This article explains the basic types of grant opportunities available to State and local law enforcement agencies.
The article discusses ways that agencies can learn about grant opportunities and suggests procedures departments can follow to prepare a quality proposal. Formula, or block, grants are awarded by the Federal Government to the States, which make subawards to State and local government entities. Discretionary grants are awarded directly to law enforcement agencies who have applied to the appropriate Federal office. The lead Federal funding agency for law enforcement programs is the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The following offices within OJP make grants in different program areas: (1) Bureau of Justice Assistance; (2) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; (3) Bureau of Justice Statistics; (4) Office for Victims of Crime; (5) National Institute of Justice; (6) Drug Courts; (7) Violence Against Women; (8) Corrections Program Office; and (9) Office of Community-Oriented Policing. The article also describes sources of State grant money, how to prepare a grant proposal, and how to keep track of the array of grant opportunities available at any given time. Table, notes