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Grant Tools and Resources

Law Enforcement: Your Checklist for the NCJRS JustGrants/ASAP transition

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JustGrants

JustGrants is coming: Are you ready?

The transition to the Justice Grants System (JustGrants) and the Department of the Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) is fast approaching for OJP, OVW, and COPS Office award recipients.

JustGrants and ASAP will be available to users beginning October 15, 2020.

Award recipients should be aware of some key transition dates, as well as a number of steps required for a smooth transition. The current systems – GMS, NexGen, and GPRS – have been discontinued.

A full description of the transition timeline and the many benefits of the new systems are available at the Justice Grants website.

To support users in the transition to the Justice Grants System (JustGrants) and the Department of the Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), a step-by-step checklist has been posted online that covers all of the necessary steps your entity will need to take before JustGrants launches on October 15, 2020.

Go to JustGrants

Go to ASAP

Are You Ready for JustGrants and ASAP?

Get the checklist

Need help with grants? Contact us today

Gearing up for 2021 COPS Grants?

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6 steps to prepare

From hiring programs to anti-drugs programs, mental health to community policing, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) helps connect Law Enforcement Agencies nationwide with billions in policing grants.

More COPS programs are expected to open in 2021… but will you be ready?

Here are 6 steps to take now, so you can be ready for COPS opportunities whenever they come along:

STEP 1: Obtain a valid ORI number. If you do not have an ORI, go to https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/ORIRequest.aspx

STEP 2: Get a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number by calling 866-705-5711 or visiting https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/

STEP 3: Ensure active registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) database (registration must be updated or renewed annually to maintain an active status). You must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator before your registration will be activated. This requirement now applies to both new and existing entities.

STEP 4: Register at Grants.gov and complete form SF-424

STEP 5: Sign-up for notifications on COPS Office funding opportunities and activities

STEP 6: If applicable, update agency contacts and users in the Agency Portal.

Need help?

Contact us

Nearly $1 million in grants to First Responder Grants clients and students

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Firefighters

Congratulations to our clients and students who are bringing home AFG fire grant awards! During August 2020, these 5 departments received AFG and SAFER awards totaling $976,139

  • Allenstown, NH: SCBA and compressor, $198,964
  • Gorham, NH: SCBA, $141,350
  • Fox River & Countryside Fire-Rescue District, IL: Brush Truck, $296,818
  • Portland FD, CT: SCBA, $265,544
  • 2019 SAFER, City of Witt, IL: $73,463

“Greg took all the mystery out of the process, came up to meet in person, and helped me throughout the entire application period,” says Gorham Fire & EMS Chief Philip Cloutier.

“During the busy time period leading up to submission Greg was always available when needed and continues to assist with other grant applications as necessary. The members of Gorham Fire & EMS will now have up-to-date SCBAs, will be able to perform their duties safely, and return home to their families safely after a fire.”

Your department could be next!

Grant Training

Annual Grant Service

Grant Writing & Review

Need in-person grant training?

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Join us in New Hampshire, Sept. 26-27, 2020

National and Online Training for Public Safety Grant Writing

“We were awarded an AFG grant in the amount of $150,286 to purchase 24 air packs. We would not been able to make this purchase without me taking you class and learning how to write grants. Thank you for all of your help!”

Bobbi Beers, Friendship Fire Company No. 1, Inc., Roaring Spring, Pennsylvania

New grant training in New England! Our friends at New Hampshire’s Berlin & Gorham FD are graciously hosting 2 days of grant-writing training for anyone in public safety, first responder, and emergency management.

Does this sound like your agency?

Your agency lacks funds for vital equipment or training.You applied for grants in the past, but just can’t seem to get your application into the winner’s circle.

Times are tight and your budget is shrinking, but grants seem so intimidating, you’ll never figure out how to get that crucial additional funding for your department.

You’re not the only one. Fire Departments, Law Enforcement Agencies and other Emergency Services Agencies nationwide have felt the sting of the budget ax.

They could’ve spent another year going without.

But they did something else. They took action, and they got that crucial grant funding.

Register today and get ready to make your way to the grant winner’s circle!

Learn more and register

No travel? Yes training.

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National and Online Training for Public Safety Grant Writing

“Your team provided focus and clarity, eventually guiding us to form a concise, appropriate, and successful grant.”

Lt. Maurice Paquette, Allenstown FD, NH

Traveling for training? Not so much right now. We get that too.

However, just because you aren’t traveling right now, that doesn’t mean training is off the table.

With our online grant-writing training, you can get our best-in-class grant-writing training… on your time, on your device, and without having to travel.

Check out our online training today!

“I have had the chance to attend other classes on grant writing but none of them compared to this course. First Responder Grants is truly that—for first responders.”

Deputy Justin Koller, York CSO, PA

Writing Public Safety Grants

Winning AFG

Want the grant… but don’t want to write it?

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Ask us about our Public Safety Grant Writing Services

You want the grant…

But maybe you don’t yet have the skills… or time… to write one.

We can help with that.

We have a full contingent of grant writers available to handle the tasks of writing your grant from start to finish.

Grant writing usually entails having a knowledgeable person readily accessible and available to the consultant assigned, in order to gather and share information particular to your agency, community and statistical and budgetary data. Depending upon the complexity of the grant and the information required, it may also entail travel by the consultant to your location. (Any required travel will be pre-approved and billed separately.)

Contact us for a quote
Every grant program, department, organization, and community is different. As such, let’s talk about your needs and challenges, then we can present you with a quote.

Get started today

Learn more

Contact us

Train your way

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Grant-Writing Training

Online and in-person grant-writing training

“This course was so comprehensive that I keep my notes from the course available as a quick reference for any grant.”

– Kelly V. Teague, Certified Grant Writer, Haywood Community College, NC

You know it from every other aspect of your job:

Training makes all the difference in how you respond.

What can be the difference between a grant award letter and a “try again next time” note?

Yup.

Training.

For over 20 years, we’ve perfected grant-writing training so it can work for any public safety professional.

“I would definitely recommend First Responder Grants as your grant resource.”

– Brian Andrus, West Marshall Fire Department, Benton, KY

No matter how you want to train, we’ve got you covered. See you soon at training. Next stop… the winner’s circle!

“You are the one that gave me the guidance and what was needed to be so successful in being awarded!”

– Chief John Kirchner, Diamond Fire Company, OH
Online Public Safety Grant Writing Training
Online Grant-Writing Training: Winning AFG
National Public Safety Grant Writing Training

ONDCP: Reduce substance use in your community

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Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

Learn more about the Office of National Drug Control Policy

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President which works to reduce drug use and its consequences by leading and coordinating the development, implementation, and assessment of U.S. drug policy.

Established in 1988, ONDCP coordinates the federal government’s anti-drug efforts by:

  1. Developing a comprehensive National Drug Control Strategy which aims to reduce substance use through public health and public safety measures;
  2. Funding and coordinating the activities of law enforcement, community-based coalitions, and other actors working on the ground to combat substance misuse; and
  3. Coordinating the activities and related funding of sixteen Federal government agencies and departments to reduce the availability of and the demand for illicit substances.

While ONDCP works broadly on substance misuse, it is focused on the country’s ongoing Opioid Crisis which is caused by the misuse of prescription drugs, heroin, and synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Go to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

Want FEMA grants? Set up FEMA GO first

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FEMA GO Account Creation Guide

Get your free Account Creation Guide from FEMA

If you’re applying to or receiving any sort of grant program from FEMA, you have to have a FEMA GO account.

But… how do you set one up?

Fortunately, FEMA has laid out the account creation process in a free PDF:

Get your FEMA GO free Account Creation Guide now

Summer grant prep

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Summer is a great time to prepare your department for upcoming grants and future grant opportunities. Here are a few tips to get you on your way to being prepared for any grant that comes your way:

Conduct a needs assessment

Proper planning involves a myriad of things, one of which is assuring that you have proper manpower and equipment to carry out your basic mission for your citizens. A needs assessment gives you the facts you need to know about how well prepared your department is to carry out its primary function.

How to do a needs assessment

What grants will you go for?

Each year, public, private, corporate, and non-profit organizations provide thousands of grants worth billions of dollars. What programs are out there that your agency could benefit from? What program will you try for for the first time? What programs have you tried for and gotten rejected, but you’re ready to try again?

Don’t miss another grant

Make sure your agency is set up in FEMA GO

FEMA GO has been a big change in how public safety agencies apply for federal grants. The intent behind FEMA GO is to have grants be managed in a more streamlined, user-friendly system. Over time, organizations like yours will be able to manage FEMA grants and other programs in one place.

This is a new system, and it is a big change. However, the new rules of the road are the new rules of the road. Once you are up and running, you should be ready to work in the new system to apply for and manage grants, and our get-ready-GO guide can show you what to do:

FEMA GO guide to apply for and manage grants

Know and practice the 4 things grant winners have in common

Over the years we’ve looked at thousands of grant applications, and we have seen it all. The good. The bad. The ugly. And there are things that consistently set the winners apart from the losers. Put our 4 tips to work in your grant efforts, and you will be far more likely to celebrate a grant award:

The 4 things grant winners have in common

Let the numbers do the talking

You can make a well-stated case for why your department needs a grant more than another, but you also have to back up your story with hard data. Luckily, there’s lots of that out there. Demographics, critical infrastructure, economics, you name it.

Get the numbers and facts you need with our resource lists

After you submit your grant, request Letters of Support

Congratulations, you submitted your grant! Once your application is in, though, there is still one thing left to do. It’s something you can—and should—do with any grant:

Request letters of support

Train

Just as you train for different incidents, it takes solid training to write a good grant too.

Check out our online training and national training options for what’s right for you

Need help with all this?

Our expert Senior Grant Consultants are a phone call or an email away.

Contact us today