Current Open Grants

This program seeks to enhance what is understood about mentoring as a prevention strategy for youth who are at risk of involvement or already involved in the juvenile justice system. While mentoring appears to be a promising intervention for youth, more evaluation work is needed to further highlight the components of a mentoring program that are most effective. Research is also needed to demonstrate the specific components of mentoring programs that have a significant impact in reducing juvenile delinquency and offending. This solicitation seeks to fund research studies that will inform the design and delivery of mentoring programs. OJJDP expects that the results of this effort will encourage a more effective utilization of resources as well as enhance the implementation of evidence-based best practices for juvenile mentoring. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012, Public Law 112-55. Learn More »

A growing number of communities have adopted multi-strategy, multi-disciplinary approaches toreduce the violence that has adversely affected youth, families, and neighborhoods acrossAmerica. This program provides funding for localities to support federal, state, and local partnerships to replicate proven multi-disciplinary, community-based strategies to reduce violence. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012, Public Law 112-55. Learn More » 

One fellowship of up to $135,000 will be awarded to an individual to work onsite at OVC in Washington, D.C., to undertake activities related to financial fraud and abuse, with a specific focus on victims of elder financial exploitation and others whose abuse may be co-occurring with other types of victimization; and to assist OVC in meeting the larger field’s need for evidence-based training, technical assistance, and other resources to support the expansion and effectiveness of services to underserved crime victims. Applicants must demonstrate the financial and administrative capacity to manage the cooperative agreement; as well as the desire, knowledge, and ability to successfully execute the development of training, technical assistance, public awareness, and other informational resources to meet the needs of victim service providers and allied practitioners. Applicants are encouraged to begin the application process well in advance of the May 1, 2012, deadline. Learn More » 

This solicitation will fund field-initiated research and evaluation studies to produce findings of practical use to communities, practitioners, administrators, and policymakers in the development of effective programs, policies, and strategies for tribal juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. This is a call for proposals for researchers to conduct participatory research within American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages with sensitivity to the cultural issues and historical trauma that tribal communities have experienced. This initiative seeks to further understand the experiences, strengths, and needs of tribal youth and how tribal families and communities can nurture positive youth development to reduce their risks for victimization and delinquency. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012, Public Law 112-55. Learn More » 

Courts and child welfare agencies face unprecedented challenges in managing complex child abuse, neglect, and related cases and heavy caseloads. In addition, they are required to comply with federal child welfare reform laws and initiatives to achieve safe, permanent homes for abused and neglected children. Through this program, OJJDP seeks to provide judicial, legal, and social service professionals with training and technical assistance to meet the challenges facing juvenile and family courts. The authorizing legislation for this program is the Victims of Child Abuse Act, 42 U.S.C. Section 13022. Learn More » 

This solicitation supports national mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities within local affiliates. Mentoring activities include direct one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, or peer mentoring services to at-risk and underserved youth populations. Successful applicants should implement programs that will recognize and address the factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors in underserved youth. Expansion of mentoring activities should create new opportunities for mentee achievement. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 617. Learn More » 

The National Juvenile Court Data Archive (the Archive) houses the automated records of cases that courts with juvenile jurisdiction have handled. This solicitation will fund the annual collection, verification, and analysis of data that documents the activities of the juvenile justice court system and its response to law-violating and at-risk youth. The Archive will disseminate information on juvenile court case processing through Juvenile Court Statistics reports and fact sheets and make national and state-level data publicly accessible online. The Archive will also provide technical assistance to state and local data collection agencies to help them expand and improve their information systems and information sharing capabilities. Finally, the Archive will conduct a feasibility study to assess the level of effort required to expand the scope of the Archive to include data collection from juvenile dependency (child abuse and neglect) courts. This program is authorized by 42 U.S.C. 3796ee-10. Learn More » 

This program will provide funding to manage a national grant awards program for local children’s advocacy center programs. Children’s advocacy centers provide a coordinated response to victims of child abuse through multidisciplinary teams composed of representatives from the statutorily mandated and other involved agencies. This program is authorized under the Victims of Child Abuse Act 42 U.S.C. Section 13002, et seq., as amended. Learn More » 

One cooperative agreement of up to $750,000 will be awarded to provide resources and coordination to increase the ability of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribal communities to provide comprehensive and culturally appropriate services to crime victims, their families, and the community. Using a victim-centered approach, the award recipient will assist OVC in supporting the training and technical assistance needs of AI/AN communities that receive grant funds under Purpose Area 7 (Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities) and Purpose Area 8 (Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program) of the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, as well as other AI/AN communities. Eligible applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher learning, and consortiums with demonstrated experience working with AI/AN communities. Learn More » 

OVC will make one award of up to $3.5 million (including subawards for pilot sites) to develop a national telemedicine center to administer sexual assault forensic medical exam services to four pilot sites that will be selected through a separate solicitation issued by the recipient of this award in partnership with OVC. The telemedicine center will provide live access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners, or other expert medical forensic examiners who will use cutting-edge audiovisual technology to walk health care providers through forensic medical examinations. Sites may include rural, tribal, military, urban/suburban, and/or correctional settings. The ultimate goal is to create a national center that serves all jurisdictions on a fee-for-service basis. Those applying are strongly advised to begin the application process well in advance of the May 8, 2012, deadline. Learn More » 

One cooperative agreement of up to $250,000 will be awarded to identify, examine, and document the characteristics of existing programs that exhibit culturally responsive victim-centered restorative justice practices, with an emphasis on practices implemented in tribal communities and urban inner city communities, and practices involving youth. Applicants must demonstrate knowledge and experience with restorative justice practices; experience assessing system-based and non-system-based victim services programs; the ability to assess programs involving youth; and the staff resources and capability to conduct a national-scope assessment. Those applying are strongly advised to begin the application process well in advance of the May 8, 2012, deadline. Learn More » 

The goal of this initiative is to determine what family court procedures, practices, and structures related to custody and visitation can help keep victims of domestic violence and their children safe from further violence and trauma. Learn More » 

This demonstration program will support collaborations of qualified, established mentoring program sites that enhance (1) the matching of youth and mentors based on needs, skills, experiences, and interests; (2) initial and ongoing training for mentors, and (3) ongoing mentor support. The program aims to improve the effectiveness of mentoring through the systematic implementation of advocacy or teaching functions into mentors’ roles. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552,617. Learn More » 

This Department of Justice program looks to support mentoring and other transitional services essential to reintegrating juvenile offenders into their communities. Eligibility is limited to states, territories and units of local government. There will be approximately 6 awards of as much as $750,000 for a project period of 12 months. Learn More » 

OVC will award up to six cooperative agreements of up to $250,000 each to national organizations to identify and address gaps in services to or awareness of victims who suffer from polyvictimization, and to propose to remedy those gaps through training and/or technical assistance. Also known as multiple victimization or multi-victimization, polyvictimization occurs when an individual experiences multiple kinds of victimization and requires a holistic response. This solicitation will serve as a training and technical assistance companion to the FY 12 National Field-Generated Training, Technical Assistance, and Demonstration Projects competitive solicitation. Applicants are limited to national nonprofit membership, professional affiliation, and community service organizations, and must demonstrate the financial and organizational capacity to manage this cooperative agreement. Those applying are encouraged to begin the application process well in advance of the May 15, 2012 deadline. Learn More » 

Two discretionary grants of $750,000 each will be awarded to enhance the capacity of the crime victims field to provide trauma-informed, culturally competent, comprehensive services and support to both adult and child crime victims who experience polyvictimization (also known as multiple victimization or multi-victimization). Applicants must propose to provide enhanced or improved services for these victims through implementation or continuation of a demonstration project developed from a promising practice, model, or program. Eligible applicants must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of polyvictimization, the capacity to partner with other organizations and key stakeholders to deliver comprehensive victim services, and the staff resources and capability to develop or enhance a model for delivery of these services. Those applying are strongly advised to begin the application process well in advance of the May 15, 2012, deadline. Learn More » 

This Department of Justice grant opportunity provides funds for building the capacity of states, state and local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop and establish juvenile drug courts. There will be 3 awards to not exceed $1.325 million. The award will be for a 4-year period. Learn More » 

The Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990, as amended (Public Law 101-647), contemplates that all abused and neglected children involved in dependency proceedings receive timely, sensitive, and effective advocacy. The Act directs that a court-appointed special advocate shall be available to every victim of child abuse or neglect in the United States that needs such an advocate. The Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program ensures that abused and neglected children receive high quality representation in dependency court hearings. The successful applicant will provide information, technical assistance, and training to volunteer advocates who represent abused and neglected children in dependency hearings and to other child welfare system stakeholders at the local, state, regional, and national levels. This program is authorized by the Victims of Child Abuse Act, 42 U.S.C. § 13013. Learn More » 

This solicitation invites eligible applicants to propose the enhancement or expansion of initiatives that will help communities develop or improve mentoring programs for at-risk or high-risk populations that are underserved due to location, shortage of mentors, special physical or mental challenges of the targeted population, or other analogous situations that the community identifies. This program is authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012; Pub. L. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 617. Learn More » 

OJJDP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are collaborating to enhance the capacity of states, state and local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop and establish juvenile drug courts conjointly with the Reclaiming Futures program model to serve substance abusing juvenile offenders. This solicitation invites communities to propose the implementation of a juvenile drug court program, using best practices in substance abuse treatment, along with the Reclaiming Futures program model. This program is authorized by 42 U.S.C. Section 3797u. Learn More » 

The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program (42 U.S.C. § 3796ff et. seq.) assists states and local governments to develop and implement substance abuse treatment programs in state, local, and tribal correctional and detention facilities and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders. Learn More » 

The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program (42 U.S.C. § 3796ff et. seq.) assists states and local governments to develop and implement substance abuse treatment programs in state, local, and tribal correctional and detention facilities and to create and maintain community-based aftercare services for offenders. Learn More » 

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199) provides a comprehensive response to the increasing number of incarcerated adults who are released from prisons and jails returning to communities. There are currently over 2.3 million individuals serving time in our federal and state prisons, and millions of people cycling through local jails every year. Ninety-five percent of all offenders incarcerated today will eventually be released and will return to communities.The Second Chance Act Programs are designed to help communities develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by offender reentry and recidivism reduction. “Reentry” is not a specific program, but rather a process that starts when an offender is initially incarcerated and ends when the offender has been successfully reintegrated in his or her community as a law-abiding citizen.Proposals under this solicitation should be systemic in nature and reflect a phased approach in the planning, capacity building, and specific programmatic interventions comprising a comprehensive strategy to achieve a reduction in a historical baseline recidivism rate.In December 2011, the Council of State Governments Justice Center—with the support of BJA, the Pew Center on the States, and the Public Welfare Foundation—convened a State Leaders’ National Forum on Reentry and Recidivism in Washington, DC. The forum was attended by teams (corrections directors, statewide reentry coordinators, and reentry champions) for each of the 50 states, DC, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A comprehensive web page of the event was developed and includes videos, presentations, and other information about the event. At the Forum, departments of corrections from states and territories were asked to develop comprehensive statewide plans to reduce recidivism in collaboration with other criminal justice stakeholders. BJA announced that it was setting aside up to $5,000,000 from the FY 2012 Section 101 Second Chance Act Appropriation to support awards to departments of correction to plan and implement comprehensive statewide recidivism reduction plans that meet the eligibility requirements under the Second Chance Act outlined below. Learn More » 

At yearend 2010, there were an estimated 4,887,900 adults under supervision in the community either on probation or parole—the equivalent of about 1 out of every 48 adults. Many people on supervision do not successfully complete their community supervision.1 According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 16 percent of probationers were incarcerated as the result of a new sentence or revocation of their current probation. These failure rates are a key reason prison populations continue to swell nationally. State-level data from BJA’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative indicate that in some states probation and parole revocations account for up to 65 percent of prison and jail admissions annually.The purpose of this program is to improve probation success rates, which would in turn improve public safety, reduce returns to prisons and jails, and save taxpayer dollars. Funds can be used to implement evidence-based supervision strategies to improve outcomes for probationers.FY 2012 appropriations under the Second Chance Act made funding available for Smart Probation projects, in addition to providing federal awards to state and local governments and federally recognized Indian tribes for demonstration reentry projects. Learn More » 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks applications from States and units of local government for funding to identify, review, and investigate “violent crime cold cases” that have the potential to be solved using DNA analysis, and to locate and analyze the biological evidence associated with these cases. Experience has shown that cold case programs can solve a substantial number of violent crime cold cases, including homicides and sexual assaults. Advances in DNA technologies have substantially increased the successful DNA analysis of aged, degraded, limited, or otherwise compromised biological evidence. As a result, crime scene samples once thought to be unsuitable for testing may now yield DNA profiles. Additionally, samples that previously generated inconclusive DNA results may now be successfully analyzed. For the purposes of this announcement: a “violent crime cold case” refers to any unsolved UCR Part 1 Violent Crime case for which all significant investigative leads have been exhausted. Authorizing Legislation: Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112–55). Learn More » 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals from States wishing to receive funding to help defray the costs associated with postconviction DNA testing in cases that involve violent felony offenses (as defined by State law) in which actual innocence might be demonstrated. Funds may be used to review such postconviction cases, and to locate and analyze biological evidence associated with these cases. Where a strong justification is provided, a limited proportion of Federal award funds may be used for case identification. Postconviction DNA testing has received considerable attention in recent years. Since the advent of forensic DNA analysis, a number of people convicted of crimes have been subsequently exonerated through DNA analysis of crime scene evidence that was not tested at the time of trial. Additionally, newer technologies have substantially increased the successful DNA analysis of aged, degraded, limited, or otherwise compromised biological evidence. As a result, crime scene samples once thought to be unsuitable for testing in the past may now yield DNA profiles. Moreover, samples that previously generated inconclusive DNA results may now be amenable to reanalysis using newer methods. Authorizing Legislation: Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112–55). Learn More » 

The Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program (Tribal Coalition Program) assists nonprofit organizations and individuals or groups of individuals to build Indian women’s leadership and capacity in tribal communities to advocate for systemic change that will enhance the safety of women in an Indian Tribe. Tribal Coalition nonprofit organizations have accomplished this through technical assistance, expanding the capacity of the tribal coalitions, developing or enhancing appropriate standards for tribal governments, tribal nonprofits organizations, tribal organizations, victim services and victim service providers to increase the understanding of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Learn More »  

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), are seeking applications for funding for enhancing Drug Court services, coordination, and substance abuse treatment and recovery support services. Eligible entities include states or state courts, local courts, counties, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments. Eligible entities must have a fully operations drug court established 1 year prior to submitting an application. Learn More » 

Through this FY 2012 grant announcement BJA will support national initiatives to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, in particular to provide training and technical assistance (TTA) to jurisdictions engaged in pretrial reform efforts, High Performance Prosecution (HPP) Framework Implementation initiatives, and the use of research-based practices to inform sentencing decisions. This program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) and the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Authorized by Pub. L. No.112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 615, the Byrne Competitive Program helps communities improve the functioning and capacity of state and local criminal justice systems and provides for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. Funds may not be used for the acquisition of land, construction projects, or security enhancements or equipment to non-governmental entities not engaged in law enforcement, law enforcement support, criminal or juvenile justice, or delinquency prevention. The JAG Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a), et seq.) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions, and JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system. The JAG Program also authorizes a 3 percent set-aside for training and technical assistance. Learn More » 

In the criminal justice system, indigent defense providers are often underfunded and understaffed, severely affecting the delivery of effective, efficient, and quality legal representation for indigent criminal defendants. The purpose of this initiative is to contribute to indigent defense knowledge and practice by testing approaches to providing quality indigent defense services using the Ten Principles of a Public Defense Delivery System promulgated by the American Bar Association (ABA) in 2002 (“ABA Ten Principles”). BJA is seeking applicants who are interested in developing innovative, data-driven approaches to indigent defense delivery systems. This program is funded under the Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program), which in part, authorizes use of funding to assist communities improve the capacity of state and local criminal justice systems. Learn More »  

BJA and SAMHSA are accepting applications for FY 2012 grants to enhance the court services, coordination, and evidence-based substance abuse treatment and recovery support services of adult drug courts. The purpose of this joint initiative is to allow applicants to submit a comprehensive strategy for enhancing drug court services and capacity, permitting applicants to compete for both criminal justice and substance abuse treatment funds with one application. In order to fulfill all of the requirements for this grant program, applicants should comply with the requirements outlined in this grant announcement as well as those incorporated by reference in the Requirements Resource Guide. These grants are authorized under 42 USC 3797u et seq. and section 509 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-SA. Drug courts funded through this grant solicitation may use federal funding and matched funding to serve only nonviolent offenders1 and must operate the adult drug court based on BJA’s and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ publication Defining Drug Courts: The Key Components, which addresses the statutory requirements. This opportunity provides drug court applicants the flexibility to identify the most appropriate evidence-based court (service/docket) model in which to base the drug court, in order to accommodate the needs and available resources of that jurisdiction, so long as the model conforms to the 10 key drug court components, which describe the basic elements that define drug courts. (See page 5 for a definition of “evidence-based.”) Learn More »  

The goal of the “Using DNA Technology to Identify the Missing” solicitation is threefold: (1) to assist eligible entities in performing DNA analysis on unidentified human remains and/or reference samples to support the efforts of States and units of local government to identify missing persons, (2) to enter the resulting DNA profiles into the FBI’s National DNA Index System using the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) version 7.0, and (3) to enter any relevant case information related to unidentified remains into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), as deemed appropriate by the submitting agency (if a case is not entered a justification will be required). Authorizing Legislation: Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-55). Learn More » 

This Health and Human Services program seeks to improve educational stability and permanency outcomes for middle to high-school aged children in the child welfare system. Eligibility is limited to state local and tribal welfare agencies and educational school districts. There will be 10 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $2.5 million; the average projected amount will be $250,000 per budget period (max 2 budget periods). Learn More » 

The Tribal Justice System Capacity Building Training and Technical Assistance Program is a comprehensive approach by BJA to deliver training and technical assistance (TTA) to build capacity and enhance functioning of tribal justice systems. TTA awards will be funded through Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Appropriations Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 616. Learn More » 

In 2008, the SMART Office and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) funded an evaluation of a sex offender risk prediction as authorized by Section 637 of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. This project examined the predictive ability of the Static-99R in combination with the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention and Progress Scale (SOTIPS), a dynamic risk scale for adult sex offenders developed in 2001 by the State of Vermont. Results showed the combined use of these tools improved risk prediction accuracy more than either tool used alone. In partnership with NIJ, the SMART Office seeks applications from jurisdictions interested in implementing SOTIPS in an effort to replicate previous study findings and to further evaluate the effectiveness of this model of risk assessment. Costs associated with replicating this study will be supported by the SMART Office and the project will be jointly managed with NIJ. This study is intended to inform and improve sex offender management practices through promoting the use of evidence-based tools in predicting risk of re-offense. Learn More » 

OJJDP’s Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation (FIRE) Program will support methodologically rigorous research and evaluation studies that inform policy and practice consistent with the Department of Justice’s mission. OJJDP will fund field-initiated studies to understand the factors that influence the prevention of underage drinking, the enforcement of underage drinking laws, and individuals’ and communities’ attitudes and behaviors about underage drinking. The FY 2012 EUDL FIRE Program will be authorized by the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, Pub. L. No. 112-55, 125 Stat. 552, 617. Learn More » 

Healthy, vibrant communities1 are places that provide the opportunities, resources, and an environment that children, youth, and adults need to maximize their life outcomes, including high-quality schools and cradle-to-career educational programs; high-quality and affordable housing; thriving commercial establishments; access to quality health care and health services; art and cultural amenities; parks and other recreational spaces; and the safety to take advantage of these opportunities. Unfortunately, millions of Americans live in distressed neighborhoods2 where a combination of crime, poverty, unemployment, poor health, struggling schools, inadequate housing, and disinvestment keep many residents from reaching their full potential. The complexity of these issues has led to the emergence of comprehensive place-based and community-oriented initiatives that involve service providers from multiple sectors and disciplines, as well as community representatives from all types of organizations, to work together to reduce and prevent crime and to revitalize communities. Learn More » 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is designed to create safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in crime associated with gang and gun violence. The program’s effectiveness is based on the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney (USA) in each district. The USA is responsible for establishing a collaborative PSN task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement and other community members to implement gang and gun crime enforcement, intervention and prevention initiatives within the district. Through the PSN task force, the USA will implement the five design features of PSN—partnerships, strategic planning, training, outreach, and accountability—to address specific gun and gang crime problems in that district. Details on the five design features (also referred to as core elements) can be found later in this grant announcement and online at www.ncjrs.gov/html/bja/205263/. The Department of Justice has transitioned the PSN program from a formula-based allocation of funding to a competitive-based program. In a competitive environment, “need” and use of more effective, intelligence- and data-driven strategies will be key factors for funding selections, in addition to performance results and other factors. Therefore, grant awards for FY 2012 will be made through a competitive process to encourage and focus funding in high-performing and evidence-based programs where the need is greatest. This initiative is authorized by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012. Learn More »