Frequently Asked Questions Of The Office Of Grants Management
Q. What types of grants are available through the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE)?
A. The NJDOE, through the Office of Grants Management (OGM) in collaboration with department program offices, is responsible for disseminating federal and state funds for entitlement and discretionary grant programs. These available funds are received and allocated to enhance major educational initiatives throughout the state.
Q. What are entitlement (formula) subgrants?
A. Entitlement (formula) subgrants are grants awarded to eligible agencies for individual or consortium projects based on a specific formula prescribed in legislation or regulation for a specific education program. The formula is usually based on factors such as population, enrollment, per capita income, or a specific need. All eligible agencies are funded once an approvable application and board-executed Grant Acceptance Certificate are submitted to the NJDOE in accordance with published guidelines and timelines.
Q. What are discretionary grants?
A. Discretionary subgrants are made for individual projects to eligible agencies in accordance with legislation that permits the NJDOE to exercise judgment in selecting the project, the subgrantee, and the amount of the award. Guidelines are published in the form of a Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO). Specific projects are selected and awarded in accordance with the criteria published.
Q. How can an agency find out what grant programs are available from the NJDOE?
A. Information about available subgrant programs is posted to the NJDOE Web site (http://www.nj.gov/njded/grants/gropps.shtml) as soon as the program designs are approved and authorized for dissemination. Each program has an information page that provides the reader with the title and brief abstract of the program, the types of agencies eligible to apply, the amount of funds available, the approximate number of awards, and the application due date. In addition, the information page displays a hyperlink that opens the Notice of Grant Opportunity document which contains the program’s specific application requirements and forms.
Q. Who is eligible to apply for a subgrant?
A. Eligibility is specific to each subgrant program. Eligible agencies may include local education agencies (LEAs), charter schools, community-based organizations (CBOs), institutions of higher education, 2-year postsecondary schools, community colleges, public libraries and cabinet-level state agencies.
Q. When do Local Education Agencies (LEAs) receive entitlement allocations?
A. All entitlement allocations are mailed to eligible agencies after the formulas have been run. This usually occurs during the spring of each year for awards that start July 1 for the following school year.
Q. How can an agency apply for an entitlement subgrant?
A. An agency may submit an online application for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Carl D. Perkins grant programs through the Electronic Web-Enabled Grant (EWEG) system.
Q. What are the benefits of the EWEG system?
A. The EWEG system is a simpler, faster and less error-prone grant application process which allows grant applications to be submitted, reviewed, and approved electronically. States that have implemented similar systems have reported a faster turnaround time for review and approval of grants; a significant reduction in errors; more accurate record keeping; fast retrieval of data for reporting, data collection and monitoring purposes; and a nearly “paperless” office.
Q. Can the public access the EWEG system?
A. Yes. The public has “read only” access and may view any grant application after it has been submitted. The public may also view the application status to see if the application has been submitted or approved.
Q. Is any special software required to access the EWEG system?
A. Internet access and a web-browser are all that is required to access the EWEG.
Q. How can I access the EWEG system?
A. The EWEG system can be accessed by visiting the NJDOE Homeroom Web site at http://homeroom.state.nj.us/ and clicking on EWEG.
Q. If I receive an entitlement Notification of Award, when can I expect to receive the awarded funds?
A. Beginning with FY 2009, all entitlement grant payments will be made through the Payment Component of the EWEG system using the reimbursement method. Upon approval of an LEA’s entitlement grant application, the LEA may begin to submit reimbursement requests through the EWEG system for grant expenses the LEA has incurred. Payments will be processed once a month. However, no payments can be made until the LEA’s Grant Acceptance Certificate (GAC) is submitted through the EWEG system.
Q. How do I know when I can apply for a discretionary subgrant?
A. As each NGO is distributed to eligible agencies, it is posted on the NJDOE Web site at http://www.state.nj.us/njded/grants/discretionary/. A listing of the programs, eligibility and application due dates and application forms are available at that location.
Q. How do I construct a discretionary application that might be considered for an award?
A. Applications are accepted in the NJDOE Application Control Center in response to the issuance of a specific Notice of Grant Opportunity (NGO). This document contains the parameters by which the program should be constructed. An agency constructing an application for submission should generally begin by conducting a needs assessment based on educational status and community needs. The program should be well designed, have clearly constructed goals and objectives, contain defined student outcomes and results, as well as present a clearly defined budget. Consult the NGO for specific application requirements.
Q. How does the department decide which discretionary grant applications to fund?
A. Since, in the majority of its discretionary grant programs, the NJDOE cannot fund all proposals or applications submitted, it must select for funding only those projects that meet the highest standards. Applications are reviewed by an evaluation panel as part of the competitive process, and those applications that are of the highest quality are funded in order to establish and promote programs with the greatest chance of success. In its role as guardian of public funds, the NJDOE is responsible for selecting for award only those applications that demonstrate the greatest need; provide the most comprehensive plan to address the need; provide a clear, competent, professional presentation of the proposed project; provide an appropriate basis for all costs necessary to sustain the project; and, consequently, offer the best chance of success in achieving the NJDOE’s goal(s) for the grant program.
Q. Does NJDOE offer assistance for the preparation of discretionary grant applications?
A. During the time allocated for the preparation of a discretionary grant application, the program office will provide a technical assistance workshop. At the workshop, questions of a general nature can be answered but questions that are specific to an applicant agency cannot be addressed. Since most technical assistance sessions are optional, those applicants who did not attend would be at a disadvantage if specific information were to be provided.
Q. If I receive a discretionary grant, when can I expect to receive the awarded funds?
A. After the NJDOE receives back from the grantee a signed third-party grant agreement and board-approved Grant Acceptance Certificate package, the grant agreement is authorized and payments commence. Once a copy of the fully executed grant agreement has been mailed to the grantee, payment can be expected at the beginning of the next month.
Q. Is technical assistance available to help NJDOE award recipients manage successful grant projects?
A. Yes. Program technical assistance is provided by designated staff members from the appropriate program office on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the department offers technical assistance to grant recipient agencies through the posting of application guidance and grant management guidelines and manuals on the NJDOE Web site. Correspondence with grant recipient agencies, periodic training workshops, and regulatory guidance are routinely offered to provide ongoing information to agencies managing grant awards.
Q. What additional information is available on the NJDOE Grants Web site?
A. A variety of information can be found on the Grants Web site to assist agencies with application development, grant administration and grant management, including:
Q. Where can I find information on grant opportunities available from sources other than the NJDOE?
A. Individuals and agencies seeking funds to support special projects that are not eligible under the NJDOE’s available grant opportunities should contact federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml) and private funding sources.
