DOJ allocates $850 million in grants to help communities respond to COVID-19

Eligible agencies may use the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Program funds for a variety of COVID-19 related expenses, including equipment, overtime pay and travel expenses

US-NEWS-POLICING-IN-THE-TIME-OF-10-PT.JPG

Clearwater Police officer Joseph Czop, on left, and Sgt. Meg Hasty, in center, both wearing protective face masks and gloves. Law enforcement officers are facing a new array of challenges policing during a global pandemic. Image: Dirk Shadd/Times via TNS

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), in coordination with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) are accepting applications for the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program (CESF).

As a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the DOJ was provided $850 million to award funding to state, local and tribal governments to aid with prevention, preparation and response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Funding is being distributed by the OJP as grants, with a maximum of 1,873 awards to be given over a two year period.

Funds from the program may be used for, but are not limited to the following:

  • Overtime pay
  • Equipment, including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment
  • Hiring
  • Supplies, such as gloves, masks, sanitizer
  • Training
  • Travel expenses, particularly related to the distribution of resources to the most impacted areas
  • Addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails and detention centers

Funds to be used for individual items costing $500,000 or more must be properly identified and justified by a grantee and must receive written approval by the BJA via Grant Adjustment Notice (GAN) before purchase. Funds intended to be used for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), unmanned aircrafts (UA) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are subject to Federal Aviation Administration approval.

Those eligible to apply include any state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, unit of local government and federally recognized tribal government that was previously identified as eligible for financial assistance under the FY 2019 State and Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. CESF eligible award amounts per state and territory were calculated and allocated beforehand, and the full list of these allocations can be found here.

Of the $850 million, the OJP has already awarded $460,208,740 in CESF grants to 439 grantees and is still accepting applications until May 29, 2020. Before submitting an application, applicants must register with the Grant Management System (GMS) even if they have done so previously for another occasion.

Below is a list of some of the grant recipients thus far. A full list can be accessed here:

  • Tracy, CA - $37,584
  • Harrison County Commission, Clarksburg, WV - $58,008
  • Fountain, CO - $34,327
  • Albany County Sheriff’s Office, Albany, NY - $58,008
  • Cumberland, MD - $39,559
  • Malden, MA - $56,665
  • Melbourne, FL - $159,181
  • Winter Garden Police Department, Winter Garden, FL - $35,709
  • Pemberton, NJ - $37,919
  • Cass County, Fargo ND - $58,008
  • Metropolitan Government of Nashville And Davidson County, Nashville TN - $1,551,648
  • Fayetteville, NC - $408,226
  • Saline County, Salina, KS - $58,008
  • Bay County Commission, Panama City, FL - $82,882
  • St. Joseph, MO - $96,453
  • Decatur, IL - $99,423
  • Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Hartford, CT - $5,875,620
  • Westchester County, Hawthorne, NY - $58,008
  • City of Newport Rhode Island, Newport, RI - $47,140
  • City of Madison Police Department, Madison, WI - $279,128
  • North Carolina Department of Public Safety - $15,371,484
  • County of Vance, Henderson, NC - $58,008
  • Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Hanover, VA - $39,736
  • Alabama Department of Economic And Community Affairs, Montgomery, AL - $9,645,679
  • Board of County Commissioners of Allegany County Maryland, Cumberland, MD - $58,008
  • American Somoa, Pago Pago, AS - $2,231,620
  • Anniston, AL - $173,335
  • Arapahoe County, Littleton, CO - $78,787
  • Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Phoenix, AZ - $12,430,204
  • Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Little Rock, AR - $6,926,980
  • Tom Green County, San Angelo, TX - $58,008
  • Atlantic City, NJ - $175,838
  • Aurora Police Department, IL - $144,486
  • Baltimore County, MD - $1,036,604
  • Barnstable, Hyannis, MA - $74,598
  • Bell Police Department, Bell, CA - $51,471
  • Benton Police Department, Benton, AR - $38,174
  • Berkeley County Council, Martinsburg, WV - $40,845
  • Biloxi, MS - $106,222
  • Binghamton, NY - $87,502
  • Bismarck, ND - $95,241
  • Red Bluff, CA - $32,980
  • Covina Police Department, Covina, CA - $33,508
  • Surprise, AZ - $33,512
  • Shelbyville, TN - $33,541
  • Reedley Police Department, Reedley, CA - $35,016
  • Prescott, AZ - $36,759
  • Washoe County, Reno, NV - $36,862
  • Wayne, MI - $37,011
  • Clarksburg, WV - $37,272

Kenny Sokan is a freelance writer at Gov1. She is a strong believer in the power of information and creative expression, which guides her in all of the work that she does. Kenny is a graduate of Northeastern University with a BA in journalism.