Juvenile Diversion Grant Program
Grant Status Open
The Juvenile Diversion Grant Program (JDCA) was established in Indiana Code § 31-40-5 et seq. for the following purpose areas: (1) to prevent further involvement of the child in the formal legal system, (2) to provide eligible children with alternatives to adjudication that require the least amount of supervision and conditions necessary, consistent with the protection of the community and the child’s risk of reoffending, as determined by a risk screening tool when appropriate under IC § 31-37-8.5-1., (3) to emphasize the use of restorative justice practices, defined in IC § 31-37-8.5-1 as services focused on repairing the harm caused to victims and the community as a result of a child’s behavior, and (4) to reduce recidivism and improve positive outcomes for a child through the provision of research-based services, if warranted, that address the child’s needs.
Program Guidance
The Youth Justice Oversight Committee developed guidelines for program development that achieve the best outcomes for youth development.
The 2023 final report includes recommendations on best practices and next steps for enhancing Indiana's youth justice system.
The award period for the solicitation is: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026.
The following budget items listed below are ineligible and will not be supported by this program’s funding:
- Direct financial assistance to a client such as cash.
- Supplanting existing positions or offsetting existing expenses of the recipient.
- Lobbying.
- Fundraising (including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions) and time spent procuring funding including completing federal and state funding applications.
- Purchase of real estate.
- Construction and physical modification to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting).
- Purchase of vehicles.
- Indirect cost rate and/or de minimis rate.
The U.S. Office of Justice Programs (OJP) strongly emphasizes the use of data and evidence in policy making and program development in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. OJP is committed to:
- Improving the quantity and quality of data and evidence OJP generates.
- Integrating evidence into program, practice, and policy decisions within OJP and the field.
- Improving the translation of evidence into practice.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) encourages the use of evidence-based programs and practices. Evidence-based programs and practices generally have one or more rigorous outcome evaluations that demonstrate effectiveness by measuring the relationship between the program and its intended outcome(s). This includes measuring the direction and size of a change in outcome and the extent to which a change may be attributed to the activity or intervention. The methodology of the evaluation should rule out, to the extent possible, alternative explanations for the documented change. Please refer to the CrimeSolutions.gov website and the OJJDP Model Programs Guide for more information about evidence-based programs in criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services.
For purposes of this solicitation, please be cognizant of the following definitions:
- “Juvenile justice” refers to activities concerning: (1) the prevention or reduction of juvenile delinquency; (2) the apprehension and adjudication of juvenile offenders; (3) the disposition of juvenile offenders including protective techniques and practices; (4) the prevention of child abuse and neglect; and (5) the discovery, protection, and disposition of children in need of services (Indiana Code § 5-2-6-1).
- “Youth” means any individual who is under juvenile court jurisdiction or is an age at which he or she could be subject to original juvenile court jurisdiction within the state of Indiana.
Allowable activities and costs are those that support the operations and services delivered to youth involved in or youth to be diverted from the juvenile justice system. These activities include but may not be limited to:
- Activities that support the operations of youth diversion programs.
- Activities that develop youth diversion programs.
- Activities that are evidence-based or restorative justice projects.
ICJI strongly recommends programs that are evidence-based or considered to be promising practices. The selected program may be altered to meet requirements of the applicant, but fidelity should be maintained as closely as possible. More information regarding rated programs and practices, as well as examples of model programs may be found here or here.
Allowable Costs
Allowable activities and costs are those that support the operations and services delivered to youth involved in or youth to be diverted from the juvenile justice system. These activities include but may not be limited to:
- Activities that support the operations of youth diversion programs.
- Activities that develop youth diversion programs.
- Activities that are evidence based or restorative justice projects.
ICJI strongly recommends programs that are evidence based or considered to be promising practices. The selected program may be altered to meet requirements of the applicant, but fidelity should be maintained as closely as possible. More information regarding rated programs and practices, as well as examples of model programs may be found here or here.
Administrative Costs
Administrative costs are an allowable expense but are limited to 10% of the total grant-funded budget. Administrative costs include time to complete program required time and attendance sheets and programmatic documentation, reports, and required statistics; administrative time to collect and maintain satisfaction surveys and needs assessments used to improve services delivery within the funded project.
Travel Costs
Expenses and reimbursements for in-state and out-of-state travel must follow the most current Indiana Department of Administration State Travel Policy or the subrecipient’s travel policy, whichever is more restrictive. Learn More.
Contractors and Consultants
When a subrecipient contracts for work or services, the following is required:
- All contractual services must be obtained through a procurement method. Verification of this method must be supplied upon completion of the contract.
- All consultant and contractual services shall be supported by written contracts signed by all parties stating the services to be performed, rate of compensation, and length of time over which the services will be provided.
- A copy of all written contracts for contractual or consultant services shall be attached in IntelliGrants to the grant file upon their ratification.
- Payments shall be supported by statements outlining the services rendered, date of service, and cost of service.
- Any consultant costs exceeding the allowable rate (maximum of $81.25 per hour or $650 per day) will not be allowed.
Program Costs
Program costs must meet the following criteria:
- Costs must be necessary and reasonable for the stated purpose of the grant.
- Costs must be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Learn more.
- Costs must be consistent with policies and procedures of the grant program and applied uniformly.
- Costs must be adequately documented with supporting materials including receipts, invoices, timesheets, paystubs, etc. The ICJI supporting documentation policy can be found here.
IntelliGrants Reporting
Juvenile Justice subrecipients are required to submit quarterly programmatic and fiscal reports in IntelliGrants. Upon submission, an ICJI grant manager will then review and approve or deny the reports. Each program report and fiscal report must be approved by ICJI prior to seeking reimbursement.
Technical Assistance
For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the ICJI Helpdesk, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, except state holidays. ICJI is not responsible for technical issues with grant submission within 48 hours of grant deadline.
