Ky. Admin. P. Ct. Justice. I

As amended through December 19, 2024

Section I - [Effective 1/1/2025] Grants

1.01Centralized Grant Function

The AOC is the fiscal agent and administrative arm of the Kentucky Court of Justice ("KCOJ"). All grant opportunities must be reviewed by the AOC Office of Finance and Administration, Department of Budget ("AOC Budget Department") and be approved by the AOC Director before an application is submitted. The AOC Budget Department is responsible for submitting all approved grant applications to the grantor on behalf of the KCOJ.

1.02General

(A) Appropriate Use of Grant Resources

The AOC Budget Department facilitates the responsible use of grant funds to enhance the work of the courts within the unified judicial branch.

KCOJ officials and AOC managers, executive officers, and directors may, upon identifying innovations or problems that cannot be solved with existing resources, request that the AOC Budget Department research grant opportunities that may be available to support a solution.

KCOJ officials and AOC managers, executive officers, and directors may, upon becoming aware of a grant opportunity or prospective donation available to a court or judicial branch program or department, submit a request to the AOC Budget Department to apply for the grant opportunity or accept the donation.

The AOC Budget Department will review the terms and conditions of the requested grant opportunity and existing KCOJ resources and will make a recommendation to the AOC Director as to whether the grant identified is an appropriate resource. The AOC Director shall determine whether the identified grant is an appropriate resource to pursue for the KCOJ. Factors which should be considered in making a determination of whether to proceed with a grant application include, but are not limited to:

(1) Existing resources;

(2) Sustainability of grant-funded program;

(3) Terms and Conditions of the grant;

(4) Unified nature of the KCOJ;

(5) Timeliness of submission of the request relative to the deadline for submission of the grant.

(B) Administrative Office of the Courts is the Applicant and Fiscal Agent

The AOC must be the applicant and fiscal agent through which all accounts are to be established and all transactions processed for all court programs unless otherwise authorized by the AOC Director in writing.

(C) Grant Award Budgets

All awards received by the KCOJ must include a budget approved by the Budget Director, with which the project must comply. For lump sum awards with no budgetary stipulations from the funding agency; an internal budget must be created. Exceptions to this policy occur only when funds are awarded by reimbursement programs wherein funds are reimbursed in direct proportion to after-the-fact reporting of project activities.

(D) Personnel Policies Apply to Grant-Funded Personnel

The Rules of Administrative Procedure (AP) Part III, Personnel Policies of the KCOJ, the Kentucky Court of Justice Hiring Policy, and the Pay Practices for the Kentucky Court of Justice apply to all personnel appointed to grant-funded positions.

(E) Technology Equipment and Software

Technology equipment and software to be purchased with grant funds must be approved by and meet any configuration requirements of the AOC Office of Information and Technology Systems (ITS).

1.03Developing the Application

(A) The requesting KCOJ official or AOC employee must identify a Project Director when making a request to submit a grant application. The Project Director must be a KCOJ elected official or employee and will be responsible for working with the AOC Budget Department to develop the grant application.

(1) Prior to compiling the grant application, the AOC Budget Department must communicate any terms and conditions required by the grant to the Project Director.

(2) The Project Director is responsible for drafting the grant application narrative and providing data for the proposed grant award budget.

(3) The AOC Budget Department is responsible for:

(a) Drafting the proposed grant award budget;

(b) Requesting MOUs from the AOC Division of Procurement, if required;

(c) Ensuring the grant application includes all required components; and

(d) Ensuring the components meet the grantor's specifications and comply with AOC Policy-005, Procurement of Goods and Services ("AOC Procurement Policy").

(4)Letters of Support, if required, are coordinated by the Project Director and forwarded to the AOC Budget Department.

(B) Submitting and Tracking the Grant Application

(1) Completed, approved grant applications must be submitted to the grantor by the AOC Budget Department, which must maintain the records relating to the grant.

(2) The AOC Budget Department must inform the Project Director as tracking updates become available.

1.04Post-Award

(A) Notice of Award

(1) When a Notice of Award is received, the AOC Budget Department must notify the Project Director and submit the Notice of Award to the AOC Division of Procurement for review and circulation for signatures.

(2) The Project Director must review and understand the terms and conditions of the Notice of Award.

(B) Implementing the Grant

(1) After the Notice of Award is fully executed, the Project Director may hire any budgeted personnel in accordance with Section I.1.02(D).

(a) Personnel must be made aware of the grant term and advised that grant-funded positions are time-limited and expire at the close of the grant.

(b) Personnel in grant-funded positions may not work hours in excess of the prescribed hours of duty.

(c) Personnel in single award, grant-funded positions must certify semiannually that the work performed during the period covered by the certification was solely for the grant-funded program. The certification must be signed by the employee and submitted to the AOC Budget Department.

(2) The Project Director must submit required programmatic reports and matching requirements, if any, to the AOC Budget Department at least five business days prior to the established submission deadlines.

(3) The AOC Budget Department must submit any financial reports required to be submitted to the grantor.

(4) The Project Director must communicate any requested revisions to the grant scope or budget to the AOC Budget Department, which must process in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant.

(a) No revisions requiring prior approval of the grantor may be implemented until approval is received in writing.

(b) The AOC Budget Department must promptly notify the Project Director when a determination as to the requested revisions is received.

(C) Closing the Grant

Unless otherwise authorized by the AOC Director, the grant-funded program must conclude upon the end of the grant term.

(1) To request authorization to extend the program beyond the end of the grant term, the Project Director must submit a request to the AOC Director at least 90 days before the conclusion of the grant term.

(2) The Project Director is responsible for working with the AOC Department of Human Resources to terminate any grant-funded personnel upon conclusion of the grant term.

Ky. Admin. P. Ct. Justice. I

Amended by order 2024-39, eff. 1/1/2025.