U.S. Department of Justice OMB No. 1121-0329

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice

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

Justice (NIJ) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding for criminal justice 

research and evaluation that include a researcher-practitioner partnership component. This 

program furthers the Department’s mission by sponsoring research that provides objective and 

independent knowledge and tools to meet the challenges of crime and justice, particularly at the 

State and local levels.

Building and Enhancing Criminal Justice 

Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships

Eligibility

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

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

recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), nonprofit 

and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit or profit organizations), institutions of 

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

individuals. For-profit organizations must agree to forgo any profit or management fee. Foreign 

governments, foreign organizations, and foreign institutions of higher education are not eligible 

to apply.

Deadline

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. (See “How to Apply,”

page 9.) All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 30, 2012. (See “Deadlines: 

Registration and Application,” page 3.)

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 e-mail to support@grants.gov.

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

except federal holidays.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact Bethany Backes by 

telephone at 202–305–4419 or by email at Bethany.Backes@usdoj.gov, or Katharine Browning

by telephone at 202–616–4786 or by email at Katharine.Browning@usdoj.gov.

Grants.gov number assigned to announcement: NIJ–2012–3083

Release Date: March 20, 2012

SL000978
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Contents

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

Deadlines: Registration and Application ................................................................................. 3

Eligibility................................................................................................................................. 3

Program-Specific Information................................................................................................. 3

Performance Measures.......................................................................................................... 7

Notice of Post-Award FFATA Reporting Requirement............................................................ 8

How to Apply.......................................................................................................................... 9

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

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF–424) ........................11

Program Narrative.............................................................................................................11

Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative ................................................................14

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) .....................................................................15

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable).......................................................................15

Other Standard Forms.......................................................................................................16

Selection Criteria...................................................................................................................16

Review Process ....................................................................................................................18

Additional Requirements .......................................................................................................18

Provide Feedback to OJP on This Solicitation.......................................................................20

Application Checklist .............................................................................................................21
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Building and Enhancing Criminal Justice 

Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships

(CFDA No. 16.560)

Overview

NIJ is interested in funding multiple criminal justice research projects involving researcherpractitioner partnerships as well as capturing, in detail, relevant accounts of these 

collaborations. Such partnerships have frequently been encouraged in NIJ solicitations for 

research. However, this 2012 solicitation specifically aims to support criminal justice research 

and evaluation activities that include a researcher-practitioner partnership component. Within 

the context of the proposed research or evaluation project, these partnerships can be new or 

ongoing. Results from these projects should lead to better criminal justice policy, practice, and 

research, including as it relates to the participating practitioner partner. 

For the purpose of this solicitation, practitioner or criminal justice practitioner or practice-based 

organization refers to public, non-profit, or community-based agencies directly involved in:

Law enforcement (Federal, State, and local).

Corrections, including parole, probation, and offender reentry.

The criminal judicial system.

The juvenile justice system.

Forensic sciences for criminal justice purposes.

Crime victim services and programs.

Crime and violence prevention programs.

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

(sections 201 and 202).

Deadlines: Registration and Application

Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. OJP encourages

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

apply for funding under this announcement is 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 30, 2012. See the 

“How to Apply” section on page 9 for details.

Eligibility

Refer to the title page for eligibility under this program.

Program-Specific Information

Research can provide practical solutions to the obstacles faced by criminal justice practitioners. 

Through researcher-practitioner partnerships, criminal justice practitioners can gain new skills in 

assessing programs and measuring outcomes. Likewise, criminal justice researchers can better 

understand the goals and purposes criminal justice practitioners seek to achieve. Ultimately, 
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these partnerships provide criminal justice practitioners with practice- and policy-relevant 

information while affording researchers the opportunity to contribute to the current body of 

knowledge.

NIJ intends to support criminal justice research in two areas related to new and ongoing

researcher-practitioner collaborations. Applications should fall under one of the following 

program areas: 

1. Junior Faculty Grant Program to Promote Criminal Justice Researcher-Practitioner 

Partnerships.

2. Criminal Justice Researcher-Practitioner Fellowship Placement Program.

Application titles should be preceded by the specific program area under which the 

application falls.

Regardless of program area, proposed research studies should have clear research 

questions, methods, and analyses that directly relate to criminal justice practice and/or 

policy in the United States. Proposals lacking this information or stating that research 

questions, methods, and data analysis will be determined at a later date will not proceed 

to peer review or receive further consideration. 

Area 1: Junior Faculty Grant Program to Promote Criminal Justice ResearcherPractitioner Partnerships 

The Junior Faculty Grant Program supports the pairing of a senior faculty member (Associate 

Professor or Professor) with a junior faculty member (early career Assistant Professor) or a 

Senior Research Associate with a Junior Research Associate (within a research organization) to 

conduct criminal justice research in conjunction with one or more criminal justice practitioners. 

The proposed research study should focus on a criminal justice practice- or policy-based issue,

should have clear implications for the field, and should include a thorough dissemination plan 

that includes dissemination to criminal justice practitioners and policymakers. 

The proposed project must be led by the junior faculty member (Principal Investigator) and 

include a mentorship with a senior faculty member who will share knowledge, skills, and 

experience in conducting and completing successful criminal justice research and evaluation 

studies in collaboration with criminal justice practice-based organizations. The application 

package should provide clear details of the mentorship, including a description of what the 

mentorship will entail, the delineation of roles and responsibilities, and the amount of time 

allocated toward the project for both faculty members. The application should be submitted 

through the college or university of the junior faculty member. Comprehensive information on 

the mentorship can be included as an appendix; however, an overview should be provided in 

the program narrative. Funding is intended, in part, to develop the junior faculty member’s 

skills and interest in developing and sustaining criminal justice researcher-practitioner 

partnerships in addition to providing sound knowledge that will assist criminal justice 

practitioners and policymakers. 
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Area 2: Criminal Justice Researcher-Practitioner Fellowship Placement Program 

The Criminal Justice Researcher-Practitioner Fellowship Placement Program supports the 

placement of a researcher within a criminal justice practice-based organization to initiate new or 

strengthen existing researcher-practitioner partnerships. The researcher will work directly with 

the organization to conduct criminal justice research and/or evaluation that relates to the needs 

of the organization but also has implications for local, State, and national practice or policy. 

Applications should include a placement (physical and/or remote access) with the criminal 

justice practice-based organization. Justification for a remote-access-only placement should 

include plans for tele- and video-conferencing, meetings at off-site locations, and regular 

communication via e-mail and phone. 

Please note: For Area 2, the formal partnerships must be established prior to proposal 

submission. Applications must include a signed written agreement between the research- and 

practice-based organizations. The written agreement should, at a minimum, outline the roles of 

the researcher(s) and practitioners; provide a statement of work; detail partnership activities; 

address on-site accommodation for the researcher(s); propose a dissemination plan for project 

findings; and indicate agreement of both the researcher(s) and placement organization to coauthor a report describing the placement effort, obstacles experienced, and solutions put into 

practice. Applications that fail to include a signed written agreement will not proceed to peer 

review or receive further consideration.

Amount and length of awards: NIJ anticipates that up to a total of $1 million may become 

available for up to 4 awards made through this solicitation. All awards are subject to the 

availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements 

that may be imposed by law. 

Applicants should be aware that the total period for an award ordinarily will not exceed 3 years.

A proposed start date prior to January 1, 2013, is not advisable.

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 such 

as Propensity Score Matching or 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 of services that 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 
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are necessary to effectively address issues of generalizability and representativeness of 

findings. 

Finally, applications that include cost-benefit analysis will be given priority. NIJ views costbenefit 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 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. (The 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.

4. Proposals that do not contain a research component or do not respond to the specific goals 

of this solicitation.

Budget Information

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

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

may not be used to pay total cash compensation (salary plus 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. The 2012 salary table for SES 

employees is available at www.opm.gov/oca/12tables/indexSES.asp. Note: A recipient may 

compensate an employee at a higher 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.)

The limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award may be waived on an individual 

basis at the discretion of the Director of the National Institute of Justice. An applicant requesting

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

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

uniqueness of the service being provided, 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.

Minimization of Conference Costs 

No OJP funding can be used to purchase food and/or beverages for any meeting, conference, 

training, or other event. Exceptions to this restriction may be made only in cases where such 

sustenance is not otherwise available (i.e., extremely remote areas), or where a special 

presentation at a conference requires a plenary address where there is no other time for 
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sustenance to be obtained. Such an exception would require prior approval from OJP. This 

restriction does not apply to water provided at no cost, but does apply to any and all other 

refreshments, regardless of the size or nature of the meeting. Additionally, this restriction does 

not impact direct payment of per diem amounts to individuals in a travel status under the 

organization’s travel policy.

Updated Department of Justice and OJP guidance on conference planning, minimization of 

costs, and conference cost reporting will be forthcoming and will be accessible on the OJP 

website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/funding.htm.

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 by individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable costs. 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 of the OJP "Other 

Requirements for OJP Applications" Web page 

(www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm).

Match Requirement

See”Cofunding” paragraph under “What an Application Should Include” (below).

Performance Measures

To assist the Department in 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. Any award recipient will be 

required, 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:
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Objectives Performance Measures Data Grantee Provides

Develop and analyze 

information and data 

having clear application 

for criminal justice policy 

and practice in the United 

States.

Develop and analyze 

information and data 

having clear implications 

for the practice-based 

partner organization (if

applicable).

Develop and analyze 

information and data that 

evaluates innovative 

programs, strategies and 

policies relevant to the 

practice-based partner 

organization (if 

applicable).

1. Relevance to the needs of 

the practitioner organization 

as measured by whether the 

grantee’s substantive scope 

did not deviate from the 

funded proposal or any 

subsequent agency 

modifications to the scope.

2. Quality of research as 

assessed by peer reviewers.

3. Quality of management as 

measured by whether 

significant interim project 

milestones were achieved, 

final deadlines were met, 

and costs remained within 

approved limits.

4. Number of NIJ or grantee 

research publications and 

presentations.

5. Number of publications and 

presentations for practitioner 

or policy based journals or 

conferences.

6. Provide documentation of

communications with 

practice-based partner 

organization (if applicable).

1. 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 in the United States.

2. Each data set that was 

collected, acquired or 

modified in conjunction with 

the project.

3. Quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual progress 

reports, and a final progress 

report.

4. A separate coauthored report 

describing the placement and 

relevant obstacles and 

solutions (if applicable).

5. If applicable, citation to other 

report(s)/publication(s).

Notice of Post-Award FFATA Reporting Requirement

Applicants should anticipate that OJP will require all recipients (other than individuals) of awards 

of $25,000 or more under this solicitation, consistent with the Federal Funding Accountability 

and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), to report award information on any first-tier subawards 

totaling $25,000 or more, and, in certain cases, to report information on the names and total 

compensation of the five most highly compensated executives of the recipient and first-tier 

subrecipients. Each applicant entity must ensure that it has the necessary processes and 

systems in place to comply with the reporting requirements should it receive funding. Reports 

regarding subawards will be made through the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS), 

found at www.fsrs.gov.

Please note also that applicants should anticipate that no subaward of an award made under 

this solicitation may be made to a subrecipient (other than an individual) unless the potential 

subrecipient acquires and provides a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.
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How to Apply

Applications will be submitted through Grants.gov. Grants.gov is a “one-stop storefront” that 

provides a unified process for all customers of federal awards to find funding opportunities and 

apply for funding. Complete instructions on how to register and submit an application can be 

found at www.Grants.gov. If the applicant experiences technical difficulties at any point during 

this process, 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 up to several 

weeks for first-time registrants to receive confirmation and a user password. OJP highly 

recommends that applicants start the registration process as early as possible to prevent delays 

in submitting an application package by the specified application deadline.

All applicants are required to complete the following steps:

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 renewal of 

an existing award. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit 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, 

one-time activity. Obtain a DUNS number by calling Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–

5711 or by applying online at www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually received within 

1–2 business days.

2. Acquire or renew registration with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR)

database. OJP requires that all applicants (other than individuals) for federal financial 

assistance maintain current registrations in the CCR database. An applicant must be 

registered in the CCR to successfully register in Grants.gov. 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. Note, however, that applicants must update or renew their CCR 

registration annually to maintain an active status. Information about CCR registration 

procedures can be accessed at www.ccr.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/applicants/get_registered.jsp.

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 there can be more than one AOR for the 

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

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

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this solicitation is 16.560, titled

“National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants,”

and the funding opportunity number is NIJ–2012–3083. 

6. Complete the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities. All applicants must complete this 

information. An applicant that expends any funds for lobbying activities must provide the 

detailed information requested on the form, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). 

An applicant that does not expend any funds for lobbying activities should enter “N/A” in 

the required highlighted fields. 

7. Submit an 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 an e-mail validation message from Grants.gov. The validation 

message will state whether the application has been received and validated, or rejected, 

with an explanation. Important: Applicants are urged to submit applications 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 a rejection notification.

Note: Grants.gov will forward the application to OJP’s Grants Management System 

(GMS). 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.”

Note: Duplicate Applications

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

version submitted. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

If an applicant experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond the applicant’s

control that prevent submission of its application by the deadline, the applicant must email the 

NIJ contact identified in the Contact Information section on the title page within 24 hours after 

the application deadline and request approval to submit its application. The applicant must 

include in the e-mail: a description of the technical difficulties, a timeline of submission efforts, 

the complete grant application, the applicant DUNS number, and Grants.gov Help Desk tracking 

number(s) the applicant has received. Note: Requests are not automatically approved by 

NIJ. After the program office reviews all of the information submitted, and contacts the 

Grants.gov Help Desk to validate the technical issues reported, OJP will contact the applicant to 

either approve or deny the request to submit a late application. If the technical issues reported 

cannot be validated, the application will be rejected as untimely. 

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, including firewalls.
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Notifications regarding known technical problems with Grants.gov, if any, are posted at the top 

of the OJP funding Web page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/solicitations.htm.

What an Application Should Include

Applicants should anticipate that failure to submit an application that contains all of the specified 

elements may negatively affect the review of the application; and, should a decision be made to 

make an award, it may result in the inclusion of special conditions that preclude access to or 

use of award funds pending satisfaction of the conditions. 

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are unresponsive to the scope of 

the solicitation, or that do not include application elements designated by NIJ 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 and budget narrative

Resumes/curriculum vitae of key personnel

Clear research questions, methods, and analysis plan

For applications to Area 2, a signed written agreement between the research and 

practice-based organization(s).

The Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail Worksheet may be combined in one document. 

However, if only one document is submitted, it must contain both narrative and detail 

information.

OJP strongly recommends use of appropriately descriptive file names (e.g., “Program 

Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” “Memoranda of 

Understanding,” “Resumes”) for all attachments. OJP recommends that resumes be included in 

a single file.

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

The SF–424 is a standard form required for use as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and 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).

2. Program Narrative

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

pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Abstract, table of contents, charts, figures, 

appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 30-page limit for the 

narrative section.

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

noncompliance may be considered in peer review and in final award decisions.
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Program Narrative Guidelines: 

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

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

opportunity number, and the applicant’s name and complete contact information 

(i.e., name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address).

b. Project Abstract (not counted against the 30-page program narrative limit). 

The 400 to 600-word abstract should state the problem under investigation 

(including research goals and objectives) and the anticipated relevance of the 

project to criminal justice public policy, practice, or theory. 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, and devices. 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.

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

narrative limit). If an applicant is resubmitting a proposal that was presented 

previously to NIJ, but not funded, the applicant should indicate this. A statement 

should be provided, no more than two pages, addressing: (1) the title, 

submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number of the previous proposal, 

and (2) a brief summary of revisions to the proposal. This document should be 

inserted after the abstract.

d. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the 30-page program 

narrative limit). 

e. Main Body. The main body of the program narrative should describe the project 

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

narrative:

Statement of the Problem.

Project/Program Design and Implementation.

Capabilities/Competencies.

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation.

Dissemination Strategy (to include practice and/or policy focused 

presentations and publications in addition to more formal research 

and scientific dissemination efforts).

Within these sections, the narrative should address:

Purpose, goals, and objectives.

Review of relevant literature.

Detailed description of research design and methods to include: 

research questions, hypotheses, description of sample, analysis plan, 

etc.

Implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United 

States.
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Management plan and organization, to include delineation of roles of 

research team and any organization(s) collaborating in the project.

For Area 1, details of mentorship.

For Area 2, information on researcher placement at practice-based 

organization.

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

Bibliography/references.

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

pertaining to the proposed study.

Curriculum vitae, resumes or biographical sketches of key personnel. 

Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones. 

Research independence and integrity (see “Selection Criteria,” 

below).

Human Subjects Protection Paperwork including Institutional Review 

Board (IRB) documentation and forms (see 

www.ojp.gov/nij/funding/humansubjects/human-subjects.htm).

Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

www.ojp.gov/nij/funding/humansubjects/privacy-certificateguidance.htm).

List of previous and current NIJ awards to applicant organization and 

investigator(s).

Letters of cooperation/support from any organization(s) collaborating 

in the project.

Signed written agreement between the research and practice-based 

organization, if Area 2 is selected (see page 5).

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

proposal has been submitted (if applicable).

Other materials specified by the solicitation.

Data archiving plan (see descriptive paragraph below).

Data Archiving Plan: Applications should include a brief plan to comply with data archiving 

requirements. The plan should be one or two pages in length and include a description of the 

proposed data management and archiving process including confidentiality protections and level 

of effort associated with meeting archiving requirements. Associated tasks should be reflected 

in the proposed project budget and budget narrative sections of the application.

In most instances, NIJ requires that data resulting from funded research be submitted as grant 

products or deliverables for archiving with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data 

(NACJD) (www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/NACJD/archive.jsp). The purpose of the Data 

Archiving Plan is to demonstrate recognition by applicants that data sets resulting from the 

proposed research are required to be submitted as grant products for archiving according to 

special grant conditions. Along with other grant products, special conditions require that all 

research data be submitted 90 days before the end of the project period. Some amount of grant 

award funds is typically withheld for submission of research data along with the final report and 

other products/deliverables.

The plan should be submitted as an appendix labeled, “Data Archiving Plan.” The number of 

pages used for the plan will not count against the narrative page limit. The plan should provide 
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brief details about the proposed archiving process including submission of these files: qualitative 

and quantitative data, final technical reports, instrumentation and data collection forms, and the 

privacy certificate and informed consent protocols including protections for confidentiality (where 

applicable). The focus of the Data Archiving Plan is to describe how the grant data products will 

be prepared and documented so as to allow reproduction of the project’s findings as well as 

future research that can extend the scientific value of the original project (See: 

www.icpsr.umich.edu/files/ICPSR/access/dataprep.pdf).

Specifically, the Data Archiving Plan includes:

Information regarding data formats (quantitative/qualitative/spatial) and software with 

which data will be collected, entered into a database, stored, analyzed and transferred. 

Standard commercial software or software typically acceptable to NACJD should be 

identified for use in the proposed data collection 

(www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/NACJD/archiving/deposit-nij-data.jsp). 

A description of procedures by which the applicant plans to collect data along with 

anticipated units of analysis (e.g., individuals, locations), level of analysis and other 

identifiers for each data file that will be submitted upon completion of the funded 

research. 

If the proposed research includes collection of information identifiable to private persons

o A description of all assurances of confidentiality made to those persons

o A copy of the consent form that was utilized

o A copy of the Privacy Certificate (as submitted to and approved by the funding 

agency)

o IRB approval documentation

o Any information transfer agreement that was utilized to transfer the data with 

identifiers.

Any anticipated variable creation, data transformations or scale construction that may be 

critical to the interpretation or analysis of the data by others. 

A plan for submission of computer programming code or software syntax providing detail 

on how the data will be processed including any significant treatments of the data such 

as de-identification, imputation, filtering or weighting. 

A description of the technical documentation (e.g., data dictionary or codebook) that 

explains how variables will be designated in the data file(s), such as the use of variable 

naming conventions and variable groups, missing data/value designations, variable and

category/value labels, operational definitions and citations as needed for these variables. 

Contact information for the Principal Investigator in the event other researchers should 

need more information about the study or the data.

3. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

a. Budget Detail Worksheet 

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at 

www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. If the budget is submitted in a different 
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format, the budget categories listed in the sample budget worksheet should be 

included.

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

see the OJP Financial Guide at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/financialguide/index.htm.

b. Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of 

expense listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. Proposed budgets are expected to 

be complete; reasonable and allowable; cost effective; and necessary for project 

activities. The narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond with the 

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

should explain how all costs were estimated and calculated 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.

Cofunding: A grant 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.

If a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, the match amount 

incorporated into the OJP-approved budget becomes mandatory and subject to 

audit.

4. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)

Indirect costs are allowed only if the applicant has a federally approved indirect cost rate. 

(This requirement does not apply to units of local government.) A copy of the rate 

approval should be attached. If the applicant does not have an approved rate, one can 

be requested by contacting the applicant’s cognizant Federal agency, which will review 

all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant organization or, if the applicant’s 

accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in the direct cost categories. If DOJ 

is the cognizant Federal agency, obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost 

rate proposal at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/pdfs/indirect_costs.pdf.

5. Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

If an application is being submitted by either (1) a tribe or tribal organization or (2) a third 

party proposing to provide direct services or assistance to (or to conduct research or 

evaluation that directly involves) residents on tribal lands, then a current authorizing 

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

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

organization and its membership should be included with the application. In those 

instances when an organization or consortium of tribes proposes to apply for a grant on 

behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes, then the application should include a 

resolution (or comparable legal documentation, as may be applicable) from all tribes that 

will be included as a part of the services/assistance provided under the grant. A 

consortium of tribes for which existing consortium bylaws allow action without support 
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from all tribes in the consortium (i.e., without authorizing resolution or other enactment of 

each tribal governing body) may submit a copy of its consortium bylaws with the 

application in lieu of tribal resolutions (or comparable legal documentation). 

6. Other Standard Forms

Additional forms that may be required in connection with an award are available on

OJP’s funding page at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/forms.htm. For successful applicants, 

receipt of funds may be contingent upon submission of all necessary forms. Note in 

particular the following forms.

a. Standard Assurances

Applicants must read, certify, and submit this form in GMS prior to the receipt 

of any award funds.

b. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other 

Responsibility Matters and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements. Applicants 

must read, certify, and submit in GMS prior to the receipt of any award funds.

c. Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (required for any 

applicant other than an individual that is a non-governmental entity and that 

has not received any award from OJP within the past 3 years; this form must 

be downloaded, completed, and submitted)

Selection Criteria

Statement of the Problem (Understanding of the problem and its importance)—15%

1. Clarity of problem statement.

2. Identification of gaps in existing research.

3. Connection between proposed research and problem.

Project/Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit)—25%

1. Clearly defined research questions that relate to the statement of the problem.

2. Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach in their ability to address the 

overarching research questions.

3. Feasibility of proposed project and specification of limitations.

4. Innovation and creativity.

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).

5. Demonstrated commitment by the practice-based organization to participate fully in 

project, to include a completed and signed agreement, letters of support, and detailed 

communication and meeting plans (if applicable).

6. Clear detailed mentorship plan (if applicable).
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Budget—10%

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

2. Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort and scope of work.

3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs.

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation (Relevance to policy and practice)—20% 

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

2. Potential for significant advances in the field.

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

in the United States and improving public safety, security, and quality of life.

4. Relevance for improving the policy and practice of the practice-based criminal justice 

organization collaborating on the project (if applicable).

5. Affordability and cost-effectiveness of proposed products, when applicable (e.g., 

purchase price and maintenance costs for a new technology or cost of training to use the 

technology).

Relevance of the project for policy and practice in the United States

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

connect technical expertise with criminal justice policy and practice. In addition to letters 

showing support from practitioners, proposals should provide clear evidence of the 

applicant’s understanding of how policymakers and practitioners can best use and benefit 

from the proposed work. While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should 

also have broader implications for other communities nationwide.

Dissemination Strategy—10%

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

including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, to include print and electronic 

dissemination methods. 

2. Well-defined plan for the grant recipient to disseminate results to the practice-based 

organization collaborating on the project (if applicable).

3. Suggestions for print and electronic products that NIJ should consider developing for 

practitioners and policymakers.

4. If applicable, a clear strategy leading to the adoption into practice of any equipment or 

software. 

Research Independence and Integrity

Regardless of a proposal’s rating under the criteria outlined above, in order to receive funds, the 

applicant’s proposal must demonstrate research independence, including appropriate 

safeguards to ensure research objectivity and integrity. 

For purposes of this solicitation, research independence and integrity pertains only to ensuring 

that the design, conduct, or reporting of research funded by NIJ grants, cooperative 

agreements, or contracts will not be biased by any financial interest on the part of the

investigators responsible for the research or on the part of the applicant.

In the appendix dealing with research independence and integrity, the applicant must explain 

the process and procedures that the applicant has put in place to identify and manage potential 
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financial conflicts of interest on the part of its staff, consultants, and/or subrecipients. It must 

also identify any potential organizational financial conflicts of interest on the part of the applicant 

with regard to the proposed research. If the applicant believes that there are no potential 

organizational financial conflicts of interest, the applicant must provide a brief narrative 

explanation of why it believes that to be the case.

Where potential organizational financial conflicts of interest exist, in the appendix the applicant 

must identify the safeguards the applicant has put in place to address those conflicts of interest.

Considerations in evaluating research independence and integrity will include, but may not be 

limited to, the adequacy of the applicant’s efforts to identify factors that could affect the 

objectivity/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.

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

a combination, to review the applications under this solicitation. 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. Applications that meet basic minimum requirements 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 for award 

recommendations and decisions may include, but are not limited to, underserved populations, 

geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding.

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), in consultation with NIJ, conducts a financial 

review of applications for potential discretionary awards to evaluate the fiscal integrity and 

financial capability of applicants; examines proposed costs to determine if the Budget Detail 

Worksheet and Budget Narrative accurately explain project costs; and determines whether 

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, who 

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

geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making 

awards.

Additional Requirements

Applicants selected for awards must agree to comply with additional legal requirements upon 

acceptance of an award. OJP strongly encourages applicants to review the information 

pertaining to these additional requirements prior to submitting an application. Additional 
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information for each requirement can be found at

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

Civil Rights Compliance

Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations

Confidentiality

Research and the Protection of Human Subjects

Anti-Lobbying Act

Financial and Government Audit Requirements

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

DOJ Information Technology Standards (if applicable) 

Single Point of Contact Review

Non-Supplanting of State or Local Funds

Criminal Penalty for False Statements

Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide

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) of 2006

Awards in Excess of $5,000,000 – Federal Taxes Certification Requirement

Active CCR Registration

If a proposal is funded, the award recipient 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 a detailed description of the project design, data, and methods; a full 

presentation of scientific findings, placed in the context of existing literature; a thorough 

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

United States; etc. 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 electronic 

format.
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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 Plan section of the 

proposal.

Provide Feedback to OJP on This Solicitation

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. Feedback can be provided to

OJPSolicitationFeedback@usdoj.gov.
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Application Checklist

Building and Enhancing Criminal Justice 

Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships

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

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF–424) (see page 11)

_____ Program Narrative (see page 11)

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative (see page 13) 

_____ Bibliography/references 

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

pertaining to the proposed study 

_____ Curriculum vitae, resumes or biographical sketches of key personnel 

_____ Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones 

_____ Research independence and integrity 

_____ Human Subjects Protection paperwork 

_____ Privacy Certificate 

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

investigator(s)

_____ Letters of cooperation/support from any organization(s) collaborating in 

the project 

_____ Signed written agreement between the research- and practice-based 

organization, if Area 2 is selected (see page 5)

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

proposal has been submitted (if applicable) 

_____ Data Archiving Plan

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 14)

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 15)

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF–LLL) (see page 10)

_____ Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see page 15)

_____ Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see page 15)

_____ Other Standard Forms as applicable (see page 16), including:

_____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable)