Notices regarding the solicitation “NIJ FY22 Research and Evaluation on

Trafficking in Persons” 

April 1, 2022: NIJ has added FAQs related to this solicitation. See the funding detail page. 

The original funding opportunity 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 

NIJ FY22 Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons 

Assistance Listing Number # 

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: 

Solicitation Release Date: 

Version: 

Grants.gov Deadline: 

Application JustGrants Deadline: 

16.560 

O-NIJ-2022-171189

March 07, 2022 2:30 PM 

2

April 22, 2022 11:59 PM 

May 06, 2022 8:59 PM 

Overview 

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

applications for funding for research and evaluation projects addressing the following research priorities: 1) research and 

evaluation on trafficking prevention; 2) evaluation of strategies to intervene and respond to trafficking, once it has 

occurred; and 3) other understudied areas of research on human trafficking. This project 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. 

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

Resource Guide provides guidance to 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: 

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, Special 

district governments, State governments, Other 

Other 

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

of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 

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 2022 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. 

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O-NIJ-2022-171189
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.) 

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 2022 solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on, among 

other considerations, the merit of the applications and the availability of appropriations. 

Contact Information 

For technical assistance with submitting the Application for Federal Assistance standard form (SF)-424 and a Disclosure 

of Lobbying Activities form (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. 

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@usdoj.gov. The JustGrants Service Desk operates 5 

a.m. to 9 p.m. eastern time Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, and Federal holidays. 

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the OJP Response Center by telephone at 800-851-

3420 or TTY: 301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only), or by email at grants@ncjrs.gov. The OJP Response Center hours 

of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., eastern time Monday–Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the solicitation 

closing date. 

Submission Information 

Applications will be submitted to DOJ in two steps: 

Step 1: Applicants 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. 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. 

Beginning April 4, 2022, the Federal government will cease using the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number 

to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the Federal government will use a Unique Entity 

Identifier (UEI) created in SAM.gov. If your entity is currently registered in SAM.gov, your UEI has already been assigned 

and is viewable in SAM.gov. This includes inactive registrations. For additional information, see the Unique Entity Identifier 

Update and the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Step 2: Applicants must then submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants at JustGrants.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 and the 

JustGrants website for more information, resources, and training. 

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Contents 

Contact Information 2 

Program Description 5 

Overview 5 

Statutory Authority 5 

Specific Information 5 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline 7 

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices 7 

Priority Areas 7 

Federal Award Information 8 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 8 

Continuation Funding Intent 8 

Availability of Funds 8 

Types of Awards 9 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 9 

Budget Information 9 

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 9 

Pre-agreement Costs (also known as Pre-award Costs) 9 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation: Waiver 9 

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs 9 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 9 

Anticipated Number of Awards 9 

Maximum Dollar Amount for each Award 10 

Period of Performance Duration 10 

Eligibility Information 10 

Application and Submission Information 10 

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) 10 

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants 424 and General Agency Information) 10 

Proposal Abstract 10 

Proposal Narrative 11 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline 12 

Budget and Associated Documentation 12 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) 12 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 13 

Financial Management Questionnaire (including applicant disclosure of high-risk status) 13 

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation 13 

Additional Application Components 13 

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes 13 

Tribal Authorizing Resolution 13 

Timeline Form 13 

Letters of Support 13 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement 14 

Bibliography/reference 14 

Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/chart/graphs, or maps 14 

List of Individuals in the Application 14 

Human Subjects Protection 14 

Privacy Certificate 14 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 14 

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Documentation of “New Investigator/Early Career” Status, if applicable 14 

Consortium/Contractual Arrangements 14 

Data Archiving Plan 14 

Disclosures and Assurances 15 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 15 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 15 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items 15 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; 

and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements 15 

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees (if applicable) 15 

How to Apply 15 

Submission Dates and Time 15 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues 16 

Application Review Information 16 

Review Criteria 16 

Review Process 17 

Federal Award Administration Information 18 

Federal Award Notices 18 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements 18 

Information Technology (IT) Security Clauses 18 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements 18 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 18 

Other Information 19 

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a) 19 

Provide Feedback to OJP 19 

Performance Measures 19 

Application Checklist 19 

Endnotes 21 

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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 continues to build upon its research and evaluation efforts to better understand, prevent, and 

respond to trafficking in persons in the United States. Applicants should propose research and evaluation projects that — 

first and foremost — have clear implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. NIJ seeks 

proposals for research and evaluation projects addressing the following research priorities: 1) research and evaluation on 

trafficking prevention; 2) evaluation of strategies to intervene and respond to trafficking, once it has occurred; and 3) other 

understudied areas of research on human trafficking. 

Applications proposing research involving partnerships with criminal justice or other agencies, should include a strong 

letter of support, signed by an appropriate decision-making authority from each proposed, partnering agency. A letter of 

support should include the partnering agency’s acknowledgement that de-identified data derived from, provided to, or 

obtained through this project 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 the NACJD’s 

policies and protections at (NACJD). If selected for award, grantees will be expected to have a formal agreement in place 

with partnering agencies by January 1, 2023. 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. 

Statutory Authority 

Any awards under this solicitation would be made under statutory authority provided by a full-year appropriations 

act for FY 2022. As of the writing of this solicitation, the Department of Justice is operating under a short-term 

"Continuing Resolution"; no full-year appropriation for the Department has been enacted for FY 2022. 

Specific Information 

Program evaluation proposals may include an outcome evaluation, a formative evaluation, process evaluation and/or an 

evaluability assessment. Program evaluation proposals should provide a brief description of the program design and 

history, theory of change, program case flow, anticipated outcomes, sustainability of the program, and other relevant 

information. Proposals to evaluate policies and practices should provide a brief history of policy or practice and 

documentation (if any), theory of change, anticipated outcomes, and other relevant background information. Applicants 

should propose the most rigorous, appropriate design possible. 

Research and Evaluation on Trafficking Prevention 

NIJ seeks proposals for 1) evaluations of programs, policies, and practices that seek to prevent human trafficking and 2) 

research projects that build knowledge intended to inform programs and strategies to prevent human trafficking. 

Evaluations of trafficking prevention programs, policies, and practices may be targeted to individuals or groups at 

heightened risk of victimization, seek to reduce trafficking demand, and/or involve criminal justice system actors, service 

providers, or other stakeholders involved in approaches intended to prevent sex and/or labor trafficking. Applicants 

proposing to evaluate sex trafficking demand reduction must clearly demonstrate that the program(s) they propose to 

evaluate are explicitly intended to reduce sex trafficking rather than the demand for commercial sex. 

Research projects on human trafficking prevention should build knowledge intended to inform programs and strategies to 

prevent human trafficking. This may include, but is not limited to, studies to identify causal risk and protective factors of 

human trafficking or studies focused on reducing the demand for sex trafficking. 

Evaluation of Strategies to Intervene and Respond to Trafficking, Once it Has Occurred 

NIJ is interested in receiving applications for evaluations of programs, policies, and practices that seek to intervene or 

respond to human trafficking. In particular, NIJ seeks evaluations of the following approaches: 

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Victim/Survivor direct service provision: NIJ is interested in testing various models of service provision to aid victims 

of human trafficking, including those developed for other populations, such as victims of domestic violence or 

intimate partner violence. Services may include, but are not limited to, housing, behavioral health services, 

transportation, employment services, and services for the LGBTQ community. 

Strategies to Improve Outcomes for Justice-Involved Human Trafficking Victims: NIJ is interested in proposals to 

evaluate existing strategies for victims who are justice-involved. NIJ seeks proposals for evaluations of criminal 

justice programs and strategies including deferred adjudication, diversion, human trafficking courts and other models 

intended to improve the outcomes of justice-involved human trafficking victims, as well as strategies to prevent the 

arrest and/or prosecution of victims. In addition to traditional process and outcome evaluation questions regarding 

the effectiveness of strategies, NIJ is interested in proposals that explore questions about unintended or negative 

consequences that may arise from these strategies. 

Rigorous evaluation of the Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM): The Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat 

Human Trafficking was launched to foster a multidisciplinary approach to bring together law enforcement, 

prosecutors, and victim service providers in communities to develop a coordinated response to address all forms of 

human trafficking. NIJ is looking to fund a more rigorous study of the ECM that furthers the work, and addresses the 

limitations of, an initial study. [1] Although ECM has some core elements, it does not have a formal program design. 

[2] Applications should address whether human trafficking task forces implementing core elements of ECM with high 

fidelity have better outcomes than human trafficking task forces implementing core elements of ECM with lower 

fidelity and/or human trafficking task forces implementing another approach. Relatedly, NIJ wants to build 

understanding not only on whether the ECM is effective, but also on what elements within or external to the ECM 

design or implementation contribute to its success or failure. Applicants should propose to examine a range of 

outcomes, including those focused on criminal justice system actions, as well as victim- and/or survivor-oriented 

outcomes. 

Other Understudied Areas of Research on Human Trafficking 

NIJ seeks proposals for other research topics that are particularly understudied and/or for which knowledge remains 

limited even with substantial research investments. In particular, NIJ requests proposals for: 

Labor Trafficking Research: NIJ seeks proposals for research focused on labor sectors including, but not limited to, 

domestic work, agriculture, landscaping and construction, peddling, food (restaurants, food processing), modeling, 

and health and beauty service industries. Projects should examine the unique strategies traffickers use for recruiting 

and controlling labor trafficking victims in these sectors, and for concealing the crime. NIJ is also interested in the 

unique needs of victims of labor trafficking and how they may differ from the needs of sex trafficking victims. 

Estimating Prevalence: NIJ seeks proposals for research that produces estimates of the prevalence of human 

trafficking in the United States, improves upon current methodologies for estimating the prevalence of human 

trafficking (for sex and labor), and monitors the impact of anti-trafficking efforts on those prevalence estimates. 

Proposals should focus on generating a statistically sound estimate of trafficking prevalence of one or more 

trafficking types, sectors, industries, and/or geographic area(s). Such proposals may inform future activities 

associated with producing national estimates of prevalence. Applicants should demonstrate familiarity with other 

efforts to arrive at prevalence estimates, such as the U.S. State Department’s Prevalence Reduction Innovation 

Forum and propose research complementary to these efforts. 

Rapid Screening Tools for Sex and Labor Trafficking: Human trafficking is a hidden crime, one that makes it difficult 

for authorities to clearly recognize when a person they encounter is a victim or survivor of human trafficking. NIJ 

seeks proposals to fund the development and validation of rapid/brief screening tools to identify whether an 

individual (youth or adult) may be a trafficking victim. 

Tools should be focused on early identification and early intervention or referral of potential trafficking victims for 

services. The goal of the tool should be to determine whether an individual should be referred for further 

assessment and/or referred to services for victims of trafficking. The tool should be appropriate for use by front line 

criminal justice system professionals or agency staff to identify indicators for sex and labor trafficking among youth 

and adults and in the various contexts they may come into contact with potential human trafficking victims. 

Proposals should incorporate lessons learned from the development and validation of similar human trafficking 

screening tools (e.g., barriers to widespread adoption and use) developed for other fields, such as the Trafficking 

Victim Identification Tool (TVIT), the Human Trafficking Screening Tool (HTST) and the Quick Youth Indicators for 

Trafficking (QYIT). 

New Investigator/Early Career Opportunity 

NIJ is interested in supporting researchers who are early in their careers and new to NIJ’s research grant portfolios, specifically 

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non-tenured assistant professors, or equivalent full-time staff scientist positions in a research institution, who propose research on 

topics relevant to NIJ’s Office of Research, Evaluation, and Technology (ORET). To that end, NIJ may, in appropriate 

circumstances, give special consideration in award decisions to applications proposing such researchers as principal investigators 

(PIs). To qualify, the proposed PI must at the time of application submission: 

Hold a non-tenured assistant professor appointment at an accredited institution of higher education in the United 

States or an equivalent full-time staff scientist position at a research institution in the United States. 

Have completed a terminal degree or post-graduate clinical training within the six (6) years prior to September 30, 

2022. 

Have never previously received NIJ funding as a PI on a research project with the exception of Graduate Research 

Fellows or Data Resources Program grantees. 

If seeking to be considered for the New Investigator/Early Career Opportunity, the applicant should identify that it is 

submitting a New Investigator/Early Career proposal on the title page of the application. 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline 

Goals 

The goal of this solicitation is to better understand, prevent, and respond to trafficking in persons in the United States and 

to provide federal, state, local, and tribal stakeholders with knowledge and tools to address trafficking in persons. 

Objectives 

This solicitation has the following objectives: 

1. Develop knowledge on human trafficking prevention. 

2. Evaluate strategies to intervene and respond to human trafficking once it has occurred. 

3. Fill gaps in knowledge on a number of understudied areas of human trafficking. 

Deliverables 

Final Research Report. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to submit a final research report. 

Additional information on the final research report requirement for the solicitation is posted on NIJ’s webpage. 

Required Data Sets and Associated Files and Documentation. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be 

expected to submit to the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) all data sets that result in whole or in part, 

from the work funded by the award, along with associated files and any documentation necessary for future efforts by 

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

In addition to these deliverables (and the required reports and data on performance measures), NIJ expects scholarly 

products to result from each award under this solicitation, taking the form of one or more published, peer-reviewed, 

scientific journal articles, and/or (if appropriate) law review journal articles, book chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic 

press, technological prototypes, patented inventions, or similar scientific products. 

NIJ expects that there will be an equal effort to make the research findings accessible to practitioner and policymaker 

audiences. 

The Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables are directly related to the performance measures that show the completed work’s 

results, as discussed in the “Application and Submission Information” section. 

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices 

OJP strongly encourages the use of data and evidence in policymaking and program development for criminal justice, 

juvenile justice, and crime victim services. For additional information and resources on evidence-based programs or 

practices, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Priority Areas 

The Department of Justice 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. 

1. Priority Considerations Supporting Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved 

Communities Through the Federal Government 

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Consistent with this Executive Order, the term “underserved community” refers to a population sharing a particular 

characteristic, as well as a geographic community, that has been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in 

aspects of economic, social, and civic life or whose members have been historically underserved, marginalized, and 

adversely affected by inequality. Such communities include, among others, Black people, Hispanics and Latino/a/e people, 

Native American and other Indigenous peoples of North America (including Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts), Asian 

Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. 

In support of Executive Order 13985, OJP will: 

A. Give priority consideration to applications that propose research project(s) that will address issues related to 

racial equity and the removal of barriers to access and opportunity for communities that have been historically 

underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality, when making award decisions. 

To receive this consideration, the applicant must describe how the proposed project(s) will address potential 

inequities and barriers to equal opportunity, and/or contribute to greater access to services for underserved and 

historically marginalized populations.

 B. Give priority consideration to applicants that can demonstrate that their capabilities and competencies for 

implementing their proposed project(s) are enhanced because the applicant (or at least one proposed subrecipient 

that will receive at least 30% of the requested award funding, as demonstrated in the Budget Worksheet and Budget 

Narrative) identifies 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 culturally specific 

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 purposes of this solicitation as private nonprofit or tribal 

organizations whose primary purpose as a whole is to provide culturally specific services to, among others, Black 

people, Hispanics and Latino/a/e people, Native American and other Indigenous peoples of North America (including 

Alaska Natives, Eskimos, and Aleuts), Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and/or Pacific Islanders. 

Note: Addressing these priority areas is one of many factors that NIJ Director considers in making funding decisions. 

Receiving priority consideration for one or more priority areas is not a guarantee of an award. 

Federal Award Information 

Solicitation Categories 

This solicitation does not include Solicitation Categories. 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 

Period of Performance Start Date Period of Performance Duration (Months) 

1/1/23 12:00 AM 60 

Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under 

Solicitation 

$2,500,000.00 

Additional Information 

Please see Anticipated Number of Awards, Maximum 

Dollar Amount for each Award, 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 (if any are made) 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 in 

equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or 

any other person. 

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Types of Awards 

NIJ expects to make awards under this solicitation as grants or cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements provide 

for OJP to have substantial involvement in carrying out award activities. 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. See the 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 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 2022, 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 2022 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. 

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 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 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. 

Anticipated Number of Awards 

To be determined by the number of applications received and their merit. 

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Maximum Dollar Amount for each Award 

To be determined by the requirements of the research proposed in grants selected for award. Applicants are encouraged 

to propose budgets that match the research activities proposed, up to the full dollar amount anticipated to be awarded 

under this solicitation. 

Period of Performance Duration 

To be determined by the period of performance of awarded applications. Successful applicants will be expected to 

complete the work proposed within a five-year period of performance. 

Eligibility Information 

For eligibility information, see the solicitation cover page. 

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see the “Federal Award Information” section. 

Application and Submission Information 

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 Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) (The web-based form includes the budget 

details and the budget narrative.) 

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

solicitation, “key personnel” means the principal investigator, and any and all co-principal investigators.) 

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

information on what happens to an application that does not contain all the specified elements or is nonresponsive to the 

scope of the solicitation. 

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

The SF-424 must 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. 

In Section 8.F. 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 information (email address) to assign the application to this user in 

JustGrants. 

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. 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 

its 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 the purpose of the project, 

primary activities, expected outcomes, the service area, intended beneficiaries and subrecipients (if known), will be 

completed in the JustGrants web-based form. This abstract should be written in the third person and will be made publicly 

available on the OJP website if the project is awarded. 

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Proposal Narrative 

The proposal narrative should be submitted as an attachment in JustGrants. The attached document should be doublespaced, using a standard 12-point font; have no less than 1-inch margins; and should not exceed 30 pages. Pages should 

be numbered and submitted as an attachment. If the program narrative fails to comply with these length restrictions, NIJ 

may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decision. 

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

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

The title page should include: 

Project title. 

Submission date. 

Funding opportunity number. 

Principal Investigator (and any co-principal investigators). 

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

Requests for consideration under “new investigator/early career” and/or “priority area 1A,” and/or “priority area 1B”. 

Key words, including science focus areas. 

Contact information (that is, name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address) for both the applicant and the 

principal investigator. 

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

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

current gaps in data, research, and knowledge, including those for particular justice sectors, for certain 

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

not uncommon for multiple problems to exist simultaneously (for example, there may be a criminal justice 

problem affecting public safety, a current technical challenge/need identified by forensic practitioners, as well 

as a scientific/technology gap between the current state of the art and a desired solution) and applicants 

should discuss each of these clearly and justify the importance of the separate issues. As part of this 

discussion, applicants should present a review of previous literature and discuss previous research related to 

these problems. 

2. Project Design and Implementation. 

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

address the research questions. Design elements should follow directly from the research project’s goals and 

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

the research methodology and analysis plan in detail and demonstrate the validity and usefulness of the data 

they will collect. Applicants should consider the rigor and soundness of the methodology and analytical and 

technical approaches for the proposed research and address the feasibility of the proposed project and 

potential challenges or problems in carrying out the activities. 

If the applicant is seeking priority consideration for Priority 1(A), it should address in this section how the 

proposed project(s) will address issues related to racial equity and/or the removal of barriers to access and 

opportunity, and/or contribute to greater access to services, for communities that have been historically 

underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by inequality. 

3. Potential Impact. 

Applicants should describe the potential impact of the research and how it may inform or improve criminal or 

juvenile justice-related policy, practice, or theory in the United States. The applicant should include a 

discussion of the proposed dissemination plan to produce scholarly products and to make information 

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

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O-NIJ-2022-171189 
4. Capabilities and Competencies. 

This section should describe the experience and capability of the applicant organization, key staff, and any 

proposed subgrantees (including consultants) that the applicant will use to implement and manage this effort 

and the federal funds under this award, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar 

scope, design, and magnitude. Applicants should address: 

Experience and capacity to work with the proposed data sources in the conduct of similar research 

efforts. 

Experience and capacity to design and implement rigorous research and data analysis projects. 

Experience producing and disseminating meaningful deliverables. 

Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization that connects to the goals and 

objectives of the project. 

If the applicant is seeking priority consideration under Priority 1(B), it should describe within this section how 

being a culturally specific organization (or funding a culturally specific subrecipient organization at a minimum 

of 30% of the project budget) will enhance its ability to implement the proposed project(s) and should also 

specify 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: 

The project management plan. 

If the application (including the budget) identifies any proposed non-competitive 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 application has been submitted (if 

applicable). 

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

Note: Applicants are not required to submit performance data with the application. Rather, performance 

measure information is included as an alert that successful applicants will be required to submit performance 

data as part of each award’s reporting requirements. 

OJP will require each successful applicant to submit regular performance data that demonstrate the results of 

the work carried out under the award. The performance data directly relate to the goals, objectives, and 

deliverables identified in the “Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables” discussion. 

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found on page 19. 

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

of performance measurement activities at OJP. 

NIJ will require award recipients to submit performance measure data in quarterly financial reports, semiannual performance reports (using the Research Performance Progress Report template/format), and the 

Final Research Report. NIJ will provide further guidance on the post-award submission process, 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) 

The applicant will complete the JustGrants web-based budget form. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for 

additional information. 

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If the applicant is seeking priority consideration under Priority 1(B) 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 be a minimum of 30% of award funding. 

The budget narrative must also describe how the activities that will be funded with the (minimum) 30% of award funding 

provided to the subrecipient specifically relate to the priority consideration requested under Priority 1(B) and 

described in the Capabilities and Competencies section of the application. 

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. 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

The applicant will submit its indirect cost rate agreement by uploading it 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) 

The applicant will download the questionnaire, complete it, and submit it by uploading it as an attachment in JustGrants. 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information and the link to the questionnaire. 

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation 

If applicable, the applicant will submit a description of the process used to determine executive compensation by uploading 

the document as an attachment in JustGrants. See the “Application Attachments” section of the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide for 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 

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of tribal authorizing documentation as an attachment. If 

applicable, the applicant will submit the tribal authorizing documentation by uploading it as an attachment in JustGrants. 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on tribal authorizing resolutions. 

Timeline Form 

Proposed project timeline and expected milestones. 

Letters of Support 

Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations collaborating in the project, such as law 

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O-NIJ-2022-171189 
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 submit documentation of its research and evaluation independence and integrity by 

uploading it 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/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 as a separate attachment (documentation and 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 attachment (for further guidance go to https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/confidentiality-andprivacy-protections and https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/model-privacy-certificate). 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 

Applicants proposing to use incentives or stipends payments as part of their research project design, must submit an 

incentive or stipend approval request, as a separate document, according to the requirements set forth at 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/participant-support-costs-and-incentives-social-science-research. 

Documentation of “New Investigator/Early Career” Status, if applicable 

Documentation of “new investigator/early career” status, if applicable. 

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 

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O-NIJ-2022-171189 
https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/research-development-and-evaluation-grant-award-requirements#data. 

Applications should include as an appendix a brief plan as a separate attachment — 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 de-identification procedures, and (when 

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

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

requirements. 

Note that recipients are strongly encouraged to submit required data sets at least 90 days before the end of the period of 

performance. 

Disclosures and Assurances 

The applicant will address the following disclosures and assurances. 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

Complete and submit the SF-LLL in Grants.gov. 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 

. 

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; and Drug-Free 

Workplace Requirements 

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

Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; and Law Enforcement and Community Policing in JustGrants. See the OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide. 

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

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, or 

noncompliance with award terms and conditions on prior awards, or that is otherwise not responsible. See the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

How to Apply 

Step 1: The applicant will submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html 

. 

Step 2: The applicant will then submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants in JustGrants.usdoj.gov. 

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 April 22, 2022. 

The full application must be submitted in JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. eastern time on May 6, 2022. 

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OJP urges applicants to submit their Grants.gov and JustGrants submissions prior to the due dates to allow sufficient time 

to correct 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. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues 

An applicant that experiences unforeseen SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants technical issues beyond its control that 

prevent application submission by the deadline, must demonstrate all efforts in requesting technical support in order to 

submit an application by the deadline. Technical support is available via phone and email to the applicable SAM.gov, 

Grants.gov, or JustGrants support centers or service desks in which an applicant received a ticket number for resolution. If 

an applicant misses a deadline due to unforeseen technical difficulties, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an 

application after the deadline. Note: If an applicant does not submit all the required Grants.gov forms by the Grants.gov 

deadline, the applicant will not be able to proceed to the JustGrants portion of the application process. 

An applicant experiencing technical difficulties with the following systems must contact the associated support desk 

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

Grants.gov - contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline 

SAM.gov - contact the SAM Help Desk (Federal Service Desk) 

JustGrants - contact the JustGrants Support Desk at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833–872–5175 

An applicant requesting a waiver to submit a late application must document their request for technical assistance in an 

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

approval to submit its application after the deadline. If an applicant has technical issues with Grants.gov, the applicant 

must contact OJP Response Center within 24 hours of the Grants.gov deadline to request approval to submit after the 

deadline. However, waiver requests will not be reviewed until after the JustGrants deadline to allow time for all waivers to 

be submitted. Waiver requests to submit after the submission deadline must: 

Describe the technical difficulties experienced; 

Include a timeline of the applicant's submission efforts (e.g., what date and time did the error occur, what date and 

time was action taken to resolve the issue and resubmit; and what date and time did support representatives 

respond) 

Include an attachment(s) of the complete grant application and all required documentation and material; and 

Include the applicant's DUNS number (or Unique Entity Identifier if applying after April 4, 2022), any applicable 

SAM.gov tracking number(s), Grants.gov Help Desk, and JustGrants Support Desk Ticket Numbers. 

OJP will review each request for late submission and required supporting documentation and notify the applicant whether the 

request has been approved or 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: 

1. Statement of the Problem (understanding of the problem) (10%) 

Demonstrated understanding of the problem. 

Demonstrated importance of research questions, goals and objectives, including alignment with the aims of the 

solicitation. 

Demonstrated awareness of the state of current research. 

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

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O-NIJ-2022-171189 
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. 

3. Capabilities and Competencies (capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of the applicant organization 

and proposed project staff) (20%) 

Qualifications and experience of proposed project staff (that is, the principal investigator, any and all co-principal 

investigators, and all other individuals (and organizations) identified in the application (regardless of “investigator” 

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

Demonstrated ability of the applicant organization to implement the proposed strategies and manage the effort. 

Relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff (including the applicant 

organization) and the scope and strategies of the proposed project. 

4. Potential Impact (20%) 

Potential for a significant scientific or technical advance(s) that will improve criminal/juvenile justice in the United 

States. 

Potential for significantly improved understanding of the stated criminal/juvenile justice problem. 

Potential for innovative solution to address (all or a significant part of) the stated criminal/juvenile justice problem. 

Strength and feasibility of the proposed dissemination plan to produce scholarly products (such as published, peerreviewed, scientific journal articles, book chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press, technological prototypes, 

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

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

5. Budget (0%) 

In addition, peer reviewers will consider and may comment on the following additional items in the context of scientific and 

technical merit. 

Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities. 

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

Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort. 

Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

Other Review Criteria 

Other important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity, strategic priorities (specifically including, but not 

limited to, those priority areas already mentioned), 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 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). 

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

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

The application, if submitted by an applicant that is a DOJ High Risk Grantee, or is designated “high risk” by 

a federal grant-making agency outside of DOJ, must not have been determined by the NIJ Director to pose a 

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

addressing required corrective actions necessary for removal of the DOJ High Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ 

high risk) designation, 2) the nature and severity of the issues leading to or accompanying the DOJ High 

Risk Grantee (or non-DOJ high risk) designation, and/or 3) the applicant’s expected ability to manage grant 

funds and achieve grant goals and objectives. 

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

to the degree of risk posed by the applicant. Among other things to help assess whether an applicant with 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 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 consider 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 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 (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, 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 performance reports, final 

financial and performance 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 measure data. 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For questions directed to the Federal Awarding Agency, see OJP Response Center contact information on page 2. 

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

For contact information for JustGrants, see on page 2. 

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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 

Conduct research in social and 1. Relevance to the needs of the field 1. Quarterly financial reports, semibehavioral sciences having clear as measured by whether the project’s annual and final performance reports, 

implications for criminal justice policy substantive scope did not deviate from and products of the work performed 

and practice in the United States. 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. 

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. 

Application Checklist 

NIJ FY22 Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons 

This application checklist has been created as an aid in developing an application. The DOJ Application Submission 

Checklist is another resource. 

What an Applicant Must Do: 

Prior to registering in Grants.gov: 

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O-NIJ-2022-171189 
Confirm your Entity’s System Award Management (SAM) Registration Information (see OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide) 

Acquire a SAM Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): 

If applying before April 4, 2022, obtain or confirm your Data Universal Number System (DUNS) 

number at www.dnb.com. 

On April 4, 2022, the federal government will stop using DUNS and start using the new SAM UEI 

. 

To register in Grants.gov: 

Acquire an 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) 

To find the funding opportunity: 

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

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

ojp.gov/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 2022 Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center. 

Review Scope Requirement: 

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

Review Eligibility Requirement: See cover page. 

~~~ 

Prepare to submit the Application for Federal Assistance standard form (SF)-424 and Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities form (SF-LLL) 

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

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

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

After the SF-424 and SF-LLL submission in Grants.gov, receive Grants.gov email notifications that: 

Submission has been received in Grants.gov Submission has either been successfully validated or rejected with errors (see OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide) 

If no Grants.gov receipt and validation, or error notifications are received: 

Contact OJP Response Center regarding technical difficulties (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Receive email notification to complete application in JustGrants: 

Proceed to complete application in JustGrants 

Content of Application Submission: Critical Application Elements 

The following items are critical application elements required to pass the basic minimum requirements review. If OJP 

determines that an application does not include the following elements, it will neither proceed to peer review, nor receive 

further consideration. 

Proposal Narrative 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (web-based form) 

Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel 

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O-NIJ-2022-171189 
~~~ 

Budget and Associated Documentation: 

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) 

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) 

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) 

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 the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov regarding technical 

difficulties. 

If an applicant has technical issues with Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OJP Response Center within 

24 hours of the Grants.gov deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline. However, waiver 

requests will not be reviewed until after the JustGrants deadline to allow time for all waivers to be submitted. 

Endnotes 

[1] Adams, William, Jeanette Hussemann, Evelyn McCoy, Paige Thompson, Roderick Taylor, Krista White, and Sino 

Esthappan. (2021). "Evaluation of the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking, Technical Report." 

https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/300863.pdf. 

[2] Albright, Erin, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime. 

(2020). “Multidisciplinary Collaborative Model for Anti-Human Trafficking Task Forces: Development and Operations Road 

Map.” https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/2020-06/Roadmap for Multidisciplinary Collaborative Model Anti-Human 

Trafficking Task Forces_1.pdf. 

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