How to apply for FY24 TSASP grants: OVW walks applicants through SAM, grants.gov, JustGrants and budget expectations

During a pre-application webinar, an OVW presenter walked potential applicants through the TSASP application mechanics and offered practical tips to reduce common errors that delay reviews.

The application process is a two-step submission: applicants must first submit the SF-424 and the SF-LLL in grants.gov, then submit the full application package in the Justice Grants system (JustGrants). Applicants must have an active SAM registration (UEI) and grants.gov account; the presenter said SAM/UEI registration can take two to three weeks and grants.gov account setup averages about one week, so first-time applicants should begin immediately.

Deadlines stated by the presenter are grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Aug. 13, 2024, and JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. Eastern on Aug. 15, 2024; the presenter noted some slide typos and verbally corrected date/year inconsistencies during the session and directed applicants to the solicitation for authoritative deadlines and late-submission rules (pages 21–23).

Required attachments to upload in JustGrants include either a full proposal narrative (up to 15 pages) or the new proposal project form (a structured PDF/Word form provided on the OVW resources page), a budget detail worksheet and a budget narrative, and documents demonstrating authority to apply when applicable (letters of authority or support must be signed). The presenter recommended using the sample budgets, the solicitation companion guide, and the application checklist on page 27 to ensure completeness.

For new applicants, the narrative is scored in three parts: purpose of the proposal (15 points), what will be done (50 points), and who will implement (15 points). Continuation applicants follow similar sections but should include clear project goals, objectives, and a timeline; accessibility planning is required for continuation proposals that have not previously addressed accessibility.

Budget guidance included required set-asides for OVW technical assistance and travel: new applicants should budget $35,000 (contiguous states) or $45,000 (Alaska) for the full project period; continuation applicants should budget $25,000 (contiguous) or $35,000 (Alaska). The presenter urged applicants to break down costs and provide a budget narrative explaining cost estimates, to include partner compensation where appropriate, and to consult GFMD resources and the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) when preparing financial materials.

To reduce delays in GFMD review, the presenter advised providing full answers to the pre-award risk assessment (all 11 questions and subparts) and completing the summary data sheet (including whether the applicant spent $750,000 or more in federal funds in their last fiscal year and the fiscal year end date). The presenter also stressed monitoring system acceptance alerts (grants.gov and JustGrants), double-checking for the final JustGrants “submit” button, and saving printed copies of submissions.

The presenter closed with contact information for the OVW tribal TSASP inbox on slide two and encouraged applicants to use OVW training modules and webinars to prepare submissions.