The Murphy Administration, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and shared services czars, has announced the opening of applications for a $7.5 million fund. This fund is part of the state budget for fiscal year 2024 and is available through the Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP).
The DCA's Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) manages LEAP to provide financial assistance to local government entities, counties, municipalities, school districts, authorities, and fire districts across New Jersey. The program aims to help these entities identify, study, and implement shared services initiatives to streamline governmental services and reduce taxpayer costs.
Former mayors Nicolas Platt of Harding Township and Jordan Glatt of the City of Summit were appointed by Governor Murphy in 2018 as shared services czars. They are available to assist local governments interested in applying for LEAP funds under shared service agreements.
"Helping our communities and residents of New Jersey save costs through shared services is a primary goal of the Murphy Administration and this Department," said acting DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. "LEAP has proven very effective in motivating local governments to find ways to share services more intensively and urgently as an option to cut costs and provide more efficient services."
"Shared services have been shown to be mutually beneficial for local governments in terms of saving taxpayers' costs. They also help overcome isolated thinking that hinders collaboration," stated shared services czars Nicolas Platt and Jordan Glatt. "LEAP and the shared service initiatives fostered by these grants statewide have already improved the quality and reach of resources available to residents. They have also prompted joint efforts among many local governments to overcome obstacles to efficiency and taxpayer savings."
LEAP consists of three main components: challenge grants, implementation grants, and county coordinator assistance.
Challenge grants encourage innovation and collaboration on projects with broader participation levels involving significant shared services for local communities.
Implementation grants support costs associated with launching shared services, consolidation, and school feasibility studies.
County coordinator assistance grants facilitate identifying and advancing shared service opportunities by hiring a new employee or designating an existing one to work with counties and entities—including local government units—to identify and promote shared service opportunities. Counties that have already hired or designated a coordinator can use this grant to further develop that official's work.
Since its inception in December 2019, the program has awarded 96 grants totaling nearly $15 million. With support from the shared services czars, DCA recently helped promote several agreements.
Eligible entities are invited to apply for funds under each LEAP grant category.
For detailed information on LEAP grant guidelines and required documentation, visit DLGS's website at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/programs/Leap_grants.shtml. For inquiries about LEAP grants or shared services information, email DLGS.LEAPgrant@dca.nj.gov or sharedservices@nj.gov respectively.
DLGS advocates for local government interests by providing technical assistance on budgets, financial reporting, joint services purchasing, management issues while ensuring financial integrity across all local government units by reviewing municipal budgets along with those from counties or fire districts. It also examines financial measures taken by local governments guiding officials' conduct within them.
Beyond supporting local government needs; DCA offers various programs including affordable housing production fire safety building security community planning development disaster recovery mitigation historic preservation privacy protection among others.
