Key Audience: JustGrants Application Submitter(s), Entity Administrator
Learn how to submit an application for Department of Justice (DOJ) funding by following a step-by-step breakdown of the application process.
The following eLearning videos, reference guides, and other resources will help you successfully complete an application.
Learn all about DOJ’s application submission process, from deadlines to onboarding and final submission. The following topics and associated resources are designed to guide you through the application process from start to finish.
Deadlines
There are two submission deadlines for DOJ funding opportunities.
- The Grants.gov submission deadline, which must be met before an applicant can submit the full application in JustGrants, and the JustGrants deadline.
- The deadlines for each DOJ funding opportunity can be found on the cover page of the solicitation for which the applicant is applying. Note: each funding opportunity may follow different deadlines, refer to the solicitation for specific submission deadlines.
Onboarding: SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants
Provides a visual guide of the flow of entity information as it moves from SAM.gov to Grants.gov and to JustGrants.
DOJ Application Submission Checklist
Covers all necessary steps to complete the two-part application process in Grants.gov and JustGrants.
Application Submission Job Aid Reference Guide
Provides a detailed overview of the application submission process.
Application Mechanics: Submitting an Application Video
Walks users through the application process. Prospective applicants may choose to review the video in its entirety, or view parts of the video that are relevant to their specific application needs via the accordion links below.
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Weekly Training Webinars
Register for an Application Mechanics: Submitting an Application training webinar.
Frequently Asked Questions
View answers to frequently asked questions.
Explore open and forthcoming DOJ funding opportunities and sign up to receive emails as new solicitations are released.
DOJ Grants Program Plan
Summarizes details of the funding opportunities each DOJ grant-making component is expecting to release or has released this fiscal year.
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Funding Opportunities
- Discover open COPS funding opportunities
- Sign up for COPS funding news
Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Funding Opportunities
- Discover open OJP funding opportunities
- Sign up for OJP funding news
Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Funding Opportunities
- Discover open OVW funding opportunities
- Sign up for OVW funding news
Grants.gov
Prior to applying for federal funding, entities must register to do business with the federal government and obtain a unique entity identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov.
Register in SAM.gov
Register early—at any point during the year—and submit all requirements in SAM.gov. SAM’s entity validation will not begin until all requirements have been submitted. Once validation is complete, finish the full registration process and track your entity’s status until it reaches “Active.”
If you are seeking to apply for a specific funding opportunity, register at least 30 days prior to the Grants.gov deadline.
Renew in SAM.gov
Proactively maintain an active status at least every 12 months, and sooner, if entity information changes. Renew 30 days in advance of your status expiration date to ensure that SAM.gov has sufficient time to complete its validation process and resolve any issues.
Confirm Your Entity’s SAM.gov Points of Contact
One critical entity role is the electronic business primary point of contact (E-Biz POC). Keep this role up-to-date in SAM.gov as this role is also critical in Grants.gov and, for new-to-JustGrants entities, in JustGrants.
Resources
Application in Grants.gov
Learn how to initiate an application in Grants.gov. An applicant begins the application process in Grants.gov by submitting the required documents, including the SF-424 and SF-LLL.
Reference:
Learn how information flows from SAM.gov to Grants.gov and to JustGrants. See how entities and users onboard and access JustGrants.
Entity Onboarding
This video describes how these three systems intersect and pull critical entity data through to display in JustGrants. Also, see the Onboarding: SAM.gov to Grants.gov to JustGrants infographic.
User Access
Each entity relies on the entity administrator to add users, designate user roles, and assign users directly to applications in JustGrants. View our Training: Entity Management to learn more about how the entity administrator manages user access for their entity.
Locate an Application
Learn how to locate an application in JustGrants after it has been initiated in Grants.gov.
Submit an Application
Learn how to submit an application in JustGrants.
References
- Application Submission Job Aid Reference Guide (updated July 3, 2024)
- Application Attachments Quick Reference Guide (updated February 17, 2023)
- Printing an Application Quick Reference Guide
Budget Entry
Estimating costs to carry out a project is critical. When an applicant breaks down and calculates cost by category, it helps to ensure that requests are allowable and reasonable. Solicitations will detail which costs are allowable under each program and which budget format—attachment or web-based budget—must be used.
Budget Detail Overview
In most cases, JustGrants applications require a detailed breakdown of the project's estimated budget. Depending on what the solicitation describes, the budget will either be provided via an attachment or a web-based form. Always reference the solicitation for specific budget instructions.
DOJ-Wide References
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
Office of Justice Programs (OJP)
- OJP Applicant Resource Guide: Budget Preparation and Submission
- OJP Attachment Budget Quick Reference Guide
- OJP Web-based Budget Quick Reference Guide
Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)
References:
- Entering Match Amount in a Budget (updated February 16, 2023)
- Resolving Validation Errors for Web-Based Budgets
For step-by-step instructions on resolving validation errors when certifying and submitting your application, refer to the Application Submission: Resolving Validation Errors quick reference guide (updated February 17, 2023).
The Application Submission Checklist (updated February 21, 2024) provides information on completing, reviewing, certifying, and submitting your application in JustGrants.
Check Your Application for Errors and Submit
Once your application is complete, check for errors, review, certify, and submit.
After completing step 5, your entity's application is now submitted!
After an application has been submitted, DOJ may request changes. Refer to the Application Change Requests resource to learn how to quickly and effectively respond to these change requests.
The following guide will help you successfully complete an OJP Bureau of Justice Assistance SCAAP application and accept your award:
