NIJ’s Research and Evaluation 

on Correctional Culture and Climate

June 7, 2023 | 3:00 PM ET

The webinar will begin shortly
NIJ’s FY23 Research and Evaluation on 

Correctional Culture and Climate

Solicitation: O-NIJ-2023-171774

Solicitation Post Date: May 23, 2023 | Solicitation Close Date: August 21, 2023

Grants.gov Deadline: August 7, 2023 

Webinar Presenter:

Marie Garcia, Ph.D. (Supervisory Social Science Analyst)

Office of Criminal Justice Systems 

Office of Research, Evaluation & Technology

June, 2023
Today’s Webinar

• Introduction (NIJ Director La Vigne)

• The Solicitation and Focus Areas

• The Application Process

• NIJ Review Process

• Support and Resources

• Q & A
Solicitation Purpose & Goals

• Increase understanding of the impact of culture and climate on the 

ability of correctional agencies to achieve their missions

• Increase the accountability and transparency of correctional agencies 

and institutions
Solicitation Focus Areas 

• 1: The safety, health, and wellness of both correctional staff and 

incarcerated persons 

• 2: Issues of correctional agency staffing, retention, and training as they 

pertain to correctional culture and the well-being of staff and 

incarcerated persons

• 3: Strategies that promote and sustain needed change in the 

organizational cultural of corrections agencies
Expected Deliverables

1. Standard grant reporting requirements

• Semi-annual research performance progress reports

• Quarterly financial reports

2. Final Research Report

3. Associated data sets or files

4. Scholarly products
Application Submission 

• Critical Application Elements: 

– Program Narrative 

– Budget Web-Based Form (budget details and narrative)

– Curriculum vitae or resume for Key Personnel

• Required Forms: 

– SF-424 

– SF-LLL
Two-Step Application Submission Protocol

1. Grants.gov

– Submit SF-424 and SF-LLL forms ONLY

– Deadline: August 7, 2023

– Register at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

2. JustGrants

– Submit the FULL application, including all attachments

– Deadline: August 21, 2023

– Register at https://justicegrants.usdoj.gov/getting-started
Application Review Process

• Basic Minimum Requirement Determination

• External Expert Review

– Technical and practitioner reviewers

– Independent scores and comments

• Internal Review

– NIJ science staff, NIJ leadership and other federal subject matter experts

• All funding decisions are made at the discretion of the NIJ Director
Common Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Statement of the Problem

– Fails to identify gaps in 

the current literature or 

understanding of current 

research

– Literature review is 

insufficient

– Scope of the proposed 

research is extremely 

limited or too ambitious

• Research Design

– Overall strategy is not well 

articulated

– Design/methods approach 

does not logically 

flow/unclear 

– Proposed sample size is not 

supported by a power 

analysis

– Project is not feasible
Common Critiques Raised During Peer Review Process

• Capabilities and 

Competencies

– Proposed staff does not 

demonstrate familiarity or 

proficiency with the 

proposed methods

– Project team does not 

include necessary and 

appropriate subject matter 

experts. 

• Potential Impact 

– Dissemination plan lacks 

specificity and/or is not 

innovative

– No plan for reaching nonacademic audiences
Tips

• Proposals should be

– Well-written

– Innovative

– Timely

– Rigorous and well-designed

– Feasible

– Impactful

• Research/Evaluation Independence

• Letters of Support
What Will NOT be Funded

• Unresponsive applications

• Duplicative/similar research

• Applications to purchase equipment/materials/supplies, etc.

• Training/direct services unrelated to project
FAQs

• Award amount + period of performance

• Specify focus area 

• Timing of award and non-award notifications

• Foreign entities / subrecipients / co-investigators

• Filling and submitting forms / IRB / HSP / New Investigator
Support

• OJP Response Center 

– Phone: (800) 851-3420 

– Email: grants@ncjrs.gov

• Grants.gov

– Phone: (800) 518-4726

– Email: support@grants.gov

• JustGrants:

– Toll-free: +1 (833) 872-5175

– Email: JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov
Recommended Resources

• OJP Funding Resource Center: https://www.ojp.gov/funding 

• DOJ Grants Financial Guide: 

https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguideojp/overview

• NIJ Funding FAQs: https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/faqs

• NIJ Corrections Portfolio: https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/corrections