1. A Practical Guide to Identifying, Writing, and Managing Grants

2. Welcome and Overview Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Overview
Identifying and Exploring Funding Sources
Reviewing Project Design Strategies
Developing Partnerships
Writing Your Grant Proposal
Understanding the Application Review Process
Finding Opportunities and Submitting Applications: Grants.gov
Managing Grant Awards

3. Bureau of Justice Assistance Overview
The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
Other Office of Justice Programs components:
Bureau of Justice Statistics
National Institute of Justice
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
Office for Victims of Crime
Community Capacity Development Office
Office of Audit, Assessment, and Management

4. Bureau of Justice Assistance Mission
To provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities.
To reduce and prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse and improve the functioning of the criminal justice system. To achieve these goals, BJA programs emphasize enhanced coordination and cooperation of federal, state, and local efforts.

5. Bureau of Justice Assistance Overview
Provide national leadership in criminal justice policy.
Provide training, and technical assistance to state, local, and non-profit organizations involved in any aspect of the administration of justice for all areas of public safety.
Act as a liaison to national organizations that partner with BJA to establish policy and help disseminate information on best and promising practices.
Administer and manage $7.8 billion (11,021 grants) in federal grants to state and local grant programs through 27 programs and initiatives.

6. Bureau of Justice Assistance Programs
Public Safety Officers' Benefits (Death, Disability, Education)
Southwest Border Prosecution
Prescription Drug Monitoring
Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Tribal Courts Assistance
Problem Solving Courts
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment
Drug Courts
Sex Offender Management

7. Bureau of Justice Assistance Programs
Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.)
Protecting Inmates and Safeguarding Communities
Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative
Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS)
Human Anti-Trafficking Task Forces
Bulletproof Vest Partnership
State Criminal Alien Assistance Program
Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
Prison Industry Enhancement (PIE) Certification
Transfer of Surplus Federal Property Certification

8. What Resources are Available
Private: corporations/foundations
State funding
Federal funding

9. Why Seek Funding Plan projects Implement projects Enhance projects
Pilot projects
Evaluate projects
Enhance staff capabilities
Purchase needed equipment

10. Good Reasons to Seek Funding
Sincere desire to solve a problem/address an issue
Strong belief that your agency is equipped to solve the problem
Grant Announcement/RFP is aligned with your agency’s mission

11. Questionable Reasons to Seek Funding
“Following” the money
Funding to support “everyday” agency costs
Sustainability of existing project

12. Private Funding Sources
Distinctive (and sometimes quirky) rules and requirements
Ties between project goals and funding mission
Shorter proposals
Credibility factor
Competitive review optional
Community/partnerships focus

13. Identifying Private Funding Sources
Foundation Center:
Austin Community Foundation:
The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust:
Public Welfare Foundation:
BIG Online:

14. Identifying State Funding Sources
Funding from state legislature, specific to state
Funding from federal formula grants to states
- Follows federal grant guidelines
- May have additional requirements
Funding from local organizations for state use

15. Identifying Federal Funding Sources
Budget appropriations process
Discretionary vs. formula grants
Grants vs. cooperative agreements
Contracts
Earmarks

16. Identifying Federal Funding Sources
U.S. Government Portal (FirstGov):
CFDA:
Grants.Gov:
Federal Register:
Federal Agency Web Sites
Independently-Operated Consortium Web Sites:

17. Identifying Funding Resources
When in doubt...
GOOGLE

18. Project Strategy: Key Elements
Carefully plan your project strategy and design
Develop relationships and partnerships

19. Project Strategy What does it say
- States the vision of the project’s end result
- Describes how you intend to get there
What are the mechanics
- Developed collaboratively
- Captured in a written project abstract
What does it do
- Establishes project design

20. Project Strategy: Steps
Project focus
Problem statement
Goals/objectives
Program activities
Performance indicators
Project logic
Time and task plan

21. Project Strategy: Focus
Identify the specific target of the project
- Individuals/clients
- Situation
- Organization/culture

22. Project Strategy: Problem Statement
Describes the problem to be addressed by the project
- Supported by data and information
- Establishes a baseline
Describes what has been done, and where the gaps are
- Analyzes their cause
- Determines resources available and those needed

23. Project Strategy: Problem Statement
What is the problem that requires a solution
What will happen if the problem is not addressed
What is the gap between what is and what ought to be
Why should grant funds be used to solve the problem

24. Project Strategy: Problem Documentation
Sources
- What do we need
- Where we will get it
- How will we gather it
- Who will get it
- How much will it cost
Comparative data
- If available
Security
- Confidentiality

25. Project Strategy: Objectives
(What Will We Do to Fix the Problem?)
Does the solution address the problem
- Have you created a sense of urgency
Is your solution a means to an end, rather than the end
Do you know if the solution will work
- Will it pass a reality check
- What are the constraints
How do you know your solution is the right one
- Was more than one solution considered
- Did you prioritize solutions
- Did you do a cost-benefit analysis

26. Project Strategy: Goals and Objectives
Broad statement
End toward which effort is directed
States the unexpected outcome
Communication device
OBJECTIVE 1
OBJECTIVE 2
OBJECTIVE 3
GOAL
Explains how goal will be accomplished
Short-term and specific in action and time
Measurable and achievable
Implementation vs. outcome objectives

27. Project Strategy: Objectives
Relates to the operation of the program
Examples:
- 10 new staff will be hired within 6 months of start up
- Vocational training curriculum will be developed within 9 months of start up
- 50 released offenders will have completed vocational training within 12 months of start up

28. Project Strategy: Objectives Outcomes
Results expected from program’s operation
- Knowledge/attitude/skill change (short term)
90% of all released offenders will pass a proficiency test for job application
skills within 60 days of release
- Behavior/performance change (long term)
75% of all released offenders will be employed one year after release
- Situational change (short and long term)
50% of identified drug houses will be rehabilitated within one year

29. Project Strategy: Program Activities
Specific tasks expected to produce results to meet goal and objective
- Description of specific activity
- Intensity and duration
- Who will perform activity
- What will the activity impact
- Clear and concise deliverables

30. Project Strategy: Performance Measures
Explicit measure of effect or results
Used to compare actual with expected performance
Signals whether objectives are being met
Types of measures (quantitative preferred)
- Quantitative: number or degree of change
- Qualitative: non-numeric like photos, field observations

31. Project Strategy: Performance Measures
Process: Type or level of project activities put in place to achieve objectives
Outputs: Direct products and services delivered by a project; accounting of how much of an activity has taken place
Outcomes: Results of products and services; effect and changes in knowledge, skills, attitude, behavior, or conditions
Impact: Results beyond the project; unintended ways the project impacted the community and overall problem

32. Project Strategy: Performance Measures
Informs decisions
Monitors progress
Documents activities and accomplishments
Highlights project benefits
Supports partners and stakeholders

33. Project Strategy: Performance Measures
Builds case for funding
Adds value to project and deliverables

34. Project Strategy: Project Logic
Helps make the necessary connections between what you plan to do and how you plan to determine your success
Helps work through the cause and effect of project activities

35. Project Strategy: Logic Model
Activity
Outcome
(short-term)
Impact
(long-term)
Condition
(need or problem)
Headache
Take aspirin
Headache
cured
More productive

36. Project Strategy: Time and Task Plan
For each objective, identify a “list of activities” outline
- Responsible party
- Time frame
- Sequence
- Resource needs
- End product

37. Project Strategy: Recap
Work through each step below to successfully develop a project:
Identify the problem
Design a problem statement
Document goals and objectives
Create program activities
Draft performance measures
Work through a project logic model
Develop a time and task plan

38. Why Develop Partnerships
Expands potential funding sources
Sustains projects after funding concludes
Creates long-lasting changes in community
Builds ownership of problems and solutions
Maximizes the effectiveness of solutions and outcomes

39. Identifying Partners Public safety Government Private sector
Faith-based
Community
Elected officials
Non-profit
Media

40. Developing Partnerships
What Is their role?
What will they contribute?
Will you need them for project sustainment?
Is there a downside to being partners?

41. Structuring Partnerships
Roles
Policy making
Decision making
Funding
Advisory
Operational
Technical
Management
Participation
Logistics
Leadership
Materials/products

42. Principles of Effective Grant Writing
An effective writer keeps these elements in mind at all times:
Purpose
Audience
Message

43. Principles of Clear (Grant) Writing
Keep sentences short
Draft simple vs. complex expressions
Use familiar words
Put action in your verbs
Write the way you talk
Use words your reader can “picture”
Tie in to your reader’s experiences
Use variety
Write to express, not impress

44. Application Review Process: Discretionary
Reviewed by peers and related disciplines
Assures no conflicts of interest
Scoring criteria established in the solicitation
Scoring is numeric and narrative
Selections based on scores and available funding
Request application scoring and comments

45. You’ve received the funding…what next?
Managing Grant Funds
You’ve received the funding…what next?

46. Managing Grant Funds Most challenging part of the grant process
Grants Management System (GMS):
GMS On-Line Training:
Reporting requirements:
-Programmatic/Return on Investment
-Financial

47. Grant Help
BJA State Policy Advisors:
OJP Office of the Chief Financial Officer: or