NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on Youth Justice Topics

Overview

With this solicitation, NIJ, in collaboration with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), seeks proposals for rigorous research and evaluation projects that inform policy and practice in the field of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention. Specifically, this solicitation seeks proposals for studies that advance knowledge and understanding in the following two categories: 

1. Youth Justice Reinvestment Studies which evaluate the effectiveness, including costeffectiveness, of youth justice system reforms and subsequent reinvestments into programs that serve youth in their communities (prioritizing collaborative partnerships between community-based organizations and youth justice systems). 
2. Prevention and Intervention Program Effectiveness Studies which evaluate the effectiveness of school and community-based (a) delinquency prevention programs, (b) intervention programs for youth engaged in delinquent behavior, and (c) intervention programs for youth who have been victimized by abuse and/or experienced trauma. 

In fiscal year (FY) 2024, applications proposing research outside of these two specified categories will not be considered. Applicants may submit proposals to both of these categories, but each proposal must be in a separate application. Applicants are expected to identify the category to which a proposal is submitted on the title page of the Proposal Narrative. 

NIJ will give special consideration to proposals with methods that include meaningful engagement with the people closest to the subject of study, including practitioners as well as community members representing crime victims, people under criminal justice supervision, and members of high-crime communities. 

Applicants are encouraged to propose multidisciplinary research teams to build on the complementary strengths of different methods and areas of subject matter expertise. NIJ also seeks proposals that include consideration and measurement of issues of diversity, discrimination, and bias across age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation, as applicable.

NIJ seeks proposals that include robust, creative, and multi-pronged dissemination strategies that include strategic partnerships with organizations and associations that are best equipped to ensure that research findings lead to changes in policies and practices. Special consideration will be given to proposals that dedicate at least 15% of the requested project award funding toward implementing such strategies, as demonstrated in the “Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative.”

Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process that begins in
Grants.gov and is completed in JustGrants.
Step 1: Application Grants.gov Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 21, 2024
Step 2: Application JustGrants Deadline: 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 04, 2024
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Awards, Amounts, and Durations
Anticipated Number of Awards: Up to 6 awards. Total number of awards NIJ expects to make to be determined by the number of applications received and their merit.

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount per Award: Maximum dollar amount for each award to be determined by the requirements of the research proposed in grants selected for award.

Applicants are encouraged to propose budgets that match the research activities proposed, up to the full dollar amount anticipated to be awarded under this solicitation.

Period of Performance Start Date: 01/01/2025.

Period of Performance Duration (Months): To be determined by the period of performance of awarded applications. Successful applicants will be expected to complete the work proposed within a five-year (60 Months) period of performance.

Anticipated Total Amount To Be Awarded Under This Solicitation: $4M ($2M per category).