• General Questions
  • How do I get started using JustGrants?
    • For more detailed information on how to use each specific functionality within JustGrants and to apply for an award program, please refer to the JustGrants Training page or frequently asked questions (FAQs) at https://justicegrants.usdoj.gov/getting-started#secureOnboarding.
  • Can I submit an application if I am a current COPS Office award recipient?
    • As long as you meet the solicitation eligibility requirements, you are eligible to apply. As outlined in the “Review Criteria” section of the solicitation guide, the COPS Office includes the following criterion: “Project will not result in unnecessary duplication of other efforts by the COPS Office or other DOJ components.”
  • Are partnerships required for my proposed project?
    • Partnerships are not required. However, where appropriate, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit an application that shows partnerships with key organizations including institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations in order to build strong working relationships.
  • How long is the award period?
    • All awards will have a performance period of 24 months in duration except the CPD Microgrants awards, which will have a 12-month period. Budgets should accurately reflect the appropriate performance period.
  • Can you provide assistance or feedback on proposed ideas?
    • The COPS Office is committed to ensuring a fair and open process, so we are unable to evaluate the merits of proposals during the open solicitation period. Please carefully review the solicitation guide and associated materials for what types of projects the COPS Office is looking to invest in this year. Once the solicitation closes, COPS Office staff screen and score applications according to the review process and criteria as set forth in the Application Review Information section of the FY 2021 Solicitation Guide.
      
      Please note: Proposals should be responsive to the solicitation, significantly advance the field of community policing, and demonstrate an understanding of community policing as it pertains to the application topic.
  • Can I submit more than one application?
    • Yes, applicants may submit multiple applications. However, we strongly recommend that you complete the application process in Grants.gov and begin the JustGrants application before starting another application. This will ensure that the correct SF-424 will be assigned within JustGrants Application System.
  • What else should I consider as I am writing my project narrative or responding to application questions?
    • Most responses are evaluated in a highly competitive forum, with hundreds of solicitation proposals competing for the same funds. Most solicitation proposals do not receive funding. Your proposal must meet at least two goals: (1) Inform the reader of your plans and (2) persuade the reader that your project is worthy of funding.

      You should sell the reviewers on the following points:

      • The need or problem that you will address or fix with the award is significant and worthy of funding.
      • The project or program is well planned to ensure a successful implementation if the funds are awarded.
      • You are capable of successfully managing the funds and completing the proposed project on schedule and meeting your goals and requirements.

      Respond to reviewers’ needs and expectations by

      • including details that sufficiently clarify your plans for the reviewers, who may be unfamiliar with them and who may be reading several other proposals at the same time;
      • providing good reasons for funding the proposed project in view of the solicitation’s purpose and goals;
      • ensuring that the responses are well written and that important information is easily accessible. Reviewers who have trouble accessing or understanding important information will not be convinced that the proposed project deserves funding.

      It might help to read the solicitation several times, making note of the overarching theme, its specific requirements, costs that may be prohibited, the performance data that you will need to report, and all tasks that will be required if an award is made.

      Finally, pay particular attention to the review process criteria and the percentages allocated for each section as a way to gauge the importance and how much space should be allocated.

  • If civilian personnel are going to work on this project, may they be included in the budget?
    • Yes. If you are going to apply to have civilian personnel work on your project, please include those calculations and figures under the civilian section in the budget and budget narrative. Salaries of personnel are costs based on the percentage of time spent working directly on the project. Fringe benefits are allowances and services provided by the organization to its employees as compensation in addition to regular salary.
      
      Please note overtime is the only expense we cover for sworn law enforcement personnel and should be listed in the “Other” category.
  • Is it allowable to pay for overtime for sworn officers?
    • Yes, this is considered an allowable cost as long as your agency has not currently budgeted for overtime for this proposed project. If so, than it is considered supplanting and not allowable. If you are submitting these costs, the request should be entered under the “Other” section.
  • When should I expect notification if awarded program funds?
    • It is anticipated that awards will be announced on or after October 1, 2021. Notifications will be sent electronically. Any public announcements will be posted on the COPS Office website at https://cops.usdoj.gov.
  • Is there an appeal process?
    • All award decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
  • Who is responsible for ensuring that my project deliverables do not infringe upon or misappropriate the intellectual property rights, or violate the right to privacy, of any third party?
    • Recipients are responsible for acquiring the rights—and ensuring that their subrecipients, contractors, and authors acquire the rights—to use copyrighted material in deliverables developed under the award. All licensing, publishing, or similar agreements must include provisions giving the COPS Office a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to use the work (including create derivative works) for Federal Government purposes and to authorize others to do so.
  • Who owns the copyright to any work that is developed under an award?
    • Recipients may copyright any work that is subject to copyright, and was developed or for which ownership was acquired, under the award. However, the COPS Office reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to use the work (including create derivative works) for Federal Government purposes and to authorize others to do so.
  • Do I need to assign two authorized representatives in the JustGrants application?
    • • Yes, you will need to select two authorized representatives via dropdown field in the “Confirm Authorized Representative” section of the application. The dropdown will display all authorized representatives that have been assigned for your entity (see page 24 of the Application Submission Job Aid Reference Guide for this step).
      • If you do not see authorized representatives for your entity in the dropdown field within the “Confirm Authorized Representative” section of the application, you will need to add and assign the role for each authorized representative for your entity. Please note: the COPS Office requires two authorized representatives (Law Enforcement Executive and Government Executive) for its grant applications.
      • Please be aware users will not be visible in JustGrants until they have successfully logged into JustGrants.
      • If you need assistance adding users and assigning roles for your entity, please refer to the Entity Management Job Aid Reference Guide.
      • For a visual road map of the entire onboarding process, please refer to the DUNS to JustGrants infographic, and the JustGrants Onboarding infographic for additional guidance.
  • I will not be able to submit my application before the solicitation deadline. What is the COPS Office process for submitting a request for extension?
    • The COPS Office offers a process for applicants to provide advance notice to the COPS Office if receipt of their application will be delayed due to unforeseen JustGrants technical issues, extraordinary natural or manmade disasters (see "Late Submissions" section under the solicitation guide). Applicants must provide notice via email to AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov prior to the close of the solicitation. If applicants follow the steps outlined as follows, submission may be considered. Extension of deadlines is not guaranteed. Applicants will need to follow these directions:
       
      • Send email directly to AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov
      • The subject line should read “FY21 [Insert Name of COPS Funding Opportunity here] Extraordinary Circumstances: DUNS Number, Organization Name, Application ID,” with your specific DUNS number, organization name, and application ID included in the subject line.
      • Message: The message should include the following information:

      • DUNS number
      • Organization name
      • Application ID
      • Nature of technical or extraordinary issues impacting the applicant’s ability to submit an application on time
       

      The email message must be sent by the deadline or as soon as possible given the specific emergency. The COPS Office will respond to each applicant as soon as possible with an approval and instructions for submission or a rejection of the request for late submission. If applicants do not provide advance notice to the COPS Office about an issue that may cause a delay in the submission of the application, the application will not be considered for funding.

      Please Note: to ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the following conditions are not valid reasons for extensions of the submission deadline: (1) failure to begin the registration process in sufficient time, (2) failure to follow the JustGrants instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its website, (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the solicitation and associated materials, (4) failure to register or update information on the SAM website, and (5) failure to register or complete SF-424 in Grants.gov. For additional details on late submission guidance, please refer to the “Late Submissions” section of the solicitation guide for the specific program for which you are applying.

  • I submitted a request for late submission, when should I expect a response from the COPS Office regarding my request?
    • The COPS Office will respond as soon as possible with an approval and instructions for submission, or a rejection. If the issues you reported cannot be validated, your request for an extension will be rejected. Any requests to submit applications after the deadline because of technical issues will be rejected. You may follow up on your request by sending an email directly to AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov.
      
      Please Note: to ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the following conditions are not valid reasons for extensions of the submission deadline: (1) failure to begin the registration process in sufficient time, (2) failure to follow the JustGrants instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its website, (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the solicitation and associated materials, (4) failure to register or update information on the SAM website, and (5) failure to register or complete SF-424 in Grants.gov.
• For all CPD solicitations, CPD Microgrants, and LEMHWA only
  • How does the COPS Office define rural jurisdictions?
    • Because of geographic and regional considerations, the COPS Office allows an applicant to identify their jurisdiction type and explain how your project will benefit nonurban areas.
  • Does the LEMHWA and Microgrant solicitations require a proposal narrative?
    • No, neither grant program requires a proposal narrative, rather applicants are required to submit a proposal abstract that will be entered into a Just Grants text box during the application process. Please refer to pg. 15 under LEMHWA solicitation guide; see pg.16 under Microgrant solicitation guide for additional guidance. Additionally, applicants will be required to answer a series of survey questions. Please refer to pgs. 43-49 of the LEMHWA solicitation guide and pgs. 44-48 of the Microgrant solicitation guide for the list of applicable survey questions.
• For CPD solicitations only
  • For the “Regional De-Escalation Training Centers” topic area, how do I know if I am eligible based on the important considerations: “The applicant should detail their experience and ability to provide de-escalation training and how they plan to provide onsite training at agency locations and host agencies at the center. The applicant should also describe how they plan to market their training to the broader law enforcement community within their identified region including outreach to state associations.”?
    • Within your project narrative, you will need to explain how your organization meets this application requirement.
  • Are there any post-award requirements for the “Regional De-Escalation Training Centers”?
    • Yes. The regional de-escalation training centers will collaborate with the De-Escalation National Coordinator to help guide the development of any new training materials, share their existing materials, and for reporting their training delivery numbers. The regional centers will serve on an advisory board for the development of an online training program, any other in-person modules, and pilot testing of all pieces of the curricula.
  • For the “De-Escalation State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement Agency Grants” subcategory it states grant funding may be used for Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) technology to support agencies’ de-escalation training efforts. However, simulators/augmented reality programs are listed as an unallowable on pg. 23 of the solicitation guide. Can you clarify whether VR/AR is allowable?
    • Simulators and augmented reality programs are a typical unallowable. However, given the use of VR/AR technology as an approach to deliver de-escalation training programs, an exception is made to allow the technology as an allowable expense for this specific subcategory.
  • For the “Tolerance, Diversity, and Anti-Bias Online Training,” how many awards do you anticipate making?
    • The COPS Office is looking to fund one Tolerance, Diversity, and Anti-Bias Online Training award recipient to implement a national training program that will reach a minimum of 5,000 law enforcement personnel through both classroom and online training delivered through the COPS Training Portal.
  • For the “Accreditation” topic area, am I eligible if an entity within my state is already accredited?
    • It depends on the funding category within this topic area. Applicants seeking to establish an accreditation entity in a state that already has one will not be considered for the Addressing Gaps in State Accreditation. These applicants should consider applying for Enhancing Existing Law Enforcement Accreditation Entities.
  • Who is eligible to apply under the Accreditation solicitation?
    • Applicant eligibility is based on the selected subcategory:
      • The Addressing Gaps in State Accreditation subcategory is open to all public governmental agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, for-profit (commercial) organizations, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations.
      • The Supporting Tribal Agency Accreditation and Enhancing Existing Law Enforcement Accreditation Entities subcategories are limited to any existing accreditation entity.
      • The Supporting Law Enforcement Agencies in Seeking Accreditation is limited to local, state, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies. Agencies already accredited or seeking accreditation renewal are not eligible.
  • Is agency accreditation the same thing agency certification?
    • • No, accreditation should not be confused with agency certification. Accreditation involves the process of law enforcement agencies adopting and maintaining standards focused on their operations. To obtain accreditation, a law enforcement agency must ensure that it has the appropriate policy standards as defined by the accreditation entity. The number of standards varies by accreditation entity. (pg. 7 of the Accreditation solicitation guide)
      • Agency certification as described in Executive Order 13929 Safe Policing for Safe Communities, which requires law enforcement agencies to confirm that their use of force policy adheres to two mandatory requirements to receive DOJ discretionary funding.
      • For questions regarding EO 13929 certification, please see the COPS Safe Policing for Safe Communities Fact Sheet.
• For CPD Microgrants only
  • For the Youth Engagement topic area, are there any specific requirements?
    • Yes. Youth-centered projects that involve interactions with minors under the age of 18 years will be subject to a special award condition requiring recipients and subrecipients to make determinations of suitability before certain covered individuals interact with participating minors in the course of activities funded under the award.
• For LEMHWA only
  • Is the “LEMHWA Implementation” topic area restricted to peer programs?
    • No. The primary purpose of LEMHWA funding is to help officers seek assistance in receiving support services. Programs must focus on providing training, programming, and support services in law enforcement emotional and mental health, including such things as suicide prevention, peer mentoring, clinical support, and family support services. Programs may also serve agency civilian staff such as crime scene technicians, dispatchers, and others who may regularly experience some of the same trauma exposure.
  • What are the LEMHWA subcategories?
    • LEMHWA does not have subcategories. The primary focus of the LEMHWA grant program is to provide training, programming, and support services focused on officer emotional and mental health, including suicide prevention efforts, peer support, and clinical and family support services.

Questions? Please contact the COPS Office Response Center at AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov or 800-421-6770.