Notices regarding the solicitation “NIJ FY23 Center for Enhancing Research 

Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)” 

November 13, 2023: NIJ has posted the transcript and slide presentation

from a webinar discussing this opportunity.

October 17, 2023: The date by which grantees will be expected to have a 

formal agreement in place with partnering agencies has been changed from 

January 1, 2024, to September 1, 2024, on pages 7 and 9. The period of 

performance start date (see page 13) also has been changed from January 

1, 2024, to September 1, 2024. 

September 18, 2023: The email address on page 2 has been changed to 

“Cerc.MSI@usdoj.gov.”

September 19, 2023: The deadline to submit questions in advance to be 

answered at the funding webinar has been changed from October 18 to 

October 13. See page 2.

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

Expires  12/31/2023 

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

NIJ FY23 Center for Enhancing Research Capacity 

(CERC) at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) 

Assistance Listing Number #  16.560 

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-NIJ-2023-171879 

Solicitation Release Date:     September 18, 2023 2:30 PM ET  

Step 1: Application Grants.gov Deadline:    December 4, 2023 11:59 PM ET  

Step 2: Application JustGrants Deadline:    December 18, 2023 8:59 PM ET 

Overview 

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

Institute of Justice (NIJ) seeks applications for funding to host the Center to Enhance 

Research Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). This program furthers 

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

address the challenges of crime and justice in the United States through fundamental 

research. 

This solicitation incorporates guidance provided in the OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide which provides additional information for applicants to prepare and submit 

applications to OJP 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: 

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 

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O-NIJ-2023-171879
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, Small businesses, Unrestricted (open to any type of entity above), subject to 

any clarification in text field entitled as Additional Information on Eligibility 

An applicant entity may submit more than one application, if each application proposes a 

different project in response to the solicitation. Also, an entity may be proposed as a 

subrecipient (subgrantee) in more than one application. 

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 2023 solicitation in future 

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

the availability of appropriations. 

Contact Information 

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact the OJP Response 

Center at 800-851-3420, 301-240-6310 (TTY for hearing-impaired callers only), or 

grants@ncjrs.gov. The OJP Response Center operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 

eastern time (ET) Monday–Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on the solicitation 

close date. 

Pre-application Information Session 

NIJ will hold a solicitation webinar on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 3:30 - 4:30pm 

EST. This call will provide a detailed overview of the solicitation and allow an opportunity 

for interested applicants to ask questions. Preregistration is required for all participants. 

Register by clicking on this link https://ojpmeetings.webex.com/weblink/register/ 

rda3d71d7bbab852c490a33983f3d8070 and following the instructions. To use the time 

most efficiently, NIJ encourages participants to review the solicitation and submit any 

questions they may have in advance and no later than October 13, 2023. Submit your 

questions to CERC.MSI@usdoj.gov with the subject as “Questions for NIJ FY2023, 

Center for Enhancing Research Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) 

Webinar.” 

Submission Information 

Registration: Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the 

System for Award Management (SAM). You must renew and validate your registration 

every 12 months. If you do not renew your SAM registration, it will expire. An expired 

registration can delay or prevent application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants. 

Registration and renewal can take up to 10 business days to complete. 

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O-NIJ-2023-171879
Submission: Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step 

process via Grants.gov and JustGrants. 

Step 1: The applicant must submit by the Grants.gov deadline the required Application 

for Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424) and a Disclosure of Lobbying 

Activities (SF-LLL) form when they register in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/ 

web/grants/register.html. Submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no 

later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in 

Grants.gov, they will be unable to apply in JustGrants. 

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

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

Customer Support, or support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 

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

Step 2: The applicant must submit the full application, including attachments, in 

JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants application deadline. 

For technical assistance with submitting the full application in JustGrants, contact the 

JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov. The 

JustGrants Service Desk operates 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET Monday–Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 

p.m. ET on Saturday, Sunday, and Federal holidays.

OJP encourages applicants to review the “How To Apply” section in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide and the JustGrants website for more information, resources, 

and training. Applicants should maintain all receipts and confirmations received from 

SAM.gov, Grants.gov, JustGrants systems. 

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O-NIJ-2023-171879
Contents 

Overview 1 

Waiver 

Training Costs 

(SF-424) in 

Information) 

Contact Information 2 

Pre-application Information Session 2 

Submission Information 2 

Program Description 7 

Overview 7 

Statutory Authority 7 

Specific Information 7 

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables 9 

Priority Areas 11 

Federal Award Information 13 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 13 

Continuation Funding Intent 13 

Availability of Funds 13 

Type of Award 14 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 14 

Budget Information 14 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 14 

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 14 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: 14 

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/ 14 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 14 

Anticipated Number of Awards 15 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 15 

Period of Performance Duration 15 

Additional Budget and Funding Consideration 15 

Eligibility Information 15 

Application and Submission Information 16 

Content of Application Submission 16 

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance 16 

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency 17 

Proposal Abstract 17 

Proposal Narrative 17 

Grants.gov 

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Goal, Objective and Deliverables 20 

Budget and Associated Documentation 21 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) 21 

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 21 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 21 

Consultant Rate 22 

Limitation on Employee Compensation; Waiver 22 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure of high-risk status) 

Maps 

Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; 

Law Enforcement and Community Policing 

22 

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation 22 

Additional Application Components 22 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes 22 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution 22 

Timeline Form 22 

Letters of Support 23 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement 23 

Bibliography/reference 23 

Any Tools/Instruments, Questionnaires, Tables/Charts/Graphs, or 23 

List of Individuals in the Application 23 

Human Subjects Protection 23 

Privacy Certificate 24 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 24 

Consortium/Contractual Arrangements 24 

Data Archiving Plan 24 

Disclosures and Assurances 25 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 25 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 25 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 25 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and 25 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees 25 

How to Apply 25 

Submission Dates and Time 26 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission 27 

of an Application 

Application Review Information 28 

Review Criteria 28 

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Review Process 30 

Federal Award Administration Information 31 

Federal Award Notices 31 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements 31 

Information Technology Security Clauses 31 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting 

Requirements 

552a) 

31 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 31 

Other Information 32 

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 32 

Provide Feedback to OJP 32 

Performance Measures 32 

Application Checklist 34 

Standard Solicitation Resources 37 

Endnotes 38 

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Program Description 

Overview 

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, 

increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the 

justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and 

evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for funding the development, operation, and 

management of the Center to Enhance Research Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving 

Institutions (MSIs).1

Applications proposing partnerships with other entities should include a strong letter of 

support, signed by an appropriate decision-making authority from each proposed partner. 

As applicable, the letter of support should include the partnering entities’ 

acknowledgment that de-identified data derived from, provided to, or obtained through an 

award funded by NIJ will be archived by the grant recipient with the National Archive of 

Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at the conclusion of the award. Applicants and their 

potential partners are encouraged to review NIJ’s data archiving guidance. If selected for 

an award, grantees will be expected to have a formal agreement in place with partnering 

agencies by September 1, 2024. As applicable, 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. The applicant is expected to 

conduct a majority of the work proposed. 

Statutory Authority 

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

202); the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (sections 231-233, 235); 28 U.S.C. 530C. 

Specific Information 

NIJ is dedicated to building and enhancing research capacity across disciplines and 

encouraging research collaborations with scholars at MSIs. In the report “Engage to 

Excel: Producing One Million Additional College Graduates with Degrees in Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics,” the President’s Council of Advisors on 

Science and Technology (PCAST) indicated that the United States needs to produce 

approximately one million college graduates with science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics (STEM) backgrounds over the next decade, in order to retain its historical 

preeminence in science and technology. To do so, the United States needs to increase 

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the number of students who receive STEM degrees by about 34% annually.   2

Subsequent to the PCAST report, the White House Office of Science and Technology 

(OSTP) and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on STEM 

Education (CoSTEM) provided a strategic plan for STEM education, entitled “Charting a 

Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education.”3  Among the key 

takeaways, the Committee acknowledged the challenges that underrepresented groups 

face in order to participate in STEM educational activities and careers and the need to 

expand diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. 

In 2021, Executive Orders 139854  and 140315  sought to advance equity, justice, and 

opportunity among underserved communities. Executive Orders 140416, 140457, 14049 

8 and 140509 specifically address increasing educational and economic opportunities for 

Black Americans, Latino and Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans. Enhancing 

STEM participation by underrepresented groups is one way to ensure that these 

directives are implemented. To this end, NIJ seeks applications for the development, 

operation, and management of a Center to enhance STEM research capacity, including 

the social and behavioral sciences (SBS), in MSI in order to better address the 

challenges of promoting public safety and an equitable justice system for all. 

Through training and technical assistance (TTA), the Center will: 

1. Build and enhance research infrastructure across disciplines.

Under this aim, the Center is intended to assist MSIs in enhancing and developing

infrastructure elements to support research. These elements may include: (1)

assessing the infrastructure support (e.g., research capacity assessment), (2)

planning the infrastructure support (e.g., strategic planning), (3) strengthening skills

and readiness to apply for funding (e.g., faculty/student/staff training, curricula

revision/sharing, and development designed to conduct research), and 4) researchgrants administration.

2. Encourage research collaborations with scholars.

This aim is intended to help MSIs strengthen research capacity by developing

interdisciplinary and long-term partnerships around SBS and other STEM criminal

and juvenile justice research programs. This could include departmental

collaborations within a single MSI or multiple MSIs and other research-intensive

organizations. It may also involve initiating or fostering critical partnerships and

alliances throughout the institutional research enterprise and between institutions

and external stakeholders. Through the work of the Center, it is expected that MSIs

will build or expand upon collaborations and activities which together or separately

will build capacity to secure research and development funding.

3. Enable and support research and development.

This aim is intended to help MSIs establish a proficient and diverse workforce that

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is well-resourced and trained to develop, implement, or expand active research 

programs. Activities under this aim may include strategic, proactive, and capacitybuilding activities designed to facilitate individual faculty members, teams of 

researchers, and central research administrations in attracting extramural research 

funding, creating relationships, and fostering approaches that increase institutional 

competitiveness, such as writing successful research proposals. With support from 

the Center, MSIs are expected to create dynamic services that span disciplinary 

and administrative components within their organizations and beyond. 

4. Strengthen sustainability and continuity.

This aim is intended to help MSIs develop, enable, expand, and sustain a research

and development enterprise. The Center is expected to deliver national-scale, highquality TTA to increase research capacity at MSIs. The Center will provide training

materials, including a video series, program guides, and toolkits for multiple

audiences (faculty, students, administrators) in various modes. These materials

should improve research productivity and outcomes at MSIs to support world-class

research and enhance the University’s capacity to engage with industry and build

collaboration. Moreover, the Center is expected to develop and cultivate a program

promoting mentorship and sponsorship that will result in a robust SBS and STEM

workforce.

Ideally, the applicant funded under this solicitation would be an MSI that has an 

established record of working with other MSIs or communities that are historically 

underserved, including communities of color. However, proposals that consist of 

collaborations with one or more organizations that have experience working with MSIs or 

underrepresented communities will be considered. Applications involving partnerships 

should include a strong letter of support, signed (hard/wet, electronic, digital signature) 

by an appropriate decision-making authority from each proposed partnering agency. If 

selected for an award, grantees will be expected to have a formal agreement in place 

with partnering agencies by September 1, 2024. 

NIJ intends for the CERC at MSIs to be a multi-year initiative, with an initial investment of 

up to $1 million, and potential supplements during the period of performance. 

Subsequent funding would be contingent upon appropriated funds, any modifications or 

additional requirements that may be imposed by the agency or by law, and the progress 

the grantee makes in establishing the Center. 

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables 

Goals 

The primary goals of this solicitation are to (1) enhance the competitiveness of MSI 

research institutions and organizations, (2) increase the probability of long-term growth of 

research funding to investigators at MSIs, and (3) increase the pool of MSI researchers 

and graduates who are engaged in providing science-based solutions to problems 

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relevant to criminal and juvenile justice policy and practice in the United States. 

Objectives 

This solicitation seeks to fund a Center that will serve as a national resource to enhance 

research capacity at MSIs. The Center will strengthen science and advance justice by 

providing high-quality TTA that increases knowledge building. The Center will also 

expand infrastructure, resources, and service delivery to secure, manage, and execute 

research grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts. Similarly, the Center will offer 

consultation, promote peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and facilitate outreach within 

and among MSIs. Ultimately, the Center will help to grow scholars engaged in crime and 

justice research at MSIs. 

Deliverables 

Interim Deliverables 

Under this award, which NIJ intends to make as a grant, NIJ expects the award recipient 

to provide the interim deliverables indicated below. 

1. Project startup meeting. NIJ will host a virtual meeting for the awardee to present an

overview of their proposed project for discussion to review the tasks, timeline, partners,

and other final protocol decisions. Draft presentation materials (PowerPoint slides and/or

handouts) from the awardee are suggested.

2. Monthly meetings. The awardee will host monthly meetings with NIJ to discuss the

status of the Center, progress to date, any challenges encountered, and how those

issues were/are being addressed.

3. An outreach plan that provides insight from a diversity of MSIs on challenges and

barriers to securing research funding from federal, state, and non-governmental

organizations. This could include information gathered from site visits and listening

sessions with MSIs and other relevant stakeholders.

The award recipient will deliver a final, approved electronic outreach plan to NIJ six 

months from the cooperative agreement award date. The plan will be a living document 

and updated by the grantee throughout the period of performance. At the project’s end 

date, a detailed listing of all outreach activities and the fully executed and approved 

outreach plan must be submitted as a final deliverable. 

4. Needs assessments of participating MSIs that address the four primary aims of the

solicitation.

Build and enhance research infrastructure across disciplines. 

Encourage research collaborations with scholars. 

Enable and support research and development. 

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Strengthen elements of sustainability and continuity. 

The award recipient will electronically deliver all needs assessments conducted 

under the award as a final deliverable at the end of the performance period. 

5. TTA capacity building strategy. The award recipient will deliver a draft TTA capacity

building strategy at the end of Year 1. The strategy, developed in consultation with the

MSIs who will receive TTA, will be a living document and updated by the grantee

throughout the period of performance. At the project’s end date, the fully executed and

approved TTA capacity building strategy must be submitted as a final deliverable.

6. TTA delivery and performance measures. The award recipient will deliver a draft TTA

delivery plan with performance measures no later than 18 months post award. The TTA

plan with performance measures will be a living document and updated by the award

recipient throughout the period of performance. At the project’s end date, the approved

and fully executed TTA plan with performance measures must be submitted as a final

deliverable.

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

a final report on the program, service delivery, participant feedback, lessons learned, 

etc., to meet the solicitation goals and objectives. A detailed outline of the report will be 

developed in consultation with NIJ. 

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 show the completed work’s results, as discussed in the “Application and Submission 

Information” section. 

Priority Areas 

The Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and 

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racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted 

by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime 

and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community. 

1. Priority Considerations Supporting Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial

Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal

Government

In support of Executive Order 13985, OJP will give priority consideration to: 

Applicants that demonstrate that their capabilities and competencies for 

implementing their proposed project(s) are enhanced because they (or at least one 

proposed subrecipient that will receive at least 40% of the requested award 

funding, as demonstrated in the Budget Web-Based Form) identify as a culturally 

specific organization. To receive this additional priority consideration, applicants 

must describe how being a culturally specific organization (or funding the culturally 

specific subrecipient organization(s)) will enhance their ability to implement the 

proposed project(s) and should also specify which populations are intended or 

expected to be served or to have their needs addressed under the proposed project 

(s). 

Culturally specific organizations are defined for the purposes of this solicitation as 

private nonprofit or tribal organizations whose primary purpose as a whole is to 

provide culturally specific services to racial and ethnic groups, including, among 

others, Black people, Hispanic and Latino people, Native American and other 

Indigenous peoples of North America (including Alaska Native, Eskimo, and Aleut), 

Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and/or Pacific Islanders. 

2. NIJ will give special consideration in award decisions to proposals for which a

Minority Serving Institution (MSI) is the lead applicant.

Minority-Serving Institutions include: 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) 

Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI) 

Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) 

Alaska Native-serving Institutions or Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions 

(ANNH) 

Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) 

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 

(AANAPISI) 

Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI) 

Whether an institution is determined to be minority-serving is based on the original 

purpose of its establishment or its current enrollment thresholds and is designated 

as such by the federal government. For more information, please see the U.S. 

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Department of Education's definitions and lists of eligible post-secondary 

institutions. (The lists are provided for reference purposes only. MSI status is not an 

eligibility criterion for this solicitation.) 

Note: Addressing this priority area is one of many factors that NIJ considers in making 

funding decisions. Receiving priority consideration for this priority area does not 

guarantee an award. 

Federal Award Information 

Solicitation Categories 

This solicitation does not include Solicitation Categories. 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 

Anticipated Number of Awards 

1 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 

$1,000,000.00 

Period of Performance Duration (Months) 

60 

Period of Performance Start Date 

9/1/24 

Anticipated Total Amount to be 

Awarded Under Solicitation 

$1,000,000.00 

Additional Information 

Please see Anticipated Number of 

Awards, Anticipated Maximum Dollar 

Amount of Awards, and Period of 

Performance Duration sections below. 

Continuation Funding Intent 

NIJ may, in certain cases, 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 the 

award-funded work’s progress, when making continuation award decisions. 

Availability of Funds 

This solicitation, and awards under this solicitation, are subject to the availability of 

appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be 

imposed by the agency or by law. In addition, nothing in this solicitation is intended to, 

and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or 

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in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its 

officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. 

Type of Award 

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. 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

Award recipients and subrecipients (including recipients or subrecipients that are passthrough 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. See the

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information.

Budget Information 

The applicant should identify within their budget which items, services, etc., will/would be 

covered by matching sources and explain what type of match will be provided. 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 

See “Cofunding” paragraph under “Budget and Associated Documentation” in the 

“Application and Submission Information” section. 

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

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on pre-agreement costs 

(also known as pre-award costs). 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: Waiver 

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

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Anticipated Number of Awards 

The total number of awards NIJ expects to make will be determined by the number of 

applications received and their merit as well as the availability of funding. 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 

The maximum dollar amount for each award will 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 Duration 

Successful applicants will be expected to complete the work proposed within a five-year 

period of performance. 

Additional Budget and Funding Consideration 

If an applicant is not an MSI, applicants that demonstrate that their capabilities and 

competencies for implementing the proposed Center are enhanced because they (or at 

least one proposed subrecipient that will receive at least 40% of the requested award 

funding, as demonstrated in the Budget Web-Based Form) identify as an MSI will receive 

special consideration. 

Note: Addressing this priority area is one of many factors that NIJ considers in making 

funding decisions. Receiving priority consideration for this priority area does not 

guarantee an award. 

Eligibility Information 

For eligibility information, see the solicitation cover page. 

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see the “Federal Award 

Information” section. 

For the 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.) 

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Notice regarding law enforcement agencies: 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 2023 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 

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

the Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, the 

Implementation Fact Sheet, and the List of Designated Independent Credentialing 

Bodies. 

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

profit or management fee. 

Application and Submission Information 

Content of Application Submission 

The following application elements must be included in the application to meet the basic 

minimum requirements to advance to peer review and receive consideration for funding: 

Proposal Narrative 

Budget Web-Based Form (The web-based form includes the budget details 

and the budget narrative.) 

Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel. (For purposes of this 

solicitation, “key personnel” means the principal investigator, and any and all 

co-principal investigators.) 

If NIJ determines that an application does not include these elements, it will neither 

proceed to peer review, nor receive further consideration. 

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

Grants.gov 

The SF-424 must be submitted in Grants.gov. It 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. 

In Section 8F of the SF-424, please include the name and contact information of the 

individual who will complete the application in JustGrants. JustGrants will use this 

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information (email address) to assign the application to this user in JustGrants. 

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

Executive Order (E.O.) 12372. (In completing the SF-424, an applicant is to answer 

question 19 by selecting “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 prepopulated with the SF-424 data submitted in Grants.gov. The applicant will need to 

review the Standard Applicant Information in JustGrants and make edits as needed. 

Within this section, the applicant will need to add ZIP codes for areas affected by the 

project; confirm their Authorized Representative; and verify and confirm the 

organization’s unique entity identifier, legal name, and address. 

Proposal Abstract 

A Proposal Abstract (no more than 400 words) summarizing the proposed project — 

including its purpose, primary activities, expected outcomes, the service area, intended 

beneficiaries, and subrecipients (if known) — must be completed in the JustGrants webbased form. This abstract should be in paragraph form without bullets or tables, written in 

the third person, and exclude personally identifiable information. Abstracts will be made 

publicly available on the OJP and USASpending.gov websites if the project is awarded. 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for an example of a proposal abstract. 

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 font; have no 

less than 1-inch margins; and should not exceed 20 numbered pages. If the Proposal 

Narrative fails to comply with these length restrictions, NIJ may consider such 

noncompliance in peer review and in the final award decision. 

The Proposal Narrative should include the following sections: 

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. 

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Requests for consideration under “priority area of research”. 

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 and any co-principal or 

co-investigators. 

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

d. Main Body 

1. Statement of the Problem 

Describe the MSIs to be served including which institutions, racial and ethnic 

composition, and geographical location. 

Describe the process for facilitating intentional, coordinated, and missiondriven efforts to improve research infrastructure and research and 

development at MSIs. 

Describe the challenges and barriers in filling these gaps. 

Describe how the Center will alleviate the problem or barriers. 

2. Project Design and Implementation 

The applicant must demonstrate a clear link between the proposed activities and 

the need identified in the “Statement of the Problem” section above. This section 

must include: 

The methods the applicant proposes to use to accomplish each of the 

objectives and tasks outlined in the solicitation. 

The technical approach for working with MSIs, key partners, and stakeholders 

who will assist in implementing this project. 

A complete description of all required and proposed deliverables and the 

methods for their distribution. 

An inventory of TTA modes of delivery, such as teleconferences, webinars, 

peer-to-peer consultations, and onsite and offsite technical assistance 

(phone, email, and publications). 

A plan to assess and deliver TTA. 

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Applicants may propose other items/deliverables in addition to the ones listed in the 

solicitation and should provide detailed information on those items, if applicable. 

3. Potential Impact 

Applicants should describe the potential impact of the Center 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 products and to make information available to MSIs 

and broader interested audiences, such as criminal justice practitioners or 

policymakers. 

4. Capabilities and Competencies 

This section must include: 

A list of key personnel responsible for managing and implementing the Center 

that contains a timeline and project task plan that identifies: 

Major tasks and deliverables. 

Who is responsible for each activity. 

Substantive expertise and experience in performing the duties assigned. 

Job descriptions and copies of CVs or resumes for proposed key staff 

positions who will manage or otherwise be involved in the project should be 

included as a separate attachment, not subject to the program narrative page 

limitation. 

Detailed accounting of the applicant organization’s ability to perform the work 

on a national scale. 

Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization that 

connects to the goals and objectives of the project. Among other factors, that plan 

should include a description of the anticipated level of effort of key personnel. 

If the applicant is seeking priority consideration under Priority 1, it should describe 

within this section how being a culturally specific organization (or funding a 

culturally specific subrecipient organization at a minimum of 40% of the project 

budget) will enhance its ability to implement the proposed project(s) and which 

culturally specific populations are intended or expected to be the subject and/or 

beneficiary of the research conducted under the proposed project(s). 

5. Appendices (not counted against the proposal 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 

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administrative requirements the applicant also must list the entities with which 

the applicant proposes to contract. 

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

application has been submitted (if applicable). 

6. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for this Solicitation’s Performance

Measures

Note: An applicant is not required to submit performance data with the application. 

Rather, performance measure information is included as a notification that award 

recipients will be required to submit performance data as part of each award’s 

reporting requirements. Some measures are presented as examples, while others 

are the exact measures that every recipient will be expected to address. 

OJP will require each award recipient to submit regular performance data that show 

the completed work’s results. The performance data directly relate to the goals, 

objectives, and deliverables identified in the “Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables” 

discussion. Applicants can visit OJP’s performance measurement page at 

www.ojp.gov/performance for an overview of performance measurement activities 

at OJP. 

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found in the 

‘Performance Measures’ section below. 

NIJ will require award recipients to submit performance measure data in quarterly 

financial reports, semi-annual performance reports, and the final research in JustGrants. 

NIJ will provide further guidance on the post-award submission process if the applicant is 

selected for award. 

Goal, Objective and Deliverables 

The applicant will submit the project's goals, objectives, deliverables and timeline in the 

JustGrants web-based form. The applicant will also enter the projected fiscal year and 

quarter that each objective and deliverable will be completed. Please refer to the 

Application Submission Job Aid for step-by-step directions. 

Goals. The applicant should describe the project’s intent to change, reduce, or eliminate 

the problem noted in the previous section and outline the project’s goals. 

Program Objectives. The applicant should explain how the program will accomplish its 

goals. Objectives are specific, quantifiable statements of the project’s desired results. 

They should be measurable and clearly linked to the goal. 

Deliverables. Project deliverables refer to outputs—tangible or intangible—that are 

submitted within the scope of a project. 

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Budget and Associated Documentation 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) 

The applicant will complete the JustGrants web-based budget form. For additional 

information, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide and the Complete the 

Application in JustGrants – Budget training. 

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. 

If the applicant is seeking priority consideration under Priority 1 based on the 

identification of at least one proposed subrecipient as a culturally specific organization, 

the proposed funding for the subrecipient in the web-based budget form must reflect a 

minimum of 40% of award funding. The budget narrative must also describe how the 

activities that will be funded with the (minimum) 40% of award funding provided to the 

subrecipient specifically relate to the priority consideration requested and described 

in the Capabilities and Competencies section of the application. 

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

See the section on Costs Requiring Prior Approval in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide 

Post Award Requirements for more information. 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

If applicable, the applicant will upload their indirect cost rate agreement as an attachment 

in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for more information on 

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indirect costs. 

Consultant Rate 

See the DOJ Grants Financial Guide for information on the consultant rates which 

require prior approval from OJP. 

Limitation on Employee Compensation; Waiver 

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

of Award Funds for Employee Compensation for Awards over $250,000; Waiver. 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status) 

The applicant will download the questionnaire, complete it, and upload it as an 

attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for the link to 

the questionnaire and additional information. 

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation 

This solicitation expressly modifies the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide by not 

incorporating its “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” 

provisions. Applicants to this solicitation are not required to provide this disclosure. 

Additional Application Components 

The applicant will attach the additional requested documentation in JustGrants. 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes 

Provide curriculum vitae or resume of the principal investigator and any and all coprincipal 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 

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of tribal authorizing 

documentation as an attachment. If applicable, the applicant will upload the tribal 

authorizing documentation as an attachment in JustGrants. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for information on tribal authorizing resolutions. 

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Timeline Form 

Proposed project timeline and expected milestones. 

Letters of Support 

Letters of cooperation/support10 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. The 

applicant will upload documentation of its research and evaluation independence and 

integrity as an attachment in JustGrants. For additional information, see the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide. 

Bibliography/reference 

Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Proposal Narrative. 

Any Tools/Instruments, Questionnaires, Tables/Charts/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 as a separate attachment (documentation and 

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forms related to Institutional Review Board [IRB] review). See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/ 

human-subjects-protection. Note: Final IRB approval is not required at the time an 

application is submitted. 

Privacy Certificate 

Privacy Certificate as a separate file (for further guidance go to 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/confidentiality-and-privacy-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-costs-and-incentives-social-science-research. 

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 archiving with the NACJD. See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/data-archiving. 

Applications should include as a separate file 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 all 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 deidentification 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. 

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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 

The applicant will address the following disclosures and assurances. 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

Complete and submit the SF-LLL in Grants.gov. Once the applicant submits in 

Grants.gov, this information will pre-pend into JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide for additional information. 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 

Review and accept the DOJ Certified Standard Assurances in JustGrants. See the OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 

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; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and 

Community Policing 

Review and accept the DOJ Certified Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, 

Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law 

Enforcement and Community Policing. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide

 for additional information. 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees 

If applicable, submit the DOJ High Risk Disclosure and Justification as an attachment in 

JustGrants. A DOJ High Risk Grantee is an award recipient that has received a DOJ 

High Risk designation based on a documented history of unsatisfactory performance; 

financial instability; management system or other internal control deficiencies; 

noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards or is otherwise not 

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

How to Apply 

Registration: Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the 

System for Award Management (SAM). You must renew and validate your registration 

every 12 months. If you do not renew your SAM registration, it will expire. An expired 

registration can delay or prevent application submission in Grants.gov and 

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JustGrants. Registration and renewal can take up to 10 business days to complete. 

Submission: Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step 

process via Grants.gov and JustGrants. 

Step 1: After registering with SAM, the applicant must submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in 

Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html by the Grants.gov 

deadline. Submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 48 

hours before the Grants.gov deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov, 

they will be unable to apply in JustGrants. 

Step 2: The applicant must then submit the full application, including attachments, in 

JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants deadline. 

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in 

Section 8F of the SF-424 will receive an email from DDIAMD-NoReply@usdoj.gov with 

instructions on how to create a JustGrants account. Register the Entity Administrator and 

the Application Submitter with JustGrants as early as possible but no later than 48-72 

hours before the JustGrants deadline. Once registered in JustGrants, the Application 

Submitter will receive an emailed link to complete the rest of the application in 

JustGrants. The Entity Administrator also will need to log into JustGrants to review and 

invite the applicant’s Authorized Representative(s) before an application can be 

submitted. 

Submit the complete application package in JustGrants at least 24 – 48 hours prior to the 

JustGrants deadline. Some of the application components will be entered directly into 

JustGrants, and others will require uploading attached documents. Therefore, applicants 

will need to allow ample time before the JustGrants deadline to prepare each component. 

Applicants may save their progress in the system and revise the application as needed 

prior to hitting the Submit button at the end of the application in JustGrants. 

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

Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Submission Dates and Time 

The SF-424 and the SF-LLL must be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. eastern 

time on December 4, 2023. 

The full application must be submitted in JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. eastern time on 

December 18, 2023. 

OJP urges applicants to submit their Grants.gov and JustGrants submissions prior to the 

due dates with sufficient time to correct any errors and resubmit by the submission 

deadlines if a rejection notification is received. To be considered timely, the full 

application must be submitted in JustGrants by the JustGrants application deadline. 

Failure to begin the SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants registration process in sufficient 

time (i.e., waiting until the date identified in this solicitation) is not an acceptable reason 

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for late submission. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

OJP will only consider requests to submit an application after the deadline when the 

applicant can document that a technical issue with a government system prevented 

application submission. 

If an applicant misses a deadline due to unforeseen technical issues with SAM.gov, 

Grants.gov, or JustGrants, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application 

after the deadline. However, the waiver request will not be considered unless it includes 

a tracking number generated when the applicant contacts the applicable service desks to 

report technical difficulties. Tracking numbers are generated automatically when an 

applicant emails the applicable service desks; and for this reason applicants are 

encouraged to email the appropriate service desk, even if they also intend to call the 

service desk for phone support. Experiencing wait times for phone support does not 

relieve the applicant of the responsibility of getting a tracking number. 

An applicant experiencing technical difficulties must contact the associated service desk 

indicated below to report the technical issue and receive a tracking number: 

SAM.gov - contact the SAM Help Desk (Federal Service Desk), Monday – Friday 

from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET at 866-606-8220. 

Grants.gov - contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week, except on federal holidays, at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, or 

support@grants.gov. 

JustGrants - contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 

JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833-872-5175, Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 

p.m. ET and Saturday, Sunday, and Federal holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

If an applicant has technical issues with SAM.gov or Grants.gov, the applicant must 

contact the OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the 

Grants.gov deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline. 

If an applicant has technical issues with JustGrants that prevent application submission 

by the deadline, the applicant must contact the OJP Response Center at 

grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the JustGrants deadline to request approval to 

submit after the deadline. 

Waiver requests sent to the OJP Response Center must -

describe the technical difficulties experienced, 

include a timeline of the applicant's submission efforts (e.g., date and time the error 

occurred, date and time of actions taken to resolve the issue and resubmit; and 

date and time support representatives responded), 

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include an attachment of the complete grant application and all the required 

documentation and materials, 

include the applicant's Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and 

include any SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants Service Desk tracking numbers 

documenting the technical issue. 

OJP will review each waiver request and the required supporting documentation and 

notify the applicant whether the request for late submission has been approved or 

denied. An applicant that does not provide documentation of a technical issue or 

that does not submit a waiver request within the required time period will be denied. 

For more details on the waiver process, OJP encourages applicants to review the 

“Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues” section in the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide. 

Application Review Information 

Review Criteria 

Merit Review Criteria 

Applications that meet the basic minimum requirements will be evaluated by peer 

reviewers on how the proposed project/program addresses the following criteria: 

Statement of the Problem (understanding of the problem) (20%) 

Demonstrated understanding of the problem(s). 

Documented the importance of goals and objectives, including alignment with the 

aims of the solicitation. 

Exhibited comprehension of the population and communities to be served. 

Responsiveness to the solicitation. 

Project Design and Implementation (quality and technical merit) (45%) 

Feasibility of proposed project. 

Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the 

stated aim(s) of the proposed project. 

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. 

Capabilities and Competencies (capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience 

of the applicant organization and proposed project staff) (20%) 

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Detailed listings of the qualifications, expertise, and experience of proposed project 

staff (i.e., all investigators, regardless of status, senior staff, and other staff [or 

organization] with 50% or more project commitment) who will be significantly 

involved in substantive aspects of the proposed project. This includes documenting 

the relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff 

(including the applicant organization[s]) and the scope and strategies of the 

proposed project. 

Thorough management plan or organizational chart showing the roles and 

responsibilities of proposed staff, including how tasks will be subdivided and 

supervised. 

Illustrative documentation of the applicant organization's capabilities and strategies 

to manage and support the effort. 

Executed letters of agreement, support, or commitment that detail terms of 

collaboration, level of responsibility, and type of support or resources to be 

provided. 

Potential Impact (10%) 

Potential for significantly expanding and diversifying the SBS and STEM workforce, 

leading to better criminal and juvenile justice research. 

Potential for significantly improving MSIs’ research enterprise infrastructure to 

secure, manage, and execute research grants, cooperative agreements, and 

contracts. 

Potential for innovative solutions to address MSIs’ challenges and barriers to 

conducting research and development on criminal and juvenile justice issues. 

Strength and feasibility of the proposed dissemination plan to produce products for 

MSIs, such as training materials, guides, toolkits, and published peer-reviewed 

journal articles, databases, or similar scientific products. 

Capability of project activities translating into actionable information to promote 

change in the field. 

Budget (5%) 

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. 

Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort. 

Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

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Other Review Criteria/Factors 

Other important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity, strategic priorities 

(specifically including, but not limited to, those priority areas already mentioned, if 

applicable), available funding, past performance, and the extent to which the Budget 

Web-Based Form accurately explains 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 the 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 review criteria listed above. 

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

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

common requirements applicable to all OJP solicitations: 

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. 

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 entity. 

Among other things to help assess whether an applicant with one or more prior federal 

awards has a satisfactory record of performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP 

checks whether the applicant entity 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 entity 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 its organization that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal 

awarding agency. OJP will consider such comments by the applicant, in addition to the 

other information in FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by the applicant entity. 

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

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(NIJ), 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 

Generally, award notifications are made by the end of the current Federal fiscal year, 

September 30th. 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 

OJP-approved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions and all 

applicable requirements of federal statutes and regulations, including the 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 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 

more information. 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements 

In addition to the deliverables described in the “Program Description” section, all award 

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

Required Reports. Award recipients typically must submit quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual research performance progress reports, final financial and 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 

post-award reporting requirements, including performance measure data. 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For questions directed to the Federal Awarding Agency, see OJP Response Center 

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contact information on cover page. 

For OJP contact(s), contact information for Grants.gov, and contact information for 

JustGrants, see the solicitation cover page. 

Other Information 

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 the 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. 

Performance Measures 

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides 

Establish a Center that 1. Relevance to the needs of 1. Quarterly financial

serves as a national the field as measured by reports, semi-annual and 

resource to enhance whether the project’s final performance reports, 

research capacity at substantive scope did not and products of the work 

MSIs that will deviate from the funded performed under the NIJ 

strengthen science project or any subsequent award (including, at 

and advance justice in agency-approved minimum, a final research 

the United States. modifications to the scope. 

2. Provision of high-quality

TTA that increases

knowledge building.

Expansion of infrastructure,

resources, and service

delivery to secure, manage,

and execute research

grants, cooperative

agreements, and contracts.

Conduct consultation,

promote peer-to-peer

learning opportunities and

report). If applicable, an 

annual audit report. 

2. List of deliverables and

citation(s) to products that

resulted, in whole or in part,

from work funded under the

NIJ award.

3. If applicable, each data

set that resulted, in whole or

in part, from work funded

under the NIJ award.

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facilitate outreach within and 

among MSIs. Tracking and 

evaluating delivered TTA. 

Increase scholars engaged 

in crime and justice research 

at MSIs. 

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. 

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Application Checklist 

NIJ FY23 Center for Enhancing Research Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving 

Institutions (MSIs) 

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

more information, reference the OJP Application Submission Steps in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Pre-Application 

Before Registering in Grants.gov: 

Acquire or renew your Entity’s System Award Management (SAM) Registration 

Information (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Register in Grants.gov 

Acquire an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and a Grants.gov 

username and password (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) (see 

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Find the Funding Opportunity 

Search for the funding opportunity in Grants.gov using the opportunity number, assistance listing number, or keyword(s) 

Access the funding opportunity and application package (see Step 7 in the 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, and reporting 

available at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/iii-postawardrequirements#6g3y8 (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Review the Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements 

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

and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2023 Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource 

Center. 

Review the Scope Requirement 

The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s) of $1,000,000. 

Review Eligibility Requirement: 

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Review the Eligibility section on the cover page and Eligibility Information section in 

the solicitation. 

~~~~ 

Application Step 1 

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

In Section 8F of the SF-424, include the name and contact information of the 

individual who will complete the application in JustGrants and the SF-LLL in

Grants.gov 

Within 48 hours after the SF-424 and SF-LLL submission in Grants.gov, receive four (4) Grants.gov email notifications: 

a submission receipt 

a validation receipt 

a grantor agency retrieval receipt 

an agency tracking number assignment 

If no Grants.gov receipt and validation email is received, or if error notifications are 

received: 

Contact OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov or 800-851-3420 or TTY: 

301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only) or Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 

800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, Grants.gov customer support, or 

support@grants.gov regarding technical difficulties (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in 

Section 8F of the SF-424 will receive an email from JustGrants with login instructions. 

Proceed to Application Step 2 and complete application in JustGrants 

Application Step 2 

Submit the following information in JustGrants: 

Application Components 

Standard Applicant information (SF-424 information from Grants.gov) 

Proposal Abstract 

Proposal Narrative* 

Budget and Associated Documentation 

Budget Web-Based form* 

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

Guide) 

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O-NIJ-2023-171879 
Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Disclosure of Process related to Executive Compensation (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 

Request and Justification for Employee Compensation; Waiver (if applicable) (see 

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes* 

Timeline Form 

Letters of Support 

Bibliography/reference 

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

List of Individuals 

Human Subjects 

Privacy Certificate 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 

Consortium/Contractual Arrangements 

Data Archiving 

Disclosures and Assurances 

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

Guide) 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items (see OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide) 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances (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) 

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Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees (if applicable) 

(see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

*Note: Items designated with an asterisk must be submitted for an application to

meet the basic minimum requirements review. If OJP determines that an

application does not include the designated items, it will neither proceed to peer

review, nor receive further consideration. 

Review, Certify and Submit Application in JustGrants 

Any validation errors will immediately display on screen after submission. 

Correct validation errors, if necessary, and then return to the “Certify and Submit” 

screen to submit the application. Access the Application Submission Validation 

Errors Quick Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions to resolve errors prior to 

submission. 

Once the application is submitted and validated, a confirmation message will appear at the top of the page. Users will also receive a notification in the “bell” 

alerts confirming submission. 

If no JustGrants application submission confirmation email or validation is received, or if 

error notification is received: 

Contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or 

JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov regarding technical difficulties. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

Standard Solicitation Resources 

OJP Grant Application Resource Guide provides guidance to assist OJP grant applicants 

in preparing and submitting applications for OJP funding. 

DOJ Grants Financial Guide serves as the primary reference manual to assist award 

recipients in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard grant funds and to ensure 

funds are used for the purposes for which they were awarded. It compiles a variety of 

laws, rules and regulations that affect the financial and administrative management of 

DOJ awards. This guide serves as a starting point for all award recipients and 

subrecipients of DOJ grants and cooperative agreements in ensuring the effective dayto-day management of awards. 

JustGrants Resources Website is an entryway into information about JustGrants and the 

grants management system itself. Through this portal both award recipients and 

applicants can access training resource and user support options, find frequently asked 

questions and sign-up for the JustGrants Update e-newsletter. 

JustGrants Application Submission Training Page offers helpful information and 

resources on the application process. This training page includes e-learning videos, 

reference guides, checklists and other resources to help applicants complete an 

application. 

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Virtual Q&A Sessions are advertised here and provide opportunities for users to receive 

topic-specific training, direct technical assistance and support on JustGrants system 

functionality. 

Endnotes 

[1] For a list of MSIs, see the U.S. Department of Education’s index and hyperlinks of

higher education institutions enrolling populations with significant percentages of

undergraduate minority students or that serve specific populations of minority students

under various programs created by Congress at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/

ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html.

[2] On February 7, 2012, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

(PCAST) released its report “Engage to Excel: Producing One Million Additional College

Graduates with Degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.” The

report provides a strategy for improving STEM education, particularly during the first two

years of college. To encourage students to pursue STEM degrees, PCAST recommends

strengthening partnerships between high school and college, between two- and four-year 

colleges, and partnerships involving minority-serving institutions. Many in the private

sector actively support STEM efforts in high schools, colleges, and universities, and

strengthening these partnerships would greatly affect student learning.

[3] In December 2018, the OSTP, NSTC’s CoSTEM, released a document representing

the Federal Government’s five-year strategic plan for STEM education. Beyond guiding

Federal activities and investments, it was intended to serve as a guide for the broader

community to help achieve the goals, pathways, and objectives within this plan.

[4] Released on January 20, 2021, Executive Order 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and

Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government directs federal

agencies to evaluate whether their policies produce racially inequitable results when

implemented and to make the necessary changes to ensure underserved communities

are properly supported.

[5] Released on May 28, 2021, Executive Order 14031: Advancing Equity, Justice, and

Opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders establish a

White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, as

well as a Presidential Advisory Commission, both of which aim to advance equity, justice, 

and opportunity among these groups.

[6] Released on September 3, 2021, Executive Order 14041: White House Initiative on

Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through

Historically Black Colleges and Universities was established to advance equity in

economic and educational opportunities for all Americans, including Black Americans,

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strengthen the capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to 

provide the highest-quality education, increase opportunities for these institutions to 

participate in and benefit from Federal programs, and ensure that HBCUs can continue 

to be engines of opportunity. 

[7] Released on September 13, 2021, Executive Order 14045: White House Initiative on 

Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics will 

enable Hispanic and Latino students to reach their highest potential through the Nation’s 

schools and institutions of higher education and ensure long-term success of Hispanic 

and Latino communities. 

[8] Released on October 11, 2021, Executive Order 14049: White House Initiative on 

Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native 

Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities aims to advance equity, 

excellence, and justice in the Nation's education system and to further Tribal selfgovernance, by supporting activities that expand educational opportunities and improve 

educational outcomes for all Native American students. The Initiative will help to increase 

opportunities for Native American students to learn their Native languages, histories, and 

cultural practices; promote indigenous learning using traditional ecological knowledge; 

and enhance access to complete and competitive educations that prepare Native 

American students for college, careers, and productive lives. This includes supporting 

educational opportunities for students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities. 

[9] Released on October 19, 2021, Executive Order 14050: White House Initiative on 

Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black 

Americans aims to eliminate disparities within the Nation’s education system that 

preclude Black students from achieving their full potential, and to prevent workplace 

inequities that hinder Black Americans from obtaining good jobs, living wages, 

promotions, and impedes their financial advancement. 

[10] Letters require a wet signature, e-signature, or digital signature. Letters submitted 

without a valid signature will be considered invalid. 

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