Notices regarding the solicitation “NIJ FY24 Research on Law Enforcement

Responses to Opioid Overdoses” 

December 21, 2023: NIJ has posted the transcript and slides from a webinar held to discuss this 

opportunity. Access the transcript and slides. 

The original funding opportunity document begins on the next page.
Page 1 O-NIJ-2024-171913

OMB No. 1121-0329

Approval Expires 12/31/2023

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

NIJ FY24 Research on Law Enforcement 

Responses to Opioid Overdoses

Assistance Listing Number: 16.560 

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-NIJ-2024-171913 

Solicitation Release Date: November 27, 2023 

Step 1: Application Grants.gov Deadline: 11:59 p.m. eastern time on February 12, 2024

Step 2: Application JustGrants Deadline: 8:59 p.m. eastern time on February 26, 2024 

Contents 

Overview ................................................................................................................................ 4

Eligibility ................................................................................................................................. 4

Agency Contact Description ................................................................................................... 4

Pre-application Information Session ....................................................................................... 4

Application Submission Information........................................................................................ 5

Registration....................................................................................................................... 5

Submission ....................................................................................................................... 5

Program Description Overview ............................................................................................... 5

Statutory Authority.................................................................................................................. 7

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

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables.............................................................................................10

Goals..................................................................................................................................10

Objectives..........................................................................................................................10

Deliverables.......................................................................................................................11

Priority Areas.........................................................................................................................11

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

Continuation Funding Intent...................................................................................................12
Availability of Funds...............................................................................................................12

Type of Award .......................................................................................................................12

Financial Management and System Controls.........................................................................13

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

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

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

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver...............................13

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs ...................14

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

Notice Regarding Law Enforcement Agencies.......................................................................14

Content of Application Submission and Available Surveys ....................................................14

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

Budget Web-Based Form ..................................................................................................18

Pre-Agreement Costs ........................................................................................................19

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

Consultant Rate ................................................................................................................19

Employee Compensation Waiver.......................................................................................19

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status)..............................................................................19

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation ...............................................20

Additional Application Components, Disclosures, and Assurances........................................20

Additional Application Components ...................................................................................20

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

How to Apply, Submission Date and Time, and Add Sections ...............................................23

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

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

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application

...........................................................................................................................................24

Review Criteria......................................................................................................................25

Review Process.....................................................................................................................26

Page 2 O-NIJ-2024-171913
Federal Award Notices ..........................................................................................................27

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements ............................................27

Information Technology Security Clauses..............................................................................27

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements..............................27

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 552 and 552a)....................................28

Provide Feedback to OJP......................................................................................................28

Pre-Application......................................................................................................................30

Application Step 1 .................................................................................................................30

Application Step 2 .................................................................................................................31

Review, Certify, and Submit Application in JustGrants ..........................................................32

Page 3 O-NIJ-2024-171913
Page 4 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Synopsis

Overview

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

Justice (NIJ) seeks applications for funding to research law enforcement responses to opioid 

overdoses. This program furthers the DOJ’s mission by supporting research to inform law 

enforcement responses to our nation’s overdose crisis.

This solicitation incorporates guidance provided in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide, 

which provides additional information for applicants to prepare and submit applications to OJP 

for funding. If this solicitation expressly modifies any provision in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide, the applicant is to follow the guidelines in this solicitation

as to that provision.

Eligibility

• Other

Only accredited research universities are eligible to apply.

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

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

(subgrantee) in more than one application.

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

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

subrecipients (subgrantees). For additional information on subawards, see the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide. 

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2024 solicitation in future fiscal 

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

availability of appropriations.

Agency Contact Description

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

800-851-3420, 301-240-6310 (TTY for hearing-impaired callers only), or grants@ncjrs.gov. The 

OJP Response Center operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time (ET) Monday–Friday, 

and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on the solicitation close date.

Pre-application Information Session 

NIJ will hold a solicitation webinar on December 6 at 3:00 p.m. ET. This call will provide a 

detailed overview of the solicitation and allow an opportunity for interested applicants to ask 

questions. Preregistration is required for all participants. Register by clicking on this link 

https://ojpmeetings.webex.com/weblink/register/r227e5c04774319fd7c9ad2e3df8a2b6e and 

following the instructions. To use the time most efficiently, NIJ encourages participants to review 

the solicitation and submit any questions they may have in advance and no later than by 3 p.m. 
Page 5 O-NIJ-2024-171913

on December 5th. Submit your questions to Joel.Hunt@usdoj.gov with the subject as “Questions 

for NIJ FY 24 Research on Law Enforcement Responses to Opioid Overdoses solicitation

Webinar”. 

Application Submission Information

Registration

Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the System for Award 

Management (SAM). You must renew and validate your registration every 12 months. If you do 

not renew your SAM registration, it will expire. An expired registration can delay or prevent 

application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants. Registration and renewal can take up to 

10 business days to complete.

Submission

Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process via Grants.gov 

and JustGrants. 

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

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

form when they register in Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/register . Submit the SF-424 

and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov 

deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov, they will be unable to apply in JustGrants. 

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

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

Support, or support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 

seven days a week, except on federal holidays.

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

JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants application deadline.

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

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

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

Saturday, Sunday, and Federal holidays.

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

Resource Guide and the JustGrants website for more information, resources, and training. 

Applicants should maintain all receipts and confirmations received from SAM.gov, Grants.gov, 

JustGrants systems.

Program Description

Program Description Overview
Page 6 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens 

community safety, protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between 

law enforcement and the community.

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals from accredited research universities to study law 

enforcement’s responses to opioid overdoses. The study shall take into account law 

enforcement’s responses with linked community agencies and also include specific practices 

utilized to ensure the well-being, assessment, and protection of children in these situations. 

Linked community agencies may include public and private agencies that do or could have a 

role in reducing or responding to opioid misuse and overdoses. Applications from other than 

accredited research universities will not be considered.

NIJ will give special consideration to proposals with methods that include meaningful 

engagement with individuals with lived experience of the subject of study; including, but not 

limited to, individuals with or in recovery from substance use disorders, family members of 

individuals with substance use disorders, justice practitioners, community members, crime 

victims, and service providers including behavioral health practitioners, peer specialists, harm 

reduction and related community organizations.

Applicants are encouraged to propose multidisciplinary research teams to build on the 

complementary strengths of different methods and areas of subject matter expertise. NIJ also 

seeks proposals that include consideration and measurement of issues of diversity, 

discrimination, and bias across age, gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, and 

sexual orientation, as applicable. 

Applications proposing research involving partnerships with criminal justice or other agencies 

should include a 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 an 

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

Justice Data (NACJD) at the conclusion of the award. Applicants and their potential partners are 

encouraged to review NIJ’s data archiving guidance. If selected for an award, grantees will be 

expected to have a formal agreement in place with partnering agencies by January 1, 2025. 

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

award.

NIJ seeks proposals that include robust, creative, and multi-pronged dissemination strategies 

that include strategic partnerships with organizations and associations that are best equipped to 

ensure that research findings lead to changes in policies and practices related to the subjects of 

study. Special consideration will be given to proposals that dedicate at least 15% of the 

requested project award funding toward implementing such strategies, as demonstrated in the 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative.

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

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

applicant (as is the case with any application submitted in response to this solicitation); any 

others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant is expected to conduct a majority of 

the work proposed.
Page 7 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Statutory Authority

Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, Pub. L. No. 90-351, §§ 201-

203 (codified at 34 U.S.C. §§ 10121-10123); the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 

107-296, §§ 231–235 (codified at 6 U.S.C. §§ 161-165); Department of Justice Appropriations

Act, 2023, Pub. L. No. 117-328, 136 Stat. 4459, 4533; 28 U.S.C. § 530C.

Specific Information

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate opioid-related overdose 

deaths increased by 10,000 per year between 1999 and 2010. By 2017, opioid-related fatalities 

rose to almost 50,000 per year and remained steady through 2019. By 2021, opioid-related 

fatalities significantly increased to approximately 80,000 deaths per year. Overall, 700,000 

opioid-involved overdose deaths across all ages occurred from 1999 through 2021.1

Opioid misuse not only impacts the individual using the substance but also has a cascading 

effect on children within the household and/or under the individual’s care. In 2017, an estimated 

2.2 million children and adolescents had a parent with opioid use disorder (OUD) or had OUD 

themselves.2 These data estimate:

• 1.4 million children living with a parent with OUD.

• 325,000 children who have been removed from home and live in foster or kinship care

due to opioids.

• 240,000 children who have had a parent die due to opioids.

• 10,000 children who have a parent in long-term imprisonment due to opioids.

• 170,000 children who have OUD themselves or have accidentally ingested opioids.

Many fatal and non-fatal overdoses result in a 911 call where law enforcement is dispatched to 

the scene. These dispatches have led most large local police departments and sheriffs’ offices 

to have designated staff to respond to opioid-related calls-for-service (CFS). According to the 

Bureau of Justice Statistics, while large agencies are likely to have designated staff, smaller 

agencies are far less likely:

Any designated 

personnel

Personnel assigned 

full time to 

specialized unites

Other designated 

personnel

Local police 

departments serving 

100,000 or more 

residents1

76.8% 44.0% 32.9%

1 “Drug Overdose Death Rates,” National Institute on Drug Abuse, accessed February 27, 2023, 

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates. See “Figure 3. National Overdose Deaths 

Involving Any Opioid—Number Among All Ages, by Gender, 1999-2021.”

2 Brundage, Suzanne C., Adam Fifield, Lee Partridge (2019). The Ripple Effect: National and State Estimates of the 

U.S. Opioid Epidemic’s Impact on Children. United Hospital Fund. https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/news/opioidepidemics-toll-children#:~:text=Among%20the%20findings%3A,OUD)%20or%20had%20OUD%20themselves. 
Page 8 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Local police 

departments serving 

fewer than 100,000 

residents1

24.1% 6.9% 17.2%

Sheriffs’ offices with 

100 or more FTE 

sworn officers2

81.3% 49% 32.2%

Sheriffs’ offices with 

fewer than 100 FTE 

sworn officers2

40.5% 12.6% 27.9%

1. Goodison, Sean E. (2022). Local Police Departments Personnel, 2020. Bureau of Justice 

Statistics.

2. Brooks, Connor (2022). Sheriff’s Offices Personnel, 2020. Bureau of Justice Statistics. 

With opioid overdose rates continuing to remain high and the frequency of calls to 911 often 

resulting in law enforcement responses, it is important to study how law enforcement agencies 

are responding to opioid overdose CFS across the United States including specific practices 

utilized to ensure the well-being, assessment, and protection of children in these situations. 

Additionally, with many jurisdictions investing in alternative and co-response models, including 

co-responder models, it is important to investigate all models being utilized by and with law 

enforcement in response to opioid overdose CFS.

Most of what is known about alternative responses comes from diversion and deflection 

programs. Although there is still a dearth of research on these topics as they relate to opioid 

overdose responses, the research does provide some insight into the response landscape. 

Specifically, the Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative (PTACC) is an alliance of 

practitioners in law enforcement, behavioral health, community, advocacy, research, and public 

policy, whose mission is to strategically enhance the quantity and quality of community 

behavioral health and social service options through engagement in deflection and pre-arrest 

diversion. Currently, PTACC recognizes six models of pre-arrest diversion or pathways to 

treatment or social services: self-referral, active outreach, naloxone plus, first responder and 

officer referral, officer intervention, and community response. Although all of the strategic areas 

are important, PTACC includes a Children and Families Strategy Area, which “works to enable 

effective intervention and support programs for children living with parents, guardians, or 

household members that have substance use disorders.” A 2021 Bureau of Justice Assistance 

(BJA), National Opinion Research Center (NORC), and Treatment Alternatives for Safe 

Communities (TASC) Center for Health & Justice report is the first national survey assessing 

first responder opioid deflection programs, predominantly co-responder models or law 

enforcement responses with linked agencies. The major findings from this report indicate that:

• “Most of the deflection programs were created and led by law enforcement agencies” (p. 

1); however, because of the localized nature and no standardized model, it may be 

difficult to evaluate across deflection programs.

• These programs tend to be quite complex with a variety of networks and collaboration 

partners (e.g., case managers, mental health and substance use disorder treatment 

providers, peers, social service entities).

• There are no known strategies used in first responder opioid deflection programs that 

support children and families living with parents, guardians, or household members.
Page 9 O-NIJ-2024-171913

The purpose of this solicitation is to support research on law enforcement responses to opioid 

overdoses that involve linked community agencies (i.e., public and private agencies that do or 

could have a role in reducing or responding to opioid misuse and overdoses) and include 

specific practices utilized to ensure the well-being, assessment, and protection of children in 

these situations. Applicants are encouraged to propose study methods that strike a balance 

between understanding the national landscape and the details available at the jurisdictional 

level about law enforcement agencies’ responses to opioid overdoses; applicants should also 

consider the federal and private investments above (PTTAC and BJA/NORC/TASC) when 

considering the balance between what to include from a national landscape perspective versus 

what could be learned from additional or more in-depth case studies. Applicants are encouraged 

to study, for example, what is expected of officers when they arrive at an overdose scene from a 

policy and practice perspective; the legal requirements associated with overdose response; the 

burden overdose response has on law enforcement agency resources; the impact on the safety, 

health, and wellness of the workforce; the availability of other linked community agencies to 

respond or co-respond; the activities and practices to ensure the well-being of the person; the 

activities to protect children, if present; and the activities and practices employed when a child is 

the overdose victim, among other topics. Additionally, if applicants propose case studies, they 

should consider including an evaluability assessment of the sites.

Additional Information

Applicants should discuss potential risks and harms to individuals or groups associated with the 

use and/or misuse of any practice or technology proposed as a part of the research and 

evaluation, as well as any ethical considerations that may factor into its use. In addition, 

applicants should be aware of all relevant statutes, regulations, and/or governing judicial 

decisions (e.g., established case law, prevailing court rulings) related to the practice or 

technology’s proposed use. Any limitations that may impede the lawful use or implementation of 

any practice or technology proposed should be described, and a realistic approach to mitigate 

such limitations in the context of the proposed research should be discussed.

Evaluation Research

If an application includes an evaluation research component (or consists entirely of evaluation 

research), the application is expected to propose the most rigorous evaluation design 

appropriate for the research questions to be addressed. If the primary purpose of the evaluation 

is to determine the effectiveness or impact of an intervention (e.g., program, practice, or policy), 

the most rigorous evaluation designs may include random selection and assignment of 

participants (or other appropriate units of analysis) to experimental and control conditions. In 

cases where randomization is not feasible, applicants should propose a strong quasiexperimental design that can address the risk of selection bias.

Applications that propose evaluation research should also include an implementation evaluation 

component to ensure that implementation fidelity metrics are collected and analyzed. Applicants 

are encouraged to propose research methods that enable interim feedback on implementation 

fidelity to enable program providers to make ongoing improvements in program delivery.

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

applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and integrity through discussion 
Page 10 O-NIJ-2024-171913

of potential risks (if any) to independence and integrity, and appropriate safeguards, as 

required. 

NIJ also encourages applicants to consider the feasibility of including a cost/benefit analysis. In 

cases where evaluations find that interventions have produced the intended benefit, cost/benefit 

analysis provides valuable and practical information for practitioners and policymakers that 

helps with decision-making. Evaluation research projects may also address a wide range of 

research questions beyond those focused on the effectiveness or impact of an intervention. 

Different research designs may be more appropriate for different research questions and at 

different stages of program development. The intervention strategies, setting, other contextual 

factors, and resources should be considered when selecting an evaluation design.

In all cases, applications are expected to propose the most rigorous evaluation design 

appropriate for the research questions to be addressed. Applicants are encouraged to review 

evidence-rating criteria at https://crimesolutions.ojp.gov/about/how-we-review-and-rateprogram-start-finish for further information on high-quality evaluation design elements.

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 non-tenured assistant professors, or equivalent full-time 

staff scientist positions in a research institution, who propose research on topics relevant to NIJ. 

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 research university 

in the United States.

• Have completed a terminal degree or post-graduate clinical training within the six (6) 

years prior to September 30, 2024. 

• Have never previously received NIJ funding as a PI on a research project, with the 

exception of Graduate Research Fellows.

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

Goals

The goal of this program is to develop knowledge to inform policy and practice regarding law 

enforcement responses to opioid overdoses.

Objectives

The primary objective of this solicitation is to award a research grant to support research on law 

enforcement responses to opioid overdoses. Applicants shall take into account law 

enforcement’s responses with linked community agencies and also include specific practices 

utilized to ensure the well-being, assessment, and protection of children in these situations.
Page 11 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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. 

Priority Areas

NIJ will give special consideration in award decisions to proposals from Minority Serving 

Institutions (MSIs). 

MSIs include:

 

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)

• Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI)

• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU)

• Alaska Native-serving Institutions or Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNH)

• Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI)

• Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions 

(AANAPISI)

• Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI)

Whether an institution is an MSI is based on the original purpose of its establishment or its 

current enrollment thresholds and is designated as such by the federal government for various 

purposes under specific statutes. For more information, please see the U.S. Department of 

Education’s definitions and lists of institutions. (The lists are provided for reference purposes 

only; MSI status is not an eligibility criterion for this solicitation.)

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

funding decisions. Receiving priority consideration for one or more priority areas does not 

guarantee an award.
Page 12 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Federal Award Information

Awards, Amounts, and Durations

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards: $1M

Period of Performance Start Date: January 1, 2025 

Period of Performance Duration (Months): 60 months

Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation: Up to $1M

Additional Information: Please see Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards and Period 

of Performance Duration sections below.

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 

Maximum dollar amount for 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.

Continuation Funding Intent

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

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

priorities, a recipient’s overall management of the award, and the award-funded work’s 

progress, when making continuation award decisions.

Availability of Funds

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

funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by the agency 

or by law. In addition, nothing in this solicitation is intended to, and does not, create any right or 

benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the 

United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 

other person. 

Type of Award

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

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

for a brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that apply to many 

(or in some cases, all) OJP grants.
Page 13 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Financial Management and System 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 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 2024, 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 2024 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, or to provide direct 

services. (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 for information on pre-agreement costs (also 

known as pre-award costs).

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

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

Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver.
Page 14 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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. 

Eligibility Information 

For eligibility information, see the solicitation page 4. 

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

section. 

Foreign colleges and universities are not eligible to apply.

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

management fee.

Notice Regarding Law Enforcement Agencies

State, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an

approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process to be eligible 

for FY 2024 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 the

Executive Order on Safe Policing for Safe Communities page to access the Standards for

Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, the Implementation Fact Sheet, and the 

List of Designated Independent Credentialing Bodies.

Application and Submission Information

Content of Application Submission and Available Surveys

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

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

• Proposal Narrative

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

budget narrative.)

• Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel. (For purposes of this solicitation, “key

personnel” means the principal investigator, and any and all co-principal investigators.)
Page 15 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

peer review, nor receive further consideration.

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

The SF-424 must be submitted in Grants.gov. It is a required standard form used as a cover 

sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. See the OJP 

Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424. 

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

who will complete the application in JustGrants. JustGrants will use this information (email 

address) to assign the application to this user in JustGrants.

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

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

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

Entity and User Verification (First Time Applicant)

For first time JustGrants applicants, once the application is received from Grants.gov, DOJ will 

send an email (from DIAMD-NoReply@usdoj.gov) to the individual listed in Section 8F of the 

SF-424 with instructions on how to create a JustGrants account. This email should arrive within 

24 hours after this individual receives confirmation from Grants.gov of their SF-424 and SF-LLL 

submissions. Register the Entity Administrator (the person who manages and can access 

JustGrants on behalf of the applicant), the Application Submitter, and Authorized 

Representative for the applicant with JustGrants as early as possible and (recommended) not 

later than 48-72 hours before the JustGrants deadline. Once registered in JustGrants, the 

Application Submitter will receive a link in an email to complete the rest of the application in 

JustGrants. Find additional information on JustGrants Application Submission in the Application 

Resource Guide. 

Standard Applicant Information (JustGrants SF-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 their Authorized 

Representative; and verify and confirm the organization’s unique entity identifier, legal name, 

and address.

Proposal Abstract

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

its purpose, primary activities, expected outcomes, the service area, intended beneficiaries, and 

subrecipients (if known) — must be completed in the JustGrants web-based form. This abstract 

should be in paragraph form without bullets or tables, written in the third person, and exclude 

personally identifiable information. Abstracts will be made publicly available on the OJP and 
Page 16 O-NIJ-2024-171913

USASpending.gov websites if the project is awarded. See the OJP Grant Application Resource 

Guide for an example of a proposal abstract. 

Proposal Narrative

The Proposal Narrative should be submitted as an attachment in JustGrants. The attached

document should be double-spaced; use a standard 12-point font; have no less than 1-inch 

margins; and should not exceed 30 numbered pages. If the Proposal Narrative fails to comply 

with these length restrictions, NIJ may consider such noncompliance in peer review and in the 

final award decision.

The Proposal Narrative should include the following sections:

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

The title page should include:

Project title.

Submission date.

Funding opportunity number.

Principal Investigator (and any co-principal investigators).

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

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

areas.

Key words, including science focus areas.

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

both the applicant and the principal investigator.

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the 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 
Page 17 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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 programspecific information noted in the solicitation. Applicants should describe the research 

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

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

methodology and analytical and technical approaches for the proposed research and 

address the feasibility of the proposed project and potential challenges or problems in

carrying out the activities.

3. Potential Impact

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

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

States. The applicant should include a discussion of the proposed dissemination plan to 

produce scholarly products and to make information available to broader interested 

audiences, such as criminal justice practitioners or policymakers.

4. Capabilities and Competencies

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

key staff, and any proposed subgrantees (including consultants) that the applicant will 

use to implement and manage this effort and the federal funds under this award, 

highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar scope, design, and 

magnitude. Applicants should address:

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

of similar research efforts.

• Experience and capacity to design and implement rigorous research and data 

analysis projects.

• Experience producing and disseminating meaningful deliverables.

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

the goals and objectives of the project. Among other factors, that plan should include a 

description of the anticipated level of effort of key personnel.

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 
Page 18 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

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

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

requirements. Some measures are presented as examples, while others are the exact 

measures that every recipient will be expected to address.

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

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

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

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

for an overview of performance measurement activities at OJP.

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

“Performance Measures” section below.

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

financial reports, semi-annual performance reports, and the final research report and 

separately submit a semi-annual performance report in JustGrants. NIJ will provide 

further guidance on the post-award submission process if the applicant is selected for 

award.

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline

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

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

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

Submission Job Aid for step-by-step directions. 

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

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

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

Objectives are specific, quantifiable statements of the project’s desired results. They should be 

measurable and clearly linked to the goal.

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

within the scope of a project.

Budget and Associated Documentation

Budget Web-Based Form
Page 19 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide and the Complete the Application in JustGrants 

– Budget training.

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

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

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

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

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

Pre-Agreement Costs

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

Award Requirements for more information. 

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

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

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

indirect costs.

Consultant Rate

See the DOJ Grants Financial Guide for information on the consultant rates that require prior 

approval from OJP.

Employee Compensation Waiver

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

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

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status)

The Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire helps OJP assess 

the financial management and internal control systems, and the associated potential risks of an 
Page 20 O-NIJ-2024-171913

applicant as part of the pre-award risk assessment process. Every OJP applicant (other than an 

individual applying in their personal capacity, not representing an applicant organization) is 

required to complete the web-based Questionnaire form in JustGrants. See the Application 

Resource Guide: Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire 

(including Applicant Disclosure of High Risk Status) for the questions and additional guidance 

on how to complete the form.

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation

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

incorporating its “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” provisions. 

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

Additional Application Components, Disclosures, and Assurances

Additional Application Components

The applicant will attach the additional requested documentation in JustGrants.

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes

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

Timeline Form

Proposed project timeline and expected milestones. 

Letters of Support

Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations collaborating on 

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

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

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

applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and integrity, including 

appropriate safeguards, before it may receive award funds. The applicant will upload 

documentation of its research and evaluation independence and integrity as an attachment in 

JustGrants. For additional information, see the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide. 

Bibliography/Reference

Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Proposal Narrative. 
Page 21 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

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

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

List of Individuals in the Application

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

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

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

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

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

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

Human Subjects Protection

Human Subjects Protection paperwork as a separate attachment (documentation and forms 

related to Institutional Review Board (IRB) review). See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/humansubjects-protection. Note: Final IRB approval is not required at the time an application is 

submitted.

Privacy Certificate

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

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/confidentiality-and-privacy-protections and 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/model-privacy-certificate). 

Request to Use Incentives or Stipends

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

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

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

Documentation of “new investigator” status, if applicable

Documentation of “new investigator” 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 https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/data-archiving. 
Page 22 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Applications should include as a separate file a brief plan — labeled “Data Archiving Plan” — to 

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

data management and archiving, including submission to NIJ (through NACJD) of all files and 

documentation necessary to allow for future efforts by others to reproduce the project’s 

findings and/or to extend the scientific value of the data set through secondary analysis. 

Pertinent files and documentation include, among other things, qualitative and quantitative data 

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

programming code necessary to reproduce all constructed measures and the original data 

analysis, description of necessary 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. Once the applicant submits in Grants.gov, this 

information will pre-pend into JustGrants. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for 

additional information.

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items

Complete the JustGrants web-based Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items form. 

See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 

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

Application Resource Guide for additional information.

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 

Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; and Law Enforcement and 

Community Policing 

Review and accept in JustGrants the DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, 

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

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

additional information.

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High Risk Grantees
Page 23 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

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

designation based on a documented history of unsatisfactory performance; financial instability; 

management system or other internal control deficiencies; noncompliance with award terms and 

conditions on prior awards; or is otherwise not responsible. See the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide for additional information.

How to Apply, Submission Date and Time, and Add Sections

How to Apply

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

Award Management (SAM). You must renew and validate your registration every 12 months. If 

you do not renew your SAM registration, it will expire. An expired registration can delay or 

prevent application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants. Registration and renewal can 

take up to 10 business days to complete. 

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

via Grants.gov and JustGrants. 

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

Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/register by the Grants.gov deadline. Submit the SF-424 

and SF-LLL as early as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov 

deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov, they will be unable to apply in JustGrants.

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

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

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in Section 8F 

of the SF-424 will receive an email from DIAMD-NoReply@usdoj.gov with instructions on how to 

create a JustGrants account. Register the Entity Administrator and the Application Submitter 

with JustGrants as early as possible but no later than 48-72 hours before the JustGrants 

deadline. Once registered in JustGrants, the Application Submitter will receive an emailed link to 

complete the rest of the application in JustGrants. The Entity Administrator also will need to log 

into JustGrants to review and invite the applicant’s Authorized Representative(s) before an 

application can be submitted.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Submission Dates and Time
Page 24 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

February 12, 2024. 

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

26, 2024. 

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

dates with sufficient time to correct any errors and resubmit by the submission deadlines if a

rejection notification is received. To be considered timely, the full application must be

submitted in JustGrants by the JustGrants application deadline. Failure to begin the SAM.gov,

Grants.gov, or JustGrants registration process in sufficient time (i.e., waiting until the date 

identified in this solicitation) is not an acceptable reason for late submission.

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application

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

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

submission.

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

or JustGrants, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application after the deadline.

However, the waiver request will not be considered unless it includes a tracking number

generated when the applicant contacts the applicable service desks to report technical

difficulties. Tracking numbers are generated automatically when an applicant emails the 

applicable service desks, and for this reason applicants are encouraged to email the appropriate 

service desk, even if they also intend to call the service desk for phone support. Experiencing 

wait times for phone support does not relieve the applicant of the responsibility of getting a 

tracking number.

An applicant experiencing technical difficulties must contact the associated service desk 

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

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

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

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

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

support@grants.gov.

• JustGrants - contact the JustGrants Service Desk at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov

or 833-872-5175, Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET and Saturday, Sunday,

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

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

OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the Grants.gov deadline to 

request approval to submit after the deadline.

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

deadline, the applicant must contact the OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 

hours of the JustGrants deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline.
Page 25 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Waiver requests sent to the OJP Response Center must: 

• Describe the technical difficulties experienced. 

• Include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts (e.g., date and time the error 

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

and time support representatives responded). 

• Include an attachment of the complete grant application and all the required 

documentation and materials. 

• Include the applicant’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). 

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

documenting the technical issue.

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

applicant whether the request for late submission has been approved or denied. An applicant 

that does not provide documentation of a technical issue or that does not submit a waiver

request within the required time period will be denied. 

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

Unforeseen Technical Issues” section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Application Review Information

Review Criteria

Merit Review Criteria

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

how the proposed project/program addresses the following criteria:

Statement of the Problem (understanding of the problem) (15%) 

• Demonstrated understanding of the problem. 

• Demonstrated importance of research questions, goals, and objectives, including 

alignment with the aims of the solicitation. 

• Demonstrated awareness of the state of current research.

 

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

• Feasibility of proposed project. 

• Soundness of methods and analytical and technical approach to addressing the 

stated aim(s) of the proposed project. 

• Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of 

proposed actions to minimize and/or mitigate them. 

• Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation. 

Capabilities and Competencies (capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience 

of the applicant organization and proposed project staff) (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).
Page 26 O-NIJ-2024-171913

• 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. 

Potential Impact (20%)

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

criminal/juvenile justice in the United States. 

• Potential for significantly improved understanding of the stated criminal/juvenile 

justice problem. 

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

criminal/juvenile justice problem. 

• Strength and feasibility of the proposed dissemination plan to produce scholarly 

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

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

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

summary information available to broader interested audiences, such as criminal 

justice practitioners or policymakers. 

Budget (5%) 

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

context of scientific and technical merit. 

• Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities. 

• Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort. 

• Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

Other Review Criteria/Factors

Other important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity, strategic priorities

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

available funding, past performance, and the extent to which the Budget Web-Based Form 

accurately explains project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise allowable under 

federal law and applicable federal cost principles.

Review Process

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

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

policy and procedures using the review criteria listed above. 

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

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

requirements applicable to all OJP solicitations:

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

• The application must request funding within programmatic funding constraints (if 

applicable).

• The application must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation.
Page 27 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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

requirements.

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

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

things to help assess whether an applicant with one or more prior federal awards has a 

satisfactory record of performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the 

applicant entity is listed in SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award.

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

must review and consider any information about the applicant entity that appears in the nonpublic segment of the integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently, the 

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, FAPIIS). 

Important Note on FAPIIS: An applicant may review and comment on any information about its 

organization that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding agency. 

OJP will consider such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in 

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

All final award decisions will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), 

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

other factors as indicated in this section.

Federal Award Administration Information

 

Federal Award Notices

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

September 30th. See the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide for information on award 

notifications and instructions.

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

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

requirements of federal statutes and regulations, including the applicable requirements referred 

to in the assurances and certifications executed in connection with award acceptance. For 

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

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

Information Technology Security Clauses

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

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

information.

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements
Page 28 O-NIJ-2024-171913

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, and, if applicable, an annual audit

report in accordance with the Part 200 Uniform Requirements or specific award conditions.

Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. (In appropriate

cases, OJP may require additional reports.)

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

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

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

information on page 4.

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

see the solicitation page 5. 

Other Information

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

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

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

Provide Feedback to OJP

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

OJP. 
Page 29 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Performance Measures

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.

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.

1. Quarterly financial 

reports, semi-annual and 

final performance reports, 

and products of the work 

performed under the NIJ 

award (including, at 

minimum, a final research 

report). If applicable, an 

annual audit report.

Conduct research in 

science, technology, 

engineering, and/or 

mathematics having 

clear implications for 

criminal or juvenile 

justice policy and 

practice in the United 

States.

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.

2. List of citation(s) to all 

scholarly products that 

resulted in whole or in part 

from work funded under the 

NIJ award.

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.

3. If applicable, each data 

set that resulted in whole or 

in part from work funded 

under the NIJ award. 
Page 30 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Application Checklist 

NIJ FY24 Research on Law Enforcement Responses to Opioid Overdoses

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

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

Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist.

Pre-Application

Before Registering in Grants.gov:

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

(see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide)

Register in Grants.gov

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

password (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide)

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

Grant Application Resource Guide)

Find the Funding Opportunity

• Search for the funding opportunity in Grants.gov using the opportunity number, assistance

listing number, or keyword(s)

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

Application Resource Guide)

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

Guide)

• Read Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov

• Read OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, and reporting available at

https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/iii-postaward-requirements#6g3y8 (see OJP

Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Review the Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements

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

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

Review the Scope Requirement

• The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s) of $1M

Review Eligibility Requirement: 

• Review the Eligibility section on page 4.

~~~~

Application Step 1

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

• In Section 8F of the SF-424, include the name and contact information of the individual who
Page 31 O-NIJ-2024-171913

will complete the application in JustGrants and SF-LLL in Grants.gov

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

Grants.gov email notifications:

• A submission receipt

• A validation receipt

• A grantor agency retrieval receipt

• An agency tracking number assignment 

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

• Contact OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov or 800-851-3420 or TTY: 301-240-

6310 (hearing impaired only) or Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 

606-545-5035, Grants.gov customer support, or support@grants.gov regarding technical 

difficulties (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in Section 8F 

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

• Proceed to Application Step 2 and complete application in JustGrants

Application Step 2

Submit the following information in JustGrants

Application Components

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

• Proposal Abstract

• Proposal Narrative*

• Application Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline web-based form

Budget and Associated Documentation

• Budget Web-Based form*

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

Guide) 

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

Application Resource Guide) 

Additional Application Components

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

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

Resource Guide) 

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

Grant Application Resource Guide) 

• Curriculum Vitae or Resumes*

• Timeline Form 

• Letters of Support 

• Bibliography/reference 

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

• List of Individuals 

• Human Subjects 
Page 32 O-NIJ-2024-171913

• Privacy Certificate 

• Request to Use Incentives or Stipends 

• New Investigator Status (if applicable)

• Consortium/Contractual Arrangements 

• Data Archiving

Disclosures and Assurances

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

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

Guide)

• DOJ Certified Standard Assurances (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

• DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 

Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; and Law Enforcement and 

Community Policing (see OJP Grant Application Resource Guide) 

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

Grant Application Resource Guide) 

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

the basic minimum requirements review. If NIJ determines that an application 

does not include the designated items, it will neither proceed to peer review, nor 

receive further consideration.

Review, Certify, and Submit Application in JustGrants

• Any validation errors will immediately display on screen after submission.

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

to submit the application. Access the Application Submission Validation Errors Quick 

Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions to resolve errors prior to submission. 

• Once the application is submitted and validated, a confirmation message will appear at 

the top of the page. Users will also receive a notification in the “bell” alerts confirming 

submission. 

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

notification is received:

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

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

Application Resource Guide for additional information.

 
Page 33 O-NIJ-2024-171913

Standard Solicitation Resources 

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

preparing and submitting applications for OJP funding.

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

in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard grant funds and to ensure funds are used for 

the purposes for which they were awarded. It compiles a variety of laws, rules, and regulations 

that affect the financial and administrative management of DOJ awards. This guide serves as a 

starting point for all award recipients and subrecipients of DOJ grants and cooperative 

agreements in ensuring the effective day-to-day management of awards.

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

management system itself. Through this portal both award recipients and applicants can access 

training resources and user support options, find frequently asked questions, and sign up for the

JustGrants Update e-newsletter. 

JustGrants Application Submission Training Page offers helpful information and resources on 

the application process. This training page includes e-learning videos, reference guides, 

checklists, and other resources to help applicants complete an application. 

Virtual Q&A Sessions are advertised here and provide opportunities for users to receive topicspecific training, direct technical assistance, and support on JustGrants system functionality.