U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice 

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice 

is seeking applications for funding related to research and evaluation on violence against 

women—specifically to include projects addressing sexual violence and teen dating 

violence. This program furthers the Department’s mission by sponsoring research to 

provide objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to meet the 

challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the State and local levels. 

Solicitation: 

Research and Evaluation on Sexual Violence 

and Teen Dating Violence 

Eligibility 

 (See “Eligibility,” page 4) 

Deadline 

Registration with Grants.gov is required prior to application submission. 

(See “Registration,” page 3) 

All applications are due March 30, 2009, 11:59 p.m. eastern time. 

Contact Information 

For assistance with the requirements of the section of this solicitation that focuses on 

sexual violence, contact Karen Bachar, Social Science Analyst, at 202–514–4403 or 

Karen.Bachar@usdoj.gov. For assistance with the requirements of the section of this 

solicitation that focuses on teen dating violence, contact Carrie Mulford, Social Science 

Analyst, at 202–307–2959 or Carrie.Mulford@usdoj.gov. 

This application must be submitted through Grants.gov. For technical assistance with 

submitting the application, call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1–800–518– 

4726 or send an e-mail to support@grants.gov. 

Note: The Grants.gov Support Hotline hours of operation are Monday–Friday from 

7 a.m. to 9 p.m. eastern time. 

Grants.gov Funding Opportunity No. NIJ–2009–2044 

SL# 000864 
CONTENTS 

Overview ........................................................................................................................... 3
 

Deadline: Registration....................................................................................................... 3 

Deadline: Application ........................................................................................................ 3 

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

Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations ................................................ 4 

American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Tribes and/or Tribal Organizations....5
 

Specific Information ........................................................................................................... 5 

Performance Measures ................................................................................................... 10 

How to Apply................................................................................................................... 10 

What an Application Must Include................................................................................... 11 

Selection Criteria............................................................................................................. 14 

Review Process .............................................................................................................. 15 

Additional Requirements................................................................................................. 16 

2
 
Research and Evaluation on Sexual Violence 

and Teen Dating Violence

CFDA No. 16.560 

Overview 

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation 

agency of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and a component of the Office of 

Justice Programs (OJP). NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based 

knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ 

solicits applications to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and 

practice. 

NIJ seeks applications for funding research to help increase women’s safety and 

improve the justice system and related responses to sexual violence and teen dating 

violence. Research is sought on the criminal justice system’s response to sexual 

violence; the extent of the problem of teen dating violence and characteristics of abusive 

teen relationships; and the evaluation of teen dating violence programs, policies, and 

legislation. Applications addressing other areas of research on violence against women, 

such as Intimate Partner Violence and Stalking, will be accepted. However, applicants 

are strongly encouraged to consider NIJ’s stated research priorities as they are outlined 

in this solicitation. 

Deadline: Registration 

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

occur and it can take up to several weeks for first-time registrants to receive 

confirmations/user passwords. OJP highly recommends that applicants start the 

registration process as early as possible to prevent delays in submitting an application 

package to our agency by the application deadline specified. The registration process for 

organizations involves these steps: (1) Obtain a Data Universal Numbering System 

(DUNS) number; (2) Register your organization with the Central Contractor Registration 

(CCR) database; (3) Register with Grants.gov’s Credential Provider and obtain a 

username and password; (4) Register with Grants.gov to establish yourself as an 

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and (5) The E-Business Point of 

Contact (POC) assigns the “Authorized Applicant Role” to you. For more information 

about the registration process, go to www.grants.gov. Note: Your CCR must be 

renewed once a year. Failure to renew the CCR may prohibit submission of a grant 

application through Grants.gov. 

Deadline: Application 

The due date for applying for funding under this announcement is March 30, 2009, 

11:59 p.m. eastern time. 

3
 
Within 24 to 48 hours after submitting your electronic application, you should receive an 

e-mail validation message from Grants.gov. The validation message will tell you if the 

application has been received and validated or if it has been rejected, and why. 

Important: You are urged to submit your application at least 72 hours prior to the due 

date of the application to allow time to receive the validation message and to correct any 

problems that may have caused the rejection notification. 

If you experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond your control, you must 

contact OJP staff within 24 hours after the due date and request approval to submit 

your application. At that time, OJP staff will require you to e-mail the complete grant 

application along with your DUNS number and provide a Grants.gov Help Desk tracking 

number(s). After OJP reviews all of the information submitted and contacts Grants.gov to 

validate the technical issues reported by the applicant, OJP will contact you to either 

approve or deny the request. 

To ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the following conditions are 

not valid reasons to permit late submissions: (1) failure to begin the registration process 

in sufficient time; (2) failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply 

as posted on its Web site; (3) failure to follow all of the instructions in the OJP 

solicitation; and (4) technical issues experienced with the applicant’s computer or 

information technology (IT) environment. 

Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov are posted on the OJP 

funding Web page, www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm. 

Eligibility 

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

agreements with, States (including territories), local governments (including federally 

recognized Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions), nonprofit 

and profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and profit organizations), institutions of 

higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education), and certain qualified 

individuals. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign institutions of higher 

education are not eligible to apply. 

Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations: Consistent with Executive Order 

13279, dated December 12, 2002, and 28 C.F.R. Part 38, faith-based and other 

community organizations that statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under DOJ 

programs are invited and encouraged to apply for assistance awards to fund eligible 

grant activities. Faith-based and other community organizations will be considered for 

awards on the same basis as other eligible applicants and, if they receive assistance 

awards, will be treated on an equal basis with all other grantees in the administration of 

such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated for or against on the 

basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the religious composition 

of its board of directors or persons working in the organization. 

Faith-based organizations receiving DOJ assistance awards retain their independence 

and do not lose or have to modify their religious identity (e.g., remove religious symbols) 

to receive assistance awards. DOJ grant funds, however, may not be used to fund any 

4
 
inherently religious activity, such as prayer or worship. Inherently religious activity is 

permissible, although it cannot occur during an activity funded with DOJ grant funds; 

rather, such religious activity must be separate in time or place from the DOJ-funded 

program. Further, participation in such activity by individuals receiving services must be 

voluntary. Programs funded by DOJ are not permitted to discriminate in the provision of 

services on the basis of a beneficiary’s religion. 

If your organization is a faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the 

basis of religious belief, it may be entitled, under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, 

42 U.S.C. § 2000bb, to receive Federal funds and yet maintain that hiring practice, even 

if the law creating the funding program contains a general ban on religious discrimination 

in employment. For the circumstances under which this may occur, and the certifications 

that may be required, please see the section titled “Funding to Faith-Based 

Organizations” on the "Other Requirements for OJP Applications" Web page at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

Applicants are also encouraged to review the “Civil Rights Compliance” section of the 

“Other Requirements for OJP Applications” Web page, which also can be found at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Tribes and/or Tribal Organizations: If a 

grant application is being submitted on behalf of a tribe or tribal organization, a current 

authorizing resolution of the governing body of the tribal entity or other enactment of the 

tribal council or comparable government body authorizing the inclusion of the tribe or 

tribal organization named in the application must be included with the application. 

Specific Information—Research and Evaluation on 

Sexual Violence and Teen Dating Violence 

Research and Evaluation on Sexual Violence 

Sexual violence poses a significant threat to the safety and long-term well-being of 

women in the United States. For this solicitation, sexual violence includes crimes 

identified by Federal and State statutes for rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and 

attempts of these offenses. Non-stranger sexual assault is defined in this solicitation as 

any act of sexual violence perpetrated by an individual or individuals who are known by 

or related to the victim (e.g., acquaintance, neighbor, coworker, friend, family member, 

intimate partner, spouse, etc.).The National Crime Victimization Survey indicates that 

crimes of sexual violence commonly go unreported. Existing data also suggest that they 

are committed frequently and are more often perpetrated by acquaintances, friends, or 

intimate partners than by strangers to the victim. According to the National Violence 

Against Women Survey, 1 in 6 American women has been the victim of a completed or 

attempted sexual assault during her lifetime. 

Significant Federal, State, and local resources are required to adequately respond to, 

investigate, and prosecute these crimes and to provide coordinated and affirming 

services to victims. In addition, the past 30 years have produced: new policies and 

statutes to ensure appropriate institutional response to sexual violence; the concept of 

the multi-system sexual assault response mode; and new technological advances in the 

field of forensics that aid law enforcement’s investigative efforts. These developments 

5
 
have been introduced to aid the criminal justice system in its efforts to meet its multifaceted and challenging mission of prosecuting the guilty, protecting the innocent, and 

protecting both victims and the greater society from further victimization. 

To date, there has been limited research on the effectiveness of the criminal justice 

system’s response to sexual violence. To address this gap in the literature and to assist 

policymakers and practitioners in improving this response, NIJ welcomes research on all 

aspects of the criminal justice system’s response to sexual violence against women. 

Both rigorous quantitative studies and qualitative investigations are encouraged. 

Proposals in the following priority areas are specifically encouraged: 

•	 Research examining reporting, processing, and attrition of sexual assault 

cases within the criminal justice system: Applicants are encouraged to submit 

proposals that examine barriers to reporting posed by the criminal justice system 

and to evaluate innovative initiatives that attempt to reduce or remove such 

barriers in both stranger and non-stranger cases. Studies that evaluate the 

implementation and impact of anonymous or restricted reporting policies are 

particularly encouraged. In addition, NIJ is interested in supporting studies that 

examine the impact of law enforcement decisionmaking (including coding of 

cases as unfounded or false), specialized prosecution units, and 

victim/perpetrator/case characteristics on case attrition rates and outcomes. 

•	 Evaluation of multi-system responses to sexual violence: Applicants are 

encouraged to submit proposals to evaluate law enforcement, public safety, 

advocacy, medico-forensic, and the criminal court system’s responses to crimes 

of sexual violence. Applications that specifically focus on the impact of formal 

and diverse models of Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) on the 

investigation, prosecution, and outcome of sexual assault cases are especially 

encouraged. 

•	 Research on the use of forensic science to respond to sexual violence in 

stranger and non-stranger sexual assault cases: Proposals that examine the 

cost-effectiveness and outcomes associated with the use of forensic techniques 

and analysis to address crimes of sexual violence are encouraged. Forensic 

analysis techniques can include, but are not limited to, DNA analysis, serology, 

toxicology, and hair or trace evidence analysis. Projects that propose to identify 

effective evidence collection methods and techniques, forensic markers of sexual 

assault, and the impact of this evidence on case outcomes in both stranger and 

non-stranger sexual assault cases are also desired. 

Research and Evaluation on Teen Dating Violence 

NIJ is also soliciting proposals for research and evaluation in the area of adolescent 

relationship abuse. This is sometimes referred to as teen dating violence, intimate 

relationship violence, or intimate partner violence among adolescents. For this 

solicitation, the term ”abuse” includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, harassment, 

stalking, or psychological abuse in the context of a past or present romantic/consensual 

relationship of any person between the ages of 12 and 18. 

National estimates from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the National Longitudinal 

Study of Adolescent Health indicate that approximately 1 in 10 adolescents reported 

6
 
being a victim of physical violence at the hand of a romantic partner in the past year. 

Rates of psychological abuse victimization are even higher; between 2 in 10 and 3 in 10 

adolescents indicate they have been verbally or psychologically abused. Reported 

victimization and perpetration rates for physical and psychological abuse tend to be 

similar for boys and girls. However, severe teen dating violence, including sexual assault 

and physical assault by a romantic partner resulting in injury, are experienced 

disproportionately by girls. 

Youth who report being hit, slapped, or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the 

past year are more likely to report binge drinking, current sexual activity, physical 

fighting, and suicide attempts. Adolescents often carry these unhealthy patterns of 

abuse into future relationships. Victims of adolescent relationship abuse are more likely 

to be involved in intimate partner violence as adults. The Violence Against Women Act of 

2005 includes a new emphasis on addressing teen dating violence. Recognizing that 

adolescents experience high rates of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, the 

Act provides for education and services targeted to children and youth. 

The focus on adolescent relationship abuse represents the latest Federal effort to 

combat violence from a public health perspective. In July 2006, NIJ hosted a workshop 

that examined the responses to teen dating violence from the criminal justice, 

community, and education sectors and sought to develop methods for these responses 

to work more effectively together. In December 2007, the Department of Health and 

Human Services and the Department of Justice continued this practitioner–advocate– 

researcher dialogue by hosting a 2-day workshop on Teen Dating Violence, which 

brought together 80 advocates, researchers, and practitioners, to discuss and develop a 

research agenda that addressed practice needs. The agenda can be found at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/crime/violence-against-women/workshops/teendating-violence-agenda.htm. 

Under this solicitation, proposals that help us to understand the nature and extent of 

adolescent relationship abuse are encouraged. The following priority areas are 

specifically encouraged: 

•	 Research on the extent of the problem and characteristics of abusive teen 

relationships. Priority research in this area includes studies that: 

•	 Illuminate the prevalence and incidence of adolescent relationship abuse 

in representative samples of adolescents of both sexes as well as diverse 

ages, races/ethnicities, social classes, sexual orientations, acculturation 

levels, and regions. 

•	 Use qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the context in which 

adolescent relationship abuse occurs, the ways in which adolescents 

define power in relationships, and the meanings adolescents attach to 

violence and other types of relationship abuse. 

•	 Use qualitative and quantitative methods to capture gender differences in 

abuse patterns and/or the reciprocal abuse that occurs in adolescent 

relationships. 

•	 Employ short-term longitudinal designs to examine the progression of 

relationship abuse within a relationship and the stability of teen dating 

7
 
violence perpetration and victimization as individuals move between 

partners. 

•	 Focus on adolescents’ use of technology as a means of perpetrating 

relationship abuse. 

• Evaluation of teen dating violence programs, policies, and legislation. 

Proposals that evaluate the effectiveness of policies, laws, and programs that are 

either intended to prevent or respond to adolescent relationship abuse are also 

strongly encouraged. Specifically, priority will be given to rigorous research that: 

•	 Evaluates community and/or school-based programs that are designed to 

prevent relationship abuse among adolescents or respond to adolescent 

victims of relationship abuse, including, but not limited to, programs that 

educate and/or train youth, parents, school resource officers, counselors, 

teachers, coaches, and administrators about recognizing and responding 

to adolescent relationship abuse. 

•	 Evaluates the effectiveness of victim services and the justice system in 

responding to teen dating violence. With regards to service usage, NIJ is 

interested in research that will provide a better understanding of the type 

of service providers or others (teachers, friends, etc.) that youth victims 

are likely to turn to for help, what types of services youth need in 

response to dating violence, and how effective the services are in helping 

youth victims. 

•	 Evaluates the effectiveness of legislation mandating teen dating violence 

education in schools. 

Evaluation Research: Within applications proposing evaluation research, funding 

priority will be given to experimental research designs that use random selection and 

assignment of participants to experimental and control conditions. When randomized 

designs are not feasible, priority will be given to quasi-experimental designs that include 

contemporary procedures like Propensity Score Matching and Regression Discontinuity 

Design to address selection bias in evaluating outcomes and impacts. 

Evaluations that also include measurements of program fidelity and implementation as 

part of a thorough process assessment are desirable. Measurements of program fidelity 

should be included as part of an assessment of program processes and operations to 

ensure that policies, programs, and technologies are implemented as designed. As one 

aspect of a comprehensive evaluation, assessments of program processes should 

include objective measurements and qualitative observations of programs as they are 

actually implemented and services are delivered. These may include assessment of 

such aspects as adherence to program content and protocol, quantity and duration, 

quality of delivery, and participant responsiveness. 

Proposed evaluation research designs with multiple units of analysis and multiple 

measurements will also be given priority. Design aspects that contribute to the validity of 

results are necessary to effectively address issues of generalizability and 

representativeness of findings. 

8
 
Finally, applications that include cost/benefit analysis will be given priority. NIJ views 

cost/benefit analysis as an effective way to communicate and disseminate findings from 

evaluation research. 

Please note: All applicants under this solicitation must comply with Department of Justice 

regulations on confidentiality and human subjects protection. See “Other Requirements for 

OJP Applications” at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

What will not be funded: 

1. Provision of training or direct service. 

2. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (Your budget may 

include these items if they are necessary to conduct applied research, development, 

demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.) 

3. Work that will be funded under another specific solicitation. 

Cost of proposed work: NIJ anticipates that up to a total of $1,500,000 may become 

available for an award made through this solicitation. All NIJ awards are subject to the 

availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional 

requirements that may be imposed by law. NIJ expects to make three to six awards, 

depending on funds available, the number of high-quality applications, and other 

pertinent factors. If you propose a project that exceeds the amount of money that may 

be available for this solicitation, we recommend that you divide the project into phases, 

stages, or tasks so that NIJ can consider making an award for a specific portion of the 

work. NIJ cannot guarantee that subsequent phases, stages, or tasks will be funded. 

Such additional funding depends on, among other things, NIJ resources, strategic 

priorities, and your satisfactory completion of each phase, stage, or task. Note: 

Deliverables (e.g., a final report) will be required at the end of each phase, stage, or 

task. 

Applicants should be aware that the total period of an award, including one that receives 

additional funding, ordinarily will not exceed 3 years. 

A grant made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100 percent of the total 

cost of the project. See "Cofunding," under "What an Application Must Include." 

Limitation on use of award funds for employee compensation; waiver: No portion 

of any award of more than $250,000 made under this solicitation may be used to pay 

any portion of the total cash compensation (salary plus bonuses) of any employee of the 

award recipient whose total cash compensation 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. (The salary table for SES employees is available at http://www.opm.gov.) 

This prohibition may be waived at the discretion of the Assistant Attorney General for the 

Office of Justice Programs. An applicant that wishes to request a waiver should include 

a detailed justification in the budget narrative for the application. 

9
 
Performance Measures 

To assist in fulfilling the Department’s responsibilities under the Government 

Performance and Results Act (GPRA), P.L. 103–62, applicants who receive funding 

under this solicitation must provide data that measure the results of their work. 

Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows: 

Objective Performance Measures Data Grantee Provides 

Develop and analyze information 

and data that have clear 

implications for criminal justice 

policy and practice in the United 

States. 

Relevance to the needs of the 

field as measured by whether the 

grantee’s substantive scope did 

not deviate from the funded 

proposal or any subsequent 

agency modifications to the 

scope. 

Quality of the research as 

assessed by peer reviewers. 

Quality of management as 

measured by whether significant 

interim project milestones were 

achieved, final deadlines were 

met, and costs remained within 

approved limits. 

If applicable, number of NIJ final 

grant reports, NIJ research 

documents, and grantee 

research documents published. 

A final report providing a 

comprehensive overview of the 

project and a detailed description 

of the project design, data, and 

methods; a full presentation of 

scientific findings; and a thorough 

discussion of the implications of 

the project findings for criminal 

justice practice and policy. 

Quarterly financial reports, semiannual progress reports, and a 

final progress report. 

If applicable, each data set that 

was collected, acquired, or 

modified in conjunction with the 

project. 

If applicable, citation to 

report(s)/document(s). 

How to Apply 

DOJ participates in Grants.gov—a “one-stop storefront” that provides a unified process 

for all customers of federal grants to find funding opportunities and apply for funding.
 

Grants.Gov Instructions: Complete instructions can be found at www.grants.gov. 

If you experience difficulties at any point during this process, please call the Grants.gov 

Customer Support Hotline at 1–800–518–4726, Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
 

eastern time. 

Funding Opportunities With Multiple Purpose Areas: Some OJP solicitations posted 

to Grants.gov contain multiple purpose areas, denoted by the individual Competition ID. 

If you are applying to a solicitation with multiple Competition IDs, you must select the 

appropriate Competition ID for the intended purpose area of your application. The 

application will be peer reviewed according to the requirements of the purpose area 

under which it is submitted. 

Note: OJP’s Grants Management System (GMS) does not support Microsoft Vista 

or Microsoft 2007. Therefore, OJP will not review any application whose 

10
 
attachments are in Microsoft Vista or Microsoft 2007 format. GMS downloads 

applications from Grants.gov and is the system in which OJP reviews applications and 

manages awarded grants. Applications submitted via GMS must be in the following 

formats: Microsoft Word (*.doc), Word Perfect (*.wpd), PDF files (*.pdf), or Text 

Documents (*.txt), and may include Microsoft Excel (*.xls) files. GMS is not yet 

compatible with Vista and cannot yet process Microsoft Word 2007 documents saved in 

the new default format with the extensions of “.docx.” Please ensure the documents you 

are submitting in Grants.gov are saved using “Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc)” format. 

Additionally, 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." 

CFDA Number: The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this 

solicitation is 16.560, titled “National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and 

Development Project Grants,” and the Grants.gov funding opportunity number is NIJ–

2009–2044. 

A DUNS number is required: The Office of Management and Budget requires that all 

businesses and nonprofit applicants for Federal funds include a DUNS (Data Universal 

Numbering System) number in their application for a new award or renewal of an award. 

Applications without a DUNS number are incomplete. A DUNS number is a unique ninedigit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and keeping track of 

entities receiving Federal funds. The identifier is used for tracking purposes and to 

validate address and point-of-contact information for Federal assistance applicants, 

recipients, and subrecipients. The DUNS number will be used throughout the grant life 

cycle. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, simple, one-time activity. Obtain one by 

calling 1–866–705–5711 or by applying online at http://www.dnb.com/us. Individuals are 

exempt from this requirement. 

Central Contractor Registration (CCR) is required: In addition to the DUNS number 

requirement, OJP requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for Federal financial 

assistance maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) 

database. The CCR database is the repository for standard information about Federal 

financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. Organizations that have 

previously submitted applications via Grants.gov are already registered with CCR, as it 

is a requirement for Grants.gov registration. Please note, however, that applicants must 

update or renew their CCR at least once per year to maintain an active status. 

Information about registration procedures can be accessed at www.ccr.gov. 

What an Application Must Include 

An application must include the following: 

Standard Form 424 

Program Narrative 

The Program Narrative includes: 

a. Abstract (not to exceed 600 words). 

11
 
The abstract should state the problem under investigation (including goals 

and objectives of the proposed project) and the anticipated relevance of 

the project to criminal justice public policy, practice, or theory applicable 

to the United States. It should describe the proposed method and/or 

research design, including data to be used in addressing research 

questions, data collection procedures and instrumentation, access to 

data, and other methods or procedures of the proposed study. It should 

also describe procedures for data analysis and all expected products, 

including interim and final reports, instrumentation, devices, and data sets 

to be submitted in accordance with the Data Archiving Strategy (see 

below). If applicable, it should describe the subjects who will be involved 

in the proposed project, including the number of participants; participants’ 

age, gender, and race/ethnicity; and other pertinent characteristics, such 

as methods used to gain access to subjects. 

b. Resubmit response (if applicable). 

If you are resubmitting a proposal that was submitted, but not funded, 

under a previous solicitation, you must provide a response indicating that 

your proposal is a revision and that it was submitted before. You should 

prepare a two-page response to the earlier panel review that includes (1) 

the title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number of the 

previous proposal, and (2) a brief summary of responses to the review 

and/or revisions to the proposal. Insert the response after the abstract. 

c. Table of contents. 

d. Main body. 

The main body of the Program Narrative should describe the project in 

depth and include the following sections: 

• Purpose, goals, and objectives. 

• Review of relevant literature. 

• Research design and methods. 

• Implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States. 

• Management plan and organization. 

• Dissemination strategy. 

e. Appendixes. 

Appendixes are not counted against program narrative page limit and 

must include: 

• Bibliography/References (if applicable). 

• Data Archiving Strategy (see “Other Program Attachments” below). 

• List of key personnel (required). 

• Résumés of key personnel (required). 

• List of previous and current NIJ awards (required). 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project (if applicable). 

• Chart for timeline, research calendar, or milestones (required). 

• Other materials required by the solicitation. 

Budget Detail Worksheet 

The Budget Detail Worksheet should address the full scope, duration, and cost of the 

project. The Budget Detail Worksheet should include a breakdown of costs associated 

with each budget category, including itemizations and calculations where necessary. 

12
 
The budget must be broken down on a year-by-year basis over the length of the project. 

That is, if the proposed project is 3 years, then there should be a separate budget for 

year one, year two, and year three. 

Templates for filling out the Budget Detail Worksheet may be found online at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf, OJP Standard Forms & 

Instructions. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Chief Financial 

Officer's Customer Service Center at 1–800–458–0786. 

Budget Narrative 

The Budget Narrative is a plain-language description of each of the proposed 

expenditures listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. It should clearly explain the purpose 

and reason for all expenditures in the budget. There should be no ambiguities about any 

budget item. The narrative should also include details for calculated rates or other 

figures. 

As with the Budget Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative must be broken down on a 

year-by-year basis. 

Indirect Rate Agreement (if applicable) 

Applicants that do not have a federally negotiated indirect cost rate and wish to establish 

one can submit a proposal to their “cognizant” Federal agency. Generally, the cognizant 

Federal agency is the agency that provides the preponderance of direct Federal funding. 

This can be determined by reviewing an organization’s schedule of Federal financial 

assistance. If DOJ is your cognizant Federal agency, obtain information needed to 

submit an indirect cost rate proposal at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/part3/part3chap17.htm. 

Other Program Attachments 

These include several forms, available on OJP’s funding page at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. 

Data Archiving Strategy: NIJ requires that each data set resulting from funded 

research be submitted as a grant product or deliverable for archiving with the National 

Archive of Criminal Justice Data. (Data sets are to be submitted 90 days before the end 

of the project period.) Applications for NIJ research grants must include a brief (one or 

two page) data archiving strategy. For purposes of research replication and extension, 

the inclusion of only the final data set often prevents other researchers from replicating 

or extending the study because there are no original data, intermediate data, or 

documentation detailing how the data changed throughout the project. This data 

archiving strategy therefore must briefly describe the— 

•	 Anticipated manipulations of original, intermediate, and final data sets (as 

applicable).
 

•	 Methods of documentation of such manipulations. 

•	 Preparation of original, intermediate, and final data sets for archive submission. 

13
 
The data archiving strategy should be submitted as an appendix to the application and 

will NOT count toward the 30-page limit. Please label this appendix “Data Archiving 

Strategy.” 

Page limit: The program narrative section of your application must not exceed 30 

double-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Abstract, resubmit response, 

table of contents, charts, figures, appendixes, and government forms do not count 

toward the 30-page limit for the narrative section. 

Cofunding: A grant made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100 

percent of the total cost of the project. You must indicate whether you believe it is 

feasible for you to contribute cash, facilities, or services as non-Federal support for the 

project. Your application should identify generally any such contributions that you expect 

to make and your proposed budget should indicate in detail which items, if any, will be 

supported with non-Federal contributions. 

Selection Criteria 

Successful applicants must demonstrate the following: 

Statement of the Problem/Program Narrative (Understanding of the problem and its 

importance)—15% 

1. Clarity of problem statement. 

2. Awareness of relevant research. 

3. Connection between proposed research and problem. 

Project/Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit)—30% 

1. Awareness of the state of current research or technology. 

2. Soundness of methodology and analytic and technical approach. 

3. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls. 

4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). 

Capabilities/Competencies (Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of 

applicants)—20% 

1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 

2. Demonstrated ability of proposed staff and organization to manage the effort. 

3. Adequacy of the plan to manage the project, including how various tasks are 

subdivided and resources are used. 

4. Successful past performance on NIJ grants and contracts (when applicable). 

Budget—15% 

1. Total cost of the project relative to the perceived benefit. 

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

3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. 

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation (Relevance to policy and practice)—15% 

1. Potential for significant advances in scientific or technical understanding of the 

problem. 

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2. Potential for significant advances in the field. 

3. Relevance for improving the policy and practice of criminal justice and related 

agencies and improving public safety, security, and quality of life. 

4. Affordability and cost-effectiveness of proposed end products, when applicable 

(e.g., purchase price and maintenance costs for a new technology or cost of 

training to use the technology). 

5. Perceived potential for commercialization and/or implementation of a new 

technology (when applicable). 

Dissemination Strategy—5% 

1. Well-defined plan for the grant recipient to disseminate results to appropriate 

audiences, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. 

2. Suggestions for print and electronic products NIJ might develop for practitioners 

and policymakers. 

Relevance of the project for policy and practice: 

Higher quality applications clearly explain the practical implications of the project. They 

connect technical expertise with criminal justice policy and practice. To ensure that the 

project has strong relevance for policy and practice, some researchers and technologists 

collaborate with practitioners and policymakers. You may include letters showing support 

from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence that you understand 

why policymakers and practitioners would benefit from your work and how they would 

use it. While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should also have broader 

implications for others across the country. 

Review Process 

OJP is committed to ensuring a standardized process for awarding grants. NIJ reviews 

the application to make sure that the information presented is reasonable, 

understandable, measurable, achievable, and consistent with program or legislative 

requirements as stated in the solicitation. 

Peer reviewers will be reviewing the applications submitted under this solicitation as 

well. NIJ may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a 

combination of both to review the applications under this solicitation. An external peer 

reviewer is an expert in the field of the subject matter of a given solicitation who is NOT 

a current U.S. Department of Justice employee. An internal reviewer is an expert in the 

field of the subject matter of a given solicitation who is a current U.S. Department of 

Justice employee. Applications will be screened initially to determine whether the 

applicant meets all eligibility requirements. Only applications submitted by eligible 

applicants that meet all other requirements (such as timeliness, proper format, and 

responsiveness to the scope of the solicitation) will be evaluated, scored, and rated by a 

peer review panel. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are 

advisory only. In addition to peer review ratings, considerations may include, but are not 

limited to, underserved populations, strategic priorities, past performance, and available 

funding. 

After the peer review is finalized, the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), in 

consultation with NIJ, conducts a financial review of all potential discretionary awards 

and cooperative agreements to evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of 

15
 
applicants; examines proposed costs to determine if the budget and budget narrative 

accurately explain project costs; and determines whether costs are reasonable, 

necessary, and allowable under applicable Federal cost principles and agency 

regulations. OCFO also reviews the award document and verifies the OJP Vendor 

Number. 

When awards will be made: All applicants, whether they are accepted or rejected, will 

be notified. The review and approval process takes about 6 months. You should not 

propose to begin work until at least 6 months after the application deadline on the cover 

of this solicitation. Also, you should not expect to receive notification of a decision for at 

least 6 months after that date. Lists of awards are updated regularly on NIJ’s Web site at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding/welcome.htm. 

Absent explicit statutory authorization or written delegation of authority to the contrary, 

all final grant award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General (AAG), 

who may also give consideration to factors including, but not limited to, underserved 

populations, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making 

awards. 

Additional Requirements 

Successful applicants selected for award must agree to comply with additional 

applicable requirements prior to receiving grant funding. We strongly encourage you to 

review the list below pertaining to these additional requirements prior to submitting your 

application. Additional information for each can be found at 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

• Civil Rights Compliance 

• Funding to Faith-Based Organizations 

• Confidentiality and Human Subjects Protection 

• Anti-Lobbying Act 

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements 

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 

• DOJ Information Technology Standards 

• Single Point of Contact Review 

• Nonsupplanting of State and Local Funds 

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements 

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide 

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/ 

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• Suspension or Termination of Funding 

• Nonprofit Organizations 

• For-Profit Organizations 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

• Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) 

If your proposal is funded, you will be required to submit several reports and other 

materials, including: 

Final substantive report: The final report should be a comprehensive overview of the 

project and should include, among other things, a detailed description of the project 

design, data, and methods; a full presentation of scientific findings; and a thorough 

discussion of the implications of the project findings for criminal justice practice and 

policy in the United States. It must contain an abstract of no more than 600 words and 

an executive summary of 2,500 to 4,000 words. 

A draft of the final report, abstract, and executive summary must be submitted 90 days 

before the end date of the grant. The draft final report will be peer reviewed upon 

submission. The reviews will be forwarded to the principal investigator with suggestions 

for revisions. The author must then submit the revised final report, abstract, and 

executive summary by the end date of the grant. The abstract, executive summary, and 

final report must be submitted in both paper and electronic formats. 

For program evaluation studies, the final report should include a section on measuring 

program performance. This section should outline the measures used to evaluate 

program effectiveness, modifications made to those measures as a result of the 

evaluation, and recommendations regarding these and other potential performance 

measures for similar programs. (This information will be particularly valuable to NIJ and 

other Federal program agencies in implementing performance measures for federally 

funded criminal justice programs.) 

Interim reports: Grantees must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress 

reports, a final progress report, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in accordance 

with Office of Management and Budget Circular A–133. Future awards and fund 

drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. 

Data sets: NIJ requires submission of all data sets (original, intermediate, and final) 

produced or collected for the funded project, and any artifact associated with the project 

data. Included with the final sets of data should be the plan outlined in the Data 

Archiving Strategy section of the proposal. 

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