Notices regarding the solicitation “Tribal-Researcher 

Capacity-Building Grants Solicitation, 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 1, 2021: NIJ has extended both deadlines for this solicitation to: 

Grants.gov Deadline: April 12, 2021 11:59 PM

Application JustGrants Deadline: April 26, 2021 11:59 PM

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 

Tribal-Researcher Capacity-Building Grants 

Solicitation, Fiscal Year 2021 

Assistance Listing Number # 

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: 

Solicitation Release Date: 

Version: 

Grants.gov Deadline: 

Application JustGrants Deadline: 

16.560 

O-NIJ-2021-45008

December 28, 2021 12:54 PM 

2

April 12, 2021 11:59 PM 

April 26, 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 to fund new tribal-researcher capacity-building planning 

grants involving scientists working with tribal nations and organizations to develop tangible 

and mutually beneficial criminal or juvenile justice research studies that are rigorous and 

culturally appropriate. This project 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 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008
For purposes of this solicitation, the term “State” means any State of the United States, 

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

American Samoa, Guam, and 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 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@u 

sdoj.gov. 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 Nation 

al Criminal Justice Reference Service Response Center (Response Center) at grants@ncjrs.g 

ov 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. 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008
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. 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
Contents 

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

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

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

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

Specific Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

OJP Policy Priority Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

Federal Award Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Awards, Amounts and Durations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Continuation Funding Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Availability of Funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 

Types of Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Budget Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: Waiver .12 

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

Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Period of Performance Duration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Eligibility Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

Application and Submission Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 

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) .13 

Information) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Proposal Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Proposal Narrative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 

Budget and Associated Documentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) . . . . . . . . . .16 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

high-risk status) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Additional Application Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Timeline Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

Letters of Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement . . . . . . .17 

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. 

Bibliography/reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/chart/graphs, or maps . . . .18 

List of Individuals in the Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Human Subjects Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Privacy Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Project Management Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Consortium/Contractual Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Data Archiving Plan (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 

Documentation of Rural Challenges (if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

(if applicable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 

Disclosures and Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 

Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements . .20 

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

How to Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Submission Dates and Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Application Review Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Review Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 

Review Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 

Federal Award Administration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Federal Award Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements . . . . . . . .23 

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements .23 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 

552a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 

Provide Feedback to OJP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 

Performance Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 

Application Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 

Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008
Program Description 

Overview 

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks applications to fund new tribal-researcher capacity-building 

planning grants involving scientists working with tribal nations and organizations to develop 

tangible and mutually beneficial criminal or juvenile justice research studies that are rigorous 

and culturally appropriate. Research proposals must be tribally driven and address the 

challenges of fighting crime and strengthening justice systems in Indian country and Alaska 

Native villages. 

Statutory Authority 

Any awards under this solicitation would be made under statutory authority provided by 

a full-year appropriations act for FY 2021. As of the writing of this solicitation, the 

Department of Justice is operating under a short-term "Continuing Resolution;" no fullyear appropriation for the Department has been enacted for FY 2021. 

Specific Information 

Public safety in tribal communities encompasses a broad set of unique issues and 

considerations warranting further investigation to ensure responses to these issues are most 

beneficial to tribes. As the research, evaluation, and development arm of the U.S. Department 

of Justice, NIJ has actively built a research and evaluation portfolio that addresses these 

unique issues. At the same time, NIJ is also devoted to building research and evaluation 

capacity with and for indigenous communities by supporting the creation of sustainable 

research partnerships between scientists and tribal nations and organizations. In doing so, 

NIJ is committed to ethical and engaged efforts in line with responsible research conduct and 

federal trust responsibilities that are mindful and respectful of tribal sovereignty. 

Through this solicitation, NIJ will provide small planning grants to fund applicants to develop 

new and innovative criminal and juvenile justice research studies involving federally 

recognized tribes and tribally based organizations representing a new tribal-researcher 

investigator partnership.[1] NIJ defines a new partnership as a newly developed partnership

where a relationship did not previously exist. NIJ will not consider applications that do not 

involve a new tribal-researcher investigative partnership (i.e., a pre-existing partnership or 

project continuation). 

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. 

Under this solicitation, planning grant funding can cover costs associated with: 

Engaging and conferring with tribal nations on criminal and juvenile justice 

research, development, testing (e.g., technology), and evaluation aimed to 

improve public safety in tribal communities. 

Establishing new tribal nation and tribal program partnerships and participation 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008
(e.g., technical and factual presentations to tribal leadership or governing bodies, 

including those requested by a tribe in connection with its process for providing its 

authorization [through tribal resolution or other appropriate documentation] to 

participate in a future research or evaluation project; obtaining participatory 

agreements; and securing tribal institutional review board [IRB] approvals, if 

applicable). 

Developing research questions and study designs using community-based 

participatory research principles that involve the tribal partner in all aspects of the 

research process. 

Conducting pilot, feasibility, or evaluability assessment studies that may involve 

collecting preliminary research data and secondary data analysis in support of one 

of the grant’s deliverables. 

Applications received under this program have included planning projects investigating 

the following topical areas. 

The effectiveness of prevention and intervention programs, models, and practices 

to improve engagement with the justice system. 

Policies, procedures, protocols, training, and interventions that address tribal law 

enforcement safety. 

The reporting, investigation, and prosecution of cases involving child and elder 

abuse, neglect, and exploitation as well as, homicide, intimate partner and dating 

violence, sex trafficking, sexual violence, and stalking. 

The impact of concurrent criminal jurisdiction on the administration of justice in 

Indian country and Alaska Native villages. 

Models, policies, and practices that strengthen tribal justice systems. 

The effectiveness of the criminal justice response to combating the opioid crisis 

and, more broadly, the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs (e.g., 

methamphetamine, heroin, and other opioids including fentanyl, diverted 

pharmaceuticals, synthetic drugs, and analogs). 

The provision, role, and impact of forensic science services (including medicolegal 

death investigations), particularly related to violent crimes (e.g., assault, domestic 

violence, homicide, rape, sexual assault). 

Developing and testing tools and technologies to improve criminal justice policy 

and practice (e.g., unmanned aircraft systems, body-worn cameras, drugdetecting technology, location-based technology, digital devices, or applications, 

victim technology-based services). 

The period of performance for a planning grant under this program is limited to 18 

months and is not renewable. 

All applicants should be aware that under federal law, OJP may not award grant funds 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
to procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses “covered 

telecommunications equipment or services” as a substantial or essential component of 

any system, or as critical technology as part of any system. In general, with limited 

exceptions, “covered telecommunications equipment or services” includes 

telecommunications and video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided 

by a foreign entity that is specifically designated by statute, or designated by the federal 

government pursuant to statute. 

Applicants also should be aware that, in accordance with DOJ and OJP policy, and with 

few exceptions, OJP will prohibit use of award funds for unmanned aircraft systems 

(UAS), absent advance submission of specific documentation of protections in place for 

privacy, civil liberties, and public safety, and of mitigation of cybersecurity risks. In 

addition, OJP will bar use of award funds for the purchase or use of UAS made by 

certain foreign entities designated by DOJ. 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline 

Goals 

The solicitation’s primary goal is to build an increased capability to conduct rigorous research 

and evaluation projects in Indian country and Alaska Native villages through the promotion of 

engagement between scientists and tribal nations and organizations. 

Objectives 

The objective of this solicitation is to fund multiple planning grants for projects that address 

criminal justice issues in Indian country and Alaska Native villages and feature engagement 

between scientists and tribal nations and organizations. 

Deliverables 

Under this program, applicants who receive funding must submit two specific products to NIJ 

no later than the planning grant’s end date. 

1. A tribal-researcher investigator-initiated criminal or juvenile justice research or evaluation 

proposal. The research proposal must have the following sections: Title Page, Table of 

Contents and Figures, and a Program Narrative that describes in detail the statement of the 

problem and research questions, project design and implementation, potential impact, 

capabilities/competencies of proposed staff, and dissemination strategy. A budget shall also 

accompany the proposal along with executed tribal agreements (tribal resolution or executive 

order), partnership agreements (signed by the authorized legal representative), and tribal 

institutional review board or research review board letters of approval.[2] 

NIJ will internally peer review research proposals to assess their technical merit using the 

following criteria: Statement of the Problem and Research Questions (15%), Project Design 

and Implementation (50%), Potential Impact (20%), and Capabilities/Competencies of 

Proposed Staff (15%). Upon review, NIJ may ask grantees to submit an invited application for 

additional funding for research proposals assessed as scientifically rigorous developed during 

the planning grant’s period of performance. Funding of proposals depends on the peer 

review of the proposal, and other factors, including, but not limited to, the availability of 

appropriations. 

2. A tribal-researcher partnership report. The report should thoroughly capture the process 

and substance of the collaboration, including lessons learned, challenges and successes 

experienced, and overall reflections. The special report should also map out key issues that 

can help inform existing or future partnerships of a similar nature. 

Required Data Sets and Associated Files and Documentation. If applicable, any recipient of 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
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. 

For tribal nations with specific data access and ownership policies that prohibit or limit data 

archiving, NIJ expects the recipient of an award made under this solicitation to work with any 

participating or impacted tribe to ensure that an appropriate data sharing agreement is 

developed and implemented with the tribe that provides among other things a designated 

tribal entity (tribal council, tribal IRB, or analogous body) to review and approve data access 

requests (as applicable to the project). 

Technology Prototype: An exemplar of any algorithm, method, software development kit, and 

training data set resulting from research and development activities funded under this 

solicitation will be delivered to NIJ at the end of the award for third-party evaluation, along with 

detailed implementation instructions. Documentation must include descriptions of algorithmic 

development and approaches to data collection. 

NIJ also expects copies of products developed specifically for the tribal partner and/or tribal 

stakeholders (e.g., interim or final reports, presentations, newsletters/articles). 

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. 

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.gov/programssurveys/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 highpoverty 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 

/data-tables-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 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
Poverty Estimates (applicants may search by county at https://www.census.gov/data/tables/timeseries/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. 

Federal Award Information 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 

Anticipated Number of Awards 

5 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 

$150,000.00 

Period of Performance Start Date 

1/1/22 12:00 AM 

Period of Performance Duration (Months) 

18 

Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation 

$500,000.00 

Additional Information 

Maximum dollar amount for each award: NIJ grant award amounts for this solicitation 

will not exceed $150,000. Applicants are encouraged to propose budgets that match the 

research activities proposed. 

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 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 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
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. 

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 and/or being conducted on tribal lands 

that do not have an executed tribal resolution or executive order from the tribal 

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

Applications involving tribally based organizations that do not have a letter of 

commitment from the tribal organization’s authorized representative (i.e., tribal 

administrator/executive director) authorizing the partnership/project. 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
Applications that do not involve a new tribal-researcher investigative partnership 

(i.e., a pre-existing partnership or project continuation). 

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). 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: 

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 

The period of performance is 18 months and is not renewable. 

Eligibility Information 

For eligibility information, see the title page. 

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

Submission” in Application and Submission Information. 

Application and Submission Information 

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: 

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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.) 

Applications involving tribal governments or being conducted on tribal lands must 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. 

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 Executive 

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 

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 proposal 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 should be included as part of the proposal narrative: 

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

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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 “priority areas of research” areas. 

Key words, including forensic 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 and Research Questions. 

The statement of the problem should address the need for research on the unique 

tribal criminal justice issue or issues that the planning grant will address. 

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. As 

part of this discussion, applicants should present a review of previous literature 

and discuss previous research related to these problems. Applicants should 

include any relevant data, background, and any other information regarding the 

tribe or tribal organization to show the significance and importance of the issue or 

issues under consideration, using data pertinent to understanding the identified 

problem (e.g. statistics, research findings, other objective evidence, as 

appropriate). The statement of the problem should also demonstrate the 

applicant’s understanding of the complex justice system issues involving 

American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and the appropriate role of 

federal, tribal, state, and local agencies in addressing crime and victimization. 

2. Project Design and Implementation. 

Applicants should provide a detailed description of how they will implement the 

proposed project. This includes detailing each task and activity to be carried out 

during the period of performance. Applicants should address the feasibility of the 

proposed project and potential challenges or problems in carrying out the 

activities. This includes discussion of how the applicant will implement the new 

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
tribal-researcher partnership, if one has not already been established. If a specific 

research project has been agreed to with a tribal or tribal organization partner, 

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. 

3. Potential Impact. 

Applicants should describe the potential impact of research on the issue or issues 

proposed and how it may inform or improve criminal or juvenile justice-related 

policy, practice, or theory in the United States, specifically as it addresses the 

unique challenges of tribal communities. Where appropriate, the applicant should 

describe capacity, plans, and willingness to share successful approaches widely 

through various venues for broad diffusion of innovation. 

4. Capabilities and Competencies of Proposed Staff. 

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 (if any) and capacity working with federally recognized tribes or 

tribally based organizations and conducting similar research efforts. 

Experience in developing and implementing community-engaged research 

and evaluation projects. 

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. 

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

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O-NIJ-2021-45008 
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. 

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found on page 24. 

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

ance 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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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 (LOC/LOS) or administrative agreements from organizations 

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

LOC/LOS or administrative agreements do not supersede or equate to solicitation required 

tribal resolutions or executive orders. 

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. 

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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-privacy- protection. 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-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 planning grant 

activities, 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-scienceresearch. 

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 (if applicable) 

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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-plans-nij-fundingapplicants. 

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. 

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 

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) 

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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. 

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 control 

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

otherwise not responsible. 

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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

12, 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 26, 

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 and Research Questions (understanding of the problem) (15%)

Demonstrated understanding of the complex justice system issues involving 

American Indian and Alaska Native communities. 

Demonstrated understanding of the appropriate role of federal, tribal, state, and local agencies 

in addressing crime and victimization. 

Demonstrated importance of the proposed tribal criminal justice issue or issues under 

consideration, including alignment with the aims of the solicitation. 

Demonstrated awareness of the state of current research as it regards the proposed criminal 

justice issue or issues under consideration. 

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

Feasibility of proposed project. 

Soundness of the 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. 

Demonstrated understanding of the principles behind tribally driven research that results in 

tangible and mutually beneficial studies. 

Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation. 

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3. Capabilities and Competencies of Proposed Staff (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 impact of research on the issue or issues proposed and how it may 

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

the United States, specifically as it addresses the unique challenges of tribal 

communities. 

Where appropriate, the strength and feasibility of the applicant’s capacity, plans, and 

willingness to share successful approaches widely through various venues for broad diffusion 

of innovation 

4. 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 

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 

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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 

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 the 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, semiPage 23 of 28 

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annual 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 post-award 

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. 

Performance Measures 

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Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides 

Conduct research in social and 

behavioral sciences having 

clear implications for criminal 

justice policy and practice in the 

United States. 

Conduct research in science, 

technology, engineering, and/or 

mathematics having clear 

implications for criminal or 

juvenile justice policy and 

practice in the United States. 

1. Relevance to the needs of the field 

as measured by whether the 

project’s substantive scope did not 

deviate from the funded project or 

any subsequent agency-approved 

modifications to the scope. 

2. Quality of the research as 

demonstrated by the scholarly 

products that result in whole or in part 

from work funded under the NIJ 

award, such as published, peerreviewed, scientific journal articles, 

and/or (as appropriate for 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. 

1. Quarterly financial reports, semiannual and final progress reports, 

and products of the work performed 

under the NIJ award (including, at 

minimum, a final research report). If 

applicable, an annual audit report. 

2. List of citation(s) to all scholarly 

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. 

4. Description of all technologies 

fielded as a result (in whole or in 

part) of work funded under the NIJ 

award. 

Application Checklist 

Tribal-Researcher Capacity-Building Grants Solicitation, 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) 

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: 

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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) 

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 $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 

Private institutions of higher education 

For profit organizations other than small businesses 

Independent school districts 

Small businesses 

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

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

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: 

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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 13) 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (web-based form), (see page 16) 

Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel (see page 17) 

Executed tribal resolution, executive order, or letter of commitment from the tribal authorized 

representative. 

~~~ 

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) 

Proposal Abstract 

Proposal Narrative 

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) 

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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 

Endnotes 

[1] Under such an arrangement, the applicant research entity (or applicant researcher) may 

make sub-awards to tribal (or tribal organization) partners that would participate in the funded 

project. 

[2] The research proposal should not exceed 30 double-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-

inch margins. If included in the main body of the program narrative, tables, charts, figures, and 

other illustrations count toward the 30-page limit for the narrative section. 

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