26-006 Grant Funding Opportunity Identification and Approval Process

The purpose of this notice is to establish a clear and consistent process for evaluating and approving grant opportunities before initiating application development. All grant opportunities must be reviewed by the Grants Unit in the Fiscal Division to ensure that we can meet all the necessary terms and conditions set by the grantor.

Overview of the 7-step process: 

Step 1: Identify a Programmatic or Operational Gap 

Step 2: Speak with Captain or Officer in Charge (OIC) to determine if grant aligns with current needs 

Step 3: Contact the Grants Unit in Fiscal to review or seek opportunity 

Step 4: Grants Manager & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to review after receiving recommendation from Grants Unit 

Step 5: Memo Preparation done by the Subject Matter Expert (SME) or program lead 

Step 6: Final Approval by Commander/Captain 

Step 7: Begin Application Development with Grants Unit

Please see detailed procedures below: 

Step 1: Identify a Programmatic or Operational Gap

• Staff or leadership identifies a gap in services, resources, or operations. The gap should be clearly defined and documented as the basis for seeking funding.
• This may be based on:
  • Data analysis, staff feedback, external/internal policy changes, strategic priorities, etc. 

Step 2: Speak with Captain or OIC

• When a staff member identifies the gap to be filled, they must first inform their Captain or OIC.
• The Captain/OIC will:
  • Determine if it aligns with operational needs
  • Approve/Deny moving forward to the next step
  • If necessary, seek further guidance up the chain of command 

Step 3: Contact the Grants Unit in Fiscal

• With supervisor's approval, the staff member must then contact the Grants Unit at [Redacted]
• The Grants Unit will:
  • Meet with the designated SME(s) and research potential funding opportunities
  • Conduct a preliminary review of the opportunity
  • Evaluate eligibility, feasibility, and compliance requirements
  • If a funding opportunity has been identified prior to contacting the Grants Unit, a review and recommendation will still be conducted by the unit

Step 4: Grants Manager & CFO Review

• If the grant aligns with organizational needs, the opportunity will be recommended to the Grants Manager and CFO for further review to:
  • Assess the financial and strategic alignment
  • Provide feedback and recommendations on whether the Department shall proceed with applying for the funding

Step 5: Memo Preparation

• Upon approval, a memo must be submitted by the staff member to their chain of command.
• The memo is prepared by the project lead or designated subject matter expert
• The memo must include:
  • Grant title, executive summary and requirements
  • Purpose and alignment with department goals
  • Contact information of the SME and who will be designated to manage the project
  • Resource needs and commitments
  • Timeline and key deadlines

Step 6: Final Approval by Commander/Captain

• The applicant submits the memo to their Commander or Captain for final approval.
• The Commander/Captain will:
  • Review the memo
  • Officially approve or deny the request to proceed with the application
• In the case when two or more bureaus are requesting the same grant, approval will be escalated up the chain of command.

Step 7: Begin Application Development

• Once approved, the applicant will collaborate with the Grants Unit to:
  • Develop the full grant application
  • Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders
  • Ensure timely and compliant submission

/s/
DERRICK J. LEW
Chief of Police