Overview

Connecticut Byrne JAG Local Level Funding Overview

The Edward R. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG or JAG) program is a federal program that provides funding to state, tribal, and local governments to improve the criminal justice system. Each state has a State Administering Agency (SAA) responsible for managing these funds. In Connecticut, the SAA is the Office of Policy and Management, Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division (OPM CJPPD).

The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) distributes Byrne JAG funding to every state and sets the rules for how the money must be used.

How the Local Pass Through Byrne JAG Funds Are Distributed

USDOJ requires states to divide their state allocation funding into:

• Variable Pass‑Through (VPT) Funds

  A required percentage of the state’s funding must be passed down directly to units of local government (cities, towns, federally recognized tribes). The percentage is based on statewide criminal justice spending.

• Less‑Than‑$10,000 Allocations

Some towns are too small to receive a direct federal JAG award. The federal government adds extra money to the state’s award to cover these towns.

Connecticut’s Local-Level JAG Program

Connecticut divides Byrne JAG funding into:

1. State‑Level Programs
2. Local‑Level Programs (CT JAG Local Level Program)

The CT JAG Local Level Program is funded entirely by the federal pass‑through portion described above (VPT & the Less-Than-$10,000 Allocations). Per the Department of Justice, these funds can only go to municipalities and federally recognized tribes for projects that address their criminal justice needs.

• This is a “one-time” grant. 
• No future “continuation” or “supplemental” funds are available.
• Primary purpose of this grant is to assist local governments with preventing violent crime and improving public safety. 

Important: This Program Is Separate from Federal Local Direct JAG Grants

The CT JAG Local Level Program is NOT the same as the USDOJ Local Direct JAG program.

Key differences:

• CT JAG Local Level applications are submitted to OPM, not the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Do NOT use the federal portal or Grants.gov.
• OPM uses a new, state-managed grants management system (EUNA) for submitting CT JAG Local Level Program applications.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This is a component of the Connecticut JAG Formula grant program. The program is funded through a federal formula grant administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. The program is authorized under 42 U.S.C. §3751(a). (CFDA #16.738) (CFDA Title: Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program).