Grants - Letters of Support

Procedures for Securing A Letter of Support from the
Department of Corrections to Accompany Grant Applications

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) welcomes opportunities to collaborate with organizations committed to working toward the successful rehabilitation of offenders as well as the smooth reintegration of those offenders back into their communities.  As such we encourage organizations and agencies throughout the Commonwealth to take advantage of grant opportunities when those opportunities present themselves.  A list of all grants offered from various governmental agencies to include SAMHSA and the Department of Justice can be accessed at the following link: www.grants.gov. Grants opportunities specific to the Pennsylvania justice system may be found on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s website at www.pccd.state.pa.us

The PA DOC is often asked to provide letters of support for organizations applying for grant funding.  Our department does not generally issue blanket or general letters of support but rather seeks to work collaboratively with agencies on applications, particularly when organizations are seeking access to our facilities and/or are specifically targeting offenders in state prison or returning to communities from state prison. 

We are interested in providing meaningful support letters which provide details of how we understand the proposed project and what specific commitments we are making should the project be funded.  The following are the guidelines to be followed when requesting a letter of support from us to submit with a grant application:

• Submit a copy of the grant announcement or provide the link to the announcement;

• Submit a brief, written project description (abstract) which communicates clearly the problem you are seeking to solve and the strategy you are proposing to use in solving it;

• Provide specifics on what you are seeking from the department (resources, data, access to facilities etc.) along with the timeframe in which you expect to require our services;

• Submit your materials and your request for a letter of support in timely fashion. We are aware of the tight timeframes associated with responding to many solicitations, but please do not contact us the day before or the day of a deadline as we will not be able to respond appropriately.  We would like to review your materials no less than one week prior to the deadline for submitting your application.

• Provide us with contact information for a person in your organization should we have questions regarding your application.  Also please provide the name, address, phone number, and e-mail for your organization.  You may provide brief, descriptive information about your agency and the services you provide. 

These items should be submitted via electronic mail (preferred) or USPS to:

Carrie Amann, Grants Manager

Pa. Department of Corrections 

2520 Lisburn Road                  

Camp Hill, PA  17001

camann@pa.gov

Please contact Ms. Amann should you have any questions.