (To Be Determined).

Timeframe: The quarter in which the objective will be completed.

PROJECT EVALUATION:  Describe the evaluation plan for measures and outcomes. In this section include at minimum, information about the following:

1. Based on the stated outcomes, what data will you collect in order to measure your success meeting those outcomes? 
2. Describe your plan for collecting data on each specified outcome and managing the data once collected.
3. How will you analyze the collected data and use the data to change/improve your program?
4. How will you confirm whether your project was successful in making progress toward achieving your goal? 
5. What is your approach to obtaining consent from participants and maintaining confidentiality (if client- or community-based outcomes)

GENERAL BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS 

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, and justified and the applicant should demonstrate how the costs were determined.  It should be clear so that no concerns of supplanting will exist. The 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 six budget categories: personnel, supplies and operating, travel, equipment,  consultant/professional services, and indirect costs. 

Personnel: Budget & Budget Narrative Details Table

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. Each position must be listed separately and be accompanied by a description that provides justification for the amount requested and details the basis for determining the cost of each position. 

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: Enter the annual, full-time salary or base pay for the position.

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. 

Annual Fringe:  Enter the amount of Fringe Benefits for the position.

Annual Fringe to Be Paid by Grant: Enter the annual fringe 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 fringe columns.

Total Annual 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 Funds: ZoomGrants will automatically calculate this total based on the amounts you entered in the annual salary and fringe columns.

OT - Annual Base Salary: Enter the annual overtime base pay for the position.

OT - Annual Base Salary To Be Paid By Grant Funds: Enter the annual overtime base pay for the position to be paid by grant funds.

OT - Annual Fringe: Enter the amount of overtime Fringe Benefits for the position.

OT - Annual Fringe To Be Paid By Grant Funds: Enter the annual overtime Fringe Benefits for the position to be paid by grant funds.

Total To Be Paid By Grant Funds (including overtime): ZoomGrants will automatically calculate this total based on the amounts you entered in the overtime 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, and the months covered by the increase, and justify it. Be sure that the scheduled salary increase has been included in the annual base salary row, and that the proposed annual base salary is one that is paid for equivalent positions and employee qualifications in your area.

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.

OAJJA 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.

Supplies and Operating: Add expendable or non-durable items within this category by major type [e.g., office supplies, software (regardless of cost), training materials, research forms, telephone, tuition, postage, gas, registration, leases, etc.] and show the basis for computation: “X” dollars per month for office supplies, “Y” dollars per person for training tuition, telephone-base charge plus long distance at “Z” dollars per month.

Out-of-state training costs must be justified in terms of availability of comparable training in state. Large items should be listed and justified (e.g., unusual supply items, software, special printing, etc.)

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.

Items with a per unit cost of less than $5,000 are considered supplies and should be listed in this category. Items costing $5,000 or more should be listed under Equipment (see D below). If software is being purchased, regardless of the price, it 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.

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

Travel: 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. 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 outcomes.

Where a jurisdiction has an established travel policy, those rates may be used. Otherwise, state travel rates are the maximum allowed. Allowable State travel rates are:

• Mileage: 
  • State Officers and Employees - $0.56/mile for 2WD, $0.59/mile for 4WD
  • Out of State - $0.625/mile
• Lodging: In-state is the actual cost of reasonable accommodations. However, lodging costs in excess of $96.00 must have prior approval of the Project Director. Out-of-state costs should be federal GSA rates, and reasonable.
• Meals: Exceptions to the following rates are available from the DCJ for higher-cost metropolitan areas.
  • In-State
  • Rates per Meal:
    • Breakfast $13.00
    • Lunch $15.00
    • Dinner    $26.00
  • Total per diem: $59.00
  • Incidentals: $5.00

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

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.

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/Contracts (Professional Services): *Application must contain a detailed budget and budget narrative for anything listed under Contracted, Consultant and Professional Services. List each consultant, contractor, or type of service with a 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 (honoraria are not an allowable expense) 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 consultants/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.

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. 

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 (i.e., 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. Indirect costs must be applied uniformly and consistently within the applicant organization (i.e. you can not claim the modified total direct cost on one application and a federally negotiated rate on another.

Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICR): If the applicant agency has an existing NICR, you may request up to the approved rate. Attach your NICR to the Documents tab.

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

Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) de minimis: 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. 

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.

Budget Questions: Answer these questions to ensure there is NO supplanting of other funds and that the project IS sustainable.

• Have local funds been appropriated or allocated for any of the requested budget items?
• What would happen to this project in the event federal funding isn't available?
• If you didn't have federal funds available to conduct this project, would you still conduct it with other funds anyway?

Prior JAG Funding for this project: If this is a continuation grant, complete the table listing each grant year this project was funded with JAG monies (provide the grant number, the amount of federal funds awarded, the project title, purpose area and grant period). 

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. 

Priority Letter: Required if the Applicant Agency is submitting more than one application. Letter must include rank order and why the agency has ranked projects in that order.

Letters of Support: If you wish to submit letter(s) of support which speak to the collaborative relationship between your project and other agency(s)/organization(s), these can be submitted in ZOOMGRANTS under the Documents Tab.  These ARE NOT mandatory.

Most Recent Full Financial Audit and Governance Letter (or Full Financial Review if revenue is under $300,000): REQUIRED

Financial Management Questionnaire: REQUIRED All applicants are required to complete this form. This link will take you to a google form to complete and submit the Financial Management Questionnaire.  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.

Link to Financial Management Questionnaire

Federally Approved Indirect Cost Rate (NICR):  If the applicant agency has an existing NICR, you may request up to the approved rate. Attach your NICR.

Body Armor Certification: Download this form, complete, save and upload back into ZoomGrants.

Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension; and Drug-Free Workplace: Must be submitted for grants equal to or over $100,000. Download this form, complete, save and upload back into ZoomGrants.