Page 1 O-NIJ-2024-171947

OMB No. 1121-0329

Approval Expires 12/31/2023

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

National Institute of Justice

NIJ FY24 National Juvenile Court Data Archive

Assistance Listing Number: 16.560

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-NIJ-2024-171947

Solicitation Release Date: January 19, 2024 

Step 1: Application Grants.gov Deadline: 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 05, 2024

Step 2: Application JustGrants Deadline: 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 19, 2024

Contents

Synopsis.................................................................................................................................... 4

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

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

Agency Contact Information .................................................................................................. 5

Application Submission Information....................................................................................... 5

Registration........................................................................................................................ 5

Submission......................................................................................................................... 5

Program Description.................................................................................................................. 6

Program Description Overview .............................................................................................. 6

Statutory Authority ................................................................................................................. 6

Specific Information ............................................................................................................... 7

Solicitation Goals and Objectives .......................................................................................... 9

Goals.................................................................................................................................. 9

Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 9

Deliverables ....................................................................................................................... 9

Federal Award Information ..................................................................................................10

Awards, Amounts, and Durations.....................................................................................10

Continuation Funding Intent .............................................................................................11

Availability of Funds .........................................................................................................11

Type of Award ..................................................................................................................11

Budget Information...........................................................................................................11
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Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement ...........................................................................12

Eligibility Information............................................................................................................12

How To Apply ..........................................................................................................................12

Application Resources .........................................................................................................12

How To Apply ......................................................................................................................12

Registration......................................................................................................................12

Submission.......................................................................................................................13

Submission Dates and Time................................................................................................13

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

(Technical Waivers) .........................................................................................................13

Application and Submission Information..............................................................................15

Content of Application Submission and Available Surveys..............................................15

Content of the SF-424 in Grants.gov ...............................................................................15

Content of the JustGrants Application Submission ..........................................................15

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

Review Criteria.................................................................................................................24

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

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

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

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices ..........................................................................27

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities ..........................27

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

Civil Rights Compliance ...................................................................................................27

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls .................................................28

Information Technology Security Clauses........................................................................28

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

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)..................................................................................28

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

Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 552 and 552a).............................29

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

Performance Measures .......................................................................................................30

Application Checklist............................................................................................................31

Pre-Application.................................................................................................................31

Application Step 1 ............................................................................................................31

Application Step 2 ............................................................................................................32
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Review, Certify, and Submit Application in JustGrants ....................................................33

Standard Solicitation Resources..........................................................................................34
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Synopsis

Overview

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding. 

OJP is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and equity, increases access to 

justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens 

community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust 

between law enforcement and the community.

With this solicitation, NIJ, in collaboration with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (OJJDP), seeks applications to support the National Juvenile Court Data Archive, 

which collects, maintains, and makes accessible the nation’s primary source of detailed 

information on juvenile court case processing of delinquency and status offense cases.

This program furthers DOJ’s mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to 

protect civil rights.

Eligibility

• State governments

• Special district governments

• City or township governments

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

• County governments

• Other units of local government, such as towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other 

general purpose political subdivisions of a State

• Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal 

governments)

• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher 

education

• Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of 

higher education

• Private institutions of higher education

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses

• Small businesses

• Independent school districts

• Other

o Federal agencies

An applicant may submit more than one application, if each application proposes a different 

project in response to the solicitation. Also, an entity may be proposed as a subrecipient

(subgrantee) in more than one application.
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NIJ will consider applications under which two or more entities (project partners) would carry out 

the federal award; however, only one entity may be the applicant for the solicitation. Any others 

must be proposed as subrecipients (subgrantees). See the Application Resource Guide for 

additional information on subawards. 

NIJ may choose to fund applications submitted under this FY 2024 solicitation in future fiscal 

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

availability of appropriations. 

Agency Contact Information

For assistance with the requirements of this solicitation, contact the OJP Response Center by 

phone at 800-851-3420 or 301-240-6310 (TTY for hearing-impaired callers only) or email 

grants@ncjrs.gov. The OJP Response Center operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern 

Time (ET) Monday-Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on the solicitation closing date.

For contact procedures related to unforeseen technical issues beyond the control of the 

applicant that impact submission by the deadlines, see the “How To Apply” section, 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues. 

For assistance with submitting the Application for Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424)

and a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) in Grants.gov, contact the Grants.gov 

Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, Grants.gov Customer Support, or 

support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 

except on federal holidays.

For technical assistance with submitting the full application in JustGrants, contact the 

JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov. The JustGrants 

Service Desk operates from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET Monday-Friday and from 9:00 a.m. to 

5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sunday, and federal holidays.

Application Submission Information

Registration

Before submitting an application, an applicant must have a registration in the System for Award 

Management (SAM.gov). 

Submission

Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process that begins in

Grants.gov and is completed in JustGrants. See the Submission Dates and Time section for the 

Grants.gov and JustGrants application deadlines.

Step 1: The applicant must register for this opportunity in Grants.gov at 

https://grants.gov/register and submit by the Grants.gov deadline the required Application for 

Federal Assistance standard form (SF-424) and a Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). 

See the Submission Dates and Time section for application deadlines. 

Step 2: The applicant must submit the full application, including attachments, in JustGrants at 

JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants application deadline. See the Submission Dates and 

Time section for application deadlines.
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Program Description

Program Description Overview

With this solicitation, NIJ, in collaboration with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (OJJDP), seeks applications to support the National Juvenile Court Data Archive, 

which collects, maintains, and makes accessible the nation’s primary source of detailed 

information on juvenile court case processing of delinquency and status offense cases.

NIJ will give special consideration to proposals with methods that include meaningful 

engagement with the people closest to the subject of study, including practitioners as well as 

community members representing crime victims, people under criminal justice supervision, and 

members of high-crime communities.

Applicants are encouraged to propose multidisciplinary research teams to build on the 

complementary strengths of different methods and areas of subject matter expertise. NIJ also 

seeks proposals that include consideration and measurement of issues of diversity, 

discrimination, and bias across age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation, as 

applicable.

Applications proposing research involving partnerships with juvenile justice, criminal justice or 

other agencies should include a strong letter of support, signed by an appropriate decisionmaking authority from each proposed, partnering agency. A letter of support should include the 

partnering agency’s acknowledgment that de-identified data derived from, provided to, or 

obtained through an award funded by NIJ will be archived by the grant recipient with the 

National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at the conclusion of the award. Applicants 

and their potential partners are encouraged to review NIJ’s data archiving guidance. If selected 

for an award, grantees will be expected to have a formal agreement in place with partnering 

agencies by January 1, 2025. That formal agreement must include a provision to meet the data 

archiving requirements of the award.

NIJ seeks proposals that include robust, creative, and multi-pronged dissemination strategies 

that include strategic partnerships with organizations and associations that are best equipped to 

ensure that research findings lead to changes in policies and practices. Special consideration 

will be given to proposals that dedicate at least 15% of the requested project award funding 

toward implementing such strategies, as demonstrated in the “Budget Worksheet and Budget 

Narrative.” 

In the case of partnerships that will involve the use of federal award funds by multiple partnering 

agencies to carry out the proposed project, only one entity/partnering agency may be the 

applicant (as is the case with any application submitted in response to this solicitation); any 

others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant is expected to conduct the 

preponderance of the work proposed.

Statutory Authority

Any awards under this solicitation would be made under statutory authority provided by a fullyear appropriations act for FY 2024. As of the writing of this solicitation, the Department of 

Justice is operating under a short-term "Continuing Resolution"; no full-year appropriation for 

the Department has been enacted for FY 2024. 
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Specific Information

Following the passage of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, OJJDP 

assumed responsibility for the collection and reporting of juvenile court statistics. From 1975 to 

the present, the National Juvenile Court Data Archive (the Archive) has collected, processed, 

and analyzed millions of juvenile court delinquency and status offense case records and 

aggregate case counts.

The Archive, managed by NIJ, generates annual estimates of juvenile court caseloads and 

processing decisions based on data contributions from juvenile courts across the nation. The 

most recent Juvenile Court Statistics report is based on analyses of 2020 data from nearly 

2,400 juvenile courts with jurisdiction over 84% of the U.S. juvenile population.1 In addition, the 

Archive provides researchers with the ability to access automated juvenile court data sets, study 

a wide range of national and subnational juvenile justice issues, monitor trends in offending by 

youth, and identify emerging issues.

The Archive provides empirical information on the nation's juvenile courts and the youth they 

process (including the most serious offense charged, level of court processing, and sanctions 

ordered) to support federal, state, and local policy and program development as well as a wide 

range of basic, applied, and legal research.

NIJ expects applicants to describe their plan to meet the core activities of the Archive:

• Juvenile court case data collection and processing. State and local agencies 

voluntarily contribute case-level data and court-level aggregate statistics to the Archive. 

A key element of the Archive’s success is to develop and maintain strong relationships 

with data suppliers and reduce respondent burden. Applicants should explain in detail 

their strategy to build and maintain relationships with data suppliers to collect 

submissions of automated case-level data sets extracted from various information 

systems or court-level aggregate statistics and describe how they will combine and 

standardize these unique data sets to produce national estimates of juvenile court 

activity. Applicants should include information about their plans to:

o Request and collect data from state and local agencies, enter into data sharing 

agreements (as necessary), and increase the number of participating agencies 

(see “Juvenile court case data quality improvement” below).

o Review and analyze the quality of data submissions and follow up with data 

suppliers, as necessary.

o Document and prepare raw data files for submission into the Archive.

o Standardize data files and develop national estimates.

o Prepare and maintain backups of all archived files.

o Protect privacy and human subjects.

NIJ will provide the successful applicant with key foundational materials related to the 

Archive to assist in beginning the project activities, including methodological 

documentation on previous procedures used to generate national estimates and all 

public Archive data files. However, the state-level raw data sets housed in the Archive 

1 Hockenberry, S. and Puzzanchera, C. 2023. Juvenile Court Statistics 2020. Pittsburgh, PA: National Center for 

Juvenile Justice. Available online: https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/library/publications/juvenile-court-statistics-2020. 
Page 8 O-NIJ-2024-171947

are the property of the court or state agency that originally collected and contributed their 

data for use in this national reporting effort. Consequently, the successful applicant must 

document their ability to work with individual court and state agencies to gain permission 

to access state data-files from previous years and to set up data sharing agreements for 

future collections.

If selected for award, the successful applicant will be expected to have a formal 

agreement in place with partnering agencies by March 1, 2025. That formal agreement 

must include a provision to meet the data archiving requirements of the award. 

Specifically, data sharing agreements must include the partnering agency’s 

acknowledgement that study-level documentation developed through this project will be 

archived by the grant recipient in the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) 

at the conclusion of the award (please see “Goals, Objectives, and Deliverables” 

section). 

Applicants should describe their plan for the successful transition of the project between 

awards and account for a transition period in their project timeline and budget. A new 

applicant should anticipate that a transition may occur at the beginning and end of their 

project period. An incumbent applicant should anticipate that a transition may occur at 

the end of their project period.

• Juvenile court data use and dissemination. NIJ and OJJDP seek to promote

knowledge and use of the archived data to assist researchers, policymakers, and the 

public in their understanding of U.S. juvenile court processing and youth whose cases 

these courts handle. Consequently, applicants should discuss how they will ensure 

dissemination of the data to a widespread audience and encourage the use of the data 

for secondary analysis. Applicants should include information about their plans to:

o Produce the annual Juvenile Court Statistics report for three consecutive years, 

with an emphasis on reducing the lag time between the data-reporting year and 

the release date for this report.

o Draft manuscripts for consideration of publication by NIJ and OJJDP, or other 

outlets, including, but not limited to, bulletins, fact sheets, and data snapshots

using data from the Archive.

o Prepare and transfer data for use in OJJDP’s Statistical Briefing Book. This 

includes providing data files to support the online data analysis tools: Juvenile 

Court Statistics and State and County Juvenile Court Case Counts, with an 

emphasis on reducing the lag time between the data reporting year and online 

data release.

o Respond to researcher requests for state-level data files ensuring that all 

requirements and preconditions have been satisfied, including receipt of 

Institutional Review Board approvals and permissions from the original data 

supplier.

o Prepare responses to periodic information requests at the request of NIJ from 

policymakers, the media, and the public for juvenile justice data.

• Juvenile court case data quality improvement. Increasing the number of jurisdictions 

that provide annual data to the Archive and improving the quality and timeliness of the 

data submitted ultimately leads to better national estimates and a more accurate 

representation of the nation’s juvenile courts. As a result, NIJ and OJJDP place a 

significant emphasis on activities that will assist local jurisdictions in the development, 
Page 9 O-NIJ-2024-171947

improvement, and expansion of their juvenile court information systems. Applicants 

should include information about their plans to:

o Improve and refine the Archive’s data processing procedures for standardizing 

data and producing national estimates.

o Monitor nonreporting jurisdictions and conduct outreach, as appropriate, to 

encourage their participation.

o Advance statistical analyses of nonreporting jurisdictions to more clearly 

determine potential for bias in the production of national estimates.

o Provide technical assistance to agencies to improve their court information 

systems.

Plan and conduct efforts to increase the level of interaction between Archive staff and data 

suppliers to provide technical assistance, training, support, networking opportunities, and peerto-peer sharing of innovative data collection, management, and analysis.

Additional Information

Applicants should discuss potential risks and harms to individuals or groups associated with the 

use and/or misuse of any practice or technology proposed as a part of the research and 

evaluation, as well as any ethical considerations that may factor into its use. In addition,

applicants should be aware of all relevant statutes, regulations, and/or governing judicial 

decisions (e.g., established case law, prevailing court rulings) related to the practice or 

technology’s proposed use. Any limitations that may impede the lawful use or implementation of 

any practice or technology proposed should be described, and a realistic approach to mitigate 

such limitations in the context of the proposed research should be discussed.

Solicitation Goals and Objectives

Goals

The goal of this solicitation is to support the National Juvenile Court Data Archive. 

Objectives

To provide empirical information on the nation's juvenile courts and the youth they process 

(including the most serious offense charged, level of court processing, and sanctions ordered) 

to support federal, state, and local policy and program development as well as a wide range of 

basic, applied, and legal research.

Deliverables

Research award recipients are expected to produce the following deliverables.

Final Research Report. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to 

submit a Final Research Report by the end of the award project period. Recipients will also be 

required to deliver a draft of their Final Research Report no later than 90 days or earlier prior to 

the end of the award project period. Additional information on the final research report 

requirement for the solicitation is posted on NIJ’s webpage. 
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Annual Juvenile Court Statistics Report. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be 

expected to produce, for three consecutive years, a detailed report presenting national 

estimates of delinquency cases, delinquency case processing, status offense cases, and status 

offense case processing, and the methodology used.

Other publications. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to draft 

manuscripts for consideration of publication by NIJ and OJJDP, or other outlets, including, but 

not limited to, bulletins, fact sheets, and data snapshots using data from the Archive.

Data files. Any recipient of an award under this solicitation will be expected to provide data files 

for use in OJJDP’s Statistical Briefing Book, including supporting the online data analysis tools: 

Juvenile Court Statistics, and State and County Juvenile Court Case Counts. 

Required Data Sets and Associated Files and Documentation. Any recipient of an award under 

this solicitation will be expected to submit to the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data 

(NACJD) study-related documentation, including, but not limited to, a user guide or similar 

document with step-by-step instructions for requesting and accessing the state-level raw data 

sets originally contributed to, and any new data sets resulting from the project. This 

documentation, along with a description of the study, will appear on the NACJD website to 

inform future efforts by others to reproduce the project’s findings and/or to extend the scientific 

value of the data set through secondary analysis.

In select circumstances recipients funded to develop algorithms, methods, software, hardware 

or other technologies may be required to deliver exemplars along with detailed implementation 

instructions for third-party evaluation.

For information about what the applicant needs to submit regarding Goals, Objectives, and 

Deliverables, please see the How to Apply section on the Application Goals, Objectives, 

Deliverables, and Timeline. 

Federal Award Information

Awards, Amounts, and Durations

Anticipated Number of Awards: NIJ expects to make 1 award.

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount per Award: $2,000,000. Maximum dollar amount for award 

to be determined by the requirements of the research proposed in grants selected for award.

Applicants are encouraged to propose budgets that match the research activities proposed, up 

to the full dollar amount anticipated to be awarded under this solicitation.

Period of Performance Start Date: 10/1/2024. 

Period of Performance Duration (Months): 36 Months. 

Anticipated Total Amount To Be Awarded Under This Solicitation: $2,000,000. 

Additional Information: Grantees must clear all required award special conditions before 

incurring expenses barring spending pre-approval, and, if applicable, confirm NIJ approval of 

new or modified IRB and privacy certificate documents before beginning research activities.
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Continuation Funding Intent

NIJ may, in certain cases, provide additional funding in future years to awards made under this 

funding opportunity through continuation awards. NIJ will consider, among other factors, NIJ’s 

strategic priorities, a recipient’s overall management of the award, and the progress of the work 

funded under the award, when making continuation award decisions.

Availability of Funds

This funding opportunity, and awards under this funding opportunity, are subject to the 

availability of funding and to any changes or additional requirements that may be imposed by 

the agency or by law. In addition, nothing in this solicitation is intended to, and does not, create 

any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or 

agents, or any other person. 

Type of Award

NIJ expects to make awards under this funding opportunity as grants. See the “Administrative, 

National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements” section of the Application Resource Guide for a 

brief discussion of important statutes, regulations, and award conditions that apply to many (or 

in some cases, all) OJP grants.

Budget Information

If the applicant is proposing a project that reasonably could be conducted in discrete phases, 

with each phase resulting in completion of one or more significant, defined milestones, then NIJ 

strongly recommends that the applicant structure the application — specifically including the 

narrative, expected scholarly products, timelines/milestones, and budget detail worksheet and 

budget narrative — to clearly define each phase. (This is particularly the case if the applicant 

proposes a project that will exceed — in cost or the length of the period of performance — the 

amount or length of time anticipated for an individual award (or awards) under this solicitation.) 

Given limitations on the availability to NIJ of funds for awards for research, development, and 

evaluation, this information will assist NIJ in considering whether partial funding of applications 

would be productive. (If, in FY 2024, NIJ elects to fund only certain phases of a proposed 

project, the expected scholarly products from the partial-funding award may, in some cases, 

vary from those described above.)

NIJ may elect to fund applications submitted under this FY 2024 solicitation in future fiscal 

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

availability of appropriations.

What will not be funded:

• Applications primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies, or to provide direct 

services. (A budget may include these items if they are necessary to conduct research, 

development, demonstration, evaluation, or analysis.)

• Applications that are not responsive to the purposes of this specific solicitation.

The applicant should identify within their budget which items, services, etc., will/would be 

covered by matching sources and explain what type of match will be provided.
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Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

See “Cofunding” paragraph under “Budget and Associated Documentation” in the “Application 

and Submission Information” section.

Eligibility Information

For eligibility information, see the Synopsis section. 

For the purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, “state” means any state of the United 

States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, 

American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges and universities are not 

eligible to apply. Federal agencies are eligible to apply. (Any award made to a federal agency 

will be made as an inter-agency reimbursable agreement.)

How To Apply

Application Resources

When preparing and submitting an application, the following resources may aid prospective 

applicants:

1. Grants.gov “How to Apply for Grants” 

2. OJP “How To Apply” section in the Application Resource Guide

3. JustGrants Application Submission Training

4. NIJ Guidance for Applicants and Awardees

This solicitation (notice of funding opportunity) incorporates guidance provided in the OJP Grant 

Application Resource Guide (Application Resource Guide), which provides additional 

information for applicants to prepare and submit applications to OJP for funding. If this 

solicitation requires something different from any guidance provided in the Application 

Resource Guide, the difference will be noted in this solicitation and the applicant is to 

follow the guidelines in this solicitation, rather than the guidance in the Application 

Resource Guide that is in conflict.

How To Apply

Registration

Before submitting an application, all applicants must register with the System for Award 

Management (SAM.gov). An applicant must renew their registration every 12 months. If an 

applicant does not renew their SAM.gov registration, it will expire. An expired registration can 

delay or prevent application submission in Grants.gov and JustGrants. Applicants are 

encouraged to start the SAM.gov registration process at least 30 days prior to the application 

deadlines. Applicants who fail to begin the registration or renewal process at least 10 business 

days prior to the Grants.gov deadline may not complete the process in time and will not be 

considered for late submission. 
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Submission

Applications must be submitted to DOJ electronically through a two-step process that begins in 

Grants.gov and is completed in JustGrants.

Step 1: After registering with SAM.gov, the applicant must submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in 

Grants.gov at https://grants.gov/register by the Grants.gov deadline. To leave time to address 

any technical issues that may arise, an applicant should submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL 

as early as possible and recommended not later than 48 hours before the Grants.gov 

deadline. If an applicant fails to submit in Grants.gov by the deadline, they will be unable to 

apply in JustGrants. Applicants can confirm Grants.gov submission by verifying their application 

status shows as “submitted” or “agency tracking number assigned.”

Step 2: The applicant must then submit the full application, including attachments, in 

JustGrants at JustGrants.usdoj.gov by the JustGrants deadline.

OJP recommends that applicants submit the complete application package in JustGrants at 

least 48 hours prior to the JustGrants deadline. Some of the required sections of the application 

will be entered directly into JustGrants, and other sections will require documents to be 

uploaded and attached. Therefore, applicants should allow enough time before the JustGrants 

deadline to prepare all the requirements of the application. Applicants may save their progress 

in the system and add to or change the application as needed prior to hitting the “Submit” button 

at the end of the application in JustGrants.

An applicant will receive emails when successfully submitting in Grants.gov and JustGrants and 

should maintain all emails and other confirmations received from SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and 

JustGrants systems.

For additional information, see the “How To Apply” section in the Application Resource Guide

and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Submission Dates and Time

The SF-424 and the SF-LLL must be submitted in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 05, 

2024. 

The full application must be submitted in JustGrants by 8:59 p.m. ET on March 19, 2024. 

To be considered timely, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by the 

JustGrants application deadline. Failure to begin the SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants 

registration and application process in sufficient time (i.e., waiting until the due dates identified 

in this solicitation for those systems to begin the application steps) is not an acceptable reason

to request a technical waiver. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Technical Issues Preventing Submission of an Application 

(Technical Waivers)

OJP will only consider requests to submit an application after the deadline when the applicant 

can document that a technical issue with a government system prevented submission of the 

application on time.
Page 14 O-NIJ-2024-171947

If an applicant misses a deadline due to unforeseen technical issues with SAM.gov, Grants.gov, 

or JustGrants, the applicant may request a waiver to submit an application after the deadline. 

However, the waiver request will not be considered unless it includes documentation of attempts 

to receive technical assistance to resolve the issue prior to the application deadline. A tracking 

number is the most typical documentation and is generated when the applicant contacts the 

applicable service desks to report technical difficulties. Tracking numbers are generated 

automatically when an applicant emails the applicable service desks, and for this reason, long 

call wait times for support do not relieve the applicant of the responsibility of getting a tracking 

number.

An applicant experiencing technical difficulties must contact the associated service desk 

indicated below to report the technical issue and receive a tracking number:

• SAM.gov: contact the SAM.gov Help Desk (Federal Service Desk), Monday-Friday from 

8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET at 866-606-8220.

• Grants.gov: contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline, 24 hours a day, 7 days a 

week, except on federal holidays, at 800-518-4726, 606-545-5035, or 

support@grants.gov. 

• JustGrants: contact the JustGrants Service Desk at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 

833-872-5175, Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET and Saturday, Sunday, 

and federal holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. 

If an applicant has technical issues with SAM.gov or Grants.gov, the applicant must contact the 

OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 hours of the Grants.gov deadline to 

request approval to submit after the deadline.

If an applicant has technical issues with JustGrants that prevent application submission by the 

deadline, the applicant must contact the OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov within 24 

hours of the JustGrants deadline to request approval to submit after the deadline.

Waiver requests sent to the OJP Response Center must: 

• describe the technical difficulties experienced (provide screenshots if applicable); 

• include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts (e.g., date and time the error 

occurred, date and time of actions taken to resolve the issue and resubmit; and date and 

time support representatives responded); 

• include an attachment of the complete grant application and all the required 

documentation and materials; 

• include the applicant’s Unique Entity Identifier (UEI); and

• include any SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants Service Desk tracking numbers 

documenting the technical issue.

OJP will review each waiver request and the required supporting documentation and notify the 

applicant whether the request for late submission has been approved or denied. An applicant 

that does not provide documentation of a technical issue (including all information listed above), 

or that does not submit a waiver request within the required time period, will be denied.

For more details on the waiver process, OJP encourages applicants to review the “Experiencing 

Unforeseen Technical Issues” section in the Application Resource Guide. 
Page 15 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Application and Submission Information

Content of Application Submission and Available Surveys

The following application elements must be included in the application to meet the basic 

minimum requirements to advance to peer review and receive consideration for funding:

• SF-424 and SF-LLL (in Grants.gov). 

• Proposal Narrative (in JustGrants). 

• Budget Web-Based Form, which includes the budget details and the budget narrative (in 

JustGrants). 

• Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire, including 

applicant disclosure of high-risk status (in JustGrants). 

• Curriculum Vitae/Resumes for Key Personnel. (For purposes of this solicitation, “key 

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

If NIJ determines that an application does not include these elements, it will not proceed to peer 

review and will not receive any further consideration.

Content of the SF-424 in Grants.gov

The SF-424 must be submitted in Grants.gov. It is a required standard form used as a cover 

sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and related information. See the 

Application Resource Guide for additional information on completing the SF-424. 

In Section 8F of the SF-424, please include the name and contact information of the individual 

who will complete the application in JustGrants. JustGrants will use this information (email 

address) to assign the application to this user in JustGrants.

Intergovernmental Review: This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 

12372. In completing the SF-424, an applicant should answer question 19 by selecting 

“Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.”

Content of the JustGrants Application Submission

Entity and User Verification (First Time Applicant) 

For first time JustGrants applicants, once the application is received from Grants.gov, DOJ will 

send an email (from DIAMD-NoReply@usdoj.gov) to the individual listed in Section 8F of the 

SF-424 with instructions on how to create a JustGrants account. This email should arrive within 

24 hours after this individual receives confirmation from Grants.gov of their SF-424 and SF-LLL 

submissions. Register the Entity Administrator (the person who manages who can access 

JustGrants on behalf of the applicant), the Application Submitter, and Authorized 

Representative for the applicant with JustGrants as early as possible and (recommended) not 

later than 48-72 hours before the JustGrants deadline. Once registered in JustGrants, the 

Application Submitter will receive a link in an email to complete the rest of the application in 

JustGrants. Find additional information on JustGrants Application Submission in the Application 

Resource Guide. 
Page 16 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Standard Applicant Information

The “Standard Applicant Information” section of the JustGrants application is pre-populated with 

the SF-424 data submitted in Grants.gov. The applicant will need to review the Standard 

Applicant Information in JustGrants and make edits as needed. Within this section, the applicant 

will need to add ZIP codes for areas affected by the project, confirm their Authorized

Representative, and verify and confirm the organization’s unique entity identifier, legal name, 

and address.

Proposal Abstract

A Proposal Abstract (no more than 400 words) summarizing the proposed project — including 

goals, objectives, research questions, research design and methods, work products and 

dissemination plan — must be completed in the JustGrants web-based form. This abstract

should be in paragraph form without bullets or tables, written in the third person, and exclude 

personally identifiable information. Abstracts will be made publicly available on the OJP and 

USASpending.gov websites if the project is awarded. See the Application Resource Guide for 

an example of a proposal abstract. 

Data Requested With Application

The following application elements should be submitted in the web-based forms in JustGrants.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (including applicant 

disclosure of high-risk status)

The Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire helps OJP assess 

the financial management and internal control systems and the associated potential risks of an 

applicant as part of the pre-award risk assessment process. Every OJP applicant (other than an 

individual applying in their personal capacity, not representing an applicant organization) is 

required to complete the web-based Questionnaire form in JustGrants. See the Application 

Resource Guide: Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire 

(including Applicant Disclosure of High Risk Status) for the questions additional guidance on 

how to complete the form. 

Brief Applicant Entity Questionnaire

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is collecting the following information to help assess its 

efforts to attract a broader range of applicants. These questions apply to the applicant entity and 

its work and scope only, and not to the specific project(s) being proposed within the application. 

Responses to the questions will not be considered in the application review process. The 

questions included in the questionnaire are available in the Standard Forms & Instructions: Brief 

Applicant Entity Questionnaire. 

Proposal Narrative

The Proposal Narrative should be submitted as an attachment in JustGrants. The attached

document should be double-spaced, using a standard 12-point size font; have no less than 1-

inch margins; and should not exceed 30 numbered pages. If the Proposal Narrative fails to 
Page 17 O-NIJ-2024-171947

comply with these length restrictions, NIJ may consider such noncompliance in peer review and 

in final award decisions. 

The Proposal Narrative must include the following sections:

a. Title Page (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit)

The title page should include:

• Project title.

• Submission date.

• Funding opportunity number.

• Principal Investigator (and any co-principal investigators).

• Unique author identifier (e.g., ORCID, ResearcherID, Scopus Author ID), if 

available.

• Key words, including science focus areas.

• Contact information (that is, name, address, telephone number, and e-mail 

address) for both the applicant and the principal investigator.

b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the proposal narrative page 

limit.)

If an applicant is resubmitting an application presented previously to NIJ, but not funded, 

the applicant should indicate this. A statement should be provided, no more than two 

pages, addressing: (1) the title, submission date, and NIJ-assigned application number 

of the previous application, and (2) a brief summary of revisions to the application, 

including responses to previous feedback received from NIJ.

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit)

d. Main Body

1. Statement of the Problem

The statement of the problem should address the need for research in this area. 

Applicants should discuss current gaps in data, research, and knowledge, including 

those for particular justice sectors, for certain populations, and to answer questions 

relevant to current policy and practice needs and public interests. It is not uncommon for 

multiple problems to exist simultaneously (for example, there may be a criminal justice 

problem affecting public safety, a current technical challenge/need identified by forensic 

practitioners, as well as a scientific/technology gap between the current state of the art 

and a desired solution) and applicants should discuss each of these clearly and justify 

the importance of the separate issues. As part of this discussion, applicants should 

present a review of previous literature and discuss previous research related to these 

problems.

2. Project Design and Implementation 

Applicants should provide a detailed description of the strategies to implement this 

research project and address the research questions. Design elements should follow 
Page 18 O-NIJ-2024-171947

directly from the research project’s goals and objectives and address the programspecific information noted in the solicitation. Applicants should describe the research 

methodology and analysis plan in detail and demonstrate the validity and usefulness of 

the data they will collect. Applicants should consider the rigor and soundness of the 

methodology and analytical and technical approaches for the proposed research and 

address the feasibility of the proposed project and potential challenges or problems in

carrying out the activities.

3. Potential Impact

Applicants should describe the potential impact of the research and how it may inform or 

improve criminal or juvenile justice-related policy, practice, or theory in the United 

States. The applicant should include a discussion of the proposed dissemination plan to 

produce scholarly products and to make information available to broader interested 

audiences, such as criminal justice practitioners or policymakers.

4. Capabilities and Competencies

This section should describe the experience and capabilities of the applicant 

organization, key staff, and any proposed subgrantees (including consultants) that the 

applicant will use to implement and manage this effort and the federal funds under this 

award, highlighting any previous experience implementing projects of similar scope, 

design, and magnitude. Applicants should address:

• Experience and capacity to work with the proposed data sources in the conduct 

of similar research efforts.

• Experience and capacity to design and implement rigorous research and data 

analysis projects.

• Experience producing and disseminating meaningful deliverables.

Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization that connects to 

the goals and objectives of the project. Among other factors, that plan should include a 

description of the anticipated level of effort of key personnel.

5. Appendices (not counted against the proposal narrative page limit) include:

• If the application (including the budget) identifies any proposed non-competitive 

agreements that are or may be considered procurement "contracts" (rather than 

subawards), for purposes of federal grants administrative requirements, the 

applicant also must list the entities with which the applicant proposes to contract.

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

has been submitted (if applicable).

• Any table/charts/graphs supporting program narrative.

6. Plan for Collecting the Data Required for This Solicitation’s Performance Measures

Note: An applicant is not required to submit performance data with the application. 

Rather, performance measure information is included to provide notice that award 

recipients will be required to submit performance data as part of each award’s reporting 

requirements.
Page 19 O-NIJ-2024-171947

NIJ will require each award recipient to submit regular performance data that show the 

completed work’s results. The performance data directly relate to the solicitation goals

and objectives identified in the “Goals and Objectives” section. Applicants can visit 

OJP’s performance measurement page at www.ojp.gov/performance for more 

information on performance measurement activities. 

A list of performance measure questions for this program can be found in the 

“Performance Measures” section. Some measures are presented as examples, while 

others are the exact measures that every recipient will be expected to address.

NIJ will require award recipients to submit performance measure data in quarterly 

financial reports, semi-annual performance reports, and the final research report and 

separately submit a semi-annual performance report in JustGrants. NIJ will provide 

further guidance on the post-award submission process, if the applicant is selected for 

award.

Application Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline

The applicant will submit the project’s goals, objectives, deliverables and timeline in the 

JustGrants. This is a summary of the goals, objectives, deliverables, and timeline that relate to 

the proposal narrative. The applicant will also enter the projected fiscal year and quarter that 

each objective and deliverable will be completed. Please refer to the Application Submission 

Job Aid for step-by-step directions. 

• Goals: The applicant should describe the project’s intent to change, reduce, or eliminate 

the problem noted in the proposal narrative. 

• Program Objectives and Timeline: The applicant should include objectives to

accomplish its goals. Objectives are specific, measurable actions to reach the project’s 

desired results. The included timelines should be clearly linked to the goal.

• Deliverables and Timeline: Project deliverables refer to outputs — tangible (for 

example, a report or a website) or intangible (for example, greater feelings of safety 

reported by the community) — that are documented and submitted within the scope of a 

project. Deliverables include timelines.

Deliverables Expected by Successful Applicants

Program objectives and deliverables should be included in one timeline.

Budget and Associated Documentation

Funding Restrictions

All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or 

management fee.

Budget Detail and Narrative Web-Based Form 

The applicant will complete the JustGrants web-based budget form, which includes both 

detailed calculations and budget narrative sections. 
Page 20 O-NIJ-2024-171947

For additional information about how to prepare a budget for federal funding, see the Application 

Resource Guide section on “Budget Preparation and Submission Information” and the technical 

steps to complete the budget form in JustGrants in the Complete the Application in JustGrants: 

Budget training. 

The following paragraph (on “Cofunding”) expressly modifies the “Cost Sharing or Matching 

Requirement” provisions in the Application Resource Guide. The applicant is to follow the 

guidance in the following paragraph instead of the guidance stated under the “Cost Sharing or 

Matching Requirement” heading in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

Cofunding: An award made by NIJ under this solicitation may account for up to 100% 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, and OJP approves the budget, 

the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes mandatory and subject 

to audit.

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

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

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

application — the Application Resource Guide for information on prior approval, planning, and 

reporting of conference/meeting/training costs.

Costs Associated With Language Assistance (if applicable)

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

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

or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. See the Application 

Resource Guide for information on costs associated with language assistance.

Budget/Financial Attachments

Pre-Agreement (Pre-Award) Costs (if applicable)

Pre-agreement costs are defined as costs requiring approval incurred by the applicant prior to 

the start date of the period of performance of the federal award. OJP does not typically approve 

pre-agreement costs. If a successful applicant, in anticipation of the federal award, but before 

the start date of the period of performance, incurs costs that are necessary for efficient and 

timely performance of the funded project, those costs may not be charged to the award. See the

“Costs Requiring Prior Approval” section in the DOJ Grants Financial Guide Post-Award 

Requirements for more information.

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)
Page 21 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Indirect costs are costs of an organization that are not readily assignable to a particular project 

but are necessary to the operation of the organization and the performance of the project. 

Examples of costs usually treated as indirect include those incurred for facility operation and 

maintenance, depreciation, and administrative salaries. The requirements for the development 

and submission of indirect cost proposals and cost allocation plans are listed in Appendices III – 

VII of 2 C.F.R. Part 200. A non-federal applicant should follow the guidelines applicable to its 

type of organization. If applicable, an applicant with a current federally-approved indirect cost

rate agreement will upload it as an attachment in JustGrants. See the DOJ Financial Guide for 

additional information on Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. 

Consultant Rate (if applicable)

Costs for consultant services require prior approval from OJP. If the proposed project expects to 

fund consultant services, compensation for individual consultant services is to be reasonable 

and consistent with that paid for similar services in the marketplace. See the DOJ Grants 

Financial Guide for information on the consultant rates, which require prior approval from OJP. 

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation for Awards Over $250,000; Waiver (if 

applicable)

If an applicant proposes to hire employees with federal award funds, for any award of more than 

$250,000 made under a funding opportunity, an award recipient may not use federal funds to 

pay total cash compensation (salary plus cash bonuses) to any employee of the recipient at a 

rate that exceeds 110% 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. See the Application Resource Guide for information on the 

“Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation for Awards over $250,000; 

Waiver.” 

Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation (if applicable)

This notice of funding opportunity expressly modifies the Application Resource Guide by not 

incorporating its “Disclosure of Process Related to Executive Compensation” provisions. 

Applicants to this funding opportunity are not required to provide this disclosure.

Additional Application Components

The applicant will attach the additional requested documentation in JustGrants.

Curriculum Vitae or Resumes

Provide curriculum vitae or resume of the principal investigator and any and all co-principal 

investigators. In addition, curriculum vitae, resume, or biographical sketches of all other 

individuals (regardless of “investigator” status) who will be significantly involved in substantive 

aspects of the proposed project (including, for example, individuals such as statisticians used to 

conduct proposed data analysis).

Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of tribal authorizing 

documentation as an attachment. If applicable, the applicant will upload the tribal authorizing 
Page 22 O-NIJ-2024-171947

documentation as an attachment in JustGrants. See the Application Resource Guide for 

information on tribal authorizing resolutions.

Letters of Support

Applicants should include, for each named supporting entity, a signed letter of support that 

outlines the supporting entity’s reasons for supporting for the project and the scope of work they 

are committing to. Applications submitted from two or more entities are encouraged to submit 

signed letters of support that provide a detailed description of why the proposed project should 

receive federal funding. 

Each letter of support should include the following: (1) a description of the relationship between 

the applicant entity and the supporting entity; (2) a description of the need and what benefits 

would be gained from the project; (3) a description of the applicant’s capacity to complete the 

proposed project; and (4) an understanding that study-related documentation will be archived 

with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD). Letters of support should be signed 

by the relevant decision-maker and then submitted as one separate attachment to the 

application. 

Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement

If an application proposes research (including research and development) and/or evaluation, the 

applicant must demonstrate research/evaluation independence and integrity, including 

appropriate safeguards, before it may receive award funds. The applicant will upload 

documentation of its research and evaluation independence and integrity as an attachment in 

JustGrants. For additional information, see the Application Resource Guide. 

Bibliography/References 

Provide a bibliography of any references cited in the Proposal Narrative.

Any Tools/Instruments, Questionnaires, Tables/Charts/Graphs, or Maps

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.

List of Individuals in the Application

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

the part of prospective reviewers of the application), provide a complete list of the individuals 

named or otherwise identified anywhere in the application (including in the budget or in any 

other attachment) who will or may work (or advise or consult) on the proposed research, 

development, or evaluation project. Applicants should use the “Proposed Project Staff, 

Affiliation, and Roles” form available on the NIJ webpage to prepare this list.

Human Subjects Protection

Human Subjects Protection paperwork as a separate attachment (documentation and forms

related to Institutional Review Board [IRB] review). See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/humansubjects-protection. Note: Final IRB approval is not required at the time an application is 

submitted.
Page 23 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Privacy Certificate

Privacy Certificate as a separate file (for further guidance go to 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/confidentiality-and-privacy-protections and 

https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/privacy-certificate-guidance#model-privacy-certificate). 

Request To Use Incentives or Stipends

Applicants proposing to use incentives or stipends payments as part of their research project 

design, must submit an incentive or stipend approval request, as a separate document, 

according to the requirements set forth at https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/participant-support-costsand-incentives. 

Consortium/Contractual Agreements

Explain the programmatic, fiscal, and administrative arrangements to be made between the 

applicant organization and the consortium organization(s).

Data Archiving Plan

Applicants should anticipate that NIJ will require, through special award conditions, that data 

sets resulting, in whole or in part, from projects funded under this solicitation be submitted for 

archiving with the NACJD. See https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/data-archiving. 

Applications should include as a separate file a brief plan — labeled “Data Archiving Plan” — to 

comply with data archiving requirements. The plan should provide brief details about proposed 

data management and archiving, including submission to NIJ (through NACJD) of all files and 

documentation necessary to allow for future efforts by others to reproduce the project’s 

findings and/or to extend the scientific value of the data set through secondary analysis. 

Pertinent study-related documentation, includes, but is not limited to, a user guide or similar 

document with step-by-step instructions for requesting and accessing the state-level raw data 

sets originally contributed to and any new data sets resulting from the project, and (when 

required) a copy of the privacy certificate and informed consent protocols.

The plan should be one or two pages in length and include the level of effort associated with 

meeting archiving requirements.

Note that recipients are strongly encouraged to submit required data sets at least 90 days 

before the end of the period of performance.

Project Management Plan and Timeline

Applicants should also outline the management plan and organization that connects to the goals 

and objectives of the project, including the project management structure, approach, and 

strategies. Among other factors, that plan should include a description of the anticipated level of 

effort of key personnel. In addition, applicants should include a project management timeline 

documenting the timing for project tasks, management, milestones, and deliverables.
Page 24 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Disclosures and Assurances

The applicant will address the following disclosures and assurances. 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

The SF-LLL attachment that was completed and submitted in Grants.gov is attached to this 

section. 

Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items

To ensure funding coordination across grant making agencies, and to avoid unnecessary or 

inappropriate duplication among grant awards, the applicant will disclose if it has any pending 

applications for federal funding, including pending applications for subawards of federal funds.

Complete the JustGrants web-based Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items form. 

See the Application Resource Guide for additional information. 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances

Review and accept the DOJ Certified Standard Assurances in JustGrants. See the Application 

Resource Guide for additional information.

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 

Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and Community Policing

Review and accept in JustGrants the DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, 

Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law 

Enforcement and Community Policing. See the Application Resource Guide for additional 

information.

Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High-Risk Grantees

If applicable, submit the DOJ High-Risk Disclosure and Justification as an attachment in 

JustGrants. A DOJ High-Risk Grantee is an award recipient that has received a DOJ High-Risk 

designation based on a documented history of unsatisfactory performance; financial instability; 

management system or other internal control deficiencies; noncompliance with award terms and 

conditions on prior awards or is otherwise not responsible. See the Application Resource Guide

for additional information.

Application Review Information

Review Criteria

Basic Minimum Review Criteria

OJP screens applications to ensure they meet the basic minimum requirements prior to 

conducting the peer review. Although specific requirements may vary, the following are 

requirements for all OJP solicitations:

• The application must be submitted by an eligible type of applicant.
Page 25 O-NIJ-2024-171947

• The application must request funding within any stated programmatic funding limits or 

boundaries.

• The application must be responsive to the scope of the solicitation.

• The application must include all items necessary to meet the basic minimum 

requirements.

Merit Review Criteria

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

how the proposed project/program addresses the following criteria:

Statement of the Problem (understanding of the problem) (10%)

• Demonstrated understanding of the problem.

• Demonstrated importance of research questions, goals, and objectives, including 

alignment with the aims of the solicitation.

• Demonstrated awareness of the state of current research.

Project Design and Implementation (quality and technical merit) (45%)

• Feasibility of proposed project.

• Soundness of methods and analytic and technical approach to addressing the 

stated aim(s) of the proposed project.

• Awareness of potential pitfalls of proposed project design and feasibility of 

proposed actions to minimize and/or mitigate them.

• Feasibility of completing the deliverables noted in the solicitation.

Capabilities and Competencies (capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience 

of the applicant organization and proposed project staff) (20%)

• Qualifications and experience of proposed project staff (that is, the principal 

investigator, any and all co-principal investigators, and all other individuals (and 

organizations) identified in the application (regardless of “investigator” status) 

who will be significantly involved in substantive aspects of the proposed project).

• Demonstrated ability of the applicant organization to implement the proposed 

strategies and manage the effort (applicants should briefly describe the 

management plan here; full details for the project management structure, 

approach, and strategies should be described in the project management plan).

• Relationship between the capabilities/competencies of the proposed project staff 

(including the applicant organization) and the scope and strategies of the 

proposed project.

Potential Impact (20%)

• Potential for a significant scientific or technical advance(s) that will improve 

criminal/juvenile justice in the United States.

• Potential for significantly improved understanding of the stated criminal/juvenile 

justice problem.

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

criminal/juvenile justice problem.
Page 26 O-NIJ-2024-171947

• Strength and feasibility of the proposed dissemination plan to produce scholarly 

products (such as published, peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles, book 

chapter(s) or book(s) in the academic press, technological prototypes, patented 

inventions, databases, standards, or similar scientific products) as well as make 

summary information available to broader interested audiences, such as criminal 

justice practitioners or policymakers.

Budget (5%)

In addition, peer reviewers will consider and may comment on the following additional 

items in the context of scientific and technical merit.

• Alignment of the proposed budget with proposed project activities.

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

• Use of existing resources to conserve costs.

Reviewers are not expected to conduct a detailed financial analysis and assessment of 

the budget, but rather to consider it from the perspective of their experience.

Other Review Criteria/Factors

Other important considerations for OJP include geographic diversity, strategic priorities, 

available funding, past performance, and the extent to which the Budget web-based form 

accurately explains project costs that are reasonable, necessary, and otherwise allowable under 

federal law and applicable federal cost principles. Costs are allowable when they are 

reasonable, allocable to, and necessary for the performance of the federal award, and when 

they comply with the funding statute and agency requirements (to include the conditions of the 

award), including the cost principles set out in the Uniform Requirements 2 C.F.R. Part 200,

Subpart E. 

Risk Criteria/Factors

Pursuant to the Part 200 Uniform Requirements, before award decisions are made, OJP also 

reviews information related to the degree of risk posed by the applicant. Among other things to 

help assess whether an applicant with one or more prior federal awards has a satisfactory 

record of performance, integrity, and business ethics, OJP checks whether the applicant is listed 

in SAM.gov as excluded from receiving a federal award.

In addition, if OJP anticipates that an award will exceed $250,000 in federal funds, OJP also 

must review and consider any information about the applicant that appears in the non-public 

segment of the integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (currently, the 

Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, FAPIIS). 

Important note on FAPIIS: An applicant may review and comment on any information about its 

organization that currently appears in FAPIIS and was entered by a federal awarding agency. 

OJP will consider such comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in 

FAPIIS, in its assessment of the risk posed by the applicant.

Review Process
Page 27 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Applications submitted under this solicitation that meet the basic minimum requirements will be 

evaluated for technical merit by a peer review panel(s) in accordance with OJP peer review 

policy and procedures using the review criteria listed above.

All final award decisions will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), 

who may take into account not only peer review ratings and NIJ staff recommendations, but also 

other factors as indicated in this section. 

Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Generally, award notifications are made by the end of the current federal fiscal year, September 

30. See the Application Resource Guide for information on award notifications and instructions.

Evidence-Based Programs or Practices

OJP strongly encourages the use of data and evidence in policymaking and program 

development for criminal justice, juvenile justice, and crime victim services. For additional 

information and resources on evidence-based programs or practices (programs or practices that 

have been evaluated as effective), see the Application Resource Guide. 

Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of Programs and Activities

OJP may conduct or support an evaluation of the projects and activities funded under this 

solicitation. For additional information on what should be included in the application, see the 

Application Resource Guide section entitled “Information Regarding Potential Evaluation of 

Programs and Activities.” 

Administrative, National Policy, and Other Legal Requirements

If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the OJPapproved application, the recipient must comply with all award conditions and all applicable 

requirements of federal statutes and regulations, including the applicable requirements referred 

to in the assurances and certifications executed in connection with award acceptance. For 

additional information on these legal requirements, see the “Administrative, National Policy, and 

Other Legal Requirements” section in the Application Resource Guide. 

Civil Rights Compliance

If a successful applicant accepts funding from OJP — as a recipient of OJP funding — that 

award recipient must comply with certain federal civil rights laws that prohibit it from 

discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or disability in how the 

recipient delivers its program’s services or benefits and in its employment practices. The civil 

rights laws that may be applicable to the award include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 

(Title VI), the nondiscrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act 

of 1968 (Safe Streets Act), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These and other 

federal civil rights laws are discussed in greater detail here: Overview of Legal Requirements 

Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and Cooperative Agreements - FY 2024 Awards under the 

“Civil Rights Requirements” section, and additional resources are available from the OJP Office 

for Civil Rights. 
Page 28 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Part of complying with civil rights laws that prohibit national origin discrimination includes 

recipients taking reasonable steps to ensure that people who are limited in their English

proficiency (LEP) because of their national origin have meaningful access to a recipient’s 

program and activity. An LEP person is one whose first language is not English and who has a 

limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English. To help recipients meet this 

obligation to serve LEP persons, DOJ has published a number of resources, including a 

language access assessment and planning tool, which are available at 

https://www.lep.gov/language-access-planning. Additional resources are available at 

https://www.ojp.gov/program/civil-rights-office/limited-english-proficient-lep. If the award 

recipient proposes a program or activity that would deliver services or benefits to LEP 

individuals, the recipient may use grant funds to support the costs of taking reasonable steps 

(e.g., interpretation or translation services) to provide meaningful access. Similarly, recipients 

are responsible for ensuring that their programs and activities are readily accessible to qualified 

individuals with disabilities. Applicants for OJP funding must allocate grant funds or explain how 

other available resources will be used to ensure meaningful and full access to their programs. 

For example, grant funds can be used to support American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter 

services for deaf or hard of hearing individuals or the purchase of adaptive equipment for

individuals with mobility or cognitive disabilities. For resources, see http://www.ADA.gov or 

contact OJP.

Financial Management and System of Internal Controls

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

entities) must, as described in the Part 200 Uniform Requirements as set out at 2 C.F.R. § 

200.303, comply with standards for financial and program management. See the Application 

Resource Guide for additional information.

Information Technology Security Clauses

An application in response to this solicitation may require inclusion of information related to 

information technology security. See the Application Resource Guide for more information.

General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

In addition to the deliverables described in the “Program Description” section, all award 

recipients under this solicitation will be required to submit certain reports and data.

Required reports. Award recipients must submit quarterly financial reports semi-annual 

performance reports, final financial and performance reports, and, if applicable, an annual audit 

report in accordance with the Part 200 Uniform Requirements or specific award conditions. 

Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent (in appropriate 

cases, OJP may require additional reports). 

See the Application Resource Guide for additional information on specific post-award reporting 

requirements, including performance measure data.

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

For questions directed to the Federal Awarding Agency, see OJP Response Center contact 

information in the solicitation Synopsis. 
Page 29 O-NIJ-2024-171947

For OJP contact(s), contact information for Grants.gov, and contact information for JustGrants,

see the solicitation Synopsis. 

Other Information

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

See the Application Resource Guide for information on the Freedom of Information and Privacy 

Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 552 and 552a).

Provide Feedback to OJP

See the Application Resource Guide for information on how to provide feedback to OJP. 
Page 30 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Performance Measures 

Objective Performance Measure(s) Data Recipient Provides

Conduct research in 

social and behavioral 

sciences that has clear 

implications for criminal 

justice policy and 

practice in the United 

States. 

1. Relevance to the needs of the 

field as measured by whether the 

project’s substantive scope did not 

deviate from the funded project or 

any subsequent agency-approved 

modifications to the scope. 

1. Quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual and final 

performance reports, and 

products of the work 

performed under the NIJ 

award (including, at 

minimum, a final research 

report). If applicable, an 

annual audit report.

Conduct research in 

science, technology, 

engineering, and/or 

mathematics that has

clear implications for 

criminal or juvenile 

justice policy and 

practice in the United 

States.

2. Quality of the research as 

demonstrated by the scholarly 

products that result, in whole or in 

part, from work funded under the 

NIJ award, such as published, 

peer-reviewed, scientific journal 

articles, and/or (as appropriate for 

the funded project) law review 

journal articles, book chapter(s) or 

book(s) in the academic press, 

technological prototypes, patented 

inventions, or similar scientific 

products.

2. List of citation(s) to all 

scholarly products that 

resulted, in whole or in part,

from work funded under the 

NIJ award.

3. Quality of management as 

measured by such factors as 

whether significant project 

milestones were achieved, 

reporting and other deadlines 

were met, and costs remained 

within approved limits.

3. If applicable, each data 

set that resulted, in whole or 

in part, from work funded 

under the NIJ award. 
Page 31 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Application Checklist

NIJ FY24 National Juvenile Court Data Archive

This application checklist has been created as an aid in developing an application. For more 

information, reference The OJP Application Submission Steps in the OJP Grant Application 

Resource Guide and the DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

Pre-Application

Before Registering in Grants.gov

• Confirm your entity’s registration in the System Award Management (SAM.gov) is active 

through the solicitation period; submit a new or renewal registration in SAM.gov if 

needed (see Application Resource Guide). 

Register in Grants.gov

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

and password (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Acquire AOR confirmation from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) (see 

Application Resource Guide). 

Find the Funding Opportunity

• Search for the funding opportunity in Grants.gov using the opportunity number, 

assistance listing number, or keyword(s). 

• Access the funding opportunity and application package (see Step 7 in the Application 

Resource Guide). 

• Sign up for Grants.gov email notifications (optional) (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Read Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov (about browser compatibility 

and special characters in file names). 

• Read OJP policy and guidance on conference approval, planning, and reporting

available at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/iii-postawardrequirements#6g3y8 (see Application Resource Guide). 

Review the Overview of Post-Award Legal Requirements

• Review the “Overview of Legal Requirements Generally Applicable to OJP Grants and 

Cooperative Agreements - FY 2024 Awards” in the OJP Funding Resource Center. 

Review the Scope Requirement

• The federal amount requested is within the allowable limit(s) of $2,000,000. 

Review Eligibility Requirement

• Review the “Eligibility” section in the Synopsis and “Eligibility Information” section in the 

solicitation.

Application Step 1

After registering with SAM.gov, submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL in Grants.gov. 

• In Section 8F of the SF-424, include the name and contact information of the individual 
Page 32 O-NIJ-2024-171947

who will complete the application in JustGrants and the SF-LLL in Grants.gov. 

Within 48 hours after the SF-424 and SF-LLL submission in Grants.gov, receive four (4) 

Grants.gov email notifications:

• A submission receipt

• A validation receipt

• A grantor agency retrieval receipt

• An agency tracking number assignment 

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

• Contact OJP Response Center at grants@ncjrs.gov or 800-851-3420 or TTY: 301-240-

6310 (hearing impaired only) or Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 

606-545-5035, Grants.gov customer support, or support@grants.gov regarding technical 

difficulties (see Application Resource Guide section on Experiencing Unforeseen 

Technical Issues). 

Within 24 hours after receipt of confirmation emails from Grants.gov, the individual in Section 8F 

of the SF-424 will receive an email from JustGrants with login instructions.

• Proceed to Application Step 2 and complete application in JustGrants.

Application Step 2

Submit the following information in JustGrants: 

Application Components

• Entity and User Verification (First Time Applicant). 

• Standard Applicant information (SF-424 information from Grants.gov). 

• Proposal Abstract. 

• Proposal Narrative* (Critical Component). 

• Application Goals, Objectives, Deliverables, and Timeline. 

Budget and Associated Documentation

• Budget Detail Narrative and web-based form* (Critical Component). 

• Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire (see Application 

Resource Guide). 

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Request and Justification for Employee Compensation; Waiver (if applicable) (see 

Application Resource Guide). 

Additional Application Components 

• Curriculum Vitae or Resumes* (Critical Component). 

• Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable) (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Letters of Support. 

• Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity Statement (see Application 

Resource Guide). 

• Bibliography/References. 
Page 33 O-NIJ-2024-171947

• Any Tools/Instruments, Questionnaires, Tables/Charts/Graphs, or Maps. 

• List of Individuals in the Application. 

• Human Subjects Protection. 

• Privacy Certificate. 

• Request to Use Incentives or Stipends. 

• Timeline Form. 

• Consortium/Contractual Arrangements. 

• Data Archiving Plan. 

• Project Management Plan and Timeline. 

Disclosures and Assurances

• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Applicant Disclosure of Duplication in Cost Items (see Application Resource Guide). 

• DOJ Certified Standard Assurances (see Application Resource Guide). 

• DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other 

Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and 

Community Policing (see Application Resource Guide). 

• Applicant Disclosure and Justification – DOJ High-Risk Grantees (if applicable) (see 

Application Resource Guide). 

*Note: Items designated with an asterisk must be submitted for an application to meet 

the basic minimum requirements review. If OJP determines that an application does not 

include the designated items, it will neither proceed to peer review, nor receive further 

consideration.

Review, Certify, and Submit Application in JustGrants

• Any validation errors will immediately display on screen after submission.

• Correct validation errors, if necessary, and then return to the “Certify and Submit” screen 

to submit the application. Access the Application Submission Validation Errors Quick 

Reference Guide for step-by-step instructions to resolve errors prior to submission.

• Once the application is submitted and validated, a confirmation message will appear at 

the top of the page. Users will also receive a notification in the “bell” alerts confirming 

submission.

If no JustGrants application submission confirmation email or validation is received, or if error 

notification is received: 

• Contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or

JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov regarding technical difficulties. See the Application 

Resource Guide for additional information.
Page 34 O-NIJ-2024-171947

Standard Solicitation Resources

Application Resource Guide provides guidance to assist OJP grant applicants in preparing and 

submitting applications for OJP funding.

DOJ Grants Financial Guide serves as the primary reference manual to assist award recipients 

in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibility to safeguard grant funds and to ensure funds are used for 

the purposes for which they were awarded. It compiles a variety of laws, rules, and regulations 

that affect the financial and administrative management of DOJ awards. This guide serves as a 

starting point for all award recipients and subrecipients of DOJ grants and cooperative 

agreements in ensuring the effective day-to-day management of awards.

JustGrants Resources Website is an entryway into information about JustGrants and the grants 

management system itself. Through this portal both award recipients and applicants can access 

training resources and user support options, find frequently asked questions, and sign up for the

JustGrants Update e-newsletter. 

JustGrants Application Submission Training page offers helpful information and resources on 

the application process. This training page includes e-learning videos, reference guides, 

checklists, and other resources to help applicants complete an application.

Virtual Q&A Sessions are advertised here and provide opportunities for users to receive topicspecific training, direct technical assistance, and support on JustGrants system functionality.