FAQ Listing

The degree of specificity of grant application budget will vary depending on the nature of the project and OJP agency requirements. Your application must include both a budget narrative and a budget detail worksheet We strongly recommend that you use the Budget Detail Worksheet.

Additional Budget Resources: 

• DOJ Grants Financial Guide
• Application Resource Guide
  • Budget Preparation and Submission Information

For details on the technical steps to complete the budget attachment and upload it in JustGrants, see the Complete the Application in JustGrants: Budget training.

If the total amount available is known, it will be noted in the Notice of Funding Opportunity, but often the amount depends on future congressional appropriations. 

Your Budget Detail Worksheet should clearly present a breakdown of costs associated with each budget category. Itemize where necessary. For more detail on what is required, reference the requirements outline in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Although it is not required, OJJDP strongly recommends that you develop the Budget Detail Worksheet using the provided template. The template includes an example of a worksheet and descriptions of the details for each category.

For more information on allowable and unallowable costs, review the Notice of Funding Opportunity and the DOJ Grants Financial Guide.

Interpretations or clarification on the DOJ Grants Financial Guide can be addressed to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer's Customer Service Center at 800–458–0786 or [email protected].

Learn more on JustGrants Resources website's Application Submission page. 

Applicants should provide a budget that—

• is complete, allowable, and cost-effective in relation to the proposed activities;
• shows the cost calculations demonstrating how they arrived at the total amount requested; and
• provides a brief supporting narrative to link costs with project activities. The budget should cover the entire award period.

Your Budget Detail Form should clearly present a breakdown of costs associated with each of nine budget categories. Itemize where necessary. For more detail on what is required, reference the specific Notice of Funding Opportunity. OJJDP expects applicants to provide a thorough narrative for each section of the Budget Detail Form. The Budget Detail Form should break out costs by year.

Applicants will complete a web-based budget form on JustGrants. See the OJP Application Resource Guide for additional information on preparing a budget.

The budget narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of expense listed in the Budget Detail Form. OJP expects proposed budgets to be complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities).

Applicants should demonstrate in their budget narrative how they will maximize cost effectiveness of award expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals of the project. As with the Budget Detail Form, the budget narrative should describe costs by year.

To learn about what a budget narrative should include, go to the Narrative Justification for Every Cost section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

See the Part 200 Uniform Requirements page for more details on audit requirements.

Because most funding opportunities are competitive, we are unable to have individual conversations concerning notices of funding opportunities (NOFO) with prospective applicants. 

Questions concerning open funding opportunities should be submitted to the OJP Response Center:

• E-mail [email protected] for the quickest response
• Call toll-free: 800–851–3420
• International calls: 202–772–1022
• TTY Phone: 202–353–5556
  
  It may take up to 24-48 hours to reply to your request.