Special Notice

To assist applicants in completing their proposals, NIJ has made FAQs available for this funding 

opportunity. Visit http://www.nij.gov/funding/fellowships/graduate-research-fellowship/Pages/grfsbs.aspx for questions and answers to help prepare your application.

For further assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, please 

contact GRF@usdoj.gov.
U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329

Office of Justice Programs Approval Expires 07/31/2016

National Institute of Justice

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding of innovative doctoral dissertation research in 

the social and behavioral sciences that is relevant to providing solutions to better ensure public

safety, prevent and control crime, and ensure the fair and impartial administration of criminal

justice in the United States. 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. 

NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program in the 

Social and Behavioral Sciences 

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are limited to degree-granting academic institutions in the United States and 

its territories. To be eligible, the institution must be fully accredited by one of the regional 

institutional accreditation agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Under this 

solicitation, the applicant institution must apply as the sponsoring institution for the doctoral 

candidate who will be conducting criminal-justice-related research in a discipline relevant to 

NIJ’s mission.

An eligible applicant may submit more than one application, as long as each application 

proposes a different project in response to the solicitation. (Applicants should also review and

consider the “Duplicate Applications” note under How to Apply in Section D. Application and 

Submission Information.)

NIJ may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal

years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.

For additional eligibility information, see Section C. Eligibility Information. 

Deadline

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are 

due to be submitted and in receipt of a successful validation message in Grants.gov by 

11:59 p.m. eastern time on December 15, 2015. 

All applicants are encouraged to read this: Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov. 

For additional application information, see 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 or 606-545-5035, or via email to support@grants.gov. The

Grants.gov Support Hotline hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except 

federal holidays. 

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that 

prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must e-mail the NIJ contact 

identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline and request approval to 
NIJ-2016-4321

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submit their application. Additional information on reporting technical issues is found under 

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

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact GRF@usdoj.gov. 

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. Answers to frequently 

asked questions about the Graduate Research Fellowship Program in the Social and Behavioral 

Sciences are posted at www.nij.gov/GRF-SBS.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: NIJ-2016-4321

Release date: August 27, 2015
NIJ-2016-4321

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Contents

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

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

Program-Specific Information ................................................................................................. 4

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables ....................................................................................... 7

B. Federal Award Information..................................................................................................... 7

Type of Award ........................................................................................................................ 8

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls......................................................... 9

Budget Information ................................................................................................................. 9

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement......................................................................................10

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals .............................................................................................10

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver...............................10

Prior Approval, Planning, and Reporting of Conference/Meeting/Training Costs ...................10

Costs Associated with Language Assistance (if applicable)...................................................11

C. Eligibility Information.............................................................................................................11

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement......................................................................................11

Limit on Number of Application Submissions.........................................................................11

D. Application and Submission Information...............................................................................11

What an Application Should Include ......................................................................................11

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

E. Application Review Information.............................................................................................24

Selection Criteria ...................................................................................................................24

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

F. Federal Award Administration Information ............................................................................27

Federal Award Notices ..........................................................................................................27

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

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements .............................28

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) ...................................................................................29

H. Other Information..................................................................................................................29

Provide Feedback to OJP......................................................................................................29

Application Checklist .............................................................................................................30
NIJ-2016-4321

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NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program in 

the Social and Behavioral Sciences

(CFDA No. 16.562)

A. Program Description

Overview

The NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) Program in Social and Behavioral Sciences is 

open to doctoral students in all social and behavioral science disciplines. This program provides 

awards to accredited academic institutions to support graduate research leading to doctoral 

degrees in areas that are relevant to ensuring public safety, preventing and controlling crime, 

and ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal justice in the United States. NIJ 

invests in doctoral education by supporting universities that sponsor students who demonstrate 

the potential to successfully complete doctoral degree programs in disciplines relevant to the 

mission of NIJ and who are in the final stages of graduate study. Applicants sponsoring doctoral 

students are eligible to apply only if:

1. The doctoral student’s degree program is in a social and behavioral science discipline; 

and

2. The student’s proposed dissertation research has direct implications for criminal justice 

policy and practice in the United States.

To learn more about NIJ’s Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) Program in Social and 

Behavioral Sciences, see www.nij.gov/GRF-SBS.

Academic institutions sponsoring doctoral students whose disciplines are outside the social and 

behavioral sciences will not be considered under this solicitation. Applicants sponsoring 

doctoral students whose research is in the areas of science, technology, engineering, or 

mathematics (STEM) should submit proposals to NIJ’s “Graduate Research Fellowship Program 

in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” solicitation.

Awards are anticipated to be made to successful applicant institutions in the form of a grant to 

cover a fellowship for the sponsored doctoral student. Awards in the amount of $32,000 will be 

made under this solicitation. Award funds should be used to cover all allowable expenses over 

the project period. Additional funds will not be provided. Final award decisions will be made by 

the Director of the National Institute of Justice.

Authorizing Legislation: Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 

(sections 201 and 202).

Program-Specific Information

NIJ’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program in the Social and Behavioral Sciences is open to 

doctoral students in all social and behavioral science disciplines. To learn more about the 

program, see www.nij.gov/GRF-SBS.
NIJ-2016-4321

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Degree-granting educational institutions are encouraged to sponsor outstanding and promising 

doctoral students whose dissertation research has direct implications for ensuring public safety, 

preventing and controlling crime, and ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal justice 

in the United States. Successful applicants must demonstrate strong support from the academic 

institution and the dissertation chair in the development, review, and submission of the proposal 

as well as the execution of the proposed work.

Quantitative, qualitative, primary, and secondary data analysis and mixed-method approach 

research studies are encouraged. Special consideration will be given to applicants who use the 

most rigorous research methods applicable to the proposed research topic to maximize the 

validity and reliability of their findings.

NIJ encourages the resubmission of proposals that have addressed previous peer review 

comments.

Official Applicant

The official applicant under this solicitation is a degree-granting educational institution in the 

United States or its territories. To be eligible, the institution of record must be fully accredited by 

one of the regional institutional accreditation agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of 

Education. Applications from applicants who apply as individuals will automatically be 

removed from consideration. 

The academic institution’s institution-wide research office (e.g., office of sponsored research) 

must complete and submit an application electronically using Grants.gov (see What an 

Application Should Include). If allowed by the applicant institution, the sponsored doctoral 

student should be identified as the project Principal Investigator.

The academic institution applicant is encouraged to submit an official statement regarding the 

student's progress in their current program of study. The statement of progress is not a 

requirement of the solicitation. If submitted, this should take the form of a document from the 

Office of the Registrar, or an equivalent university- or college-wide office with the authority to 

verify current enrollment status. Applicants are encouraged to submit copies of the doctoral 

student’s academic transcript. The transcript should document current matriculation toward a 

doctoral degree.

Doctoral Student Eligibility Requirements

The sponsored doctoral student must:

1. Be enrolled full-time in a doctoral degree program in a social and behavioral sciences 

discipline at the eligible academic institution; and

2. Propose a dissertation research topic that is relevant to providing solutions to problems 

that affect public safety, crime, and the fair and impartial administration of criminal 

justice in the United States (see What an Application Should Include).

There are three requirements for the NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program that must be 

completed before an award can be made. It is not necessary for the student to have completed 

the three requirements listed below at the time of the application due date:
NIJ-2016-4321

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• The doctoral student must have completed all required course work.

• The doctoral student must have passed qualifying comprehensive exams.

• The doctoral student must be advanced to candidacy by the university.

Degree-granting academic institutions are encouraged to sponsor doctoral students who have 

nearly completed all Ph.D. requirements. Successful degree-granting academic applicant 

institutions will be required to provide documentation of their doctoral student’s completion of 

these requirements.

Access to all award funds will be withheld until the documentation verifying the completion of the 

GRF program requirements is received and approved by NIJ. Fiscal Year 2016 awards are 

anticipated to be made no later than September 2016. The applicant academic institution and 

doctoral student are cautioned not to anticipate the availability of fellowship funds for meeting 

any necessary or required expenses until the requirements stipulated above have been met in 

full. Awarded doctoral students may receive fellowship funding only while actively enrolled in the 

initially identified doctoral degree program and actively carrying out research toward the 

dissertation.

Degree-granting academic institutions whose doctoral students have completed the three 

requirements are encouraged to provide documentation of such completion in the application. 

Applicants whose doctoral students have not completed these requirements by the solicitation 

application deadline are encouraged to apply but should indicate, in the project timeline, the 

dates by which the sponsored doctoral student is expected to complete the three requirements 

under this section. The timeline should also provide details of other project milestones, including 

but not limited to, the expected timing of the dissertation prospectus defense, the writing of the 

dissertation, and an expected dissertation defense date. The project timeline also should 

include time to complete edits to the dissertation and time for submission of the final dissertation 

to NIJ.

Human subjects protection paperwork, including Institutional Review Board (IRB) 

documentation and forms and a completed Privacy Certificate, are not required at the time of 

application. If awarded, successful applicants will be required to submit Human Subjects 

Protection paperwork and a completed Privacy Certificate. The Privacy Certificate must be 

signed by the chair of the university’s IRB. For information on NIJ’s Human Subjects and 

Privacy Protection requirements, see http://www.nij.gov/funding/humansubjects/.

Dissertation Chair Requirements 

The doctoral student’s dissertation chair must submit a statement of support at the time of 

application. The statement of support from the dissertation committee chair should generally 

follow the outline provided below, including all relevant elements.

The statement of support should:

• Evaluate the doctoral student’s proposed project.

• Describe the current status of the proposed work.
NIJ-2016-4321

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• Outline any other outstanding work, academic or otherwise, toward completion of the 

degree.

• Verify the date on which the dissertation research is expected to be ready to begin.

• Demonstrate and comment on the student’s potential to complete the dissertation 

successfully.

• Indicate that the doctoral student has the full support of the dissertation committee.

• Describe the dissertation committee chair’s role in monitoring the project and present 

evidence of both the department’s and the dissertation committee chair’s abilities to 

mentor doctoral candidates through the completion of their degrees.

• Verify that the dissertation chair will review and approve all progress reports prior to their 

submission to NIJ.

An application that does not include the statement of support from the dissertation 

committee chair will be removed from consideration.

For information on application elements designated as required by NIJ under the GRF Program 

in the Social and Behavioral Sciences, see page 12.

Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables

The ultimate goals of this solicitation are to increase the pool of researchers in the social and 

behavioral sciences that are involved in research relevant to the prevention and control of crime 

and to help ensure the fair and impartial administration of criminal justice in the United States.

Through the GRF Program in the Social and Behavioral Sciences program, NIJ supports 

graduate education by investing in academic institutions that support outstanding and promising 

doctoral students.

All awardees under this solicitation will be required to deliver interim and final progress reports 

and quarterly and final financial reports to NIJ by specified deadlines. The final deliverable for 

awards under this solicitation is an official signed copy of the doctoral student’s 

defended dissertation. Upon submission, the dissertation may be archived at the National 

Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS). Students who receive funds under the GRF 

Program in the Social and Behavioral Sciences program are encouraged, but are not required 

to, archive their dissertation data. 

B. Federal Award Information

NIJ estimates that it will make multiple awards of up to $32,000. Additional funds will not be 

provided. Award funding may be received only while the fellow is actively enrolled in the initially 

identified doctoral degree program and actively carrying out research toward his/her 

dissertation. Should certain unforeseen and/or temporary circumstances arise that preclude the 

fellow from actively pursuing the dissertation research, the fellow is expected to notify the NIJ 

Program Office via his/her academic institution representative, as identified in the initial 
NIJ-2016-4321

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application. The fellow’s award funding may be temporarily suspended at the discretion of the 

NIJ Program Office.

Students do not receive awards directly. The academic institution, as the grant recipient, will be 

responsible for, among other things, administering grant funds and distributing payments to the 

fellowship recipient. When an award has been activated, it is expected that the academic 

institution will draw down funds based on immediate disbursement/reimbursement 

requirements. Funds should not be paid to the doctoral student in a lump sum but rather should 

be disbursed over time as project costs are incurred or anticipated. Recipients should time their 

drawdown requests to ensure that federal cash-on-hand is the minimum needed for 

disbursements/reimbursements to be made immediately or within 10 days.

The period of performance for an award under this fellowship program is typically from 12 to 24 

months. Applicants should be aware that the total period for an award ordinarily will not exceed 

3 years.

In general, applicants should propose an award start date that is no earlier than October 1, 

2016. The start date should be based upon the proposed project timeline. In selecting an award 

start date, please be advised that NIJ awards are activated on the first day of a given month. 

The official grant end date must be calculated to reflect the expected successful completion and 

submission of the student’s dissertation to NIJ. In addition, it is important to note the fellowship 

recipient may receive award funding only while enrolled in a full-time program leading to the 

doctoral degree.

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

funding supplement or a no-cost extension, ordinarily will not exceed 3 years.

To allow time for, among other things, any necessary post-award review, modification, and 

clearance by OJP of the proposed budget, applicants should propose an award start date of 

October 1, 2016.

NIJ may, in certain cases, provide supplemental funding in future years to awards under its 

research, development, and evaluation solicitations. Important considerations in decisions 

regarding supplemental funding include, among other factors, the availability of funding, 

strategic priorities, NIJ’s assessment of the quality of the management of the award (for 

example, timeliness and quality of progress reports), and NIJ’s assessment of 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 Award1

NIJ expects that it will make any award from this solicitation in the form of a grant.

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

Department of Justice regulations on confidentiality and human subjects’ protection. See 

 1 See generally 31 U.S.C. §§ 6301-6305 (defines and describes various forms of federal assistance relationships, 

including grants and cooperative agreements [a type of grant]).
NIJ-2016-4321

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“Evidence, Research, and Evaluation Guidance and Requirements” under “Solicitation 

Requirements” in OJP's Funding Resource Center.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

If selected for funding, the award recipient must:

a. Establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides 

reasonable assurance that the non-federal entity is managing the federal award in 

compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the federal 

award. These internal controls 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 non-federal entity's compliance with statute, 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 non-federal entity considers sensitive consistent with applicable federal, 

State and local laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality. In order to better 

understand administrative requirements and cost principles, award applicants are 

encouraged to enroll, at no charge, in the Department of Justice Grants Financial 

Management Online Training available here.

Budget Information

What will not be funded:

• Proposals 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.)

• Proposals for dissertation research by doctoral students who are not pursuing research 

related to the Social and Behavioral Sciences.

• Direct or indirect administrative expenses of the applicant educational institution.

• Conference, meeting or training activity hosted by the applicant. (Conference, meeting or 

training attendance by the fellow, if included in the fellowship proposal and budget, may 

be allowable.)
NIJ-2016-4321

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Cost Sharing or Match Requirement

See “Cofunding” paragraph under item 4 (“Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative”) 

under What an Application Should Include in Section D. Application and Submission 

Information.

Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals

Requests for approval of pre-agreement costs will not be considered under this solicitation. 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

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

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

employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110% 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.

2 The 2015 salary 

table for SES employees is available at the Office of Personnel Management website. Note: A 

recipient may compensate an employee at a greater rate, provided the amount in excess of this 

compensation limitation is paid with non-federal funds. (Any such additional compensation will 

not be considered matching funds where match requirements apply.) For employees who 

charge only a portion of their time to an award, the allowable amount to be charged 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, the limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant 

requesting a waiver should include a detailed justification in the budget narrative of the 

application. Unless the applicant submits a waiver request and justification with the application, 

the applicant should anticipate that OJP will request the applicant to adjust and resubmit the 

budget.

The justification should include the particular qualifications and expertise of the individual, the 

uniqueness of the service the individual will provide, the individual’s specific knowledge of the 

program or project being undertaken with award funds, and a statement explaining that the 

individual’s salary is commensurate with the regular and customary rate for an individual with 

his/her qualifications and expertise, and for the work to be done.

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

OJP strongly encourages applicants that propose to use award funds for any conference-, 

meeting-, or training-related activity to review carefully—before submitting an application—the 

OJP policy and guidance on “conference” approval, planning, and reporting available at 

www.ojp.gov/funding/confcost.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 such costs for cooperative agreement recipients and of some such 

costs for grant recipients; and (3) set cost limits, including a general prohibition of all food and 

beverage costs.

 2 This limitation on use of award funds does not apply to the non-profit organizations specifically named at Appendix 

VIII to 2 C.F.R. part 200.
NIJ-2016-4321

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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 “Solicitation 

Requirements” in OJP's Funding Resource Center.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligibility

For additional eligibility information, see title page.

Cost Sharing or Match Requirement

See “Cofunding” paragraph under item 4 (“Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative”) 

under What an Application Should Include in Section D. Application and Submission 

Information.

Limit on Number of Application Submissions

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

recent system-validated version submitted. For more information on system-validated versions, 

see How to Apply.

D. Application and Submission Information

What an Application Should Include

Applicants should anticipate that if they fail to submit an application that contains all of the 

specified elements, it may affect negatively the review of their application; and, should a 

decision be made to make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that 

preclude the recipient from accessing or using award funds pending satisfaction of the 

conditions.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications determined to be nonresponsive to the 

scope of the solicitation, or that do not include the application elements that NIJ has designated 

to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive further consideration. Under 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. Please review the “Note on File Names and File Types” under How to 

Apply to be sure applications are submitted in permitted formats.

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

“Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” 
NIJ-2016-4321

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“Memoranda of Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. Also, OJP recommends that 

applicants include resumes in a single file.

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).

Intergovernmental Review: This funding opportunity (program) is not subject to Executive 

Order 12372. (In completing the SF-424, applicants are to make the appropriate selection in 

response to question 19 to indicate 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 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 a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) 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.

Permission to Share Project Abstract with the Public: It is unlikely that NIJ will be able to 

fund all promising applications submitted under this solicitation, but it may have the 

opportunity to share information with the public regarding promising but unfunded 

applications, for example, through a listing on a Web page available to the public. The intent 

of this public posting would be to allow other possible funders to become aware of such 

proposals.

In the project abstract template, applicants are asked to indicate whether they give OJP 

permission to share their project abstract (including contact information) with the public if NIJ

does not fund the proposed project. Granting (or failing to grant) this permission will not 

affect OJP’s funding decisions, and, if the application is not funded, granting permission will 

not guarantee that project abstract information will be shared, nor will it guarantee funding 

from any other source.
NIJ-2016-4321

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Note: OJP may choose not to list a project that otherwise would have been included in a 

listing of promising but unfunded applications, should the abstract fail to meet the format and 

content requirements noted above and outlined in the project abstract template.

3. Program Narrative

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed 15 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 15-page limit for the narrative 

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

count toward the 15-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.3

Program Narrative Guidelines:

a. Title Page (not counted against the 15-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,

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

organization and the principal investigator.

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the 15-page program 

narrative limit).

If an applicant is resubmitting a proposal 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 proposal, and (2) a brief summary of 

revisions to the proposal, including responses to previous feedback received 

from NIJ.

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the 15-page program narrative 

limit).

 3 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, and Deliverables” under “Program-Specific Information,” above.
NIJ-2016-4321

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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.

• Project Design and Implementation.

• Potential Impact.

• Capabilities/Competencies.

Within these sections, the narrative should address:

• Purpose, goals, and objectives.

• Review of relevant literature.

• Detailed description of research design and methods, such as research 

questions, hypotheses, description of sample, and analysis plan.

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

• A description of the project’s management plan and organization. This 

description should identify the people involved in the execution of the 

project, their specific roles, and any framework to be used for ensuring 

that their tasks are fulfilled.

• If applicable, a description contextualizing the proposed doctoral work 

relative to, or within, any other work being conducted under an existing 

NIJ award, which must be specifically identified.

e. Performance Measures

To assist the Department 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, applicants that receive 

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

work done under this solicitation. OJP will require any award recipient, post 

award, to provide the data requested in the “Data Grantee Provides” column so 

that OJP can calculate values for the “Performance Measures” column. 

(Submission of performance measures data is not required for the application.)

Performance measures for this solicitation are as follows:
NIJ-2016-4321

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Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Grantee 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 proposal or 

any subsequent agency-approved 

modifications to the scope.

2.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 a draft 

and final summary overview 

of the work performed under 

the NIJ award.

2.An official, signed copy of the 

doctoral student’s 

successfully defended and 

accepted final dissertation.

f. Appendices (not counted against the 15-page program narrative limit) include:

• Bibliography/references (required).

• 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, resumes, or biographical sketch of the doctoral student and 

dissertation chair.

• Personal statement from the student discussing his or her academic 

background, research experience, career goals, and the anticipated role of 

the fellowship in his or her professional trajectory, not to exceed three (3)

double-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins.

• List of the student’s dissertation committee and their contact information to 

include: names, business telephone numbers, and business email addresses. 

The dissertation chair should be clearly identified. Applicants should use the 

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

www.nij.gov/funding/documents/nij-project-staff-template.xlsx to provide this 

listing.

• Doctoral student eligibility documentation (timeline or other documentation as 

applicable). (See page 5 for details.)

• Dissertation chair’s statement of support (required). (For information on 

content, see page 6.)

• Proposed project timeline and expected milestones (required). The timeline 

also should include details about other milestones including, but not limited 

to, the date by which the student will have advanced to candidacy (if 

applicable), any major dates in the dissemination plan, the writing of the 

dissertation, and an expected dissertation defense date. If one or more of 
NIJ-2016-4321

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these steps is not required by the sponsoring institution for successful 

completion of the doctoral degree, then such exceptions should be clearly 

documented. The project timeline should also allow for time needed to 

complete edits to the dissertation manuscript and for submission of the final 

dissertation to NIJ.

• 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.

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to

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

• List of any previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization 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).

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project, such as law enforcement and 

correctional agencies (if applicable).

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

other agencies, organizations, or funding sources to which this proposal has 

been submitted (if applicable), including, but not limited to, other fellowships 

which the doctoral student has received and the dates during which those 

fellowships will be active.

4. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

a. Budget Detail Worksheet

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at 

www.ojp.gov/funding/Apply/Resources/BudgetDetailWorksheet.pdf. Applicants that 

submit their budget in a different format should include the budget categories listed in 

the sample budget worksheet. (Work associated with satisfying data archiving 

requirements should be reflected.) NIJ expects applicants to provide a thorough 

narrative to each section of the Budget Detail Worksheet. The Budget Detail Worksheet 

should be broken down by year.

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

see the Financial Guide at http://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm.

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).
NIJ-2016-4321

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Applicants should demonstrate in their budget narratives how they will maximize cost 

effectiveness of grant 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 narrative should be sound mathematically, and correspond 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 they are relevant 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 be broken down by year.

The following is a sample budget narrative description of a cost item.

Salaries and Wages – Personnel

The Principal Investigator (i.e., the doctoral student), Mr./Ms. XXX, will devote XXX 

summer months and XXX academic months per year toward the project. One 

summer month effort is equivalent to XXX hours. One academic month effort is 

equivalent to XXX hours.

The fringe benefit rate during the academic year for the graduate student is ___%. 

The summer fringe benefit rate is ___%. The benefits included in the rate cover 

__________.

Note that direct and indirect administrative expenses of the applicant educational 

institution are not allowable costs. 

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.
NIJ-2016-4321

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d. Non-Competitive Procurement Contracts In Excess of Simplified Acquisition 

Threshold

If an applicant proposes to make one or more non-competitive procurements of products 

or services, where the non-competitive procurement will exceed the simplified 

acquisition threshold (also known as the small purchase threshold), which is currently 

set at $150,000, the application should address the considerations outlined in the 

Financial Guide.

e. Pre-Agreement Cost Approvals

For information on pre-agreement costs approvals, see Section B. Federal Award 

Information.

5. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

Tribes, tribal organizations, or third parties proposing to provide direct services or assistance 

to residents on tribal lands should include in their applications a resolution, a letter, affidavit, 

or other documentation, as appropriate, that certifies that the applicant has the legal 

authority from the tribe(s) to implement the proposed project on tribal lands. In those 

instances when an organization or consortium of tribes applies for a grant 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 grant. 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.

6. Applicant Disclosure of High-Risk Status

Applicants are to disclose whether they are currently designated high-risk by another federal 

grant making agency. This includes any status requiring additional oversight by the federal 

agency due to past programmatic or financial concerns. If an applicant is designated highrisk by another federal grant making agency, you must email the following information to 

OJPComplianceReporting@usdoj.gov at the time of application submission:

• The federal agency that currently designated the applicant as high-risk.

• Date the applicant was designated high-risk.

• The high-risk point of contact name, phone number, and email address, from that 

federal agency.

• Reasons for the high-risk status

OJP seeks this information to ensure appropriate federal oversight of any grant award. 

Unlike the Excluded Parties List, this high-risk information does not disqualify any 

organization from receiving an OJP award. However, additional grant oversight may be 

included, if necessary, in award documentation.
NIJ-2016-4321

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SAMPLE

7. Additional Attachments

a. Applicant disclosure of pending applications4

Applicants are to disclose whether they have pending applications for federally funded 

grants or subgrants (including cooperative agreements) that include requests for funding 

to support the same project being proposed under this solicitation and will cover the 

identical cost items outlined in the budget narrative and worksheet in the application 

under this solicitation. The disclosure should include both direct applications for federal 

funding (e.g., applications to federal agencies) and indirect applications for such funding 

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

OJP seeks this information to help avoid any 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.

Applicants that have pending applications as described above are 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 funding agency.

Applicants should include the table as a separate attachment, with the file name 

“Disclosure of Pending Applications,” to their application. Applicants that do not have 

pending applications as described above are to include a statement to this effect in the 

separate attachment page (e.g., “[Applicant Name on SF-424] does not have pending 

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

(including cooperative agreements) that include requests for funding to support the same 

 4 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.

Federal or 

State 

Funding 

Agency 

Solicitation 

Name/Project 

Name

Name/Phone/E-mail for Point of Contact at 

Funding Agency

DOJ/COPS COPS Hiring 

Program

Jane Doe, 202/000-0000; jane.doe@usdoj.gov

HHS/ 

Substance 

Abuse & 

Mental Health 

Services 

Administration

Drug Free 

Communities 

Mentoring Program/ 

North County Youth 

Mentoring Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; john.doe@hhs.gov
NIJ-2016-4321

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project being proposed under this solicitation and will cover the identical cost items 

outlined in the budget narrative and worksheet in the application under this solicitation.”).

b. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

If a proposal involves research and/or evaluation, regardless of the proposal’s other 

merits, in order to receive funds, the applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation 

independence, including appropriate safeguards to ensure research/evaluation 

objectivity and integrity, both in this proposal and as it may relate to the applicant’s other 

current or prior related projects. This documentation may be included as an attachment 

to the application which addresses BOTH i. and ii. below.

i. For purposes of this solicitation, applicants must document research and evaluation 

independence and integrity by including, at a minimum, one of the following two 

items:

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

any research integrity issues (including all principal investigators and subrecipients) and it has concluded that the design, conduct, or reporting of 

research and evaluation funded by NIJ grants, cooperative agreements, or 

contracts will not be biased by any personal or financial conflict of interest on 

the part of part of its staff, consultants, and/or sub-recipients responsible for 

the research and evaluation or on the part of the applicant organization;

OR

b. A specific listing of actual or perceived conflicts of interest that the applicant 

has identified in relation to this proposal. These conflicts could be either 

personal (related to specific staff, consultants, and/or sub-recipients) or 

organizational (related to the applicant or any subgrantee organization). 

Examples of potential investigator (or other personal) conflict situations may 

include, but are not limited to, 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 could not be 

given a grant 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), as the 

organization in such an instance would 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 applicants must address the issue of 

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

the following two items:
NIJ-2016-4321

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a. If an applicant reasonably believes that no potential personal or 

organizational conflicts of interest exist, then the applicant should provide a 

brief narrative explanation of how and why it reached that conclusion.

Applicants MUST also include an explanation of the specific processes and 

procedures that the applicant will put in place to identify and eliminate (or, at 

the very least, mitigate) potential personal or financial conflicts of interest on 

the part of its staff, consultants, and/or sub-recipients for this particular 

project, should that be necessary during the grant period. Documentation that 

may be helpful in this regard could include organizational codes of 

ethics/conduct or policies regarding organizational, personal, and financial 

conflicts of interest.

OR

b. If the applicant has identified specific personal or organizational conflicts of 

interest in its proposal during this review, the applicant must propose a 

specific and robust mitigation plan to address conflicts noted above. At a 

minimum, the plan must include specific processes and procedures that the 

applicant will put in place to eliminate (or, at the very least, mitigate) potential 

personal or financial conflicts of interest on the part of its staff, consultants, 

and/or sub-recipients for this particular project, should that be necessary 

during the grant period. Documentation that may be helpful in this regard 

could include organizational codes of ethics/conduct or policies regarding 

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

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

Considerations in assessing research and evaluation independence and integrity will 

include, but are not be limited to, the adequacy of the applicant’s efforts to identify 

factors that could affect the objectivity or integrity of the proposed staff and/or the 

organization 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.

9. Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire

In accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200.205, federal agencies must have in place a framework for 

evaluating the risks posed by applicants before they receive a federal award. To facilitate 

part of this risk evaluation, all applicants (other than an individual) are to download, 

complete, and submit this form.

10. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

All applicants must complete this information. Applicants that expend any funds for lobbying 

activities are to provide the detailed information requested on the form Disclosure of 

Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). Applicants that do not expend any funds for lobbying activities 

are to enter “N/A” in the text boxes for item 10 (“a. Name and Address of Lobbying 

Registrant” and “b. Individuals Performing Services”).

How to Apply

Applicants must register in, and submit applications through Grants.gov, a “one-stop storefront” 

to find federal funding opportunities and apply for funding. Find complete instructions on how to 
NIJ-2016-4321

22

register and submit an application at www.Grants.gov. Applicants that experience technical 

difficulties during this process should call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-

4726 or 606–545–5035, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. 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 and a user password. OJP 

encourages applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. 

In addition, OJP urges applicants to submit applications 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.

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

regarding this solicitation. If this solicitation is cancelled or modified, individuals who sign up with 

Grants.gov for updates will be automatically notified.

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

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

in the table below. Grants.gov is designed to reject any application that includes an 

attachment(s) with a file name that contains any characters not shown in the table below. 

Grants.gov is designed to forward successfully submitted applications to OJP’s Grants 

Management System (GMS).

Characters Special Characters

Upper case (A – Z) Parenthesis ( ) Curly braces { } Square brackets [ ]

Lower case (a – z) Ampersand (&) Tilde (~) Exclamation point (!)

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

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

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

Period (.) 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:

OJP may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all 

applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the 

requirements by the time the federal awarding agency is ready to make a federal award, the 

federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal 

award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

1. Acquire a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. In general, the Office of 

Management and Budget requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for federal 

funds include a DUNS number in their applications for a new award or a supplement to an 

existing award. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the 

universal standard for identifying and differentiating 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 
NIJ-2016-4321

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number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. 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 www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually received within 1-2 business days.

2. Acquire registration with the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is the 

repository for standard information about federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, 

and subrecipients. OJP requires all applicants (other than individuals) for federal financial 

assistance to maintain current registrations in the SAM database. Applicants must be 

registered in SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. Applicants must update or renew 

their SAM registration annually to maintain an active status.

Applications cannot be successfully submitted in Grants.gov until Grants.gov receives the 

SAM registration information. The information transfer from SAM to Grants.gov can take up 

to 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. The applicant organization’s DUNS number must be used to complete this 

step. For more information about the registration process, go to 

www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.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. 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 number for this solicitation is 16.562, titled “Criminal Justice 

Research and Development – Graduate Research Fellowships” and the funding opportunity 

number is NIJ-2016-4321.

6. 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 and the second will state whether the application has been successfully

validated, or 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 well ahead of the deadline provides time to correct the 

problem(s) that caused the rejection. Important: OJP urges applicants to submit 

applications 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.

Click here for further details on DUNS, SAM, and Grants.gov registration steps and 

timeframes.
NIJ-2016-4321

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Note: Duplicate Applications

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

recent system-validated version submitted. See Note on File Names and File Types under How 

To Apply.

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

Applicants that experience unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond their control that 

prevent them from submitting their application by the deadline must contact the Grants.gov 

Customer Support Hotline or the SAM Help Desk (Federal Service Desk) to report the technical 

issue and receive a tracking number. Then applicant must e-mail the NIJ contact identified in 

the Contact Information section on page 2 within 24 hours after the application deadline and 

request approval to submit their application. The e-mail must describe the technical difficulties, 

and 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:

NIJ does not automatically approve requests. After the program office reviews the 

submission, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to validate 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 applicant failed to follow all required procedures, 

which resulted in an untimely application submission, OJP will deny the applicant’s request to 

submit their application.

The following conditions are generally insufficient to justify late submissions:

• Failure to register in SAM or Grants.gov in sufficient time.

• 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.

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

including firewalls.

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

the top of the OJP funding Web page at http://ojp.gov/funding/index.htm.

E. Application Review Information

Selection Criteria

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

the following review criteria.

Statement of the Problem (Understanding of the problem and its importance) – 20%

1. Clarity of problem statement and its importance to the field of study.

2. Demonstrated connection between problem and proposed research.
NIJ-2016-4321

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3. Awareness of the state of current research and/or technology.

4. Identification of gaps in existing research.

5. Demonstrated understanding of the population under investigation.

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

1. Detailed and complete discussion of proposed research methods.

2. Explanation for research method approach.

3. Awareness of limitations of analysis plan and proposed practical solutions.

4. Awareness of human subjects’ matters.

5. Overall feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls.

6. Innovation and creativity.

Potential Impact – 20%

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 justice problem.

• Potential for significant advances in the field and filling key gaps in scientific knowledge 

related to criminal justice policy and practice in the United States.

• Relevance for improving criminal justice policy and practice, public safety, security 

and/or quality of life.

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

justice problem.

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

applicants and applicant organization) – 10%

1. Qualifications and experience of the doctoral student and dissertation chair; e.g., 

successful coursework completion, relevant work and/or research experience, 

leadership roles, mentoring experience, and record of publication.

2. Demonstrated ability of dissertation chair to manage endeavor.

3. Adequacy of management plan to ensure project completion.

4. Applicant academic institution’s record of accomplishment with respect to doctoral 

candidates’ completion of degrees.
NIJ-2016-4321

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5. Applicant academic institution’s record of past performance regarding NIJ grants and 

contracts (if applicable).

Budget

Peer reviewers will consider and may comment on the following additional items in the context 

of scientific and technical merit.

1. Appropriateness of requested research expenses and related costs to the proposed 

dissertation research.

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

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

4. Use of existing resources to conserve costs.

5. Proposed budget alignment with proposed project activities.

Review Process

OJP is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for awarding grants. NIJ reviews the 

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

measurable, and achievable, as well as consistent with the solicitation.

Peer reviewers will review the applications submitted under this solicitation that meet basic 

minimum requirements. For purposes of assessing whether applicants have met basic minimum 

requirements, OJP screens applications for compliance with specified program requirements to 

help determine which applications should proceed to further consideration for award. Although 

program requirements may vary, the following are common requirements applicable to all 

solicitations for funding under OJP grant programs:

• Applications must be submitted by an eligible type of applicant.

• Applications must request funding within programmatic funding constraints (if

applicable).

• Applications must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation.

• Applications must include all items designated as “critical elements.”

• Applicants will be checked against the General Services Administration’s Excluded 

Parties List.

For a list of critical elements, see “What an Application Should Include” under Section D. 

Application and Submission Information.

NIJ may use internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers, or a combination, to assess 

applications meeting basic minimum requirements on technical merit using the solicitation’s 
NIJ-2016-4321

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selection 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. A peer review panel 

will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic minimum requirements.

OJP reviews applications for potential discretionary awards to evaluate the risks posed by 

applicants before they receive an award. This review may include but is not limited to the 

following:

1. Financial stability and fiscal integrity.

2. Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards 

prescribed in the Financial Guide.

3. History of performance.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

5. The applicant's ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other 

requirements imposed on non-federal entities.

6. Proposed costs to determine if the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative 

accurately explain project costs, and whether those costs are reasonable, necessary, 

and allowable under applicable federal cost principles and agency regulations.

All final award decisions will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice. Peer 

reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are advisory only, although their views 

are considered carefully. In addition to peer review ratings, considerations for award 

recommendations and decisions may include, but are not limited to, planned scholarly products, 

proposed budgets, past performance (including scholarly products) under prior NIJ and OJP 

awards, research independence and integrity, strategic priorities, and available funding when 

making awards.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

OJP award notification will be sent from GMS. Recipients will be required to login; accept any 

outstanding assurances and certifications on the award; designate a financial point of contact; 

and review, sign, and accept the award. The award acceptance process involves physical 

signature of the award document by the authorized representative and the scanning of the fullyexecuted 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 

agency-approved project proposal and budget, the recipient must comply with award terms and 

conditions, and other legal requirements, that are included in the award, incorporated into the 

award by reference, or are otherwise applicable to the award. OJP strongly encourages 

prospective applicants to review the information pertaining to these requirements prior to 
NIJ-2016-4321

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submitting an application. To assist applicants and recipients in accessing and reviewing this 

information, OJP has placed it on its Solicitation Requirements page of the OJP Funding 

Resource Center.

Please note in particular the following two forms, which applicants must submit in GMS prior to 

the receipt of any award funds, as each details legal requirements with which applicants must 

provide specific assurances and certifications of compliance. Applicants may view these forms

in the OJP Funding Resource Center and are strongly encouraged to review and consider them 

carefully prior to making an application for OJP grant funds.

• Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.

• Standard Assurances.

Upon grant approval, OJP electronically transmits (via GMS) the award document to the 

prospective award recipient. In addition to other award information, the award document 

contains award terms and conditions that specify national policy requirements5 with which 

recipients of federal funding must comply; uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, 

and audit requirements; and program-specific terms and conditions required based on 

applicable program (statutory) authority or requirements set forth in OJP solicitations and 

program announcements. For example, certain efforts may call for special requirements, terms, 

or conditions relating to intellectual property, data/information-sharing or -access, or information 

security; or audit requirements, expenditures and milestones, or publications and/or press 

releases.

OJP also may place additional terms and conditions on an award based on its risk assessment 

of the applicant, or for other reasons it determines necessary to fulfill the goals and objectives of 

the program.

Prospective applicants may access and review the text of mandatory conditions OJP includes in 

all OJP awards, as well as the text of certain other conditions, such as administrative conditions, 

via the Mandatory Award Terms and Conditions page of the OJP Funding Resource Center.

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

Recipients must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, final financial 

and progress reports, and, if applicable, an annual audit report in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 

200. Applicants should anticipate that progress reports will be required to follow the nonbudgetary 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.

Special Reporting requirements may be required by OJP depending on the statutory, legislative 

or administrative requirements of the recipient or the program.

 5 See generally 2 C.F.R. 200.300 (provides a general description of national policy requirements typically applicable 

to recipients of Federal awards, including the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 

(FFATA)).
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Successful applicants under this solicitation will be required to submit the following deliverables 

regarding the work funded by the NIJ award.

Final substantive report and other scholarly products: The final deliverable for an award 

made under the GRF Program in the Social and Behavioral Sciences is an official signed copy 

of the student’s defended dissertation. Upon submission to NIJ, the dissertation may be 

archived onto NCJRS.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

For additional Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s), see the title page.

For additional contact information for Grants.gov, see the title page.

H. Other Information

Provide Feedback to OJP

To assist OJP in improving its application and award processes, we encourage applicants to 

provide feedback on this solicitation, the application submission process, and/or the application 

review/peer review process. Provide feedback to OJPSolicitationFeedback@usdoj.gov.

IMPORTANT: This e-mail is for feedback and suggestions only. Replies are not sent from this 

mailbox. If you have specific questions on any program or technical aspect of the solicitation, 

you must directly contact the appropriate number or e-mail listed on the front of this solicitation 

document. These contacts are provided to help ensure that you can directly reach an individual 

who can address your 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@lmbps.com. The OJP Solicitation Feedback email account will not 

forward your resume. Note: Neither you nor anyone else from your organization can be a peer 

reviewer in a competition in which you or your organization have submitted an application.
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Application Checklist

NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program in the Social and Behavioral 

Sciences

This application checklist has been created to assist in developing an application.

What an Applicant Should Do:

Prior to Registering in Grants.gov:

_____ Acquire a DUNS Number (see page 22)

_____ Acquire or renew registration with SAM (see page 23)

To Register with Grants.gov: 

_____ Acquire AOR and Grants.gov username/password (see page 23)

_____ Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Biz POC (see page 23)

To Find Funding Opportunity: 

_____ Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov (see page 23)

_____ Download Funding Opportunity and Application Package (see page 23)

_____ Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see page 22)

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

_____ Read OJP policy and guidance on “conference” approval, planning, and reporting

available at www.ojp.gov/financialguide/PostawardRequirements/chapter15page1.htm

(see page 10)

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 23)

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

_____ Contact NIJ regarding experiencing technical difficulties (see page 24)

General Requirements:

_____ Review the Solicitation Requirements in the OJP Funding Resource Center.

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 12)

_____ Project Abstract (if applicable) (see page 12)

_____ Program Narrative (see page 13)

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 16)

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 16)

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 18)

_____ Applicant Disclosure of High Risk Status (see page 18)

_____ Appendices (see page 15)

_____ Bibliography/references (required)

_____ Any tools/instruments, questionnaires, tables/charts/graphs, or maps pertaining 

to the proposed study (if applicable)

_____ Curriculum vitae, resumes, or biographical sketches of student and dissertation 

chair 

_____ Personal statement
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_____ Dissertation committee contact information

_____ Doctoral student eligibility documentation (timeline or other documentation, as 

applicable)

_____ Dissertation chair’s statement of support (required)

_____ Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones (required)

_____ Human Subjects Protection paperwork

_____ Privacy Certificate

_____ List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization and 

investigators

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from organizations 

collaborating in the project (if applicable)

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

has been submitted (if applicable)

_____ Additional Attachments

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications (see page 19)

_____ Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity (see page 20)

_____ Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (if applicable)

(see page 21)

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 21)

_____ Employee Compensation Waiver request and justification (if applicable) 

(see page 10)