Notice regarding the solicitation “W.E.B. Du Bois Program of 

Research on Crime FY 2018”

April 4, 2018: NIJ hosted a webinar discussion on February 26, 2018, that provided an overview 

of this solicitation. The transcripts and slides have been appended to this document.

April 2, 2018: Item 9.c. titled “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” under 

“What an Application Should Include” in Section D. Application and Submission Information was 

redacted.

March 12, 2018: Links directing to "Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to 

OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2017 Awards" have been updated to the FY 

2018 link throughout this funding opportunity document.

The original solicitation document begins on the next page.
U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329 

Office of Justice Programs Approval Expires 11/30/2020 

National Institute of Justice 

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

Justice (NIJ) seeks investigator-initiated proposals for funding under the W.E.B. Du Bois 

Program of Research on Crime from two categories of researchers: (1) scholars who are 

advanced in their careers; and (2) fellows who are early in their careers. The program supports 

research that places particular emphasis on the intersections of race, crime, violence, and the 

administration of justice within the United States. It furthers the Department of Justice’s mission 

by advancing knowledge regarding issues deemed critical by the Department. 

W.E.B. Du Bois Program of Research on 

Crime FY 2018 

Applications Due: April 30, 2018

Eligibility 

In general, NIJ is authorized to make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative 

agreements with, States (including territories), units of local government, federally recognized 

Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions (as determined by the 

Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and 

for-profit organizations), institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher 

education), and certain qualified individuals. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and 

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. 

NIJ welcomes 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)1. The applicant must be the entity that would have primary responsibility for 

carrying out the award, including administering funding, managing the entire project, and

monitoring and appropriately managing any subawards (“subgrants”). 

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2018 solicitation in future fiscal 

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

availability of appropriations. 

1

 For additional information on subawards, see "Budget and Associated Documentation" under Section D. Application 

and Submission Information. 
2 

NIJ-2018-14220

Deadline 

Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html prior 

to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 30,

2018.

To be considered timely, an application must be submitted by the application deadline using 

Grants.gov, and the applicant must have received a validation message from Grants.gov that 

indicates successful and timely submission. OJP urges applicants to submit applications at least 

72 hours prior to the application due date, to allow time for the applicant to receive validation 

messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion any 

problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

OJP encourages all applicants to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov.

For additional information, see How to Apply in Section D. Application and Submission

Information. 

Contact Information 

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer 

Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, at 

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or via email to support@grants.gov. The

Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. 

An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that 

prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline may email the NIJ contact identified 

below within 24 hours after the application deadline to request approval to submit its 

application. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears under Experiencing 

Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues in the How to Apply section. 

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

Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll-free at 1-800-851-3420; via TTY at 

301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only); email grants@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301-240-5830; or web

chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of

operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to

8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date. General information on applying for NIJ

awards can be found at www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/welcome.aspx. Answers to frequently asked

questions that may assist applicants are posted at www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/faqs.aspx.

Grants.gov number assigned to this solicitation: NIJ-2018-14220 

Release date: February 26, 2018
3 

NIJ-2018-14220

Contents 

A. Program Description .............................................................................................................. 4

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

Program-Specific Information ................................................................................................. 5

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products ........................................ 7

B. Federal Award Information ..................................................................................................... 9

Type of Award .......................................................................................................................10

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls ........................................................10

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

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

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

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

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs ...................13

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) ...................................................13

C. Eligibility Information .............................................................................................................13

D. Application and Submission Information ...............................................................................13

What an Application Should Include ......................................................................................13

How to Apply .........................................................................................................................28

E. Application Review Information .............................................................................................33

Review Criteria ......................................................................................................................33

Review Process .....................................................................................................................34

F. Federal Award Administration Information ............................................................................36

Federal Award Notices ..........................................................................................................36

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements ............................................36

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements ..............................37

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) ...................................................................................38

H. Other Information..................................................................................................................38

Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552 and 5 U.S.C. 552a) ....................38

Provide Feedback to OJP ......................................................................................................38

Application Checklist .............................................................................................................40
4 

NIJ-2018-14220

W.E.B. Du Bois Program of Research 

on Crime FY 2018 

(CFDA No. 16.566) 

A. Program Description

Overview 

The W.E.B. Du Bois Program supports quantitative and qualitative research that furthers the 

Department’s mission by advancing knowledge regarding the intersections of race, crime, 

violence, and the administration of justice within the United States. This solicitation seeks 

investigator-initiated proposals for funding to conduct research on topics linked to issues 

deemed critical by the U.S. Department of Justice, including: 

 Reducing violent crime;

 Enhancing investigations and prosecution;

 Protecting police officers and other public safety personnel;

 Reducing victimization; and

 Enhancing immigration enforcement.

The proposals should have clear implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the 

United States. 

NIJ seeks applications for funding from two categories of researchers: 

1. W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars in Race and Crime Research – Researchers who are

advanced in their careers (awarded a terminal degree at least six years prior to

December 31, 2018) may apply for 36-month (or less) grants, with funding up to

$500,000 for research and mentoring less-experienced researchers.

2. W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship for Research on Race and Crime – Researchers who are

early in their careers (awarded a terminal degree within six years prior to December 31,

2018) may apply for 24-month (or less) grants, with funding up to $250,000 for research.

A period of residency at NIJ is optional, but not required.

Statutory Authority: Any awards under this solicitation would be made under statutory 

authority provided by a full-year appropriations act for FY 2018. 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 2018. 
5 

NIJ-2018-14220

Program-Specific Information 

W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) was an American sociologist, historian, writer, and editor. As a 

social scientist, Du Bois used objective scientific methods to advocate for social change. The 

Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study,

2

 published by Du Bois in 1899, was a groundbreaking 

sociological study of the city’s African American community. It was one of the first research 

projects to combine urban ethnography, social history, and descriptive statistics. 

Since FY 2000, NIJ has supported the W.E.B. Du Bois Program to advance the field of research 

on race and crime in the United States, with funding for fellows who are early in their careers. 

Past fellows have examined policing, courts, corrections, and other topics. 

Many fellows have applied quantitative methods, such as using national survey, police 

department, and other archival data, for longitudinal, multilevel, and other statistical analyses. 

With increased NIJ grant funding to promote mixed-method approaches, some fellows have 

incorporated primary data collection, including qualitative research, into their protocols. 

Examples include: police decision-making pathways in diverse communities; examining how risk 

assessment and neighborhood context affects sentencing decisions; focus groups with the 

Albanian diaspora in communities affected by organized crime; and a survey experiment testing 

the effect of exposure to various cues on support for justice reinvestment. 

See the W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship webpage3 for a brief description of the program, a list of 

past fellows and their projects, and links to research reports and other publications. 

In FY 2016, NIJ expanded the program to include a new funding category with support for more 

extensive research projects led by experienced principal investigators (PI) who could provide 

mentoring to less experienced researchers. NIJ has awarded several grants under the scholar 

and fellowship funding categories, including research on youth violence and victimization, 

policing and traffic stops, civilian oversight and review boards, prison reform effects, preadjudication risk-needs assessments, and inter-generational gang violence. 

Funding Categories 

W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars in Race and Crime Research 

Prospective scholars from all social, behavioral, and other disciplines are welcome to apply. 

Applicants must: 

 Possess a terminal degree in their respective field; and

 Have received a terminal degree prior to December 31, 2012.

NIJ is soliciting proposals for advanced Scholars to conduct innovative, multi-disciplinary, multimethod research studies that build on past research and advance knowledge about the 

occurrence of crime and the effectiveness of criminal justice programs. In order to inform 

practice and policy relevant to state, tribal, and local jurisdictions and their criminal justice 

stakeholder communities, NIJ seeks proposals that will make significant contributions to theory 

and/or research methods. Applicants must state specific research questions, including how the 

2

 Du Bois, W. E. B. (1899). The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania. 

3

 W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship Program, http://nij.gov/funding/fellowships/dubois-fellowship/pages/welcome.aspx. 
6 

NIJ-2018-14220

proposed project is designed to advance current research, and how research findings have the 

potential to add substantially to the knowledge base of the proposed line of inquiry. 

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

scientific evidence about what works. Therefore, studies employing RCT methods to assess the 

effectiveness of programs and practices will be given higher priority consideration. RCT 

applications with strong designs measuring outcomes of self-evident policy importance are 

strongly encouraged. A strong RCT design should include low sample attrition, sufficient sample 

size, close adherence to random assignment, valid outcome measures, and statistical analyses. 

Taking RCT costs into consideration, applicants may want to consider studies using privacyprotected administrative data that are already being collected or implementing an intervention 

into a program already funded. 

A secondary goal of the W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars Program is to grow the field of well-trained 

researchers studying race and crime. Scholars must propose a mentorship component to the 

study that goes beyond hiring graduate and undergraduate students as project staff. 

Applications must include a general mentorship plan, with details on how the proposed research 

will contribute to the mentoring and training of junior researchers, graduate students, and/or 

undergraduate students by the Scholar and research partners. This general mentorship plan 

must be provided as an appendix to the application. 

For mentorship plan approval as part of the grant award process, NIJ will require: 

 The curriculum vitae/resume of the individual(s) to be mentored; 

 A career development plan for the mentee(s); 

 A description of the use of resources for the mentoring enterprise, such as research 

work space and equipment, statistical software, and other research support; 

 A description of the availability of activities (including classes, seminars, and informal 

opportunities) for interaction with other scientists or researchers; 

 Training in career skills, such as grant-writing and effective presentations; and 

 A statement that at least one peer-reviewed journal article that comes from the project 

will be first authored by the mentee(s). 

W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship for Research on Race and Crime 

Prospective scholars from all social and behavioral sciences, and other disciplines, are welcome 

to apply. Applicants must: 

 Possess a terminal degree in their respective field; 

 Not have been awarded tenure by December 31, 2018. 

NIJ is soliciting proposals for Fellowships from researchers, who are early in their careers, to 

conduct qualitative and/or quantitative research that may include secondary data analysis. This 

category offers talented researchers an opportunity to elevate independently generated 
7 

NIJ-2018-14220

research and ideas to the level of national discussion. In this funding category, first time grant 

recipients are encouraged to apply. Fellowship applicants have the option of proposing a shortterm residency at NIJ; however, residency is not a Fellowship requirement and security 

clearance must be completed before residency may begin. 

Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products 

Objectives 

In support of NIJ’s goal to advance knowledge regarding the confluence of crime, justice, and 

culture in various societal contexts, this solicitation promotes research on the intersections of 

race, crime, violence, and the administration of justice within the United States. This solicitation 

focuses on investigator-initiated research conducted by scholars and fellows regarding race and 

crime, applicable to state, tribal, and local jurisdictions. 

Research Topics 

Applicants may propose research on topics that are linked to race and crime. Of particular 

interest is research on issues deemed critical by the U.S. Department of Justice including: 

 Reducing violent crime; 

 Enhancing investigations and prosecution; 

 Protecting police officers and other public safety personnel; 

 Reducing victimization; and 

 Enhancing immigration enforcement. 

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 the Post Award Reporting Requirements Page on NIJ’s website.

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. For more information, see Program Narrative in Section D. Application and 

Submission Information. 

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

described in Section F. Federal Award Administration Information), 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. 
8 

NIJ-2018-14220

The Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products are directly related to the 

performance measures that demonstrate the results of the work completed. 

Performance Measures 

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

the results of the work carried out under the award (see “General Information about PostFederal Award Reporting Requirements” in Section F. Federal Award Administration 

Information).

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

view the specific reporting requirements for this grant program. 

The application should demonstrate the applicant’s understanding of the performance data 

reporting requirements for this grant program and detail how the applicant will gather the 

required data should it receive funding. 

Please note that applicants are not required to submit performance data with the application. 

Performance measures information is included as an alert that successful applicants will be 

required to submit performance data as part of the reporting requirements under an award. 

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 agencyapproved 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.

1.Quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual and final 

progress reports, and 

products of the work 

performed under the NIJ 

award (including, at 

minimum, a final research 

report).

If applicable, an annual audit 

report

2.List of citation(s) to all 

scholarly products that 

resulted in whole or in part 

from work funded under the 

NIJ award.

3.If applicable, each data set 

that resulted in whole or in 

part from work funded under 

the NIJ award.

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 
9 

NIJ-2018-14220

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 include evaluation research should consider the feasibility of including 

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 aids 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 taken into account 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://www.crimesolutions.gov/about_starttofinish.aspx for further information on high-quality 

evaluation design elements. 

B. Federal Award Information 

NIJ anticipates up to $2 million will be available to fund multiple grant awards for two (2) 

categories of researchers:

1. W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars in Race and Crime Research – Researchers who are 

advanced in their careers (awarded a terminal degree at least six years prior to 

December 31, 2018) may apply for 36-month (or less) grants with, funding up to 

$500,000 for research and mentoring less-experienced researchers. 

2. W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship for Research on Race and Crime – Researchers who are 

early in their careers (awarded a terminal degree within six years prior to December 31, 

2018) may apply for 24-month (or less) grants, with funding up to $250,000 for research; 

residency at NIJ is optional, but not required. 

An applicant should base its federal funding request and period of performance on the actual 

requirements of the research, and not necessarily on the anticipated amount of funding

available in FY 2018 for awards under this solicitation nor to fit within a three-year period of 

performance. However, to expedite the budget approval process, applicants are encouraged to 

break out their budgets by project year or by phases in the event that NIJ choses to fund the 

project partially or incrementally. 

To allow time for (among other things) any necessary post-award review and financial clearance 

by OJP of the proposed budget and for any associated responses or other action(s) that may be 

required of the recipient, applicants should propose an award start date of January 1, 2019. 
10

NIJ-2018-14220

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 FY18, 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, in certain cases, provide additional funding in future years to awards made under its 

research, development, and evaluation solicitations, through continuation awards. In making 

decisions regarding continuation awards, OJP will consider, among other factors, the availability 

of appropriations, when the program or project was last competed, OJP’s strategic priorities, 

and OJP’s assessment of both the management of the award (for example, timeliness and 

quality of progress reports), and the progress of the work funded under the award.

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

additional requirements that may be imposed by law. 

Type of Award 

NIJ expects to make any award under this solicitation in the form of a grant. See Administrative, 

National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements, under Section F. Federal Award Administration

Information, for a brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that 

apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants. 

Please note: Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be required to comply with 

DOJ regulations on confidentiality and protection of human subjects. See “Requirements related 

to Research” under “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and

Cooperative Agreements - FY 2018 Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm. 

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

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

entities4) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements5 as set out at 2 C.F.R. 

200.303: 

(a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that

provides reasonable assurance that [the recipient (and any subrecipient)] is

managing the Federal award in compliance with Federal statutes, regulations,

and the terms and conditions of the Federal award. These internal controls

4 For purposes of this solicitation, the phrase “pass-through entity” includes any recipient or subrecipient that provides 

a subaward (“subgrant”) to carry out part of the funded award or program.

5 The "Part 200 Uniform Requirements” means the DOJ regulation at 2 C.F.R Part 2800, which adopts (with certain 

modifications) the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200. 
11

NIJ-2018-14220

should be in compliance with guidance in “Standards for Internal Control in the 

Federal Government” issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and 

the “Internal Control Integrated Framework”, issued by the Committee of 

Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). 

(b) Comply with Federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the 

Federal awards. 

(c) Evaluate and monitor [the recipient’s (and any subrecipient’s)] compliance with 

statutes, regulations and the terms and conditions of Federal awards. 

(d) Take prompt action when instances of noncompliance are identified including 

noncompliance identified in audit findings. 

(e) Take reasonable measures to safeguard protected personally identifiable 

information and other information the Federal awarding agency or pass-through 

entity designates as sensitive or [the recipient (or any subrecipient)] considers 

sensitive consistent with applicable Federal, state, local, and tribal laws regarding 

privacy and obligations of confidentiality. 

To help ensure that applicants understand applicable administrative requirements and cost 

principles, OJP encourages prospective applicants to enroll, at no charge, in the DOJ Grants 

Financial Management Online Training, available at https://ojpfgm.webfirst.com/. (This training 

is required for all OJP recipients.)

Also, applicants should be aware that OJP collects information from applicants on their financial 

management and systems of internal controls (among other information) which is used to make 

award decisions. Under Section D. Application and Submission Information, applicants may 

access and review the OJP Financial Management and System of Internal Controls 

Questionnaire (https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/FinancialCapability.pdf) that OJP 

requires all applicants (other than an individual applying in his/her personal capacity) to 

download, complete, and submit as part of the application. 

Budget Information 

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.) 

 Programs or services unrelated to the scope of the project or existing programs or 

services being evaluated. 

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

proposed project. 

 Applications that are not responsive to this specific solicitation. 
12

NIJ-2018-14220

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement 

See “Cofunding” paragraph under item 4 (“Budget and Associated Documentation”) under What 

an Application Should Include in Section D. Application and Submission Information. 

This solicitation does not require a match. However, 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 (also known as Pre-award Costs) 

Pre-agreement costs are costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of 

performance of the federal award. 

OJP does not typically approve pre-agreement costs; an applicant must request and obtain the 

prior written approval of OJP for all such costs. All such costs incurred prior to award and prior 

to approval of the costs are incurred at the sole risk of the applicant. (Generally, no applicant 

should incur project costs before submitting an application requesting federal funding for those 

costs.) Should there be extenuating circumstances that make it appropriate for OJP to consider 

approving pre-agreement costs, the applicant may contact the point of contact listed on the title 

page of this solicitation for the requirements concerning written requests for approval. If 

approved in advance by OJP, award funds may be used for pre-agreement costs, consistent 

with the recipient’s approved budget and applicable cost principles. See the section on “Costs 

Requiring Prior Approval” in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide at 

https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm for more information. 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver 

With respect to any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation, a recipient may 

not use federal funds to pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any 

employee of the recipient at a rate that exceeds 110 percent of the maximum annual salary 

payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an 

agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year.6

 The 2018 salary 

table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website at 

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salarytables/18Tables/exec/html/ES.aspx. Note: A recipient may compensate an employee at a 

greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this compensation limitation is paid with nonfederal funds. (Non-federal funds used for any such additional compensation will not be 

considered matching funds, where match requirements apply.) If only a portion of an 

employee’s time is charged to an OJP award, the maximum allowable compensation is equal to 

the percentage of time worked times the maximum salary limitation. 

The Director of the National Institute of Justice may exercise discretion to waive, on an 

individual basis, this limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant 

that requests a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of its 

application. An applicant that does not submit a waiver request and justification with its 

application should anticipate that OJP will require the applicant to adjust and resubmit the 

budget. 

 

6

 OJP does not apply this limitation on the use of award funds to the nonprofit organizations listed in Appendix VIII to 

2 C.F.R. Part 200. 
13

NIJ-2018-14220

The justification should address, in the context of the work the individual would do under the 

award, the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the uniqueness of a service 

the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the proposed program or 

project, and a statement that explains whether and how the individual’s salary under the award 

would be commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with his/her 

qualifications and expertise, and for the work he/she would do under the award. 

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

OJP strongly encourages every applicant that proposes to use award funds for any conference-, 

meeting-, or training-related activity (or similar event) to review carefully—before submitting an 

application—the OJP policy and guidance on approval, planning, and reporting of such events, 

available at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.10a.htm. OJP 

policy and guidance (1) encourage minimization of conference, meeting, and training costs; (2) 

require prior written approval (which may affect project timelines) of most conference, meeting, 

and training costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some conference, meeting, and 

training costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, which include a general prohibition of 

all food and beverage costs. 

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable) 

If an applicant proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to 

individuals, the costs of taking reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to those services 

or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. Reasonable steps 

to provide meaningful access to services or benefits may include interpretation or translation 

services, where appropriate. 

For additional information, see the "Civil Rights Compliance" section under “Overview of Legal

Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2018

Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center athttps://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm.

C. Eligibility Information

For eligibility information, see title page. 

For information on cost sharing or match requirements, see “What an Application Should 

Include” in Section D. Application and Submission Information.

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include 

This section describes in detail what an application should include. An applicant should 

anticipate that if it fails to submit an application that contains all of the specified elements, it may 

negatively affect the review of its application; and, should a decision be made to make an 

award, it may result in the inclusion of award conditions that preclude the recipient from 

accessing or using award funds until the recipient satisfies the conditions and OJP makes the 

funds available. 
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Moreover, an applicant should anticipate that an application that OJP determines is

nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that OJP determines does not include the 

application elements that NIJ has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review 

nor receive further consideration. For this solicitation, NIJ has designated the following 

application elements as critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, 

and resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel. (For purposes of this solicitation, “key 

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

NOTE: OJP has combined the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative in a single 

document collectively referred to as the Budget Detail Worksheet. See “Budget Information and 

Associated Documentation” below for more information about the Budget Detail Worksheet and 

where it can be accessed. 

OJP strongly recommends that applicants use appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., 

“Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of Understanding,” 

“Resumes”) for all attachments. Also, OJP recommends that applicants include resumes in a 

single file. 

Please review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How to Apply to be sure 

applications are submitted in permitted formats. 

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

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and OJP’s Grants 

Management System (GMS) take information from the applicant’s profile to populate the 

fields on this form. When selecting "type of applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit entity, 

select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small Business" (as applicable). 

To avoid processing delays, an applicant must include an accurate legal name on its SF424. On the SF-424, current OJP award recipients, when completing the field for “Legal 

Name” (box 8a), should use the same legal name that appears on the prior year award 

document (which is also the legal name stored in OJP’s financial system.) Also, these 

recipients should enter the Employer Identification Number (EIN) in box 8c exactly as it 

appears on the prior year award document. An applicant with a current, active award(s) 

must ensure that its GMS profile is current. If the profile is not current, the applicant should 

submit a Grant Adjustment Notice updating the information on its GMS profile prior to 

applying under this solicitation. 

A new applicant entity should enter its official legal name in box 8a, its address in box 8d, its 

EIN in box 8b, and its Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in box 8c of the 

SF-424. A new applicant entity should attach official legal documents to their applications 

(e.g., articles of incorporation, 501(c)(3) status documentation, organizational letterhead 

etc.) to confirm the legal name, address, and EIN entered into the SF-424. OJP will use the 

System for Award Management (SAM) to confirm the legal name and DUNS number 

entered in the SF-424; therefore, an applicant should ensure that the information entered in 

the SF-424 matches its current registration in SAM. See the How to Apply section for more 

information on SAM and DUNS numbers. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

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.”)

2. Project Abstract

The project abstract is a very important part of the application, and serves as an introduction 

to the proposed project. NIJ uses the project abstract for a number of purposes, including 

assignment of the application to an appropriate review panel. If the application is funded, the 

project abstract typically will become public information and be used to describe the project. 

Applications should include a high-quality project abstract that summarizes the proposed 

project in 250-400 words. Project abstracts not submitted in the template below should be—

 Written for a general public audience. 

 Submitted as a separate attachment with “Project Abstract” as part of its file name. 

 Single-spaced, using the form’s standard 12-point font (with 1-inch margins). 

As a separate attachment, the project abstract will not count against the page limit for the 

program narrative. 

Project abstracts should follow the detailed template (including the detailed instructions as to 

content) available at www.nij.gov/funding/documents/nij-project-abstract-template.pdf.

3. Program Narrative 

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed 30-double-spaced pages 

in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. If included in the main body of the program narrative, 

tables, charts, figures, and other illustrations count toward the 30-page limit for the narrative 

section. The project abstract, table of contents, appendices, and government forms do not 

count toward the 30-page limit. 

If the program narrative fails to comply with these length-related restrictions, NIJ may 

consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions. 

The following sections should be included as part of the program narrative.7

Program Narrative Guidelines: 

a. Title Page (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit).

The title page should include the title of the project, submission date, funding 

opportunity number, and the name and complete contact information (that is, 

 

7

 As noted earlier, if the proposed program or project 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 set out each phase clearly. (In 

appropriate cases, the expected scholarly product(s) from a particular phase may vary from those described above.) 

See generally “Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Expected Scholarly Products” under “Program-Specific 

Information,” above.
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NIJ-2018-14220

address, telephone number, and e-mail address) for both the applicant and the 

principal investigator. 

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the 30-page program 

narrative 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 NIJassigned 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 30-page program narrative 

limit). 

d. Main Body.

The main body of the program narrative should describe the proposed project in 

depth. The following sections should be included as part of the program 

narrative: 

 Statement of the Problem and Research Questions. 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. As part of 

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

discuss previous research related to these problems. 

This section should also identify the proposed research questions and discuss 

the purpose, goals, and objectives of the proposed project. 

 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 on page 5. Applicants should describe the research 

methodology 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. 

 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 discussion of impact should include a discussion of the deliverables, 

including planned scholarly products indicated in the project-specific 

information on page 7 and a plan for dissemination to appropriate audiences. 
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Applicants should identify plans to produce or make available to broader 

interested practitioners and policy makers in a form that is designed to be 

readily accessible and useful to them. 

 Capabilities/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: 

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

conduct of similar research efforts. 

o Experience and capacity to design and implement rigorous research and 

data analysis projects. 

o 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. 

e. Appendices not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit) include: 

 Bibliography/references. 

 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. 

 Curriculum vitae, resume, or biographical sketch of the principal investigator 

and any and all co-principal investigators. In addition, curriculum vitae, 

resume, or biographical sketch 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). 

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

such conflicts on the part of prospective reviewers of the application), 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. This applies to all such individuals, including, for example, 

individuals who are or would be employees of the applicant or employees of 

any proposed subrecipient entity, any individuals who themselves may be a 

subrecipient, and individuals who may (or will) work without compensation 

(such as advisory board members). This appendix to the program narrative is 

to include, for each listed individual: name, title, employer, any other 

potentially-pertinent organizational affiliation(s), and the individual's proposed 

roles and responsibilities in carrying out the proposed project. If the 
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NIJ-2018-14220

application identifies any specific entities or organizations (other than the 

applicant) that will or may work (or advise or consult) on the proposed project, 

without also naming any associated individuals, the name of each such 

organization also should be included on this list. Applicants should use the 

“Proposed Project Staff, Affiliation, and Roles” form available at 

https://www.nij.gov/funding/documents/nij-project-staff-template.xlsx to 

provide this list. 

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

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

administrative requirements the applicant also must list the entities with which 

the applicant proposes to contract. Applicants should provide this list as a 

separate sheet entitled "Proposed non-competitive procurement contracts." 

For information on distinctions -- for purposes of federal grants administrative 

requirements -- between subawards and procurement contracts under 

awards, see “Budget and Associated Documentation,” below. 

 Proposed project timeline and expected milestones. 

 Human Subjects Protection paperwork (documentation and forms related to 

Institutional Review Board (IRB) review). (See

nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/Pages/welcome.aspx) Note: Final IRB 

approval is not required at the time an application is submitted. 

o Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/pages/confidentiality.aspx). 

 List of any previous and current NIJ awards to the applicant and 

investigator(s), including the NIJ-assigned award numbers and a brief 

description of any scholarly products that resulted in whole or in part from 

work funded under the NIJ award(s). (See “Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, 

and Expected Scholarly Products” under “Program-Specific Information,” 

above, for definition of “scholarly products.”) 

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

application has been submitted (if applicable) 

 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://www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/research-participant-costs-andincentives.aspx. 

 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 www.nij.gov/funding/data-resourcesprogram/applying/Pages/data-archiving-strategies.aspx.)
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Applications should include as an appendix a brief plan – labeled “Data 

Archiving Plan” – to comply with data archiving requirements. The plan 

should provide brief details about proposed data management and archiving, 

including submission to NIJ (through NACJD) of 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 required data sets are to be submitted 90 days before the end of 

the period of performance. 

 Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project, such as law enforcement and 

correctional agencies (if applicable). 

4. Budget and Associated Documentation 

The Budget Detail Worksheet and the Budget Narrative are now combined in a single 

document collectively referred to as the Budget Detail Worksheet. The Budget Detail 

Worksheet is a user-friendly, fillable, Microsoft Excel-based document designed to calculate 

totals. Additionally, the Excel workbook contains worksheets for multiple budget years that 

can be completed as necessary. All applicants should use the Excel version when 

completing the proposed budget in an application, except in cases where the 

applicant does not have access to Microsoft Excel or experiences technical 

difficulties. If an applicant does not have access to Microsoft Excel or experiences 

technical difficulties with the Excel version, then the applicant should use the 508-compliant 

accessible Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) version. 

Both versions of the Budget Detail Worksheet can be accessed at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Forms/BudgetDetailWorksheet.htm. 

a. Budget Detail Worksheet

The Budget Detail Worksheet should provide the detailed computation for each budget 

line item, listing the total cost of each and showing how it was calculated by the 

applicant. For example, costs for personnel should show the annual salary rate and the 

percentage of time devoted to the project for each employee paid with grant funds. The 

Budget Detail Worksheet should present a complete itemization of all proposed costs. 

For questions pertaining to budget and examples of allowable and unallowable costs, 

see the DOJ Grants Financial Guide at https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm. 
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b. Budget Narrative

The budget narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of expense 

listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. OJP expects proposed budgets to be complete, 

cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project 

activities).

An applicant should demonstrate in its budget narrative how it will maximize cost 

effectiveness of award expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe cost 

effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals of the project. For 

example, a budget narrative should detail why planned in-person meetings are 

necessary, or how technology and collaboration with outside organizations could be 

used to reduce costs, without compromising quality. 

The budget narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond clearly with the 

information and figures provided in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should 

explain how the applicant estimated and calculated all costs, and how those costs are 

necessary to the completion of the proposed project. The narrative may include tables 

for clarification purposes, but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget 

Detail Worksheet, the budget narrative should describe costs by year. 

c. 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 Section B. 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. 

d. Information on Proposed Subawards (if any), as well as on Proposed Procurement 

Contracts (if any) 

Applicants for OJP awards typically may propose to make subawards. Applicants also 

may propose to enter into procurement contracts under the award. 

Whether an action – for federal grants administrative purposes – is a subaward or 

procurement contract is a critical distinction as significantly different rules apply to 

subawards and procurement contracts. If a recipient enters into an agreement that is a 

subaward of an OJP award, specific rules apply – many of which are set by federal 

statutes and DOJ regulations; others by award conditions. These rules place particular 

responsibilities on an OJP recipient for any subawards the OJP recipient may make. The 

rules determine much of what the written subaward agreement itself must require or 

provide. The rules also determine much of what an OJP recipient must do both before 
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NIJ-2018-14220

and after it makes a subaward. If a recipient enters into an agreement that is a 

procurement contract under an OJP award, a substantially different set of federal rules 

applies. 

OJP has developed the following guidance documents to help clarify the differences 

between subawards and procurement contracts under an OJP award and outline the 

compliance and reporting requirements for each. This information can be accessed 

online at https://ojp.gov/training/training.htm. 

 Subawards under OJP Awards and Procurement Contracts under Awards: A 

Toolkit for OJP Recipients.

 Checklist to Determine Subrecipient or Contractor Classification.

 Sole Source Justification Fact Sheet and Sole Source Review Checklist.

In general, the central question is the relationship between what the third-party will do 

under its agreement with the recipient and what the recipient has committed (to OJP) to 

do under its award to further a public purpose (e.g., services the recipient will provide, 

products it will develop or modify, research or evaluation it will conduct). If a third party 

will provide some of the services the recipient has committed (to OJP) to provide, will 

develop or modify all or part of a product the recipient has committed (to OJP) to 

develop or modify, or will conduct part of the research or evaluation the recipient has 

committed (to OJP) to conduct, OJP will consider the agreement with the third party a 

subaward for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements. 

This will be true even if the recipient, for internal or other non-federal purposes, labels or 

treats its agreement as a procurement, a contract, or a procurement contract. Neither 

the title nor the structure of an agreement determines whether the agreement -- for 

purposes of federal grants administrative requirements -- is a subaward or is instead a 

procurement contract under an award. The substance of the relationship should be given 

greater consideration than the form of agreement between the recipient and the outside 

entity. 

1. Information on proposed subawards 

A recipient of an OJP award may not make subawards ("subgrants") unless the 

recipient has specific federal authorization to do so. Unless an applicable statute or 

DOJ regulation specifically authorizes (or requires) subawards, a recipient must have 

authorization from OJP before it may make a subaward. 

A particular subaward may be authorized by OJP because the recipient included a 

sufficiently-detailed description and justification of the proposed subaward in the 

Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet, and Budget Narrative as approved by 

OJP. If, however, a particular subaward is not authorized by federal statute or 

regulation, and is not approved by OJP, the recipient will be required, post-award, to 

request and obtain written authorization from OJP before it may make the subaward. 

If an applicant proposes to make one or more subawards to carry out the federal 

award and program, the applicant should-- (1) identify (if known) the proposed 

subrecipient(s), (2) describe in detail what each subrecipient will do to carry out the 
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federal award and federal program, and (3) provide a justification for the 

subaward(s), with details on pertinent matters such as special qualifications and 

areas of expertise. Pertinent information on subawards should appear not only in the 

Program Narrative, but also in the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative. 

2. Information on proposed procurement contracts (with specific justification for 

proposed noncompetitive contracts over $150,000) 

Unlike a recipient contemplating a subaward, a recipient of an OJP award generally 

does not need specific prior federal authorization to enter into an agreement that --

for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements -- is considered a 

procurement contract, provided that (1) the recipient uses its own documented 

procurement procedures and (2) those procedures conform to applicable federal law, 

including the Procurement Standards of the (DOJ) Part 200 Uniform Requirements 

(as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.317 - 200.326). The Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget 

Narrative should identify proposed procurement contracts. (As discussed above, 

subawards must be identified and described separately from procurement contracts.) 

The Procurement Standards in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, however, reflect 

a general expectation that agreements that (for purposes of federal grants 

administrative requirements) constitute procurement “contracts” under awards will be 

entered into on the basis of full and open competition. All noncompetitive (sole 

source) procurement contracts must meet the OJP requirements outlined at 

https://ojp.gov/training/subawards-procurement.htm. If a proposed procurement 

contract would exceed the simplified acquisition threshold -- currently, $150,000 -- a 

recipient of an OJP award may not proceed without competition unless and until the 

recipient receives specific advance authorization from OJP to use a non-competitive 

approach for the procurement. An applicant that (at the time of its application) 

intends – without competition – to enter into a procurement contract that would 

exceed $150,000 should include a detailed justification that explains to OJP why, in 

the particular circumstances, it is appropriate to proceed without competition. 

If the applicant receives an award, sole source procurements that do not exceed the 

Simplified Acquisition Threshold (currently $150,000) must have written justification 

for the noncompetitive procurement action maintained in the procurement file. If a 

procurement file does not have the documentation that meets the criteria outlined in 

2 C.F.R. 200, the procurement expenditures may not be allowable. Sole source 

procurement over the $150,000 Simplified Acquisition Threshold must have prior 

approval from OJP using a Sole Source Grant Adjustment Notice (GAN). Written 

documentation justifying the noncompetitive procurement must be submitted with the 

GAN and maintained in the procurement file. 

e. Pre-Agreement Costs

For information on preagreement costs, see Section B. Federal Award Information.

5. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

Indirect costs may be charged to an award only if: 
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(a) The recipient has a current (unexpired), federally approved indirect cost rate; or

(b) The recipient is eligible to use, and elects to use, the “de minimis” indirect cost rate

described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, as set out at 2 C.F.R. 200.414(f); 

An applicant with a current (unexpired) federally-approved indirect cost rate is to attach a 

copy of the indirect cost rate agreement to the application. An applicant that does not have a 

current federally-approved rate may request one through its cognizant federal agency, which 

will review all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant entity, or, if the applicant’s 

accounting system permits, applicants may propose to allocate costs in the direct cost 

categories. 

For assistance with identifying the appropriate cognizant federal agency for indirect costs, 

please contact the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) Customer Service Center at 

1-800-458-0786 or at ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov. If DOJ is the cognizant federal agency, an 

applicant may obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost rate proposal at 

https://www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/IndirectCosts.pdf. 

Certain OJP recipients have the option of electing to use the “de minimis” indirect cost rate. 

An applicant that is eligible to use the “de minimis” rate that wishes to use the "de minimis" 

rate should attach written documentation to the application that advises OJP of both-- (1) the 

applicant’s eligibility to use the “de minimis” rate, and (2) its election to do so. If an eligible 

applicant elects the “de minimis” rate, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect 

or direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. The "de 

minimis" rate may no longer be used once an approved federally-negotiated indirect cost 

rate is in place. (No entity that ever has had a federally-approved negotiated indirect cost 

rate is eligible to use the "de minimis" rate.) For additional eligibility requirements please see 

Part 200 Uniform Requirements, as set out at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/textidx?node=se2.1.200_1414&rgn=div8. 

6. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

A tribe, tribal organization, or third party that proposes to provide direct services or 

assistance to residents on tribal lands should include in its application a resolution, letter, 

affidavit, or other documentation, as appropriate, that demonstrates (as a legal matter) that 

the applicant has the requisite authorization from the tribe(s) to implement the proposed 

project on tribal lands. In those instances when an organization or consortium of tribes 

applies for an award on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, the application should 

include appropriate legal documentation, as described above, from all tribes that would 

receive services or assistance under the award. A consortium of tribes for which existing 

consortium bylaws allow action without support from all tribes in the consortium (i.e., without 

an authorizing resolution or comparable legal documentation from each tribal governing 

body) may submit, instead, a copy of its consortium bylaws with the application. 

7. Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status) 

Every OJP applicant (other than an individual applying in his or her personal capacity) is 

required to download, complete, and submit the OJP Financial Management and System of 

Internal Controls Questionnaire (Questionnaire) at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/FinancialCapability.pdf as part of its application. 
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The Questionnaire helps OJP assess the financial management and internal control 

systems, and the associated potential risks of an applicant as part of the pre-award risk 

assessment process. 

The Questionnaire should only be completed by financial staff most familiar with the 

applicant's systems, policies, and procedures in order to ensure that the correct responses 

are recorded and submitted to OJP. The responses on the Questionnaire directly impact the 

pre-award risk assessment and should accurately reflect the applicant’s financial 

management and internal control system at the time of the application. The pre-award risk 

assessment is only one of multiple factors and criteria used in determining funding. 

However, a pre-award risk assessment that indicates that an applicant poses a higher risk to 

OJP may affect the funding decision and/or result in additional reporting requirements, 

monitoring, special conditions, withholding of award funds, or other additional award 

requirements. 

Among other things, the form requires each applicant to disclose whether it currently is 

designated “high risk” by a federal grant-making agency outside of DOJ. For purposes of 

this disclosure, high risk includes any status under which a federal awarding agency 

provides additional oversight due to the applicant’s past performance, or other programmatic 

or financial concerns with the applicant. If an applicant is designated high risk by another 

federal awarding agency, the applicant must provide the following information: 

 The federal awarding agency that currently designates the applicant high risk. 

 The date the applicant was designated high risk. 

 The high-risk point of contact at that federal awarding agency (name, phone number, 

and email address). 

 The reasons for the high-risk status, as set out by the federal awarding agency. 

OJP seeks this information to help ensure appropriate federal oversight of OJP awards. An 

applicant that is considered “high-risk” by another federal awarding agency is not 

automatically disqualified from receiving an OJP award. OJP may, however, consider the 

information in award decisions, and may impose additional OJP oversight of any award 

under this solicitation (including through the conditions that accompany the award 

document). 

8. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Each applicant must complete and submit this information. An applicant that expends any 

funds for lobbying activities is to provide all of the information requested on the form 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) posted 

athttps://ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/Disclosure.pdf. An applicant that does not expend 

any funds for lobbying activities is to enter “N/A” in the text boxes for item 10 (“a. Name and 

Address of Lobbying Registrant” and “b. Individuals Performing Services”).
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9. Additional Attachments

a. Applicant disclosure of pending applications8

Each applicant is to disclose whether it has (or is proposed as a subrecipient under) any 

pending applications for federally-funded grants or cooperative agreements that (1) 

include requests for funding to support the same project being proposed in the 

application under this solicitation, and (2) would cover the identical cost items outlined in 

the budget submitted to OJP under this solicitation. The applicant is to disclose both 

applications made directly to federal awarding agencies, and also applications for 

subawards of federal funds (e.g., applications to State agencies that will subaward 

(“subgrant”) federal funds). 

OJP seeks this information to help avoid inappropriate duplication of funding. Leveraging 

multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement comprehensive 

programs or projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate duplication. 

Each applicant that has one or more pending applications as described above is to 

provide the following information about pending applications submitted within the last 12 

months: 

 The federal or State funding agency. 

 The solicitation name/project name. 

 The point of contact information at the applicable federal or State funding 

agency. 

SAMPLE

Federal or State 

Funding Agency 

Solicitation 

Name/Project Name

Name/Phone/E-mail for Point of 

Contact at Federal or State Funding 

Agency

DOJ/Office of 

Community Oriented 

Policing Services 

(COPS)

COPS Hiring 

Program

Jane Doe, 202/000-0000;

jane.doe@usdoj.gov

Health and Human 

Services/ Substance 

Abuse and Mental 

Health Services 

Administration

Drug-Free 

Communities 

Mentoring 

Program/North 

County Youth 

Mentoring Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; 

john.doe@hhs.gov

Each applicant should include the table as a separate attachment to its application. The 

file should be named “Disclosure of Pending Applications.” The applicant’s Legal Name 

on the application must match the entity named on the disclosure of pending 

applications statement. 

 

8

 Typically, the applicant is not the principal investigator. Rather, the applicant, most frequently, is the institution, 

organization, or company in which the principal investigator is employed. 
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Any applicant that does not have any pending applications as described above is to

submit, as a separate attachment, a statement to this effect: “[Applicant Name on SF424] does not have (and is not proposed as a subrecipient under) any pending 

applications submitted within the last 12 months for federally-funded grants or 

cooperative agreements or for subawards under federal grants or cooperative 

agreements) that request funding to support the same project being proposed in this 

application to OJP and that would cover the identical cost items outlined in the budget 

submitted as part of this application.”

b. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity 

When 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 must demonstrate independence and integrity regarding both this proposed 

research and/or evaluation, and any current or prior related projects. 

Each application should include an attachment that addresses both i. and ii. below. 

i. For purposes of this solicitation, each applicant is to document research and 

evaluation independence and integrity by including one of the following two items: 

a. A specific assurance that the applicant has reviewed its application to identify 

any actual or potential apparent conflicts of interest (including through review 

of pertinent information on the principal investigator, any co-principal 

investigators, and any subrecipients), and that the applicant has identified no 

such conflicts of interest – whether personal or financial or organizational 

(including on the part of the applicant entity or on the part of staff, 

investigators, or subrecipients) – that could affect the independence or 

integrity of the research, including the design, conduct, and reporting of the 

research. 

OR

b. A specific description of actual or potential apparent conflicts of interest that 

the applicant has identified – including through review of pertinent information 

on the principal investigator, any co-principal investigators, and any 

subrecipients – that could affect the independence or integrity of the 

research, including the design, conduct, or reporting of the research. These 

conflicts may be personal (e.g., on the part of investigators or other staff), 

financial, or organizational (related to the applicant or any subrecipient entity). 

Some examples of potential investigator (or other personal) conflict situations 

are those in which an investigator would be in a position to evaluate a 

spouse’s work product (actual conflict), or an investigator would be in a 

position to evaluate the work of a former or current colleague (potential 

apparent conflict). With regard to potential organizational conflicts of interest, 

as one example, generally an organization would not be given an award to 

evaluate a project, if that organization had itself provided substantial prior 

technical assistance to that specific project or a location implementing the 

project (whether funded by OJP or other sources), because the organization 
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NIJ-2018-14220

in such an instance might appear to be evaluating the effectiveness of its own 

prior work. The key is whether a reasonable person understanding all of the 

facts would be able to have confidence that the results of any research or 

evaluation project are objective and reliable. Any outside personal or financial 

interest that casts doubt on that objectivity and reliability of an evaluation or 

research product is a problem and must be disclosed. 

ii. In addition, for purposes of this solicitation, each applicant is to address possible 

mitigation of research integrity concerns by including, at a minimum, one of the 

following two items: 

a. If an applicant reasonably believes that no actual or potential apparent 

conflicts of interest (personal, financial, or organizational) exist, then the 

applicant should provide a brief narrative explanation of how and why it 

reached that conclusion. The applicant also is to include an explanation of the 

specific processes and procedures that the applicant has in place, or will put 

in place, to identify and prevent (or, at the very least, mitigate) any such 

conflicts of interest pertinent to the funded project during the period of 

performance. Documentation that may be helpful in this regard may include 

organizational codes of ethics/conduct and policies regarding organizational, 

personal, and financial conflicts of interest. There is no guarantee that the 

plan, if any, will be accepted as proposed. 

OR

b. If the applicant has identified actual or potential apparent conflicts of interest 

(personal, financial, or organizational) that could affect the independence and 

integrity of the research, including the design, conduct, or reporting of the 

research, the applicant is to provide a specific and robust mitigation plan to 

address each of those conflicts. At a minimum, the applicant is expected to 

explain the specific processes and procedures that the applicant has in place, 

or will put in place, to identify and eliminate (or, at the very least, mitigate) 

any such conflicts of interest pertinent to the funded project during the period 

of performance. Documentation that may be helpful in this regard may 

include organizational codes of ethics/conduct and policies regarding 

organizational, personal, and financial conflicts of interest. There is no 

guarantee that the plan, if any, will be accepted as proposed. 

OJP will assess research and evaluation independence and integrity based on 

considerations such as the adequacy of the applicant’s efforts to identify factors that 

could affect the objectivity or integrity of the proposed staff and/or the applicant entity 

(and any subrecipients) in carrying out the research, development, or evaluation 

activity; and the adequacy of the applicant’s existing or proposed remedies to control 

any such factors. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

 

 

How to Apply 

Applicants must register in and submit applications through Grants.gov, a primary source to find 

federal funding opportunities and apply for funding. Find complete instructions on how to 

register and submit an application at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html.
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NIJ-2018-14220

Applicants that experience technical difficulties during this process should call the Grants.gov 

Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606–545–5035, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week, except on federal holidays. 

Important Grants.gov update. Grants.gov has updated its application tool. The legacy PDF 

application package has been phased out and was retired on December 31, 2017. Grants.gov 

Workspace is now the standard application method for applying for grants. OJP applicants 

should familiarize themselves with the Workspace option now. For complete information and 

instructions on using Workspace (and other changes), go to the Workspace Overview page at 

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html. 

Registering with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, processing delays may occur, 

and it can take several weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation of registration 

and a user password. OJP encourages applicants to register several weeks before the 

application submission deadline. In addition, OJP urges applicants to submit applications at 

least 72 hours prior to the application due date, in order to allow time for the applicant to receive 

validation messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion 

any problems that may have caused a rejection notification. 

OJP strongly encourages all prospective applicants to sign up for Grants.gov email notifications 

regarding this solicitation at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/manage-subscriptions.html. If 

this solicitation is cancelled or modified, individuals who sign up with Grants.gov for updates will 

be automatically notified. 

Browser Information: Grants.gov was built to be compatible with Internet Explorer. For 

technical assistance with Google Chrome, or another browser, contact Grants.gov Customer 

Support. 

Note on Attachments. Grants.gov has two categories of files for attachments: “mandatory” and 

“optional.” OJP receives all files attached in both categories. Attachments are also labeled to 

describe the file being attached (e.g., Project Narrative, Budget Narrative, Other, etc.) Please 

ensure that all required documents are attached in the correct Grants.gov category and are 

labeled correctly. Do not embed “mandatory” attachments within another file. 

Note on File Names and File Types: Grants.gov only permits the use of certain specific 

characters in file names of attachments. Valid file names may include only the characters shown 

in the table below. Grants.gov rejects any application that includes an attachment(s) with a file 

name that contains any characters not shown in the table below. Grants.gov forwards 

successfully-submitted applications to the OJP Grants Management System (GMS). 
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NIJ-2018-14220

Characters

Upper case (A – Z)

Lower case (a – z)

Underscore (__)

Hyphen ( - )

Space

Period (.)

Special Characters Special Characters Special Characters

Parenthesis ( ) Curly braces { } Square brackets [ ]

Ampersand (&)* Tilde (~) Exclamation point (!)

Comma ( , ) Semicolon ( ; ) Apostrophe ( ‘ )

At sign (@) Number sign (#) Dollar sign ($)

Percent sign (%) Plus sign (+) Equal sign (=)

*When using the ampersand (&) in XML, applicants must use the “&” format.

GMS does not accept executable file types as application attachments. These disallowed 

file types include, but are not limited to, the following extensions: “.com,” “.bat,” “.exe,” “.vbs,”

“.cfg,” “.dat,” “.db,” “.dbf,” “.dll,” “.ini,” “.log,” “.ora,” “.sys,” and “.zip.” GMS may reject applications 

with files that use these extensions. It is important to allow time to change the type of file(s) if 

the application is rejected. 

All applicants are required to complete the following steps: 

Unique Entity Identifier (DUNS Number) and System for Award Management (SAM)

Every applicant entity must comply with all applicable System for Award Management (SAM) 

and unique entity identifier (currently, a Data Universal Numbering System [DUNS] number) 

requirements. SAM is the repository for certain standard information about federal financial 

assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit 

identification number provided by the commercial company Dun and Bradstreet. More detailed 

information about SAM and the DUNS number is in the numbered sections below. 

If an applicant entity has not fully complied with the applicable SAM and unique identifier 

requirements by the time OJP makes award decisions, OJP may determine that the applicant is 

not qualified to receive an award and may use that determination as a basis for making the 

award to a different applicant. 

Applying as an Individual 

An individual who wishes to apply in his/her personal capacity should search Grants.gov for 

funding opportunities for which individuals are eligible to apply. Use the Funding Opportunity 

Number (FON) to register. (An applicant applying as an individual must comply with all 

applicable Grants.gov individual registration requirements.) 

Enter the FON at https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/IndCPRegister to complete the registration 

form and create a username and password for Grants.gov. (An applicant applying as an 

individual should complete all steps except 1, 2 and 4.) 

Registration and Submission Steps 

1. Acquire a unique entity identifier (currently, a DUNS number). In general, the Office of 

Management and Budget requires every applicant for a federal award (other than an 

individual) to include a "unique entity identifier" in each application, including an application 

for a supplemental award. Currently, a DUNS number is the required unique entity identifier. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

This unique entity identifier is used for tracking purposes, and to validate address and point 

of contact information for applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. It will be used throughout 

the life cycle of an OJP award. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, one-time activity. Call 

Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–5711 to obtain a DUNS number or apply online at 

https://www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually received within 1-2 business days. A 

DUNS number is usually received within 1-2 business days. 

2. Acquire or maintain registration with SAM. All applicants for OJP awards (other than 

individuals) must maintain current registrations in the SAM database. Applicants will need 

the authorizing official of the organization and an Employer Identification Number (EIN). An 

applicant must be registered in SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. Each applicant 

must update or renew its SAM registration at least annually to maintain an active status. 

SAM registration and renewal can take as long as 10 business days to complete (2 more 

weeks to acquire an EIN). 

An application cannot be successfully submitted in Grants.gov until Grants.gov receives the 

SAM registration information. Once the SAM registration/renewal is complete, the 

information transfer from SAM to Grants.gov can take as long as 48 hours. OJP 

recommends that the applicant register or renew registration with SAM as early as possible. 

Information about SAM registration procedures can be accessed at www.sam.gov. 

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

username and password. Complete the AOR profile on Grants.gov and create a username 

and password. An applicant entity’s "unique entity identifier" (DUNS number) must be used 

to complete this step. For more information about the registration process for organizations 

and other entities, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organizationregistration.html. Individuals registering with Grants.gov should go to 

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.

4. Acquire confirmation for the AOR from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC). 

The E-Biz POC at the applicant organization must log into Grants.gov to “confirm” the 

applicant organization’s AOR. The E-Biz POC will need the Marketing Partner Identification 

Number (MPIN) password obtained when registering with SAM to complete this step. Note 

that an organization can have more than one AOR.

5. Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. Use the following identifying 

information when searching for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. The Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this solicitation is 16.566 titled “National 

Institute of Justice W.E.B. Du Bois Fellowship Program” and the funding opportunity number 

is NIJ-2018-14220. 

6. Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package from Grants.gov. Select “Apply 

for Grants” under the “Applicants” column. Enter your email address to be notified of any 

changes to the opportunity package before the closing date. Click the Workspace icon to

use Grants.gov Workspace.

7. Submit a valid application consistent with this solicitation by following the directions 

in Grants.gov. Within 24-48 hours after submitting the electronic application, the applicant 

should receive two notifications from Grants.gov. The first will confirm the receipt of the 

application. The second will state whether the application has been validated and 
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NIJ-2018-14220

successfully submitted, or whether it has been rejected due to errors, with an explanation. It 

is possible to first receive a message indicating that the application is received, and then 

receive a rejection notice a few minutes or hours later. Submitting an application well ahead 

of the deadline provides time to correct the problem(s) that caused the rejection. Important:

OJP urges each applicant to submit its application at least 72 hours prior to the application 

due date, to allow time to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from 

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

rejection notification. Applications must be successfully submitted through Grants.gov by 

11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 30, 2018.

Click https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html for further 

details on DUNS numbers, SAM, and Grants.gov registration steps and timeframes. 

Note: Application Versions 

If an applicant submits multiple versions of the same application, OJP will review only the most 

recent system-validated version submitted. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues 

An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that 

prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must contact the Grants.gov Customer 

Support Hotline at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html or the SAM Help Desk

(Federal Service Desk) at https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/home.do to report the technical issue and 

receive a tracking number. The applicant must e-mail the NIJ contact identified in the Contact 

Information section on the title page within 24 hours after the application deadline to request 

approval to submit its application after the deadline. The applicant’s e-mail must describe the 

technical difficulties, and must include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts, the 

complete grant application, the applicant’s DUNS number, and any Grants.gov Help Desk or 

SAM tracking number(s). 

Note: OJP does not automatically approve requests to submit a late application. After 

OJP reviews the applicant’s request, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to verify 

the reported technical issues, OJP will inform the applicant whether the request to submit a late 

application has been approved or denied. If OJP determines that the untimely application 

submission was due to the applicant’s failure to follow all required procedures, OJP will deny the 

applicant’s request to submit its application. 

The following conditions generally are insufficient to justify late submissions: 

 Failure to register in SAM or Grants.gov in sufficient time (SAM registration and renewal

can take as long as 10 business days to complete. The information transfer from SAM to

Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours.)

 Failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply as posted on its

website.

 Failure to follow each instruction in the OJP solicitation.
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NIJ-2018-14220

 Technical issues with the applicant’s computer or information technology environment, 

such as issues with firewalls or browser incompatibility. 

Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov, if any, are posted at 

the top of the OJP Funding Resource Center at https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm.

E. Application Review Information 

Review Criteria 

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

the following review criteria. Each individual criterion is assigned a different weight based on the 

percentage value listed. For example, the first criterion, Statement of the Problem, is worth 15

percent of the score in the assessment of the application’s technical merit. 

Statement of the Problem and Research Questions (Understanding of the problem, research 

questions, and their importance) – 15% 

1. Demonstrated understanding of the problem. 

2. Demonstrated importance of research questions, goals and objectives, including 

alignment with the aims of the solicitation. 

3. Demonstrated awareness of the state of current research. 

Project Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit) – 50% 

1. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the stated 

aim(s) of the proposed project. 

2. Feasibility of proposed project. 

3. Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of proposed 

actions to minimize and/or mitigate them. 

4. Cultural competence in addressing regional, racial/ethnic, language and other diversity 

issues in proposed research protocol. 

5. Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation. 

Potential Impact – 15% 

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

justice in the United States, such as: 

 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. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

Capabilities/Competencies (Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of the 

applicant organization and proposed project staff) – 20% 

1. 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). 

2. Demonstrated ability of the applicant organization to implement the proposed strategies 

and manage the effort. 

3. Relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff 

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

project. 

4. Cultural competence by addressing regional, racial/ethnic, language and other 

diversity issues in proposed team capabilities. 

5. General mentorship plan relevant to Category 1 applications only. 

Budget

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

the context of scientific and technical merit. 

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

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

3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs 

4. Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities 

5. Proposed plan (if any) to produce or to make available to broader interested audiences, 

such as criminal/juvenile justice practitioners or policymakers, summary information from 

the planned scholarly products of the project. 

Plan for Dissemination to Broader Audiences (if applicable to the proposed project) 

Peer reviewers may comment—in the context of scientific and technical merit—on the proposed 

plan (if any) to produce or to make available to broader interested audiences, such as 

criminal/juvenile justice practitioners or policymakers, summary information from the planned 

scholarly products of the project. 

Review Process 

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for making awards. NIJ reviews the 

application to make sure that the information presented is reasonable, understandable, 

measurable, and achievable, as well as consistent with the solicitation. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

Peer reviewers will review the applications submitted under this solicitation that meet basic 

minimum requirements. For purposes of assessing whether an application meets basic 

minimum requirements and should proceed to further consideration, OJP screens applications 

for compliance with those requirements. Although specific requirements may vary, the following 

are common requirements applicable to all solicitations for funding under OJP programs: 

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

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

applicable). 

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

 The application must include all items designated as “critical elements.”

 The applicant must not be identified in SAM as excluded from receiving federal 

awards. 

For a list of the critical elements for this solicitation, see “What an Application Should Include” 

under Section D. Application and Submission Information.

Peer review panels will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic minimum 

requirements. NIJ may use internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a combination, 

to assess applications on technical merit using the solicitation’s review criteria. An external peer 

reviewer is an expert in the subject matter of a given solicitation who is not a current DOJ 

employee. An internal reviewer is a current DOJ employee who is well-versed or has expertise 

in the subject matter of this solicitation. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting 

recommendations are advisory only, although reviewer views are considered carefully. Other 

important considerations for NIJ include geographic diversity, strategic priorities, and available 

funding, as well as the planned scholarly products and the extent to which the budget detail 

worksheet and budget narrative accurately explain project costs that are reasonable, necessary, 

and otherwise allowable under federal law and applicable federal cost principles. 

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

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

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

record with respect to performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the 

applicant is listed in SAM as excluded from receiving a federal award. In addition, if OJP 

anticipates that an award will exceed $150,000 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, at its option, may review and comment on any 

information about itself that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding 

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

information in FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by the applicant. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

The evaluation of risks goes beyond information in SAM, however. OJP itself has in place a 

framework for evaluating risks posed by applicants for competitive awards. OJP takes into 

account information pertinent to matters such as—

1. Applicant financial stability and fiscal integrity. 

2. Quality of the applicant’s management systems, and applicant’s ability to meet 

prescribed management standards, including those outlined in the DOJ Grants Financial 

Guide. 

3. Applicant’s history of performance under OJP and other DOJ awards (including scholarly 

products, and compliance with reporting requirements and award conditions), as well as 

awards from other federal agencies. 

4. Reports and findings from audits of the applicant, including audits under the Part 200 

Uniform Requirements. 

5. Applicant's ability to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements, and to effectively 

implement other award requirements. 

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

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

factors as indicated in this section. 

F. Federal Award Administration Information 

Federal Award Notices 

Award notifications will be made by September 30, 2018. OJP sends award notifications by 

email through GMS to the individuals listed in the application as the point of contact and the 

authorizing official (E-Biz POC and AOR). The email notification includes detailed instructions 

on how to access and view the award documents, and steps to take in GMS to start the award 

acceptance process. GMS automatically issues the notifications at 9:00 p.m. eastern time on 

the award date. 

For each successful applicant, an individual with the necessary authority to bind the applicant 

will be required to login; execute a set of legal certifications and a set of legal assurances; 

designate a financial point of contact; thoroughly review the award, including all award 

conditions; and sign and accept the award. The award acceptance process requires physical 

signature of the award document by the authorized representative and the scanning and 

submission of the fully-executed award document to OJP. 

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, as well as all 

applicable requirements of federal statutes and regulations (including applicable requirements 

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

OJP strongly encourages prospective applicants to review information on post-award legal 

requirements and common OJP award conditions prior to submitting an application. 
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NIJ-2018-14220

Applicants should consult the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP

Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2018 Awards”, available in the OJP Funding 

Resource Center at https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm. In addition, applicants should examine 

the following two legal documents, as each successful applicant must execute both documents 

before it may receive any award funds. (An applicant is not required to submit these documents 

as part of an application.) 

 Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.

 Certified Standard Assurances.

The webpages accessible through the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable 

to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2018 Awards” are intended to give applicants 

for OJP awards a general overview of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that 

apply to many (or in some cases, all) OJP grants and cooperative agreements awarded in FY 

2018. Individual OJP awards typically also will include additional award conditions. Those 

additional conditions may relate to the particular statute, program, or solicitation under which the 

award is made; to the substance of the funded application; to the recipient's performance under 

other federal awards; to the recipient's legal status (e.g., as a for-profit entity); or to other 

pertinent considerations. 

General Information about Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements 

In addition to the deliverables and expected scholarly products described in Section A. Program

Description, any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be required to submit the 

following reports and data. 

Required reports. Recipients typically must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual

progress reports, final financial and progress reports, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in 

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

should anticipate that progress reports will be required to follow the non-budgetary components 

of the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) template/format. General information on 

RPPRs may be found at www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/rppr/. Future awards and fund drawdowns 

may be withheld if reports are delinquent. (In appropriate cases, OJP may require additional 

reports.) 

Awards that exceed $500,000 will include an additional condition that, under specific 

circumstances, will require the recipient to report (to FAPIIS) information on civil, criminal, and 

administrative proceedings connected with (or connected to the performance of) either the OJP 

award or any other grant, cooperative agreement, or procurement contract from the federal 

government. Additional information on this reporting requirement appears in the text of the 

award condition posted on the OJP webpage at https://ojp.gov/funding/FAPIIS.htm.

Data on performance measures. In addition to required reports, an award recipient under this 

solicitation also must provide data that measure the results of the work done under the award. 

To demonstrate program progress and success, as well as to assist DOJ with fulfilling its 

responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public 

Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111–352, OJP will require 
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any award recipient, post award, to provide performance data listed as part of regular progress 

reporting. Successful applicants will be required to access OJP’s performance measurement 

page at www.ojp.gov/performance to view the specific reporting requirements for this grant 

program. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

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

title page. 

For contact information for Grants.gov, see the title page. 

H. Other Information 

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

All applications submitted to OJP (including all attachments to applications) are subject to the 

federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and to the Privacy Act. By law, DOJ may withhold 

information that is responsive to a request pursuant to FOIA if DOJ determines that the 

responsive information either is protected under the Privacy Act or falls within the scope of one 

of nine statutory exemptions under FOIA. DOJ cannot agree in advance of a request pursuant 

to FOIA not to release some or all portions of an application. 

In its review of records that are responsive to a FOIA request, OJP will withhold information in 

those records that plainly falls within the scope of the Privacy Act or one of the statutory 

exemptions under FOIA. (Some examples include certain types of information in budgets, and 

names and contact information for project staff other than certain key personnel.) In appropriate 

circumstances, OJP will request the views of the applicant/recipient that submitted a responsive 

document. 

For example, if OJP receives a request pursuant to FOIA for an application submitted by a 

nonprofit or for-profit organization or an institution of higher education, or for an application that 

involves research, OJP typically will contact the applicant/recipient that submitted the 

application and ask it to identify -- quite precisely -- any particular information in the application 

that the applicant/recipient believes falls under a FOIA exemption, the specific exemption it 

believes applies, and why. After considering the submission by the applicant/recipient, OJP 

makes an independent assessment regarding withholding information. OJP generally follows a 

similar process for requests pursuant to FOIA for applications that may contain law-enforcement 

sensitive information. 

Provide Feedback to OJP 

To assist OJP in improving its application and award processes, OJP encourages applicants to 

provide feedback on this solicitation, the application submission process, and/or the application 

review process. Provide feedback to OJPSolicitationFeedback@usdoj.gov. 

IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for feedback and suggestions only. OJP does not send replies from 

this mailbox to messages it receives in this mailbox. Any prospective applicant that has specific 

questions on any program or technical aspect of the solicitation must use the appropriate 

telephone number or e-mail listed on the front of this solicitation document to obtain information. 
39

NIJ-2018-14220

These contacts are provided to help ensure that prospective applicants can directly reach an 

individual who can address specific questions in a timely manner. 

If you are interested in being a reviewer for other OJP grant applications, please e-mail your 

resume to ojppeerreview@l-secb.com. (Do not send your resume to the OJP Solicitation 

Feedback email account.) Note: Neither you nor anyone else from your organization or entity 

can be a peer reviewer in a competition in which you or your organization/entity has submitted 

an application.
40

NIJ-2018-14220

Application Checklist 

W.E.B. Du Bois Program of Research on Crime FY 2018 

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

What an Applicant Should Do: 

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

_____ Acquire a DUNS Number (see page 30) 

_____ Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see page 31) 

To Register with Grants.gov: 

_____ Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see page 31) 

_____ Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see page 31) 

To Find Funding Opportunity:

_____ Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov (see page 31) 

_____ Access Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see page 31) 

_____ Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see page 29) 

_____ 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 page 13) 

After Application Submission, Receive Grants.gov Email Notifications That: 

_____ (1) application has been received 

_____ (2) application has either been successfully validated or rejected with errors 

(see page 31) 

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

_____ Please refer to the section: Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues 

(see page 32) 

Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements: 

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

and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2018 Awards in the OJP Funding Resource Center at 

https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm.

Scope Requirement: 

_____ The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s). 

Eligibility Requirement: See cover page. 

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 14) 

_____ Project Abstract (if applicable) (see page 15) 

_____ Program Narrative (critical element) (see page 15) 

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (critical element) (see page 19)

_____ Budget Narrative (critical element) (see page 20) 

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see page 22) 

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 23) 
41

NIJ-2018-14220

_____ Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see page 23) 

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 24) 

_____ Additional Attachments 

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications (see page 25) 

_____ Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity (see page 26) 

_____ CVs/Resumes/Biographical Sketches (critical element) (see page 17) 

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

(see page 12) 
i

Funding Webinar Transcript

On Thursday, February 26, 2018, NIJ hosted a webinar that provided 

an overview of this solicitation. Following are the transcript and slide 

presentation from that webinar. 

MARY JO GIOVACCHINI: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to today's webinar, 

the W.E.B. Du Bois rogram in Fiscal Year 2018. At this time, I would like to introduce 

today's presenters, Dr. Nadine Frederique, Senior Social Science Analyst, Dr. Brett 

Chapman, Social Science Analyst, and Tina Crossland, Senior Social Science Analyst 

with NIJ.

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: All right. Thank you very much, MJ, and welcome, 

everyone. Thank you for taking part in today's webinar. The goals of today's webinar are 

to highlight the solicitation for the W.E.B. Du Bois Program, give you a little background 

information and history of the program, review the topic areas of interest under this 

solicitation and the funding categories, and provide a central overview of the application 

process. We'll also identify some tools and resources for applicants, which will facilitate 

the application submission process as well as the application review process and 

provide some critiques we've heard from peer reviewers in the past with regard to the 

solicitation in particular. We'll also offer an opportunity for prospective applicants to ask 

questions.

In 1979, the Justice System Improvement Act was authorized by Congress. It gave NIJ 

the authority to do certain types of research, and it expanded the scope and 

authorization of the agency to do research, as detailed next. The act also specified the 

areas for short-term research. It authorized NIJ to do work on the causes and correlates 

of crime and of juvenile delinquency, and new methods for understanding the fair 

disposition, improving police and minority relations, and conducting research into 

problems of victims of crime and witnesses.
ii

The award made under this funding opportunity has a goal of supporting projects with 

direct implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. The goals 

are to support research that places a particular emphasis on the intersection of race, 

crime, violence, and the administration of justice. Also, I want to emphasize that this 

solicitation also seeks investigator-initiated proposals for funding to conduct research on 

topics linked to the issues that are deemed critical by the U.S. Department of Justice

(DOJ).

A little bit of background about the program: It's named after William Edward Burghardt 

Du Bois, who was from Massachusetts. He was the early leader in the struggle for racial 

equality in the United States. As a social scientist, Du Bois used objective methods to 

challenge discriminatory ideologies and institutions to advocate for social change. His 

classic study, The Philadelphia Negro, was published in 1899 and was a 

groundbreaking sociological study of the city's black community. It was one of the first 

research projects to combine urban ethnography, social history, and descriptive 

statistics. In 2000, NIJ began funding the W.E.B. Du Bois Program. When NIJ staff 

sought to build the ranks of minority researchers in crime and justice issues, they 

started this research program.

Our first fellow was Dr. Becky Lynn Tatum, from Georgia State University. She was 

awarded the Du Bois scholarship to study social support across racial, ethnic, and 

gender groups and the relationship between social support and juvenile misconduct.

We've been fortunate enough to be able to award about $3.5 million in funding to more 

than 30 Du Bois scholars and fellows. I'm going to highlight some notable fellows, 

although this is by no means a reflection of the qualifications of these individuals or the 

lack of qualifications of other fellows — just a few that I thought had made significant 

contributions to the field, although there are many others that we could have 

highlighted.

Dr. Ramiro Martinez was a 2002 NIJ Fellowship recipient. His core research agenda 

asks, "How does violence vary across ecological settings, and do violent crimes and 
iii

violent deaths vary across racial, ethnic, and immigrant groups?" After his fellowship, he 

went on to write a seminal book called Latino Homicide, which many of you may have 

read in your graduate program. Dr. Martinez continues to be a very productive scholar 

on race and crime issues.

In 2006, NIJ awarded a co-fellowship to Drs. Amy Farrell and Geoff Ward, who went on 

to publish several articles from their Du Bois Fellowship research. Dr. Farrell's research 

seeks to understand arrest, adjudication, and criminal case disposition practices.

Professor Farrell is co-author of Not Guilty: Are the Acquitted Innocent? published by 

NYU Press in 2002. Dr. Ward also went on to publish his book, The Black Child-Savers,

exhibiting the rise and fall and lasting repercussions of Jim Crow juvenile justice.

There are a few other notable fellows. One is Dr. Ivory Toldson, who was a fellowship 

recipient in 2003 and is now a full professor at Howard University, a senior research 

analyst for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and Editor-in-Chief of the 

Journal of Negro Education. Dr. Toldson looked at research methods to study

propensities toward racial and sexual civil violations among police officer candidates.

His most research focuses on the role of schools in the American education system in 

reducing the number of black males in contact with the juvenile justice system. He also 

had the distinction of serving under the Obama administration as the Executive Director 

of the White House Initiative on Historical Black Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Cynthia Lum is currently at George Mason University. She's a Deputy Director for 

the Center of Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason. Her research primarily 

focuses on policing, technology, evidence-based crime policy, crime prevention, and 

translational criminology. Dr. Lum has been appointed to the Committee on Proactive 

Policing and the Standing Committee on Traffic Law Enforcement, both at the National 

Academy of Sciences. She is a member of the Research Advisory Committee for the 

International Association of Chiefs of Police, and on the Board of Trustees for the 

Pretrial Justice Institute. She's also the founding editor for Translational Criminology 

Magazine.
iv

Let's now talk about the general topics of interest under the solicitation: reducing violent 

crime, enhancing investigations and prosecutions, protecting law enforcement and other 

public policy personnel, reducing victimization, and enhancing immigration enforcement.

However, as I mentioned earlier, the solicitation is investigator initiated. Although these 

are topic areas of interest deemed important to the administration, we will review other 

topics as well. In 2016, NIJ made a change in the Du Bois Program, adding a second 

category of scholars. Traditionally, we have funded fellows for a smaller budgetary 

amount, but in 2016, this changed.

For scholars, we're looking for researchers who are advanced in their career and who

have been awarded a terminal degree at least six years prior to the end of this year —

they may apply for a 36-month grant. For our scholars, one of the expectations is not 

only to conduct primary research but also to mentor junior scholars, so it’s a key 

distinction. For the fellows, we are looking for researchers who are early in their 

academic careers, awarded a terminal degree within the last six years prior to 

December 31, 2018. Fellows may apply for a grant for 24 months or less, with funding 

up to $250,000 for research. Residency at NIJ is an option but is not required, and 

grants to fellows for primary and secondary data collection is permitted. For scholars, 

the grants are up to $500,000. In terms of the outputs of research programs, there are 

standard reporting requirements — like semi-annual research performance progress 

reports and quarterly financial reports — as well as other deliverables, associated data

sets or files if appropriate, and additional scholarly products.

Increasingly, NIJ is requiring that our grantees publish their research and peer-reviewed

for scientific or practitioner-oriented audiences. There are also some things that we will 

not fund under this research program, such as applications that are not responsive to 

this specific solicitation or whose primary purpose is to purchase equipment, materials, 

or supplies. However, these items may be included in the budget as long as the 

research focus is the primary focus. NIJ will not fund applications whose work is funded 

under another federal award (e.g., ongoing work or a similar project). It will not fund 

training in support of programs or direct services not related to or associated with the 
v

proposed project. NIJ will also not fund programs or services unrelated to the scope of 

the project or existing programs or services being evaluated. As always, please see the 

solicitation for more information on what will not be funded.

There are also plenty of resources in helping you craft your application. To ensure that 

costs are allowable, we strongly encourage applicants to review the Funding Resource 

Center for additional information and helpful guidance. We also encourage applicants to 

review the DOJ’s Grant Financial Guide and take the online training, which is a 

requirement of all funded programs. Finally, descriptions and biographies of our current 

Du Bois scholars and fellows are available on the NIJ website. It might be helpful to 

review this information to get an idea of the types of projects and the programs that NIJ 

has funded in the past. Next, I'll talk a little bit about the application process.

The Application Checklist for the solicitation can be found on pages 40 to 41 of the 

solicitation. Please carefully review the checklist when preparing your application and 

prior to submitting it. NIJ has designated application elements that are critical. If any of 

these elements are missing, a proposal will not move to the peer review process. The 

four critical elements are the Program Narrative, the Budget Detail Worksheet, the 

Budget Narrative, and Resumes and CVs of Key Personnel. For the purposes of this 

solicitation, Key Personnel means the Principal Investigator and any and all CoPrincipal Investigators, any Project Directors or Coordinators, and any Key Staff. Please 

see the solicitation for guidance and details on each of these items. Once again, you 

can see the solicitation for guidance and more information on Application Submission.

Some key application processes that are time-sensitive include registering on 

Grants.gov, a one-time process. However, processing delays may occur and it can take 

several weeks for first-time registrants to register. So, we strongly encourage applicants 

to register several weeks before the application submission deadline, which is April 

30th. In addition, we urge applicants to submit their applications at least 72 hours prior 

to the application due date in order to allow time for the applicant to receive validation 

messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion 

any problems that may have caused the rejection notification.
vi

For any technical difficulties, click on the Grants.gov Support Center tab, and also see 

the solicitation for additional information on NIJ's acceptance policy for technical 

difficulties. Our suggestions are that you register early and submit early, well in 

advance, because these are not reasons for NIJ to consider a late application.

“Workspace” is now the standard application method for applying for grants. So, 

applicants should familiarize themselves with the “Workspace” option now.

Grants.gov has two categories of files for attachment: mandatory and optional. NIJ 

receives all files attached for both categories. Attachments are also labeled to describe 

the file being attached. Therefore, mandatory files include the Program Narrative, 

Budget Narrative and Budget Worksheet, and CVs and Resumes of Key Staff. Optional 

files include other forms and appendices. Make sure that all required documents are 

attached in the correct Grants.gov category and are labeled correctly.

Now, I'll turn it over to my colleague, Dr. Brett Chapman, who'll discuss the review 

process.

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: Thank you, Nadine. So, when you submit the proposal, that 

starts a multilevel review process here at NIJ, and as my colleague just talked about the 

things that you have to submit: the Program Narrative, the Budget Detail Worksheet, the 

Budget Narrative, and the CV, résumés, or biographical sketches. We cannot 

emphasize enough: Give yourself enough time to get these in. Before you hit “send,”

make sure you have all four of these documents in the package because, if any of these 

documents are not included, your application will not move on to funding consideration,

and you will not have met basic minimum requirements. Also, give yourself at least 72 

hours to submit your proposal. Please do not be that person who is submitting at 11:50 

p.m., before the midnight close of business, because that is not a good place to be.

Take it from my experience, it's a bad place to be, and you don't want to be that person.

We have Selection Criteria, where the reviewers are judging the suitability and feasibility 

of your proposal. We want to know the Statement of the Problem. Is it clearly stated?

What are your research questions? Do you understand the problem, the research 
vii

questions, and can you state their importance? You need to have a Project Design and 

its implementation, which will be judged for quality and technical merit. This is a big 

section, 50 percent of the requirements. If you fall here, you're not likely to move on

because this is very critical. You need to include as much detail as you can, and I will 

get to that in a minute. Again, what potential impact does this work have? Yes, it's 

important to you, but it should also be important to the system and to practitioners in the 

applicable area of interest.

In Capabilities and Competencies, it's very important to demonstrate the abilities of the 

proposed research staff. Just having people on a project without the commensurate 

abilities is not a good thing. For the budget, no percentages are set for your budget, but

it should match up with the proposed work. A Dissemination Plan should be more than 

“we're going to write some papers and disseminate to X number of places.” It should 

have some detail to make people aware of how this work is going to translate to the 

practitioner and the research community. We have our external and internal reviews.

First, we're going to look at whether each applicant meets the basic minimum 

requirements. Nadine and I have already discussed these four documents and what 

they need to be, and they all need to be there. At that point, we have an external peer 

view process of researchers and practitioners. Once that level of review has taken 

place, the application moves to an internal review by scientific staff at NIJ, the 

leadership, and all of the other relevant parties internal to NIJ. The last step is the NIJ 

Director, who makes all the final funding decisions.

Often, people don't understand the process or where they have fallen short. You should 

know what we are looking for, so I just wanted to share some of the places we have 

found that people tend to fall short. And it's not only on this solicitation; it's also across 

all our solicitations. I often say “details, details, details” because that's where people fall 

short, but it's just not in the details. 
viii

Vague proposals are those in which it isn’t clear how the data will be collected or 

analyzed. A proposal needs to demonstrate the potential significance of the findings for 

research in the field of interest. The work is important to you, but we want it to be 

important to the field as well. Do you understand the pitfalls and limitations of the 

proposed work? If you're just highlighting all of the strengths and positives but you don't 

understand the weaknesses and negatives, one wrong turn can sink the proposal. 

There should not be too many missing details. The devil is in the details, so spend less 

time on sections that don't require detail. Also spend time linking all of the sections in a 

cohesive way so that the reviewers can understand what you want to do and how you're 

going to do it. What is the impact of the proposed work in the real world? And you 

should also avoid submitting a disorganized, poorly written, or incoherent proposal.

That's generally a problem.

Statement of the Problem, Literature. Does your literature review state the gaps in the 

literature? Does it give us the sense that what you're doing is going to contribute to 

addressing a problem? If it's just some work you want to do but if there isn't a problem

to solve — that could be a problem for reviewers. How significant is your literature 

review? Often, we find that these literature reviews are really thin and full of holes. They 

lack an understanding of the existing literature, which can also be problematic. If the 

scope of the proposed research is limited, your overall score on the review will drop 

significantly.

Research Design is very important. You have to articulate how you're going to 

accomplish the proposed work. For example, if you tell us that you're going to use a 

series of analyses, that doesn't tell the reviewers anything. And if your analyses don't 

match up with your research questions or what you want to do, then the reviewer of

your proposal cannot judge its feasibility. You need to be clear on what your design and 

your methods are, and how they link up to the Statement of the Problem, the research 

questions, the data you're going to use, and how they address the problems cited in the 
ix

literature review. Your sample sizes should be supported by a power analysis because, 

generally, proposals do not fare well if this information is missing.

To continue on the topic of research design, some overly ambitious people pretend or 

suggest that they're going to give us the world but we end up with a small county. The 

research design should be clearly laid out but not too complex, otherwise the reviewers 

will flag the proposal and say, "You know, this sounds good, but they can't possibly do 

this." Again, sampling strategies typically are flawed and your proposal will lose points,

so your qualitative and quantitative analyses need to be clear.

In the Capabilities and Competencies section, reviewers often see that the proposed 

staff do not appear to have the competencies to conduct the quantitative analyses being 

proposed. Reviewers should be able to see how the staff competencies and capabilities 

will be applied in the proposed work. That also goes for the research team; every team 

member's competencies and duties should be clear. If the dissemination plan lacks 

specifics, it probably is more relevant for another section. Sometimes people say, "Well, 

we're going to submit to a number of outlets, such as ...," because the number of 

outlets really doesn't tell the reviewers that you understand how your proposed work will 

involve certain entities — for example, it could be submitted to policing (which is my 

world): the Police Foundation, the Police Executive Research Forum, and the 

International Association of Chiefs of Police. How is this work going to be disseminated 

to each audience? I will now turn it over — the Q&A and the discussion — to my 

colleague, Christine Crossland.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Thank you, Brett. We will open this webinar for questions. If 

you have not already done so, please remember to submit your questions via the Q&A 

panel, not the Chat Box, and make sure it's directed to all. One last reminder, the 

solicitation is competitive, so we won't be able to discuss specific topics, designs, 

methods, and so forth. With that said, we do have some questions already, and I'm 

going to post those to Nadine.
x

"It appears that the vast majority of the 2017 awardees were more senior scholars. Will 

there be similar funding priorities this year or will funds be divided between the W.E.B.

Du Bois senior and junior scholar funding categories?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Thank you, Christine, for that question. So, the hope is to 

fund scholars and fellows. Last year was an anomaly in that the applications that rose to 

the top were better reviewed for some senior scholars. However, we did review and 

receive several applications from fellows but they just weren't selected for funding, 

either through the peer review internal/external process or the NIJ Director.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. So, our next question is, "How much elaboration or 

emphasis should I provide on the NIJ focus areas that my application falls under?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Also a great question. And so, the NIJ focus areas are 

quite important. So, we do seek research in those areas. However, as I mentioned 

before, this is investigator initiated, so we will consider high-quality applications that 

might not fall under those purpose areas. But we are looking for research in those focus 

areas that aligns with the administration’s priorities.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "I received my Ph.D. in September 2011 but I had a 

child, and my tenure clock stopped since then. I consider myself still early career pretenured. Would I be considered early career for this grant?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Unfortunately, I think you would not be considered early 

career for this grant, because we do go by the date that the Ph.D. was earned. I would 

encourage you to apply for the category that fits the dates when you earned your Ph.D.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. The next question is, "Can the early career research 

team have co-Principal Investigators (PIs)?"
xi

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Absolutely. We have funded teams of researchers in the 

past and we'll do so in the future.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "If co-PIs are allowed, can one PI hold only adjunct status 

at a university?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, that's possible. However, I'll go back to what my 

colleague Brett mentioned as the capabilities and competencies. Those are what we're 

concerned about, not necessarily the position of the individual team member, but we're 

looking for — demonstrating that the team that's gathered is going to be able to carry 

out the proposed research and can demonstrate their capabilities and competencies in

publications and other ways.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "What is the lowest FTE commitment a PI can have,

for instance, less than 0.5 percent?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Okay. So, this is another weird, no-hard-and-fast rule 

about FTE PI commitment, but we will say that the commitment of the PI has to be 

commensurate with the amount of work that's involved in the research proposal. And so, 

if the PI is going to be managing the whole project and there's no Project Director, but 

they only indicate they'll have 0.15 FTE, (full-time equivalent) then we're going to call 

that into question. And so, it has to be commensurate with the work that the PI is going 

to be involved in.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. And the next question is, "Can we send out the CV 

and biographical sketch combined in one file? Is there a page limit on the sketch and 

CV?"
xii

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: No page limit on the sketch and CV, and you can send 

them in any form that you want. We accept both.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "I will receive my terminal degree after the grant deadline 

but before the end of the calendar year. I just want to be totally sure I'm still eligible to

apply for the fellowship funding category."

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: So, if I'm understanding this correctly, the application 

deadline is before the awarding of the terminal degree. Sorry, it's after the awarding of 

the terminal degree, but before December 31st. In that case, we would circle back and 

require documentation that the terminal degree was received, if selected for an award.

So, yes, of course, eligible to apply, but we would need verification that the terminal 

degree was in fact received.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: I'm not exactly sure what this particular question 

referenced, but the question is, "What if we were doing a secondary analysis? In 

reference to a sample size." For that particular question, I think we're digging a little bit 

more into the design, and we're unable to answer that question. If perhaps we have the

substantive areas correct, we encourage you to go to NCJRS and present your question 

there, and we will respond to that. The next question that we can respond to, "Is the 

review process a blind review?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: No — NIJ. The review process is not a blind peer review 

process. Obviously, we're asking for CVs and other materials to document capabilities 

and competencies, and so it cannot be a blind process.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Our next question is, "I'm wondering what my residency at 

NIJ will look like for fellows. Do you have examples of how fellows have used this 

opportunity?"
xiii

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, but not in the recent past. I guess in the last five 

years, we've had one individual take advantage of the residency option, and that 

individual came to NIJ for about one month. And so, the program officer who was there 

arranged for the fellow to attend high-level policy briefings and meetings on the Hill and 

in the building to meet with the staff from NIJ, from BJA (the Bureau of Justice 

Assistance), the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and 

Delinquency Prevention. It was all geared toward the areas of interest of that individual.

And so, it was really kind — the huge meet-and-greet with staff from NIJ, the staff from 

OJP — and also to be involved in these policy discussions that were happening at the 

time related to that individual's work. There were also opportunities to attend meetings 

with other federal agencies as they arose during that month. So, there are plenty of 

options. There are no hard-and-fast rules for what that residency might look like. It can 

definitely be geared toward the interests of the fellow.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "Can one PI submit more than one proposal?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, an applicant can submit more than one proposal.

However, they have to be on distinct topic areas.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Next question is, "What sort of power analysis is needed 

when discussing sampling?" I think, once again, that goes to the design, and please 

refer that question to the NCJRS response center. 

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: I think there are two questions in there, because we're talking 

about power analysis related to your proposed number in the sample, and then there's 

the sampling frame aspect. So, I think that — if I'm reading that right — it's kind of two 

questions embedded in one. You know, because if your sample size is not sufficient, 

you're not going to have power to detect differences. But then if you're proposing to 

sample by race, and sex, and so on, that goes to your sampling frame. So, I think you're 

asking two things in one. So, those are distinct, I believe.
xiv

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: But once again, because it has to do with specific content of 

your possibly proposed idea, if you don't think that would fall under our discussion of

specific substantive areas, please send that question to NCJRS and we will clarify via 

that venue. The next question is, "Do we need to have preliminary data for the Du Bois 

Fellowship?"

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: Preliminary data.

NADINE FREDERIQUE: So, I think preliminary data are not mandatory. However, if 

there are preliminary data, it may improve the chances of being funded. If there's some 

pretest, or some pre-study, or the focus group, or some data that can point to the 

importance of the impact — social impact or any of the questions that this might be a 

worthwhile project for NIJ to fund.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "Do you fund researchers in a nonacademic setting 

such as a think tank or a non-university research institute?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Absolutely, we do. Actually, one of our most recent fellows 

works for a county in Oregon. And so, yes, academic — or researchers who are in nonacademic institutions — can indeed apply for the Du Bois Fellowship and Scholarship.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Our next question, "Are there any restrictions about the 

mentor-mentee relationship, for instance, both at the same institution or in prior working 

relationships? Is there a preference for multiple mentees versus only one?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Applicants are — some scholars for any category are 

asked to submit a mentoring plan. There are no preferences or restrictions for prior 

relationships, number of mentees, or anything like that, but it will refer you back to the 
xv

solicitation because it does discuss what we're looking for in the mentee-mentor 

relationship.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. And I think this was answered earlier, but I'll repeat 

the question: "I have not yet completed my Ph.D. but will have done so by December of 

this year. Will that be sufficient for this year's program?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, and I'll answer the same way. It will be sufficient and 

we will just require verification that the terminal degree was awarded and the timeframe 

suggested by the applicant was selected for an award.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: And I think this question was posed earlier and answered, 

but I'll repeat: "Can a PI submit more than one application if the projects are different?"

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: Yes.

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes. Projects must be different to submit multiple 

applications.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "Does the budget have a requirement on including 

training?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: There is no requirement on including training, but I'll refer 

you to the Grants Financial Guide just to get an idea of what costs are allowable and not 

allowable.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Is there an indirect cost limit?

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: I'll also refer you back to the Financial Guide in the section 

on Indirect Cost Agreements for that information.
xvi

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Typically, for indirect we go with the negotiated rate of the 

Institution of Record. However, it's really important to include where the research is 

going to take place and making sure that you use appropriate onsite or offsite indirect 

rates. The next question is, "I have a J.D., am I still eligible to apply?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, we consider a J.D. a terminal degree and you would 

be eligible to apply.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "I plan to rely on several staff members in my department to 

assist with research dissemination, for example, graphic design. Are these considered 

key staff? Should I describe their competencies in the Capabilities section?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: If I'm understanding correctly, this key staff is for 

dissemination purposes only. If it's for dissemination purposes only, I would not consider 

that key staff.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Next question, "Do co-PIs have to be from the same 

university?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Nope, co-PIs can be from multiple universities.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "And can I participate if I serve as the university 

administrator and a part-time faculty member?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: I'm assuming that means, can you apply...

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Yes.

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: ... if you're in a university? Yes.
xvii

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "For junior fellow proposals, would the addition of 

consultants to help with part of the statistical analysis be perceived as a total lack of 

competency?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: No.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "In terms of the budget, if you're doing a secondary 

data analysis and are interested in budgeting time on the research, does NIJ prioritize 

summer funding versus course buyouts during the academic year?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: No. To my knowledge, we do not prioritize. It's up to the 

applicants to propose what's best for them.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: And I'm getting the next question: "Do you fund sites 

outside of academia like the State Statistical Analysis Center? I work for the Illinois 

Criminal Justice Information Authority, and we do work with interns at the graduate and 

undergraduate levels."

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes. We have no provisions about the site to which a 

scholar or a fellow applies to do their work. And so, to my knowledge, we haven't funded 

anyone from the Statistical Analysis Center, but that does not mean that if a good 

proposal was submitted that we would not.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. Next question is, "Since the fellowship focuses on 

early career scholars, should applicants emphasize how receiving the fellowship will 

advance their career?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: ... My pause is, I was thinking of where in the application 

that you might put that information, and I'm not sure if there's a place for that 
xviii

information. And I think we look at it from a different perspective of funding applicants

who have proposed rigorous enough research that aligns with the administration's 

priorities, that are worthy of funding from NIJ, and that fit within our priorities. So, 

although we do celebrate our past fellows' accomplishments and what the fellowship 

has done for them, we don't use that potential in our decision-making.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. And the next question is, "I may be tenured in 2019

but will apply for tenure in June 2018. Am I still eligible for the fellowship?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: For the fellowship, ... yes. When you apply, it's about the 

dates. And so, if you're tenured by December 31, 2018, and it's within six years, you're 

eligible.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. The next question, "Can a co-PI be a non-U.S. 

citizen?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes. Citizenship is not a requirement for the solicitation.

The fellowship usually goes to the institution or the organization, not the individual. And 

so, individuals do not need to be U.S. citizens.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. And our next question is, "Will a project be funded if 

the methods are archival, for instance, historical analysis of government records?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: I think that's ...

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: It's eligible.

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: ...a detailed question.
xix

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Yeah. And it's also asking about eligibility and, once again, 

we're getting into content. We ask you to pose that question to NCJRS and we'll review 

and provide a response that way. I have another question here, "Are there similar 

funding opportunities for current Ph.D. students?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes. However, they just closed for FY 2018. So, we do 

have a Graduate Research Fellowship Program here at NIJ — one in Social Behavioral 

Sciences and one in Forensic and Physical Sciences — but I believe those funding 

opportunities may have just recently been closed, as of this week. Check the website 

under Current Funding Opportunities to see what it looked like this past year. You can 

also go to the NIJ website, look at our past funding announcements to see what those 

solicitations looked like over the past couple years, and start planning for a possible 

submission next year.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: The deadlines have been moved up for those particular 

fellowships to try to match the academic calendar year, which is why it's one of the first 

solicitations to be released by NIJ each year. I'm getting some more questions 

regarding substance that I will not be able to answer, but in regard to NIJ priorities or 

areas that we're interested in, I highly recommend that you go to NIJ's website.

We have several topical pages that outline the different projects that we have funded,

so you'll get a really good grasp of the different projects that we have funded in a 

number of different areas having to deal with the criminal justice system. So, the next 

one is ... I don't know that any of us are going to be able to answer, but I'll go ahead 

and say it out aloud: "NIJ's research areas are quite broad. Can you elaborate upon 

what is meant by the Enhancing Investigations and Prosecution area?" (which happens 

to be an administrative priority). I don't know that we can extend or give specific 

examples in that area. Just know that if your project uses those or related key terms or 

phrases, it would fall within that category.
xx

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: And we can't elaborate, but one suggestion of how you 

may get more information on this is to look at the Attorney General's speeches and 

comments that he's made — they're available on the main DOJ website — and get an 

idea of what his priorities are and how he's expressed them, and see if your project may 

align.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "Should conference travel to present unfunded research be 

part of the dissemination plan and should this be part of the proposed budget?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes.

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: That'll work.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Questions have come in slower and I think that we — oh, I 

have one left. "If a postdoc fellow is funded well at one university, is the postdoc fellow 

able to take the funding with them to a new position at another university?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: I'm going to reinterpret this question for our purposes. And 

so, I hear this question asking, “If the postdoc was awarded a Du Bois scholarship or 

fellowship, would they be able to take it with them to another university?” So, the 

technical answer is yes. However, I would not recommend it because the process is 

very lengthy, it takes a long time, and it's administratively a headache for both 

institutions.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Part of this issue has to do with the actual authorized legal 

authority at the university or whatever the research entity is. Therefore, if the grant 

doesn't belong to the PI or any of the key staff, it is property of the university. The 

university would have the right to request that the grant be de-obligated, and we would 

have to go through that process. But you would just need to keep that in mind as you're 

applying because it always depends on who is the legal authority of the grant fund.
xxi

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Okay. And this process takes an enormous amount of 

time and effort for all involved, and it's not an easy process, so I would recommend 

working something out. If you know you're going to another institution, would they apply 

on your behalf? Perhaps talk to their sponsored program's office. There are other ways 

that you might be able to work around that.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. I don't see any more questions. We've mentioned on 

several occasions right now, if you have any other questions that you don't feel that we 

can answer, we would like you to contact NCJRS, and there are several ways, via 

phone, web chat, and frequently asked questions. We do have a couple more 

questions, and so here we go. "Do previous W.E.B. Du Bois fellows tend to be at the 

end of their spectrum, the more experienced?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Do previous fellows tend to be at the end of their 

spectrum? It varies. I don't think there's a typical previous fellow. We've had fellows who 

are as early as one or two years out from receiving their Ph.D. to those who may be at 

their second or third institution and haven't received tenure yet.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. Did you want it ...?

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: Someone joined this conference call late and they asked about 

the availability of this PowerPoint presentation — will it be available? Okay. Great.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. And then we have, "If an early career PI adds a coPI, do they need to be early career?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes.
xxii

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "Can you speak to why the fellowship funding increased to

$250,000?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Historically, we have examined the kinds of applications 

and projects we were getting and really tried to align the funds available with those 

projects. So, I do want to say it's up to $250,000, and you can propose projects that are 

lower than that. We actually did have one fellow whose budget was $45,000. And so, 

we're trying to increase the capability of our fellows to do more primary data collection, 

but we will still review secondary data collection projects. So, we're just trying to 

increase the breadth and depth of the type of projects that our fellows will be able to do.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. I don't see any other questions. You can contact the 

National Criminal Justice Reference Service Response Center and pose your 

questions, and they will respond to you. We do want to thank you all for taking the time 

to be part of this presentation, and I'm going to hand things over to Mary Jo.

MARY JO GIOVACCHINI: I just want to address one question (I answered it privately). 

As a reminder, the transcripts and the slides will be posted of the NIJ website. They will 

be added to the solicitation. So, if you read through the solicitation, it'll be at the end of 

it. If you registered, whether you registered or attended, or just registered, you will 

receive an email once the transcripts and the slides have been posted. That email will 

contain a direct link to the solicitation so you'll be able to get that information at that 

time.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Oh, two questions popped up. "I hold two Ph.D.s but my 

last Ph.D. was completed in 2015," and ends there. I don't know what the question was.

MARY JO GIOVACCHINI: I'm guessing, “Am I eligible?”
xxiii

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: So, this might require a lot of assumptions on our part to

be able to answer. So, I would recommend that the person send it to the response 

center with a little more detail.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "How important is the revision memo for those applying 

again on a revise and resubmit?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: It's very important. And so, we do provide revision memos

to our peer reviewers and review them ourselves. It's important to consider how the 

applicant responds to the previous year’s peer review comments, and what decisions 

have been made subsequent to that original peer review. We do consider that closely.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. "Is it possible to see a funded budget as an 

example?" We do not provide funded documents like that. There are examples on the 

OJP website, which was referenced in the webinar, where you can see a template of 

those items.

"I'm part of the research center at a university that usually takes overhead costs from 

grants. Does the fellowship allow for these expenses?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, it does.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Can the same proposal be resubmitted the next year if 

rejected in the first round of submission?

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes, we do allow for resubmissions (a question related to 

an earlier one). A memo at the beginning of the resubmission requires the applicant to 

submit details on how the proposal addressed previous peer review comments or made 

adjustments to address any insufficiencies that were identified.
xxiv

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Okay. We have one more question: "How many fellowships 

are available for funding?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: We don't have a limit, but the solicitation does have a total 

budget limit. So, it really depends on what applications we get and how much the 

applicants ask for.

MARY JO GIOVACCHINI: So, one more question came through: "If I am working at a 

university and also working in partnership with a local DA's office, should I apply through 

the D.A.'s office rather than the university?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: We'd recommend the university because the university 

would probably be better equipped to manage and handle the federal requirements 

associated with the federal grant.

MARY JO GIOVACCHINI: All right. "How many applications do you typically receive?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: That's changed since we added the scholar component,

so I'd say between 40 and 50. ... So, the question is, "If the proposal is liked but some 

minor modifications are needed, can it be accepted for funding with modifications?"

Unfortunately, no. We have to accept the proposal as submitted by the applicant and it 

has to be judged on the merit of what was submitted. And so, if an application wasn't 

accepted, then modifications could be made and the applicant can resubmit the next 

year, if they're still eligible.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "I'm graduating this May and I still do not have a postdoc 

position. Will I be eligible? I'm in the process of applying now."

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: So, that's going to be a challenging question for the 

applicant because who would submit the application on your behalf and who would 
xxv

manage all the federal rules and regulations? Do you have an institution who would be 

willing to do that on your behalf? That would be a judgment call. It's very challenging to 

manage a federal grant, and there are lots of requirements.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: "How much weight do letters of support from local criminal 

justice officials have, and what information should they include in the letter?"

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: I'll invite my colleague to chime in on this one, too. Letters 

of support are important, especially when you're planning to partner with an 

organization. We want to know that they're on board. So, the letter of support really 

should be related to the project that's being proposed. So, for example, someone 

mentioned working at the D.A.'s office. So, in that application, we want to see a 

memorandum of understanding (MOU) or some form of agreement with the D.A.'s 

office, agreeing to share data and allow access to staff, and those kinds of things. So, 

we do look at — we do read the letters of support very closely.

DR. BRETT CHAPMAN: And I would add to that, sometimes a letter of support, if the 

official just says, "I support this project," well, yeah, that's a letter of support of sorts, but 

it's not really what we're looking for in terms of "If this is awarded, we will grant this 

applicant access to our records," or something of that nature. So, there's a letter of 

support and there's a letter of agreement to partner with the potential applicant. So, 

those are somewhat different. Support is great, but commitment to giving access is 

even better.

CHRISTINE CROSSLAND: Yes. And it's important that those letters ... a lot of them 

come in “canned,” where it's very clear that the PI has actually drafted it using the same 

letter. That tells us right away that we don't really know if that entity that's providing that 

letter of support actually knows what they're doing. So, it's helpful for them to express,

in their own words, what they're willing to commit to on this particular project. “If I'm an 
xxvi

unpaid visiting scholar but a PI for my project, am I eligible?” The question is, who is the 

funding entity? I'm not exactly certain of that.

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: If you could forward that to the response center, probably 

with more detail, then we can provide you further clarification. Okay. We've got one 

minute left. So, any other questions that you'd like to pose, please send them. Okay.

Since there don't seem to be any further questions, we'd all like to take the opportunity 

to thank you again for participating. We hope this information was helpful. If you have 

any further questions that you'd like answered, please contact the response center. And 

we’ll provide them a very big thank you. ... And we look forward to all the potential 

applications that will be coming in this year.

DR. NADINE FREDERIQUE: Yes. Thank you all.
Today’s Presenters: 

Nadine Frederique, Senior Social Science Analyst and Brett Chapman, Social Science Analyst, and 

Christine Crossland, Senior Social Science Analyst

Office of Research and Evaluation

Funding Opportunities through NIJ for the 

W.E.B. Du Bois Program in FY 2018

Solicitation: NIJ-2018-14220

Solicitation Post Date: February 26, 2018

Solicitation Close Date: April 30, 2018 11:59 PM EDT
Webinar Overview

• Goals of the Du Bois Program

• Background and History

• Notable Recipients

• Topic Areas of Interest

• Funding Categories

• Expected Deliverables

• Application Process

• Tools and Resources

• Review Process & Selection Criteria

• Q&A Session
Goals of W.E.B. Du Bois Program

The program supports research that places particular emphasis on 

the intersections of race, crime, violence, and the administration of 

justice within the United States. 

This solicitation seeks investigator-initiated proposals for funding to 

conduct research on topics linked to issues deemed critical by the 

U.S. Department of Justice.
Background of the Program

• William Edward Burghardt Du Bois 

was born in 1868 in Great 

Barrington, MA.

• His first book, The Philadelphia 

Negro (1899) represents the first 

scientific inquiry in the study of 

social phenomena.

• In 2000, NIJ began the W.E.B. Du 

Bois Program
Background of the Program

• Background

– Since FY 2000, NIJ has supported the W.E.B. Du Bois Program to advance the 

field of research on race and crime in the United States.

– Dr. Becky Lynn Tatum, Georgia State University was the First Du Bois Fellow in 

2000

– FY 2016 Scholars added to the solicitation

– 30 Du Bois awards with approximately $3.5 in funding since 2000; 

– There are currently 12 open and on going Du Bois projects
Notable Du Bois Fellowship Recipients

• Dr. Ramiro Martinez – Latino Homicide

• Drs. Amy Farrell and Geoff Ward – the significance of the courtroom 

workgroup on case outcomes. 
Notable Du Bois Fellowship Recipients

• Dr. Ivory Toldson – Former 

Executive director of the White 

House Initiative on Historically Black 

Colleges and Universities

Dr. Cynthia Lum - Deputy 

Director of the Center for 

Evidence-Based Crime Policy in 

the Department of Criminology, 

Law and Society at George 

Mason University.
General Topic Areas of Interest

• Reducing violent crime

• Enhancing investigations and prosecutions

• Protecting law enforcement and other public safety personnel

• Reducing victimization and

• Enhancing immigration enforcement
Du Bois Funding Categories

• W.E.B. Du Bois Scholars in Race and Crime Research 

– Advanced in their careers

– Terminal Degree at least six years prior to December 31, 2018

– Up to $500,000 for 36 month grants

– Research and mentoring

• W.E.B Du Bois Fellowship for Research on Race and Crime

– Early in their careers 

– Terminal degree within six years prior to December 31, 2018

– Up to $250,000 for 24 month grants

– Primary and secondary data collection
Expected Deliverables

• Standard grant reporting requirements

– Quarterly and final financial reports

– Semi-annual research performance progress reports

• Associated data sets or files, if appropriate

• Community and scholarly products

• Peer-reviewed journal articles

• Presentations to appropriate scientific and practitioner conferences
• Applications...

– that are not responsive to this specific solicitation

– whose primary purpose is to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies

– whose work is funded under another federal award

– that request training in support of programs or direct services unrelated to or 

associated with the proposed project

– that request programs or services unrelated to the scope of the project or 

existing programs or services being evaluated

• However: “A budget may include these items if they are necessary to conduct 

research, development, demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.” 
Recommended Resources

• OJP Funding Resource Center

– https://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm

• DOJ Grants Financial Guide

– https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm

• DOJ Grants Financial Management Online Training

– https://ojpfgm.webfirst.com/

• NIJ Du Bois Grants

– https://nij.gov/funding/fellowships/dubois-fellowship/pages/welcome.aspx
APPLICATION PROCESS
Application Checklist | Requirements

– See pages 40-41 of the solicitation

• What an Application Should Include: 

– Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

– Project Abstract 

– Program Narrative (critical element) 

– Budget Detail Worksheet & Narrative (critical elements) 

– Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

– Tribal Authorizing Resolution or Executive Order 

– Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire

– Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)
• Additional Attachments 

– Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications 

– Curriculum vitae or resume (critical element) 

– Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity 

– Request and Justification for Employee Compensation; Waiver 

(if applicable)

– Complete list of the individuals named or otherwise identified 

anywhere in the application 

Application Checklist | Requirements

– See pages 40-41 of the solicitation
Application Submission 

• Grants.gov

– Registering in advance of deadline

– Acquire a unique entity identifier (currently, a DUNS number).

– Acquire or maintain registration with SAM

– Submit application packet at least 72 hours prior to deadline

– Workspace

– Mandatory and Optional Attachments

• Files labeled to describe the file being attached (e.g., program 

narrative)
REVIEW PROCESS
Basic Minimum Requirements

1. Program narrative 

2. Budget detail worksheet

3. Budget narrative

4. CVs, resumes, or biographical sketches of key 

personnel
Selection Criteria

• Statement of the Problem and Research Questions 15%

– Understanding of the problem, research questions, and their importance 

• Project Design and Implementation 50%

– Quality and technical merit

• Potential Impact – 15%

– Ability to change a stated criminal justice problem

• Capabilities/Competencies – 20%

– Demonstrated productivity, and experience of the applicant organization 

and proposed project staff

• Budget 

• Dissemination plans
External and Internal Review

• BMR/Responsiveness Review

– Submitted by an eligible type applicant

– Responsive to the scope of the solicitation

– Basic Minimum Requirements included

• External Peer Reviewer

• Technical and practitioner reviewers

• Internal Review

– NIJ scientific staff and leadership

– Department subject matter experts

• All funding decisions are at the discretion of the NIJ Director
Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Overall Problems in Applications

– The proposal vaguely describes how the data will be collected and 

analyzed. 

– Proposal fails to demonstrate the significance of the proposed work.

– Failure to demonstrate an understanding of the potential pitfalls and 

limitations of the proposed research.

– Too many details in the proposal are missing.

– The proposal fails to demonstrate how it will impact criminal justice policy 

and practice in the real world.

– Proposal was disorganized in its presentation, poorly written or lacked 

coherence.
Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Statement of the Problem

– Statement fails to identify gaps in the current literature.

– The literature review is insufficient.

– The scope of the proposed research is extremely limited.
Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Research Design

– The overall research design is not well articulated.

– The proposed research design/methods approach does not logically flow 

from the problem statement, research questions and literature review.

– The proposed research questions are not derived from the literature 

review.

– The proposed sample size should be supported by a power analysis.
Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Research Design (continued)

– The research design is to too ambitious and too complex.

– Proposed research design is not clearly laid out.

– The proposed sampling strategy is flawed.

– The proposed quantitative analyses is vague and unclear.
Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Capabilities and Competencies

– The Principal Investigator (PI) does not demonstrate familiarity or 

proficiency with the proposed quantitative analysis.

– Limited information to suggest that the PI can manage the proposed 

research project.

– The research team has a limited track record of publishing scholarly 

research.

– The dissemination plan lacks specificity and/or is not innovative.

– No criminology/criminal justice outlets are identified in the dissemination 

plan.
DISCUSSION

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Contact Information

National Criminal Justice Reference Service Response Center (NCJRS)

Toll-free +1 (800) 851-3420 

TTY +1 (301) 240-6310 for hearing impaired only

Email Grants@ncjrs.gov

Fax +1 (301) 240-5830

Web chat https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp 

NIJ FAQs https://www.nij.gov/funding/Pages/faqs.aspx