At the Department of Justice (DOJ), there are numerous resources to help organizations and jurisdictions understand the funding and application process, including:

• The Office of Justice Programs (OJP), which provides a Grants 101 to help you navigate the highly competitive grant process. View OJP’s Grants 101 here.
• The Bureau of Justice Assistance, which offers an online Grant Writing and Management Academy to help criminal justice practitioners apply for and manage federal grant funds. Find out more information here.

When reviewing a grant solicitation, consider the following:

• Are you an eligible applicant?
• Does the purpose or program area of the grant match the problem or issue you have in your jurisdiction?
• Will your jurisdiction or agency be able, and are they willing, to comply with the requirements for submitting and receiving the grant?
• Does your jurisdiction or agency have the capacity to manage the proposed activities?
• Does your jurisdiction or agency have adequate time to be responsive and prepare a complete application?

When responding to a grant solicitation, be sure to:

• Follow any requirements regarding application format, such as the number of pages or required sections;
• Allow adequate time for a “friendly review” of your proposed application to help ensure the application addresses all the key points and responds to the requested information;
• Secure any required agency or jurisdiction approvals; and
• Submit the application on time.

If you do not receive funding, you should consider:

• Contacting the funding agency and ask for peer reviewers’ comments to help identify strengths and areas for improvement for your next application;
• Reviewing the applications of the funded jurisdictions, where possible, to understand components of a successful application; and
• Building your grant writing skills by participating in a grant writing class.