Notices regarding the solicitation “Research and Evaluation on 

Violence Against Women, Fiscal Year 2021” 

March 3, 2021: A separate project management plan is not required. However, the 

discussion of capabilities and competencies in the main body of the proposal narrative 

should outline the management plan and organization that connects the goals and 

objectives of the project.

February 3, 2021: The text "Total Federal Awards: NIJ anticipates making 1 to 2 

awards" in the January 15, 2021 notice below has been removed. As currently stated 

in the solicitation, NIJ anticipates 6 awards. 

February 2, 2021: The due date for the letter of intent has been extended to March 8, 

2021.

February 1, 2021: NIJ has extended both deadlines for this solicitation to:

Grants.gov Deadline: April 13, 2021 11:59 PM

Application JustGrants Deadline: April 27, 2021 11:59 PM

January 19, 2021: An email address on pages 6, 15, and 28 has been corrected and now 

reads NIJFY2021VAW.Research@ojp.usdoj.gov.

January 15, 2021: The bold text below has been added under “Additional Information” on 

page 12. 

“The recent median NIJ grant award amount is approximately $600,000. Applicants are

encouraged to propose budgets that match the research activities proposed, which may 

be more or less than the anticipated maximum dollar amount of awards. Total

Federal Awards: NIJ anticipates making 1 to 2 awards.”

January 13, 2021: On page 10, under "New Investigator/Early Career Opportunity," the 

timeframe requirement for completion of a terminal degree or post-graduate clinical

training has been changed from "within the ten (10) years before September 30, 2021" to 

"within the four (4) years before September 30, 2021."

January 5, 2021: Endnote three has been struck from this solicitation because NIJ will not 

be releasing the fiscal year 2021 solicitation “Research and Evaluation on Firearms 

Violence and Mass Shootings" as was previously planned.

The original solicitation document begins on the next page.
OMB No. 1121-0329 

Approval Expires  12/31/2023 

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women, 

Fiscal Year 2021 

Assistance Listing Number # 

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: 

Solicitation Release Date: 

Version: 

Grants.gov Deadline: 

Application JustGrants Deadline: 

16.560 

O-NIJ-2021-45009

December 31, 2020 2:30 PM 

6

April 13, 2021 11:59 PM 

April 27, 2021 11:59 PM 

Overview 

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of 

Justice (NIJ), is seeking applications for funding to support the development of objective and 

independent knowledge and validated tools to reduce violence against women, promote 

justice for victims of crime, and enhance criminal justice responses. This solicitation furthers 

the Department’s mission by supporting the development of new knowledge and tools to 

address the challenges of crime and justice in the United States. 

This solicitation incorporates the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by reference. The 

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide provides guidance to applicants for the preparation 

and submission to OJP of applications for funding. If this solicitation expressly modifies 

any provision in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide, the applicant is to follow 

the guidelines in this solicitation as to that provision. 

Solicitation Categories 

This solicitation does not include Solicitation Categories. 

Eligible Applicants: 

City or township governments, County governments, For profit organizations other than 

small businesses, Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments 

(Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally 

recognized tribal governments), 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, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Public housing 

authorities/Indian housing authorities, Small businesses, State governments, Other 

Other 

For purposes of this solicitation, “state” means any state of the United States, the District of 

Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, 

Page 1 of 31 

O-NIJ-2021-45009
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges and universities are not 

eligible to apply. Federal agencies are eligible to apply. (Any award made to a federal agency 

will be made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement.) 

To advance Executive Order 13929 Safe Policing for Safe Communities, the Attorney General 

determined that all state, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be 

certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification 

process to be eligible for FY 2021 DOJ discretionary grant funding.  To become certified, the 

law enforcement agency must meet two mandatory conditions: (1) the agency’s use of force 

policies adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws; and (2) the agency’s use of 

force policies prohibit chokeholds except in situations where use of deadly force is allowed by 

law. The certification requirement also applies to law enforcement agencies receiving DOJ 

discretionary grant funding through a subaward.  For detailed information on this new 

certification requirement, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/SafePolicingEO to access the 

Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, Implementation Fact 

Sheet, and List of Designated Independent Credentialing Bodies. 

All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or 

management fee. 

NIJ will consider applications under which two or more entities would carry out the 

federal award; however, only one entity may be the applicant. Any others must be 

proposed as subrecipients (subgrantees). For additional information on subawards, see 

the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2021 solicitation in future 

fiscal years, dependent on, among other considerations, the merit of the applications 

and on the availability of appropriations. 

Contact Information 

For technical assistance with submitting the SF-424 and SF- LLL in Grants.gov, contact the 

Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, at Grants.gov customer 

support webpage, or email at support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 

hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. 

For technical assistance with submitting the full application in DOJ’s Justice Grants System 

(JustGrants), contact the JustGrants Service Desk at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or at 

833-872-5175. The JustGrants Service Desk operates 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST Monday - Friday and 9

a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and federal holidays.

An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov or JustGrants technical issues 

beyond its control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must 

email the National Criminal Justice Reference Service Response Center (Response 

Center) at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours after the application deadline to request 

approval to submit its application after the deadline. 

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the Response 

Center by telephone at 800–851–3420 or TTY: 301–240–6310 (hearing impaired only) 

or by email at grants@ncjrs.gov. Response Center hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 6 

p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on the solicitation close date.

Page 2 of 31 

O-NIJ-2021-45009
Submission Information 

In FY 2021, applications will be submitted to DOJ in a NEW two-step process. 

Step 1: Applicants will submit an SF-424 and an SF-LLL in Grants.gov at https://www.grants. 

gov/web/grants/register.html. To register in Grants.gov, applicants will need to obtain a Data 

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System for Award Management (SAM) registration 

or renewal. 

Step 2: Applicants will submit the full application including attachments in JustGrants at Jus 

tGrants.usdoj.gov. 

To be considered timely, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by the 

JustGrants application deadline. 

OJP encourages applicants to review, the “How to Apply" section in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide. 

Page 3 of 31 

O-NIJ-2021-45009
Contents 

Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

Program Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Statutory Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Specific Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

OJP Policy Priority Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Federal Award Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Awards, Amounts and Durations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Continuation Funding Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Availability of Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Types of Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

Budget Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: Waiver . 14 

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training 

Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

Period of Performance Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Eligibility Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Application and Submission Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Content of Application Submission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency 

Financial Management Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure of 

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) . 15 

Information) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Proposal Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

Proposal Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Budget and Associated Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

high-risk status) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Additional Application Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Timeline Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009
Letters of Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Documentation of High-Poverty Areas or Persistent-Poverty Counties (if 

Documentation of Enhanced Public Safety in Qualified Opportunity Zones 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees (if 

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement . . . . . . . 19 

Bibliography/reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/chart/graphs, or maps . . . . 20 

List of Individuals in the Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Human Subjects Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Privacy Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Documentation of Rural Challenges (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

(if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Documentation of “new investigator” status, if applicable . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

Project Management Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Consortium/contractual arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Data Archiving Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Disclosures and Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements . . 22 

applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

How to Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Submission Dates and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Application Review Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Review Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Review Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 

Federal Award Administration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 

Federal Award Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements . . . . . . . . 26 

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements . 26 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 

552a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 

Provide Feedback to OJP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 

Performance Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 

Application Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009
Program Description 

Overview 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for rigorous research and evaluation projects 

to support the development of objective and independent knowledge and validated tools 

to reduce violence against women (VAW) (including violence against elderly women and 

American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls[1]), promote justice for victims of 

crime, and enhance criminal justice responses. For that reason, this solicitation seeks 

applications for grant funding to conduct research and evaluation projects examining a 

broad range of topics, including the crimes of domestic and family violence, homicide, 

intimate partner and dating violence, rape, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking, 

along with the associated criminal justice system response, procedures, and policies. 

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, NIJ is interested in research responding to the following two 

priority areas: 1) evaluation research on VAW programs, models, practices and 2) VAW 

research. 

Letter of Intent: Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of intent to apply to NIJFY 

2021VAW.Research@ojp.usdoj.gov by March 8, 2021. Submitting a letter of intent will 

not obligate a potential applicant to apply. Applicants who do not provide a letter of 

intent can still apply. (See Letter of Intent) 

Applications proposing research involving partnerships with criminal justice or other 

agencies, should include a strong letter of support, signed by an appropriate decisionmaking authority from each proposed partnering agency. A letter of support should 

include the partnering agency’s acknowledgement that the grant recipient will archive 

de-identified data derived from, provided to, or obtained through this project with the 

National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at the conclusion of the award. 

Applicants and their potential partners are encouraged to review the NACJD’s policies 

and protections at NACJD. If selected for an award, grantees will be expected to have a 

formal agreement in place with partnering agencies by January 1, 2022. That formal 

agreement must include a provision to meet the data archiving requirements of the 

award. 

In the case of partnerships that will involve the use of federal award funds by multiple 

partnering agencies to carry out the proposed project, only one entity/partnering agency 

may be the applicant (as is the case with any application submitted in response to this 

solicitation); any others must be proposed as subrecipients. 

This solicitation supports DOJ Strategic Objective 3.1: Combat violent crime, promote 

safe communities, and uphold the rights of victims of crime. 

Statutory Authority 

Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (sections 201 and 

202). 

Specific Information 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009
NIJ’s Violence Against Women and Family Violence Research and Evaluation Program 

seeks to promote women and family members' safety and increase the efficiency and 

effectiveness of the criminal justice system’s response to such crimes. The program’s 

key objectives include estimating the scope of the problem, identifying causes and 

consequences, evaluating promising prevention and intervention programs, compiling 

and disseminating research findings, and partnering to promote and facilitate 

collaboration, coordination, and cooperation among a wide variety of disciplines. A 

broad range of topics is covered under this program that touches on a wide variety of 

public health and safety topics as well as criminal justice challenges, including the 

availability of legal and victim support services, the effectiveness of prevention and 

intervention programs, and the impact of such crimes over time. 

NIJ is particularly interested in studies involving longitudinal research, 

survey/instrumentation/measure/scale validation, and studies that include advanced 

statistical modeling, applied policy analysis, interdisciplinary research teams, and 

researcher-practitioner partnerships. In addition to welcoming original research, NIJ 

welcomes proposals to replicate seminal studies in the field. NIJ has a particular interest 

in supporting replication studies. Replication studies are vital for building scientific 

evidence about what works. They test the validity of previous research findings and 

enable questions concerning generalization across populations or contexts. When 

studies are replicated and achieve the same or similar results as the original study, it 

gives greater validity to the findings. Conversely, when they achieve dissimilar results 

they call into question the validity of the findings of the original study. Strong replication 

studies are highly relevant, enhance the generalizability of the original study, and 

produce data of a comparable or higher quality than the data from the original study. An 

important contribution to the field would be to subject one of the programs in the NIJsponsored CrimeSolutions repository of scientific evaluations that is rated as 

“promising” or “effective” based on less-rigorous quasi-experimental research 

designs, and subject them to a more rigorous RCT to see if the program still produces 

the intended effects. 

Priority Area 1: Evaluation Research on Violence Against Women (VAW) Programs[2] 

NIJ is soliciting proposals under this category that examine programs or interventions 

aimed at enhancing law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial responses to dating 

and intimate partner violence, domestic and family violence, sexual violence, and 

stalking, as well as programs or interventions aimed at improving victim engagement 

with the criminal justice system. Applicants should provide detailed information on how 

they will accomplish all tasks, including a multidisciplinary evaluation team, if applicable, 

and demonstrate clear support from related partners. 

Under this category, several types of evaluations can be conducted (e.g., formative, 

process/implementation, outcome, impact). Because not all VAW service programs may 

be at the stage of outcome or impact evaluation readiness, applicants may adopt a 

phased approach to ensure rigorous evaluation designs. 

Under a phased approach, an applicant may initially propose a range of formative 

and/or process evaluation activities such as: 

Descriptive research of service program(s) leading to the development of a logic 

model(s). 

Evaluability assessments and research capacity assessments of programs to be 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009 
studied, including, but not limited to, access to data and samples, consent 

procedures, and agency burden. 

Development of implementation guide(s) for specific program(s). 

Development of instruments or measures to test the fidelity of programs. 

Description of the process used to design and implement the program. 

Description of program operations, including any changes in the program. 

Identification and description of intervening events that may have affected 

implementation and outcomes. 

Structured observations, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus groups, 

and logs. 

If successful, awards recipients may be encouraged or invited to submit a subsequent 

application for further evaluation research to build upon its findings from earlier phases. 

Subsequent phases may include outcome and impact evaluations of the specified 

program(s) or model(s). Future evaluation opportunities out of the phased approach 

may also include support for replication studies of programs or models. The specifics of 

the additional phases will be dependent on the findings of each phase of evaluation and 

other factors, including, but not limited to, the availability of appropriations. 

In cases where programs have achieved a suitable level of development, NIJ 

encourages applicants to propose rigorous outcome or impact evaluations, using 

randomized evaluation designs where it is possible and appropriate to do so. If that is 

not possible or appropriate, applicants should propose the most rigorous and 

appropriate design to produce high-quality causal evidence and provide justification for 

not proposing a more rigorous design. 

Randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies are a powerful, much-needed tool for building 

scientific evidence about what works. Therefore, NIJ will give studies employing RCT 

methods to assess the effectiveness of programs and practices higher priority 

consideration. RCT applications with strong designs measuring outcomes of self-evident 

policy importance are strongly encouraged. A strong RCT design should include 

measures to ensure low sample attrition, sufficient sample size, close adherence to 

random assignment, valid outcome measures, and statistical analyses. Applicants may 

want to consider studies using privacy-protected administrative data collected by others 

or implement an intervention into a program already funded, as this approach may lower 

overall study costs. 

For applications proposing outcome or impact evaluations, NIJ will only fund projects 

that evaluate well-developed programs. Applications should include and append 

supplementary materials as necessary to describe the level of program development. 

Supplemental materials may include copies or links to logic models, program guides 

and materials, policies and procedures, manuals, prior evaluation findings, program 

staffing, and funding information. Note: funding under this solicitation may include 

reasonable costs incurred by program personnel to support activities directly and 

exclusively required for the execution of the evaluation (e.g., manual extraction of 

administrative records). 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009 
Priority Area 2: Research on VAW 

NIJ is soliciting VAW research proposals that examine: 

The reporting, investigation, and prosecution of cases involving domestic and 

family violence (including violence against elderly women), intimate partner and 

dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking. Areas of interest include, but are 

not limited to, case flow and attrition, decision-making, training, caseload and 

workload management, closure rates and characteristics, and the use and impact 

of technology. This includes the use of technology for both investigative and 

forensic purposes, as well as caseload and workload management and evidence 

tracking. NIJ is particularly interested in the impact and consequences of laws and 

policies mandating evidence tracking and submission, testing, and retention of 

sexual assault kits, and coordination with criminal justice systems and communitybased entities. 

Law enforcement and prosecution victim-centric and trauma-informed policies, 

procedures, protocols, and training as it pertains to violence against women 

crimes. This includes, but is not limited to, policies, procedures, protocols, and 

training regarding forensic evidence identification, collection, documentation, 

examination, and presentation. NIJ is also interested in understanding policies, 

procedures, protocols and training as it regards the use, or non-use, of body-worn 

cameras in responding to these crimes and interviewing victims. 

The frequency, nature, and causes of homicide.[3] NIJ encourages applicants to 

focus on in-depth contextual characteristics of female homicide cases (e.g., 

demographic information about the individuals involved, incident characteristics, 

situational contexts associated with these cases). Of particular importance are 

analyses that provide the distribution on a demographic and geographic basis 

(e.g., national, state, regional, county, reservation/non-reservation). 

Research on the impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on VAW to include women’s 

experiences of violence and their access to and use of relevant services. Areas of 

interest include research examining programming during times of widespread 

instability and anxiety; ethical and safe use of remote data collection; support 

services for survivors under restrictive regulatory environments; and lessons 

learned (e.g., about the nature of VAW and potential for future crime reduction) 

and innovations that occurred as a result of the pandemic. Under this area, 

research studies can be either standalone projects or a component of a larger 

project already funded and underway. 

The use of technology to protect or deliver services to victims of domestic and 

family violence, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking. NIJ’s 

particular interests are location-based technologies, artificial intelligence, machine 

learning techniques, and the application of big data[4] to understand patterns and 

trends across large populations or time periods. 

Proposals for research on topics other than those listed above will not be entertained. 

New Investigator/Early Career Opportunity 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009 
NIJ is interested in supporting researchers who are early in their careers and new to 

NIJ’s research grant portfolios, specifically non-tenured assistant professors, or 

equivalent full-time staff scientist positions in a research institution, who propose 

research on topics relevant to NIJ’s Office of Research, Evaluation and Technology 

(ORET). To that end, NIJ may give, in appropriate circumstances, special consideration 

in award decisions to applications proposing such researchers as principal investigators. 

To qualify, the proposed principal investigator (PI) must at the time of application 

submission: 

Hold a non-tenured assistant professor appointment at an accredited institution of 

higher education in the United States or an equivalent full-time staff scientist 

position at a research institution in the United States. 

Have completed a terminal degree or post-graduate clinical training within the 

four (4) years before September 30, 2021.

Have never previously received NIJ funding as a PI on a research project except 

for Graduate Research Fellows or Data Resources Program grantees. 

If seeking to be consideration for the New Investigator/Early Career Opportunity, the 

applicant should identify that they are submitting a New Investigator/Early Career 

proposal on the title page of the application. 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline 

Goals 

The ultimate goal of this solicitation is to inform formulation of strategies and practices to 

reduce VAW. 

Objectives 

This solicitation seeks to support the rigorous development of objective and independent 

knowledge and validated tools, and to disseminate them to stakeholders and policymakers to 

inform formulation of strategies and practices to reduce VAW. 

Deliverables 

Final Research Report. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to 

submit a final research report. Additional information on the final research report requirement 

for the solicitation is posted on NIJ’s webpage. 

Required Data Sets and Associated Files and Documentation. Any recipient of an award 

under this solicitation will be expected to submit to the National Archive of Criminal Justice 

Data (NACJD) all data sets that result in whole or in part from the work funded by the award, 

along with associated files and any documentation necessary for future efforts by others to 

reproduce the project’s findings and/or to extend the scientific value of the data set through 

secondary analysis. 

In addition to these deliverables (and the required reports and data on performance 

measures), NIJ expects scholarly products to result from each award under this solicitation, 

taking the form of one or more published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles, and/or (if 

appropriate) law review journal articles, book chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press, 

technological prototypes, patented inventions, or similar scientific products. NIJ expects that 

there will be an equal effort to make the research findings accessible to practitioner and 

policymaker audiences. 

The Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables are directly related to the performance measures that 

demonstrate the results of the work completed, as discussed under Application and 

Submission Information. 

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OJP Policy Priority Areas 

In FY 2021 and in addition to executing any program-specific prioritization that may be 

applicable, OJP will give priority consideration to applications as follows: 

Applications that address specific challenges that rural communities face. 

Applications that demonstrate that the individuals who are intended to benefit from 

the requested grant reside in high-poverty areas or persistent-poverty counties. 

Applications that offer enhancements to public safety in economically distressed 

communities (Qualified Opportunity Zones). 

To receive priority consideration under the rural priority, applicants must describe what 

makes the geographic service area rural (using U.S. Census or other appropriate 

government data; for assistance, applicants may wish to refer to https://www.census.go 

v/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html), how isolated the 

area is from needed services, and how they will address specific challenges in rural 

communities. 

To receive priority consideration under the poverty priority, the applicant must provide 

information to demonstrate that the individuals who are intended to benefit from the 

requested grant reside in high-poverty areas or persistent poverty counties. For 

purposes of this priority consideration, the term ‘‘high-poverty area’’ means any 

census tract with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent as measured by the 2013–2017 5-

year data series available from the American Community Survey of the Census Bureau 

(applicants may search by census tract at https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/datatables-and-tools/narrative-profiles/2017/) and the term ‘‘persistent poverty counties’’ 

means any county that has had 20 percent or more of its population living in poverty 

over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses and the 

most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (applicants may search by 

county at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/dec/census-poverty.html and 

at https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe.html). 

To receive priority consideration under the Qualified Opportunity Zones priority, 

applicants must include information that specifies how the project will enhance public 

safety in the specified QOZs. For resources on QOZs, and for a current list of 

designated QOZs, see the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s resource webpage, 

accessible at https://www.cdfifund.gov/pages/opportunity-zones.aspx. 

OJP policy priority consideration will consist of receiving additional points in the 

application scoring process. Receipt of priority consideration does not guarantee that an 

application will be funded; nor will the failure to receive priority consideration necessarily 

mean that an application will not be funded. 

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Federal Award Information 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 

Anticipated Number of Awards 

6 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 

$600,000.00 

Period of Performance Start Date 

1/1/22 12:00 AM 

Period of Performance Duration (Months) 

60 

Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation 

$2,500,000.00 

Additional Information 

Maximum dollar amount for each award: The recent median NIJ grant award amount is 

approximately $600,000. Applicants are encouraged to propose budgets that match the 

research activities proposed, which may be more or less than the anticipated maximum 

dollar amount of awards.

Continuation Funding Intent 

In certain cases, NIJ may provide additional funding in future years to awards made under 

this solicitation through continuation awards. NIJ will consider, among other factors, NIJ’s 

strategic priorities, a recipient’s overall management of the award, and progress of awardfunded work, when making continuation-award decisions. 

Availability of Funds 

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional 

requirements that may be imposed by law. 

Types of Awards 

NIJ expects to make awards under this solicitation as grants. See the “Administrative, National 

Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section of the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for a 

brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that apply to many (or in 

some cases, all) OJP grants (and cooperative agreements). 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are pass-through 

entities) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.303, 

comply with standards for financial and program management. The “Part 200 Uniform 

Requirements” means the DOJ regulation at 2 C.F.R. Part 2800, which adopts (with certain 

modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200. See OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for 

additional information. 

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Budget Information 

If the applicant is proposing a project that reasonably could be conducted in discrete 

phases, with each phase resulting in completion of one or more significant, defined 

milestones, then NIJ strongly recommends that the applicant structure the application — 

specifically including the narrative, expected scholarly products, timelines/milestones, 

and budget detail worksheet and budget narrative — to clearly define each phase. (This 

is particularly the case if the applicant proposes a project that will exceed — in cost or 

the length of the period of performance — the amount or length of time anticipated for 

an individual award (or awards) under this solicitation.) Given limitations on the 

availability to NIJ of funds for awards for research, development, and evaluation, this 

information will assist NIJ in considering whether partial funding of applications would be 

productive. (If, in FY 2021, NIJ elects to fund only certain phases of a proposed project, 

the expected scholarly products from the partial-funding award may, in some cases, 

vary from those described above.) 

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2021 solicitation in future 

fiscal years, dependent on, among other considerations, the merit of the applications 

and on the availability of appropriations. 

What will not be funded: 

Applications primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (A budget 

may include these items if they are necessary to conduct research, development, 

demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.) 

Applications that are not responsive to the purposes of this specific solicitation. 

Programs or services unrelated to the scope of the research project or existing 

programs or services being evaluated. 

Training in support of programs or direct services unrelated to or associated with 

the proposed research project. 

Applications involving tribal governments or being conducted on tribal lands that 

do not have an executed tribal resolution, executive order, or letter of commitment 

from the tribal authorized representative (e.g., tribal council, tribal administrator, 

executive director) sanctioning the partnership/project. 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 

See “Cofunding” paragraph under item 5 (“Budget and Associated Documentation”) 

under “Content of Application Submission” in Application and Submission Information. 

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide information on Pre-agreement Costs (also known as 

Pre-award Costs). 

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Waiver 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide information on Limitation on Use of Award Funds for 

Employee Compensation; Waiver. 

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of 

Conference/Meeting/Training Costs 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on Prior Approval, Planning, and 

Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs. 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on Costs Associated with Language 

Assistance. 

Period of Performance Duration 

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 period of 

performance. 

Additional Information 

NIJ may share application information and peer review outcomes with the U.S. 

Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). NIJ and OVW will 

consider program scope, current priorities, and availability of funds in making final 

funding decisions. If an application fares well in peer review, but cannot be funded this 

year by NIJ, and the application aligns closely with OVW’s current priorities, NIJ may 

give OVW the option of funding it. If OVW elects to fund an application initially submitted 

under this solicitation, the applicant will be contacted before an award is made to give 

the applicant the option of accepting or declining funding from a source other than the 

one to which the applicant applied. 

Eligibility Information 

For additional eligibility information, see the title page. 

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see “Content of Application 

Submission” in Application and Submission Information. 

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Letter of Intent 

Applicants intending to apply are encouraged to submit a letter of intent. The letter 

should state that the applicant is registered and current with SAM and Grants.gov and 

should be sent to NIJFY2021VAW.Research@ojp.usdoj.gov by March 8, 2021. The 

letter should be addressed to the NIJ Director using the following address: National 

Institute of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531 (Overnight 

20001). A letter does not obligate the applicant to apply. For a sample letter of intent, 

see https://www.ju stice.gov/ovw/page/file/1107796/download. 

Content of Application Submission 

The following application elements MUST be included in the application submission for 

an application to meet the basic minimum requirements (BMR) to advance to peer 

review and receive consideration for funding: 

Proposal Narrative. 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based form). 

Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel. (Curriculum Vitae for key personnel 

(For purposes of this solicitation, “key personnel” means the principal 

investigator, and any and all co-principal investigators.) 

See the “ Application Elements and Formatting Instructions” section of the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for information on what happens to an application that does 

not contain all the specified elements or that is nonresponsive to the scope of the 

solicitation. 

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance 

(SF-424) 

The SF-424 will be submitted in Grants.gov. The SF-424 is a required standard form 

used as a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related 

information. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information 

on completing the SF-424. 

Intergovernmental Review: This solicitation (“funding opportunity”) is not subject to Exe 

cutive Order 12372. (In completing the SF-424, an applicant is to answer question 19 by 

selecting the response that the “Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”) 

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency 

Information) 

The Standard Applicant Information section of the JustGrants application is pre-populated with the 

SF-424 data submitted in Grants.gov. Applicants will need to review the Standard Applicant 

Information in JustGrants and make edits as needed. Within this section, applicants will need to: add 

zip codes for areas affected by the project; confirm their Authorized Representative; and verify the 

organization's legal name and address. 

Proposal Abstract 

A proposal abstract (no more than 400 words) summarizing the proposed project including primary 

activities, products and deliverables, the service area, and who will benefit from the proposed 

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project, will be completed in the JustGrants Web-based form. 

Proposal Narrative 

The proposal narrative should be submitted as an attachment in JustGrants. The 

attached document should be double-spaced, using a standard 12-point Times New 

Roman font; have no less than 1-inch margins; and should not exceed 30 pages. Pages 

should be numbered and submitted as an attachment. If the program narrative fails to 

comply with these length-related restrictions, NIJ may negatively consider such 

noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions. 

The following sections must be included as part of the proposal narrative: 

a. Title Page (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit) 

The title page should include: 

Project title. 

Submission date. 

Funding opportunity number. 

Principal Investigator (and any co-principal investigators). 

Unique author identifier (e.g., ORCID, ResearcherID, Scopus Author ID), if 

available. 

Requests for consideration under “new investigator” and/or “priority areas of 

research” areas. 

Key words, including science focus areas. 

Contact information (that is, name, address, telephone number, and e-mail 

address) for both the applicant and the principal investigator. 

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the program narrative page 

limit.) 

If an applicant is resubmitting an application presented previously to NIJ, but not funded, 

the applicant should indicate this. A statement should be provided, no more than two 

pages, addressing: (1) the title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number 

of the previous application, and (2) a brief summary of revisions to the application, 

including responses to previous feedback received from NIJ. 

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the program narrative page limit) 

d. Main Body 

1. Statement of the Problem. 

The statement of the problem should address the need for research in this area. 

Applicants should discuss current gaps in data, research, and knowledge, 

including those for particular justice sectors, for certain populations, and to answer 

questions relevant to current policy and practice needs and public interests. It is 

not uncommon for multiple problems to exist simultaneously (for example, there 

may be a criminal justice problem affecting public safety, a current technical 

challenge/need identified by forensic practitioners, as well as a 

scientific/technology gap between the current state of the art and a desired 

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solution) and applicants should discuss each of these clearly and justify the 

importance of the separate issues. As part of this discussion, applicants should 

present a review of previous literature and discuss previous research related to 

these problems. 

2. Project Design and Implementation. 

Applicants should provide a detailed description of the strategies to implement this 

research project and address the research questions. Design elements should 

follow directly from the research project’s goals and objectives and address the 

program-specific information noted in the solicitation. Applicants should describe 

the research methodology and analysis plan in detail and demonstrate the validity 

and usefulness of the data they will collect. Applicants should consider the rigor 

and soundness of the methodology and analytical and technical approaches for 

the proposed research and address the feasibility of the proposed project and 

potential challenges or problems in carrying out the activities. 

3. Potential Impact. 

Applicants should describe the potential impact of the research and how it may 

inform or improve criminal or juvenile justice-related policy, practice, or theory in 

the United States. The applicant should include a discussion of the proposed 

dissemination plan to produce scholarly products and to make information 

available to broader interested audiences, such as criminal justice practitioners or 

policymakers. 

4. Capabilities and Competencies. 

This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant 

organization, key staff, and any proposed subgrantees (including consultants) that 

the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and the federal funds 

under this award, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of 

similar scope, design, and magnitude. Applicants should address: 

Experience and capacity to work with the proposed data sources in the 

conduct of similar research efforts. 

Experience and capacity to design and implement rigorous research and 

data analysis projects. 

Experience producing and disseminating meaningful deliverables. 

Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization that 

connects to the goals and objectives of the project. 

5. Appendices (not counted against the program narrative page limit) include: 

If the application (including the budget) identifies any proposed noncompetitive agreements that are or may be considered procurement 

"contracts" (rather than subawards), for purposes of federal grants 

administrative requirements, the applicant also must list the entities with 

which the applicant proposes to contract. 

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List of other agencies, organizations, or funding sources to which this 

application has been submitted (if applicable). 

Note: applicants are not required to submit performance data with the application. 

Rather, performance measures information is included as an alert that successful 

applicants will be required to submit performance data as part of the reporting 

requirements under an award. 

OJP will require each successful applicant to submit regular performance data that 

demonstrate the results of the work carried out under the award. The performance data 

directly relate to the goals, objectives, and deliverables identified under “Goals, 

Objectives, and Deliverables” on page 10. 

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found on page 27. 

Applicants can also visit OJP’s performance measurement page at www.ojp.gov/perfor 

mance for an overview of performance measurement activities at OJP. 

Award recipients will be required to submit performance measure data in quarterly 

financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, and the Final Research Report. Further 

guidance on the post-award submission process will be provided, if selected for award. 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline 

Applicants will submit the project's goals, objectives, deliverables, and timelines in the JustGrants 

Web-based form. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

Budget and Associated Documentation 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) 

Applicants will complete the JustGrants web-based budget form. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

The following paragraph (on “Cofunding”) expressly modifies the “Cost Sharing or Matching 

Requirement” provisions in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. The applicant is to 

follow the guidance in the following paragraph instead of the guidance stated under the “Cost 

Sharing or Matching Requirement” heading in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Cofunding: An award made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100 percent 

of the total cost of the project. The application should indicate whether it is feasible for the 

applicant to contribute cash, facilities, or services as non-federal support for the project. The 

application should identify generally any such contributions that the applicant expects to make 

and the proposed budget should indicate in detail which items, if any, will be supported with 

non-federal contributions. 

For additional match information, see the “Cost Sharing or Match Requirement” section 

under Federal Award Information. 

If a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, and OJP approves the 

budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory 

and subject to audit. 

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Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

Applicants will submit their indirect cost rate agreement by uploading the agreement as an 

attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

Financial Management Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure 

of high-risk status) 

Applicants will download the questionnaire in JustGrants and submit by uploading the completed 

questionnaire as an attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for 

additional information. 

Additional Application Components 

Applicants will attach the additional requested documentation in JustGrants. 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes 

Curriculum vitae or resume of the principal investigator and any and all co-principal 

investigators. In addition, curriculum vitae, resume, or biographical sketches of all other 

individuals (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be significantly involved in 

substantive aspects of the proposed project (including, for example, individuals such as 

statisticians used to conduct proposed data analysis). 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution 

If applicable, applicants will submit the Tribal Authorizing Resolution by uploading the resolution as 

an attachment in JustGrants. An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of 

information related to a tribal authorizing resolution as an attachment. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for information on tribal authorizing resolutions. 

Timeline Form 

Proposed project timeline and expected milestones. 

Letters of Support 

Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations collaborating 

in the project, such as law enforcement and correctional agencies (if applicable). 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement 

If an application proposes research (including research and development) and/or evaluation, the 

applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and integrity, including appropriate 

safeguards, before it may receive award funds. Applicants will submit a description of their research 

and evaluation independence and integrity by uploading the document as an attachment in 

JustGrants. For additional information regarding demonstrating research/evaluation independence 

and integrity, including appropriate safeguards, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Bibliography/reference 

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Bibliography/references. Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Project 

Narrative. 

Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/chart/graphs, or maps 

Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps pertaining to the 

proposed project that are supplemental to such items included in the main body of the 

narrative. 

List of Individuals in the Application 

To assist OJP in assessing actual or apparent conflicts of interest (including such conflicts on 

the part of prospective reviewers of the application), provide a complete list of the individuals 

named or otherwise identified anywhere in the application (including in the budget or in any 

other attachment) who will or may work (or advise or consult) on the proposed research, 

development, or evaluation project. Applicants should use the “ Proposed Project Staff, 

Affiliation, and Roles” form available on the NIJ webpage to prepare this list. 

Human Subjects Protection 

Human Subjects Protection paperwork (documentation and forms related to Institutional 

Review Board [IRB] review). See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/human-subjects-and-privacyprotection. Note: Final IRB approval is not required at the time an application is submitted. 

Privacy Certificate 

Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/confidentiality-andprivacy-protections and https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/model-privacy-certificate). 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 

Applicants proposing to use incentives or stipends payments as part of their research project 

design, must submit an incentive or stipend approval request, as a separate document, 

according to the requirements set forth at https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/participant-support-costsand-incentives-social-scienceresearch. 

Documentation of Rural Challenges (if applicable) 

As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to applications 

that address specific challenges that rural communities face. Each applicant proposing to 

receive priority consideration under the rural priority must provide a sufficient narrative to 

include what makes the geographic service area rural (using U.S. Census or other appropriate 

government data), how isolated the area is from needed services, and how it will address 

specific challenges in rural communities. Applicants will submit the narrative by uploading the 

document as an attachment in JustGrants. 

Documentation of High-Poverty Areas or Persistent-Poverty 

Counties (if applicable) 

As mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to applications 

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that demonstrate that the individuals who will benefit from the requested grant reside in highpoverty areas or persistent-poverty counties as defined above. Each applicant proposing to 

receive consideration under the High-Poverty Areas or Persistent Poverty Counties priority 

must provide a sufficient narrative explanation to identify each specific High-Poverty Area (by 

census tract number(s)) and/or each specific Persistent-Poverty County where individuals are 

intended to benefit from the requested grant and how the requested grant will address specific 

challenges in each such identified area and/or county. Applicants will submit the narrative by 

uploading the document as an attachment in JustGrants. 

Documentation of Enhanced Public Safety in Qualified Opportunity 

Zones (if applicable) 

As is mentioned above, OJP will give priority consideration in award decisions to designated 

Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs). Each applicant proposing to receive priority 

consideration under the under the Qualified Opportunity Zones priority must provide a 

sufficient narrative explanation in order for OJP to identify clearly the public safety benefit the 

applicant anticipates that its project will have on a specified QOZ(s). The narrative and the list 

of affected QOZs (by census tract number) must be included as an attachment that is clearly 

labeled as addressing QOZs. The applicant may also include tables, charts, graphs, or other 

relevant illustrations that may be useful in comprehending the manner in which the proposed 

project is anticipated to benefit a QOZ(s). Applicants will submit the narrative by uploading the 

document as an attachment in JustGrants. 

Documentation of “new investigator” status, if applicable 

Documentation of “new investigator” status, if applicable. 

Project Management Plan 

The project management plan. 

Consortium/contractual arrangements 

Explain the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative arrangements to be made between the 

applicant organization and the consortium organization(s). 

Data Archiving Plan 

Applicants should anticipate that NIJ will require, through special award conditions, that data 

sets resulting in whole or in part from projects funded under this solicitation be submitted for 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009 
applicants. 

Applications should include as an appendix a brief plan — labeled “Data Archiving Plan” — 

to comply with data archiving requirements. The plan should provide brief details about 

proposed data management and archiving, including submission to NIJ (through NACJD) of al 

l files and documentation necessary to allow for future efforts by others to reproduce the 

project’s findings and/or to extend the scientific value of the data set through secondary 

analysis. Pertinent files and documentation include, among other things, qualitative and 

quantitative data produced, instrumentation and data collection forms, codebook(s), any 

specialized programming code necessary to reproduce all constructed measures and the 

original data analysis, description of necessary de-identification procedures, and (when 

required) a copy of the privacy certificate and informed consent protocols. 

The plan should be one or two pages in length and include the level of effort associated with 

meeting archiving requirements. 

Note that recipients are strongly encouraged to submit required data sets at least 90 days 

before the end of the period of performance. 

Disclosures and Assurances 

Applicants will complete the following disclosures and assurances. 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

Applicants will complete and submit the SF-LLL in Grants.gov. See the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide for additional information. 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 

See the DOJ Certified Standard Assurances in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 

Applicants will complete the JustGrants web-based Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 

form. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and 

Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace 

Requirements 

Applicants will review and accept the DOJ Certified Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, 

Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements. See OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees (if 

applicable) 

If applicable, applicants will submit as an attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for additional information. A DOJ High Risk Grantee is a 

recipient that has received a DOJ High Risk designation based on a documented history 

of unsatisfactory performance, financial instability, management system or other internal 

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control deficiencies, or noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards, 

or that is otherwise not responsible. 

How to Apply 

Applicants will submit an SF-424 and an SF-LLL in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants 

/register.html. 

Applicants will submit the full application including attachments in JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.g 

ov. 

For additional information, see the “How to Apply” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide. 

Submission Dates and Time 

The SF-424 and the SF-LLL will be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 13, 

2021. OJP urges applicants to submit applications at least 72 hours prior to the application due date 

to allow time for the applicant to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from 

Grants.gov and to correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have caused a rejection 

notification. 

The full application will be submitted in JustGrants by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 27, 2021. 

To be considered timely, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by the JustGrants 

application deadline. 

Application Review Information 

Review Criteria 

a. Scored Review Criteria

Applications that meet basic minimum requirements will be evaluated by peer reviewers. 

Applications will be evaluated on how the proposed project/program addresses the 

following criteria: 

1. Statement of the Problem/Description of the Issue (understanding of the problem,

(15%)

Demonstrated understanding of the problem. 

Demonstrated importance of research questions, goals and objectives, including 

alignment with the aims of the solicitation. 

Demonstrated awareness of the state of current research. 

2. Project Design and Implementation (quality and technical merit) (50%).

Feasibility of proposed project. 

Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the 

stated aim(s) of the proposed project. 

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Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of 

proposed actions to minimize and/or mitigate them. 

Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation. 

3. Capabilities and Competencies (capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and 

experience of the applicant organization and proposed project staff) (15%) 

Qualifications and experience of proposed project staff (that is, the principal 

investigator, any and all co-principal investigators, and all other individuals (and 

organizations) identified in the application (regardless of “investigator” status) 

who will be significantly involved in substantive aspects of the proposed project). 

Demonstrated ability of the applicant organization to implement the proposed 

strategies and manage the effort. 

Relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff 

(including the applicant organization) and the scope and strategies of the 

proposed project. 

4. Potential Impact (20%) 

Potential for a significant scientific or technical advance(s) that will improve 

criminal/juvenile justice in the United States. 

Potential for significantly improved understanding of the stated criminal/juvenile 

justice problem. 

Potential for innovative solution to address (all or a significant part of) the stated 

criminal/juvenile justice problem. 

Strength and feasibility of the proposed dissemination plan to produce scholarly 

products (such as published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles, book 

chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press, technological prototypes, patented 

inventions, databases, standards or similar scientific products) as well as make 

summary information available to broader interested audiences, such as criminal 

justice practitioners or policymakers. 

5. Budget (0%) 

In addition, peer reviewers will consider and may comment on the following additional 

items in the context of scientific and technical merit. 

Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities. 

Total cost of the project relative to the perceived benefit (cost effectiveness). 

Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort. 

Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

b. Additional Review Criteria 

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Other important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity, strategic priorities 

(specifically including, but not limited to, those mentioned above relating to addressing 

specific challenges that rural communities face, high-poverty areas or persistent-poverty 

counties, demonstrable potential enhancement to public safety in one or more federally 

designated Qualified Opportunity Zones), available funding, past performance, and the 

extent to which the Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (web-based form) 

accurately explain project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise 

allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost principles. 

Review Process 

Applications submitted under this solicitation that meet basic minimum requirements, will be 

evaluated for technical merit by a peer review panel(s) in accordance with OJP peer review policy 

and procedures using the stated review criteria above. 

OJP screens applications to ensure they meet the basic minimum requirements prior to conducting 

peer review. Although specific requirements may vary, the following are common requirements 

applicable to all solicitations for funding under OJP programs: 

The application must be submitted by an eligible type of applicant. 

The application must request funding within programmatic funding constraints (if 

applicable). 

The application must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation. 

The application must include all items necessary to meet the basic minimum 

requirements. 

The application, if submitted by an applicant that is a DOJ High Risk Grantee, or is 

designated “high risk” by a federal grant-making agency outside of DOJ, must not 

have been determined by the NIJ Director to pose a substantial risk of program 

implementation failure, based on 1) the applicant’s lack of sufficient progress in 

addressing required corrective actions necessary for removal of the DOJ High Risk 

Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) designation, 2) the nature and severity of the issues 

leading to or accompanying the DOJ High Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) 

designation, and/or 3) the applicant’s expected ability to manage grant funds and 

achieve grant goals and objectives. 

Pursuant to the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, before award decisions are made, OJP also 

reviews information related to the degree of risk posed by the applicant. Among other things to help 

assess whether an applicant that has one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory record with 

respect to performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the applicant is listed in 

SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award. 

In addition, if OJP anticipates that an award will exceed $250,000 in federal funds, OJP also must 

review and consider any information about the applicant that appears in the non-public segment of 

the integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently, the Federal Awardee 

Performance and Integrity Information System, FAPIIS). 

Important note on FAPIIS: An applicant, may review and comment on any information about itself 

that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding agency. OJP will consider 

any such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in FAPIIS, in its assessment 

of the risk posed by the applicant. 

All final award decisions will be made by Director of the National Institute of Justice, who 

may take into account not only peer review ratings and NIJ recommendations, but also 

other factors as indicated in this section. 

Federal Award Administration Information 

Federal Award Notices 

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See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on award notifications and 

instructions. 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements 

If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the OJPapproved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions, and all applicable 

requirements of federal statutes and regulations (including applicable requirements referred to in the 

assurances and certifications executed in connection with award acceptance). 

For additional information on these legal requirements, see the “Administrative, National Policy, and 

Other Legal Requirements” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses 

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of information related to 

information technology security. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on 

information technology security. 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting 

Requirements 

In addition to the deliverables described in Program Description section, any recipient of an 

award under this solicitation will be required to submit certain reports and data. 

Required reports. Recipients typically must submit quarterly financial reports, quarterly, semiannual progress reports, final financial and progress reports, final research reports, and, if 

applicable, an annual audit report in accordance with the Part 200 Uniform Requirements or 

specific award conditions. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are 

delinquent. (In appropriate cases, OJP may require additional reports.) 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on specific postaward reporting requirements, including performance measures data. 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For questions directed to the Federal Awarding Agency, see NCJRS contact information 

on page 2. 

For contact information for Grants.gov, see page 2. 

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 

552a) 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on Freedom of Information and 

Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a). 

Provide Feedback to OJP 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on how to provide feedback to OJP. 

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Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides 

Conduct research in social 1. Relevance to the needs of the field as 1. Quarterly financial reports, semiand behavioral sciences measured by whether the project’s annual and final progress reports, 

having clear implications for substantive scope did not deviate from and products of the work performed 

criminal justice policy and the funded project or any subsequent under the NIJ award (including, at 

practice in the United agency-approved modifications to the minimum, a final research report). If 

States. scope. applicable, an annual audit report. 

Conduct research in 2. Quality of the research as 2. List of citation(s) to all scholarly 

science, technology, 

engineering, and/or 

mathematics having clear 

implications for criminal or 

demonstrated by the scholarly products 

that result in whole or in part from work 

funded under the NIJ award, such as 

products that resulted in whole or in 

part from work funded under the NIJ 

award. 

juvenile justice policy and published, peer-reviewed, scientific 

practice in the United journal articles, and/or (as appropriate for 3. If applicable, each data set that States. the funded project) law review journal 

articles, book chapter(s) or book(s) in the 

academic press, technological 

prototypes, patented inventions, or similar 

scientific products. 

3. Quality of management as measured 

by such factors as whether significant 

project milestones were achieved, 

reporting and other deadlines were met, 

and costs remained within approved 

limits. 

4. Number of technologies fielded as a 

result (in whole or in part) of work funded 

under the NIJ award. 

resulted in whole or in part from work 

funded under the NIJ award. 

4. Description of all technologies 

fielded as a result (in whole or in 

part) of work funded under the NIJ 

award. 

Application Checklist 

Research and Evaluation on Violence Against Women, Fiscal Year 2021 

This application checklist has been created as an aid in developing an application. 

What an Applicant Must Do: 

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov: 

Acquire a DUNS Number (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009 
To Register with Grants.gov: 

Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide) 

Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

To Find Funding Opportunity: 

Search for the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov 

Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide) 

Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide) 

Read Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov 

Read OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, reporting available at ojp.go 

v/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.10a.htm (see OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide) 

Prior to Submission: 

Send Letter of Intent to NIJFY2021VAW.Research@ojp.usdoj.gov (see 

page 15) Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements: 

Review the “ Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements - FY 2021 Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center. 

Scope Requirement: 

The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s) of $2,500,000. 

Eligibility Requirement: 

State governments 

City or township governments 

Public and State controlled institutions of higher education 

County governments 

Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities 

Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal 

governments) 

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 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009
Private institutions of higher education 

For profit organizations other than small businesses 

Independent school districts 

Small businesses 

For purposes of this solicitation, “state” means any state of the United States, the 

District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 

American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges and universities are 

not eligible to apply. Federal agencies are eligible to apply. (Any award made to a 

federal agency will be made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement.) 

Submit SF-424 and SF-LLL in Grants.gov 

After SF-424 and SF-LLL Submission in Grants.gov, Receive Grants.gov Email Notifications That: 

Submission has been received in Grants.gov 

Submission has either been successfully validated or rejected with errors (see OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide) 

If No Grants.gov Receipt, and Validation or Error Notifications are Received: 

Contact the NCJRS Response Center regarding technical difficulties (see OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide) 

Receive email notification to complete application in JustGrants: 

Complete Application in JustGrants 

Content of Application Submission: 

The following items are critical application elements required to pass Basic Minimum Requirements 

review.  An application that OJP determines does not include the application elements that must be 

included in the application submission in order for the application to meet the basic minimum 

requirements, will neither proceed to peer review, nor receive further consideration. 

Proposal Narrative, (see page 16) 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (web-based form), and (see page 18) 

Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel. (see page 19) 

~~~ 

Content of Application Submission 

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) in Grants.gov 

Standard Applicant Information (SF-424 info from Grants.gov) 

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O-NIJ-2021-45009 
                      

Proposal Abstract 

Budget and Associated Documentation 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based form) 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide) 

Additional Application Components 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity (see OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide) 

Documentation of rural challenges (if applicable) 

Documentation of high-poverty or persistent poverty counties (if applicable) 

Documentation of enhanced public safety in federally designated Qualified Opportunity Zones 

(if applicable) 

Disclosures and Assurances 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items (Pending Applications) (see OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide) 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurance (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (see OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide) 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification - DOJ High Risk Grantees (if applicable) (see OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Submit Application in JustGrants: 

Application has been successfully submitted in JustGrants 

If No JustGrants Application Submission, Validation, or Error Notifications are Received: 

Contact JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833–872–5175 regarding technical difficulties 

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Endnotes 

[1] Applications involving tribal governments and/or being conducted on tribal sovereign lands 

must have an executed tribal resolution or executive order from the tribal authorized 

representative (i.e., tribal council/government) sanctioning the partnership and the project. 

Tribal partnerships with program staff of government agencies or programs directed and 

administered by tribal governments require approval from the government body. Similarly, 

applications involving tribally based organizations (a non-governmental organization such as a 

tribal nonprofit establishment) must have a letter of commitment from the tribal organization’s 

authorized legal representative (i.e., administrator, executive director) authorizing the 

partnership and the project. 

[2] Under this priority area, the term “program” encompasses models, practices, and 

programs that exist in the victim services and criminal justice arena. Applicants may propose 

evaluation research of specific victim service organizations, victim service delivery models, 

and/or victim service interventions. 

[3] Applications for funding of basic research activities that focus on domestic mass shootings 

(e.g., familicide) should submit proposals to NIJ’s FY2021 notice of funding opportunity titled 

“Research and Evaluation on Firearms Violence and Mass Shootings” that designates this 

topic a priority area. 

[4] Big data may be characterized by scale, detail, routineness, immediacy, and uniqueness, 

and could include linking variables using common fields (See Lipworth, W., Mason, P.H., 

Kerridge, I. et al. 2017. Ethics and Epistemology in Big Data Research. Bioethical Inquiry, 14: 

489-500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-017-9771-3). For example, performance 

management and administrative data could be used to understand the delivery of services to 

victims and survivors. It can also be used to examine the outcomes and impacts of various 

interventions employed to address VAW. NIJ is soliciting studies that rely solely on big data or 

incorporate big data as part of a multimethod approach. 

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