Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2020 17296
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), within the U.S. Department of Justice, offered this discretionary grant opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation in Safety, Health, and Wellness in Criminal Justice System, Fiscal Year 2020" (Funding Opportunity Number: NIJ 2020 17296). Created on January 30, 2020, with an original application deadline of April 29, 2020, the solicitation supported research and development aimed at improving safety, health, and overall wellness across the criminal and juvenile justice environment. The program sits at the intersection of law and justice, science and technology, and broader research and development activity, and it is associated with CFDA 16.560.
The main purpose of the solicitation was to fund innovative, multidisciplinary research projects that generate practical knowledge, evidence, and tools. NIJ sought work that could directly inform policies, practices, training, technologies, and organizational approaches that reduce harm and strengthen well-being. Importantly, the scope was not limited to one group: it explicitly included (1) the criminal and juvenile justice workforce (such as law enforcement, corrections, courts, probation, parole, and related staff), (2) individuals under criminal justice supervision (including people on probation, parole, or otherwise monitored in the community), and (3) people who come into contact with or are affected by the criminal justice system more broadly (which can include families, communities, service providers, and others impacted by justice involvement).
Because the solicitation emphasized "innovative" and "multidisciplinary" research, it was designed to encourage proposals that bring together multiple fields and methods, such as public health, psychology, occupational safety, sociology, criminology, medicine, epidemiology, organizational behavior, data science, engineering, and program evaluation. In practical terms, NIJ was looking for projects that move beyond description and toward actionable outcomes: studies that identify risks and protective factors, test interventions, evaluate programs or policies, and produce tools that practitioners can use to improve real-world conditions. The word "tools" in this context can reasonably include validated screening instruments, training curricula, decision-support resources, implementation guides, and evidence-based recommendations that agencies can adopt.
Funding was provided through a grant mechanism, with an award ceiling of up to $4,000,000 per award. NIJ anticipated making roughly 6 awards under this solicitation, signaling a competitive process likely aimed at larger, higher-impact projects rather than many small awards. While the opportunity was open to a wide range of organizations, NIJ made eligibility broad to attract strong research teams and partnerships. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other applicants as described in NIJ's additional eligibility guidance. This range suggests NIJ expected collaborations among researchers, justice agencies, and community or health partners, especially where research access, implementation, and evaluation require operational cooperation.
Overall, this FY 2020 NIJ solicitation was built around strengthening the evidence base for what improves safety, health, and wellness in justice settings, while also pushing toward practical solutions that can be implemented by agencies. The focus on both the workforce and justice-involved populations reflects a systems view: improving wellness outcomes for staff and supervised individuals can be interconnected, and research under this program was intended to produce knowledge and tools that help the broader criminal and juvenile justice system operate more safely and effectively.Apply for NIJ 2020 17296
- The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation in Safety, Health, and Wellness in Criminal Justice System, Fiscal Year 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 30, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 29, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research and Evaluation in Safety, Health, and Wellness in Criminal Justice System, Fiscal Year 2020."
Which agency offered this grant?
This discretionary grant opportunity was offered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) within the U.S. Department of Justice.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NIJ 2020 17296.
When was the solicitation created?
The solicitation was created on January 30, 2020.
What was the original application deadline?
The original application deadline was April 29, 2020.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
This solicitation is associated with CFDA 16.560.
What was the main purpose of this solicitation?
The main purpose was to fund innovative, multidisciplinary research and development that improves safety, health, and overall wellness across criminal and juvenile justice environments, with an emphasis on producing practical knowledge, evidence, and tools that can be used in real-world settings.
What kinds of outcomes was NIJ looking for from funded projects?
NIJ emphasized actionable outcomes, including research that can inform policies, practices, training, technologies, and organizational approaches that reduce harm and strengthen well-being in justice settings.
Who could benefit from or be included in the scope of proposed research?
The scope explicitly included: (1) the criminal and juvenile justice workforce (for example, law enforcement, corrections, courts, probation, parole, and related staff), (2) individuals under criminal justice supervision (such as people on probation, parole, or monitored in the community), and (3) people who come into contact with or are affected by the criminal justice system more broadly (which can include families, communities, service providers, and others impacted by justice involvement).
Was the solicitation limited to research on one specific group (like only law enforcement or only corrections)?
No. The solicitation was not limited to one group and explicitly included multiple populations connected to the criminal and juvenile justice system, including workforce members, supervised individuals, and broader affected populations.
What does NIJ mean by "innovative" and "multidisciplinary" research in this solicitation?
The solicitation encouraged proposals that bring together multiple fields and methods. Examples of disciplines mentioned include public health, psychology, occupational safety, sociology, criminology, medicine, epidemiology, organizational behavior, data science, engineering, and program evaluation.
What types of research activities were encouraged?
NIJ sought projects that move beyond describing problems and toward practical solutions, such as studies that identify risks and protective factors, test interventions, evaluate programs or policies, and produce practitioner-ready tools.
What does "tools" mean in the context of this solicitation?
Within the information provided, "tools" can reasonably include validated screening instruments, training curricula, decision-support resources, implementation guides, and evidence-based recommendations that agencies can adopt.
What kind of funding mechanism was used?
Funding was provided through a grant mechanism.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was up to $4,000,000 per award.
How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?
NIJ anticipated making roughly 6 awards under this solicitation.
Does the anticipated number of awards suggest anything about competitiveness or project size?
Because NIJ anticipated roughly 6 awards and allowed up to $4,000,000 per award, the solicitation appears designed for a competitive process and likely favored larger, higher-impact projects rather than many small awards.
What types of organizations were eligible to apply?
Eligibility was broad and included: state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other applicants as described in NIJ's additional eligibility guidance.
Were colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education were listed as eligible applicants.
Were nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations were eligible, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities (other than higher education institutions).
Were for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses were listed as eligible applicants.
Were tribal governments eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments were included among the eligible applicants.
Were local and state government agencies eligible?
Yes. State, county, and city or township governments, as well as special district governments, were included in the eligibility list.
What kinds of partnerships or collaborations does this solicitation appear to support?
Based on the broad eligibility and the emphasis on multidisciplinary research, the solicitation suggests that collaborations among researchers, justice agencies, and community or health partners may be well-aligned, particularly where access, implementation, and evaluation require cooperation with operational agencies.
What system areas does the solicitation focus on?
It focuses on safety, health, and wellness across criminal and juvenile justice environments, at the intersection of law and justice, science and technology, and broader research and development activities.
How does the solicitation describe the overall goal for the justice system?
The solicitation was built around strengthening the evidence base for what improves safety, health, and wellness in justice settings, while pushing toward practical solutions that can be implemented by agencies to help the broader criminal and juvenile justice system operate more safely and effectively.
Does the solicitation connect workforce wellness and outcomes for justice-involved individuals?
Yes. The description reflects a systems view, noting that improving wellness outcomes for staff and for supervised individuals can be interconnected, and that research should produce knowledge and tools that support safer, more effective system operations.
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| Assessing the Effectiveness of the Second Chance Act Grant Program: A Phased Evaluation Approach, Fiscal Year 2020 Apply for NIJ 2020 17170 Funding Number: NIJ 2020 17170 Agency: Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services, Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
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