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

Office of Justice Programs 

National Institute of Justice

 

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

Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding under the NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship 

(GRF) program that provides awards for research on crime, violence, and other criminal justicerelated topics to accredited academic universities that offer research-based doctoral degrees in 

disciplines relevant to NIJ’s mission. This program furthers the Department’s mission by

sponsoring research to provide objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to 

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

NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Eligibility

Eligible applicants are limited to degree-granting educational institutions in the United States. To 

be eligible, the institution must be fully accredited by one of the regional institutional 

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

the applicant institution must apply as the sponsoring institution for a doctoral candidate 

conducting criminal justice-related research in a discipline relevant to NIJ’s mission.

Deadline

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

page 21.) All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 23, 2013. (See 

“Deadlines: Registration and Application,” page 3.)

Contact Information

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer 

Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606–545–5035, or via e-mail to support@grants.gov.

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

except federal holidays.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, e-mail questions to 

GRF@ojp.usdoj.gov.

Grants.gov number assigned to this announcement: NIJ-2013-3374

Release date: February 22, 2013

SL001030
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Contents

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

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

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

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

Performance Measures...............................................................................................................8

Notice of Post-Award FFATA Reporting Requirement...............................................................10

What an Application Should Include..........................................................................................10

Information to Complete the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) .....................10

Abstract.........................................................................................................................11

Program Narrative .........................................................................................................12

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

Additional Attachments .................................................................................................15

Other Standard Forms...................................................................................................17

Selection Criteria.......................................................................................................................18

Review Process ........................................................................................................................19

Additional Requirements ...........................................................................................................20

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

Provide Feedback to OJP on This Solicitation...........................................................................23

Application Checklist.................................................................................................................25
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NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program 

(CFDA No. 16.562)

Overview

The NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) program provides awards for research on crime, 

violence, and other criminal justice-related topics to accredited universities that offer researchbased doctoral degrees. NIJ invests in doctoral education by supporting universities that 

sponsor students who demonstrate the potential to successfully complete doctoral degree 

programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of NIJ and who are in the final stages of graduate 

study. Applicants sponsoring doctoral students are eligible to apply only if the doctoral research 

dissertation has direct implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States 

and is in an NIJ-supported discipline; e.g., social and behavioral sciences, operations 

technology, information and sensors research and development, and investigative and forensic 

sciences. 

Awards are granted to successful applicants in the form of a grant to cover a doctoral student 

fellowship. The GRF award for research projects using qualitative research methods is 

anticipated to be $30,000. The GRF award for research projects using a quantitative approach 

is anticipated to be $25,000. Applicants should submit an appropriate funding request based on 

the type of research proposed. Final award decisions, including decisions on funding amounts,

will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice. 

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

(sections 201 and 202).

Deadlines: Registration and Application

Applicants must register with Grants.gov in order to submit an application. OJP encourages

applicants to register several weeks before the application submission deadline. In addition, 

OJP urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due date. The 

deadline to apply for funding under this announcement is 11:59 p.m. eastern time on May 23, 

2013. See “How to Apply” on page 21 for details.

Eligibility

Refer to the title page for eligibility under this program.

Program-Specific Information

Universities are encouraged to sponsor outstanding and promising doctoral students whose 

dissertation research has direct implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United 

States.

Successful applicants must clearly demonstrate how the proposed dissertation research will 

advance criminal justice knowledge, practice, and/or policy for criminal justice agencies in the 

United States. Quantitative, qualitative, primary, and secondary data analysis and mixed 
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method approach research studies are encouraged. Special consideration will be given to 

applicants who use the most rigorous research methods applicable to their proposed research 

topic to maximize the validity and reliability of findings. Applicants are encouraged to include a 

brief statement to justify their requested funding amount based on the proposed research 

methods.

Official Applicant

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

United States. To be eligible, the institution of record must be fully accredited by one of the 

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

Applicants sponsoring doctoral students are eligible to apply only if the doctoral research 

dissertation has direct implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United States 

and is in an NIJ-supported discipline; e.g., social and behavioral sciences, operations 

technology, information and sensors research and development, and investigative and forensic 

sciences. Applications from applicants that apply as individuals will be removed from 

consideration. 

The university or college office of sponsored research or the university-wide research office 

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

Application Should Include,” page 10). 

The university applicant is encouraged to submit an official statement regarding the student's 

progress in his or her current program of study. The statement of progress is not a requirement 

of the solicitation. If submitted, this statement must be signed by either the department chair or 

the college dean and should not be submitted by the doctoral student’s dissertation chair. 

Applicants are encouraged to submit copies of the doctoral student’s academic transcript. The 

transcript should document current matriculation toward a doctoral degree. 

Doctoral Student Eligibility Requirements 

Universities are encouraged to sponsor doctoral students who have nearly completed all Ph.D. 

requirements. 

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

completed prior to an award being made: 

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

• The doctoral student must have passed qualifying comprehensive exams. 

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

Applicants whose doctoral students have completed the three requirements are encouraged to 

provide documentation of such completion in their application. It is not necessary for the student 

to have completed the three requirements listed above at the time of the application due date. 

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

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

dates their doctoral students expect to complete the three requirements under this section.

Successful applicants will be required to provide documentation of their doctoral students’
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completion of these requirements by the award date. FY13 awards are anticipated to be made 

no later than September 2013. 

Successful applicants’ doctoral students may receive award funds only during months of 

enrollment in a full-time program leading to the doctoral degree. Human subjects protection 

paperwork including Institutional Review Board (IRB) documentation and forms and a

completed privacy certificate are not required at the time of application. If awarded, successful 

applicants will be required to submit Human Subjects protection paperwork and a completed 

Privacy Certificate. The Privacy Certificate must be signed by the university IRB chair. For 

information on NIJ’s Human Subjects and Privacy Protection requirements, see 

www.nij.gov/nij/funding/humansubjects/welcome.htm. 

The final deliverable for GRF awards is an official signed copy of the doctoral student’s 

defended dissertation. Students that receive funds under the GRF program are encouraged but 

are not required to archive their dissertation data. 

Dissertation Chair Requirements 

The doctoral student’s dissertation chair is required to submit a signed statement of support on 

university letterhead that: 

• Evaluates the student’s proposed project.

• Describes the current status of the proposed work.

• Outlines any other outstanding work toward completion of the degree.

• States (demonstrates) the student’s potential to successfully complete the dissertation.

• Describes the chair’s role in monitoring the project and presents evidence of both the 

department’s and the chair’s ability to mentor doctoral candidates through the 

completion of their degrees.

• Verifies that the dissertation research has begun or will begin by the time of the award 

(i.e., no later than September 30, 2013).

• Indicates that the student has the full support of the dissertation committee.

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

submission to NIJ. 

An application that does not include a signed statement of support on university letterhead will 

be removed from consideration. 

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

solicitation, see page 10. 

Relevance of the student’s project for criminal justice policy and practice in the 

United States. 

NIJ’s specific research, development, testing, and evaluation interests are established and are 

modified in response to the needs of the field of criminal justice. High-quality proposals that 

clearly articulate the practical implications of the research to the field of criminal justice are 

preferred. Applicants are encouraged to include letters of support or agreement from 

collaborating agencies in their applications; however these letters are not required. 
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Amount and Length of Awards

NIJ anticipates that up to a total of $210,000 may become available for up to 8 awards. The 

GRF award for qualitative research projects is anticipated to be $30,000. The GRF award for 

research projects using a quantitative approach is anticipated to be $25,000. Applicants should 

submit an appropriate funding request based on the type of research proposed. The average 

period of performance for an award under the GRF program is between 12 and 18 months.

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

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications 

or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

Students do not receive awards directly. The university will be responsible for the administration 

of grant funds and for distributing payments to the fellowship recipient. The grant recipient 

organization should draw down funds based upon immediate disbursement/reimbursement 

requirements. Funds should not be paid in a lump sum, but rather disbursed over time as 

project costs are incurred or anticipated. Recipients should time their drawdown requests to 

ensure that Federal cash on hand is the minimum needed for disbursements/reimbursements to 

be made immediately or within 10 days. The official grant end date must be calculated to reflect 

the expected successful completion and submission of the student’s dissertation to NIJ. In 

addition, it is important to note the fellowship recipient may receive award funding only during 

months of enrollment in a full-time program leading to the doctoral degree.

Evaluation research: Within applications proposing evaluation research, funding priority will be 

given to experimental research designs that use random selection and assignment of 

participants to experimental and control conditions. When randomized designs are not feasible, 

priority will be given to quasi-experimental designs that include contemporary procedures such 

as Propensity Score Matching or Regression Discontinuity Design to address selection bias in 

evaluating outcomes and impacts.

Evaluations that also include measurements of program fidelity and implementation as part of a 

thorough process assessment are desirable. Measurements of program fidelity should be 

included as part of an assessment of program processes and operations to ensure that policies, 

programs, and technologies are implemented as designed. As one aspect of a comprehensive 

evaluation, assessments of program processes should include objective measurements and 

qualitative observations of programs as they are actually implemented and of services that are 

delivered. These may include assessment of such aspects as adherence to program content 

and protocol, quantity and duration, quality of delivery, and participant responsiveness. 

Proposed evaluation research designs with multiple units of analysis and multiple 

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

are necessary to effectively address issues of generalizability and representativeness of 

findings. 

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

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

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

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

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

What will not be funded: 

1. Provision of training or direct service.

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

these items if they are necessary to conduct research, development, demonstration, 

evaluation, or analysis.)

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

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

of this solicitation.

5. Proposals for funds to support projects other than dissertation research. 

6. Direct or indirect administrative expenses of the applicant university. 

7. Research that lacks clear implications for criminal justice policy and/or practice in the United 

States. 

Budget Information

Limitation on Use of Award Funds for Employee Compensation; Waiver

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

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

employee of the award recipient at a rate that exceeds 110% of the maximum annual salary 

payable to a member of the Federal Government’s Senior Executive Service (SES) at an 

agency with a Certified SES Performance Appraisal System for that year. The 2012 salary table 

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

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

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

not be considered matching funds where match requirements apply.)

The Director of the National Institute of Justice may exercise discretion to waive, on an 

individual basis, the limitation on compensation rates allowable under an award. An applicant 

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

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

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

budget.

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

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

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

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

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

Minimization of Conference Costs

OJP encourages applicants to review the OJP guidance on conference approval, planning, and 

reporting that is available on the OJP Web site at www.ojp.gov/funding/confcost.htm. This 

guidance sets out the current OJP policy, which requires all funding recipients that propose to 
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hold or sponsor conferences (including meetings, trainings, and other similar events) to 

minimize costs, requires OJP review and prior written approval of most conference costs for 

cooperative agreement recipients (and certain costs for grant recipients), and generally prohibits 

the use of OJP funding to provide food and beverages at conferences. The guidance also sets 

upper limits on many conference costs, including facility space, audio/visual services, logistical 

planning services, programmatic planning services, and food and beverages (in the rare cases 

where food and beverage costs are permitted at all).

Prior review and approval of conference costs can take time (see the guidance for specific 

deadlines), and applicants should take this into account when submitting proposals. Applicants 

also should understand that conference cost limits may change and that they should check the 

guidance for updates before incurring such costs.

Note on food and beverages: OJP may make exceptions to the general prohibition on using 

OJP funding for food and beverages, but will do so only in rare cases where food and 

beverages are not otherwise available (e.g., in extremely remote areas); the size of the event 

and capacity of nearby food and beverage vendors would make it impractical to not provide food 

and beverages; or a special presentation at a conference requires a plenary address where 

conference participants have no other time to obtain food and beverages. Any such exception 

requires OJP’s prior written approval. The restriction on food and beverages does not apply to 

water provided at no cost, but does apply to any and all other refreshments, regardless of the 

size or nature of the meeting. Additionally, this restriction does not affect direct payment of per 

diem amounts to individuals in a travel status under your organization’s travel policy.

Costs Associated With Language Assistance (if applicable)

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

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

or benefits for individuals with limited English proficiency may be allowable. Reasonable steps 

to provide meaningful access to services or benefits may include interpretation or translation 

services where appropriate.

For additional information, see the "Civil Rights Compliance" section of the OJP "Other 

Requirements for OJP Applications" Web page at 

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

Match Requirement 

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

Performance Measures

To assist the Department with fulfilling its responsibilities under the Government Performance 

and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, 

Public Law 111–352, applicants that receive funding under this solicitation must provide data 

that measure the results of their work done under this solicitation. OJP will require any award 

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

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

performance measures data is not required for the application.) Performance measures for this 

solicitation are as follows:
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Objective Performance Measures Data Grantee Provides

Develop and 

analyze 

information and 

data having 

clear 

implications for 

criminal justice 

policy and 

practice in the 

United States.

1. Relevance to the 

needs of the field as 

measured by whether 

the grantee’s 

substantive scope did 

not deviate from the 

funded proposal or any 

subsequent agency 

modifications to the 

scope.

2. Quality of the research 

as assessed by peer 

reviewers. 

3. Quality of 

management as 

measured by whether 

significant interim 

project milestones 

were achieved, final 

deadlines were met, 

and costs remained 

within approved limits.

4. If applicable, number 

of NIJ final grant 

reports, NIJ research 

documents, and 

grantee research 

documents published. 

1. A final report (official signed 

copy of the student’s 

dissertation) providing a 

comprehensive overview of 

the project and a detailed 

description of the project 

design, data, and methods; a 

full presentation of scientific 

findings; and a thorough 

discussion of the implications 

of the project findings for 

criminal justice practice and 

policy in the United States.

2. Quarterly financial reports, 

semi-annual progress reports, 

and a final progress report. 

3. If applicable, citations to 

report(s)/documents.
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Notice of Post-Award FFATA Reporting Requirement

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

found at www.fsrs.gov.

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

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

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

What an Application Should Include

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

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

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

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

conditions.

Moreover, applicants should anticipate that applications that are determined to be 

nonresponsive to the scope of the solicitation, or that do not include the application elements 

that NIJ has designated to be critical, will neither proceed to peer review nor receive further 

consideration. Under this solicitation, NIJ has designated the following application elements as 

critical: Program Narrative, Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative, resumes/curriculum 

vitae of key personnel, and all items listed under Section “e. Appendices” and labeled as 

“required” (see page 13). Applicants may combine the Budget Narrative and the Budget Detail 

Worksheet in one document. However, if an applicant submits only one document, it must 

contain both narrative and detail information.

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

“Program Narrative,” “Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative,” “Timelines,” 

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

applicants include resumes in a single file.

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

The SF-424 is a required standard form used as a cover sheet for submission of preapplications, applications, and related information. Grants.gov and GMS take information 

from the applicant’s profile to populate the fields on this form. When selecting "type of 

applicant," if the applicant is a for-profit entity, select "For-Profit Organization" or "Small 

Business" (as applicable).
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2. Abstract

Applications should include a high-quality “Project Abstract” that summarizes the 

proposed project in 250-400 words. Project abstracts should be—

 Written for a general public audience.

 Submitted as a separate attachment with <Project Abstract> as part of its 

file name.

 Single-spaced, using a standard 12-point font (Times New Roman) with 

1-inch margins.

As a separate attachment, the project abstract will not count against the page limit for 

the program narrative. 

All project abstracts should follow the detailed template available at 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/Project_Abstract_Template.pdf and the supplemental 

instructions below.

The abstract is a critical part of your application, serving as an important introduction to 

your proposed study. NIJ uses the abstract for a number of purposes, including 

assignment to the appropriate independent review panel. If your proposal is funded, the 

abstract typically will become public information and be used to describe your proposed 

work. The abstract must be 250-400 words and describe the proposed work succinctly 

and accurately. The abstract does not count against the 18-page limit for program

narrative, and should follow this format: 

1. Goals and Objectives: State the purpose of the project, the problem to be 

investigated, and the anticipated relevance to criminal justice policy, practice, and 

theory.

2. Subjects: If applicable, include the number of subjects in your study and a 

description of their characteristics, such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and other 

pertinent attributes.

3. Research Design and Methods: Summarize how the work will be organized and 

conducted by including one or more of the following:

• Describe the methods proposed including a clear timeline, the type of data, 

collection strategies, instruments, study sites, and other methods or 

procedures. For an evaluation, clearly describe the type of evaluation 

(randomized control trial, quasi-experimental design, or process evaluation).

• State the hypothesis and the innovative potential of the research; list and briefly 

describe the specific aims; and briefly describe the research rationale and the 

experiments that will be conducted to accomplish each aim.
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• For technology development efforts, briefly describe how the technology is to 

be introduced into practice and any key technology challenges. If applicable, 

provide an overview of the anticipated commercialization strategy. For 

technology research and development projects, briefly describe key technology 

challenges and how they will be overcome.

4. Analysis: Summarize the techniques proposed for data analysis. Summarize 

steps to be taken to strengthen the reliability and validity of the analysis. 

5. Products, Reports, and Data Archiving: Describe the expected products such as 

data sets, interim and final reports, and tools or technologies. If applicable, 

describe data to be archived under NIJ’s Data Resource Program. 

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

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

opportunity to share information with the public regarding promising but unfunded 

applications, for example, through a listing on a webpage available to the public. The 

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

such proposals. 

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

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

Granting (or failing to grant) this permission will not affect OJP’s funding decisions, and, 

if the application is not funded, granting permission will not guarantee that abstract 

information will be shared, nor will it guarantee funding from any other source.

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

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

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

3. Program Narrative

The program narrative section of the application should not exceed 18 double-spaced 

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

appendices, and government forms do not count toward the 18-page limit for the 

narrative section.

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

consider such noncompliance in peer review and in final award decisions.

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

Program Narrative Guidelines

a. Title Page (not counted against the 18-page program narrative limit).

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

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

(i.e., name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address).
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b. Resubmit Response (if applicable) (not counted against the 18-page program 

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

previously to NIJ but not funded, the applicant should submit a resubmit 

response as part of the application. The resubmit statement should provide: (1) 

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

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

should be inserted after the abstract. The resubmit statement should be no more 

than two pages in length. 

c. Table of Contents and Figures (not counted against the 18-page program 

narrative limit). 

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

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

narrative: 

• Statement of the Problem.

• Program Design and Implementation.

• Capabilities/Competencies.

• Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation.

• Dissemination Strategy.

Within these sections, the narrative should address:

• Purpose, goals, and objectives.

• Review of relevant literature.

• Detailed description of research design and methods to include: 

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

etc.

• Implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the United 

States.

• Management plan and organization.

e. Appendices (not counted against the 18-page program narrative limit) include:

• Bibliography/references (required).

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

pertaining to the proposed study (if applicable).

 Examples of when the documents listed immediately above 

may be applicable:

o If tables/graphs are referenced in the text, they should 

be included with the application. 

o If the proposed study includes analysis of survey data, 

the survey/questionnaire documents should be 

included with the application. 

o If the proposed study includes a geographical 

component or geospatial analysis, maps or other 

geospatial products should be included in the 

application. 
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• Curriculum vitae, resumes, or biographical sketches of doctoral 

student and dissertation chair (required). 

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

information to include: names, addresses, telephone numbers, and 

email addresses (required). The dissertation chair should be clearly 

identified.

• Doctoral student eligibility documentation (timeline or other 

documentation as applicable). See page 4 for details.

• Dissertation chair’s statement of support on university letterhead and 

signed by the dissertation chair (required). For information on required 

content, see page 5.

• Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones 

(required). 

• Human Subjects Protection Paperwork including Institutional Review 

Board (IRB) documentation and forms (see 

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

• Privacy Certificate (for further guidance go to 

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

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

investigator(s). 

• Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project, such as law enforcement 

and correctional agencies (if applicable).

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

proposal has been submitted (if applicable). 

4. Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative

a. Budget Detail Worksheet 

A sample Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at 

www.ojp.gov/funding/forms/budget_detail.pdf. Applicants that submit their budget in 

a different format should include the budget categories listed in the sample budget 

worksheet.

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

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

b. Budget Narrative

The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and clearly describe every category of 

expense listed in the Budget Detail Worksheet. OJP expects proposed budgets to be 

complete, cost effective, and allowable (e.g., reasonable, allocable, and necessary 

for project activities).

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

effectiveness of grant expenditures. Budget narratives should generally describe 

cost effectiveness in relation to potential alternatives and the goals of the project. For 

example, a budget narrative should detail why planned in-person meetings are 
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necessary, or how technology and collaboration with outside organizations could be 

used to reduce costs, without compromising quality.

The narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond with the information 

and figures provided in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative should explain 

how the applicant estimated and calculated all costs, and how they are relevant to 

the completion of the proposed project. The narrative may include tables for 

clarification purposes but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget 

Detail Worksheet, the Budget Narrative should be broken down by year.

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

Salaries and Wages – Personnel

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

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

month effort is equivalent to xxx hours. One academic month effort is equivalent to 

xxx hours. 

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

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

__________.

Note that direct and indirect administrative expenses of the applicant university are 

not allowable costs. 

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

percent of the total cost of the project. The application should indicate whether it is 

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

support for the project. The application should identify generally any such 

contributions that the applicant expects to make and the proposed budget should 

indicate in detail which items, if any, will be supported with non-Federal contributions.

If a successful application proposes a voluntary match amount, and OJP approves 

the budget, the total match amount incorporated into the approved budget becomes 

mandatory and subject to audit. 

5. Additional Attachments 

a. Applicant disclosure of pending applications.

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

assistance that include requests for funding to support the same project being proposed 

under this solicitation and will cover the identical cost items outlined in the budget 

narrative and worksheet in the application under this solicitation. The disclosure should 

include both direct applications for federal funding (e.g., applications to federal agencies) 

and indirect applications for such funding (e.g., applications to State agencies that will be 

subawarding federal funds).
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SAMPLE

OJP seeks this information to help avoid any inappropriate duplication of funding. 

Leveraging multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement 

comprehensive programs or projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate 

duplication.

Applicants that have pending applications as described above are to provide the 

following information about pending applications submitted within the last 12 months:

• The Federal or State funding agency.

• The solicitation name/project name.

• The point of contact information at the applicable funding agency.

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

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

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

separate attachment page (e.g., “[Applicant Name] does not have pending applications

submitted within the last 12 months for federally funded assistance that include requests 

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

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

application under this solicitation.”).

b. Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

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

under the selection criteria, in order to receive funds, the applicant’s proposal must 

demonstrate research/evaluation independence, including appropriate safeguards to 

ensure research/evaluation objectivity and integrity.

For purposes of this solicitation, research and evaluation independence and integrity 

pertains to ensuring that the design, conduct, or reporting of research/evaluation funded 

by NIJ grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts will not be biased by any personal 

or financial conflict of interest on the part of the investigators responsible for the 

research/evaluation or on the part of the applicant organization. Conflicts can be either 

actual or apparent. Examples of potential investigator (or other personal) conflict 

Federal or 

State 

Funding 

Agency 

Solicitation 

Name/Project 

Name

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

Funding Agency

DOJ/COPS COPS Hiring 

Program

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

HHS/ 

Substance 

Abuse & 

Mental Health 

Services 

Administration

Drug Free 

Communities 

Mentoring Program/ 

North County Youth 

Mentoring Program

John Doe, 202/000-0000; john.doe@hhs.gov
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situations may include where an investigator would be in a position to evaluate a 

spouse’s work product (actual conflict), or where an investigator would be in a position to 

evaluate the work of a former colleague (apparent conflict). With regard to potential 

organizational conflicts of interest, as one example, generally an organization could not 

be given a grant to evaluate a project if that organization had itself provided substantial 

prior technical assistance to that project, as the organization in such an instance would 

appear to be evaluating the effectiveness of its own prior work. The key is whether a 

reasonable person understanding all of the facts would be able to have confidence that 

the results of any research/evaluation project are objective and reliable. Any outside 

personal or financial interest that casts doubt on that objectivity and reliability is a 

problem. 

In the attachment dealing with research and evaluation independence and integrity, the 

applicant should explain the process and procedures that the applicant has put in place 

to identify and eliminate (or, at the very least, mitigate) potential personal or financial 

conflicts of interest on the part of its staff, consultants, and/or subrecipients. It should 

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

with regard to the proposed research/evaluation. If the applicant reasonably believes 

that no potential personal or organizational conflicts of interest exist, then the applicant 

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

Where potential personal or organizational conflicts of interest exist, in the attachment, 

the applicant should identify the safeguards the applicant has or will put in place to 

eliminate, mitigate, explain, or otherwise address those conflicts of interest.

Considerations in assessing research and evaluation independence and integrity will 

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

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

organization in carrying out the research, development, or evaluation activity; and the 

adequacy of the applicant’s existing or proposed remedies to control any such factors.

6. Other Standard Forms

Additional forms that OJP may require in connection with an award are available on

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

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

particular the following forms:

a. Standard Assurances*

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

of any award funds.

b. Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility 

Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements*

Applicants must read, certify, and submit in GMS prior to the receipt of any 

award funds.
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c. Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire

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

that has not received any award from OJP within the past 3 years, must 

download, complete, and submit this form.

*These OJP Standard Assurances and Certifications are forms which applicants accept in GMS. 

They are not additional forms to be uploaded at the time of application submission.

Selection Criteria

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

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

2. Demonstrated connection between problem and proposed research.

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

4. Identification of gaps in existing research.

5. Demonstrated understanding of the population under investigation.

Program Design and Implementation (Quality and technical merit) — 35%

1. Detailed and complete discussion of proposed research methods. 

2. Explanation for research method approach. 

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

4. Awareness of human subjects’ matters. 

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

6. Innovation and creativity.

Impact/Outcomes and Evaluation (Impact of the proposed project and relevance to policy and 

practice) — 20% 

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

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

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

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

and/or quality of life.

4. Relevance to the concerns of criminal justice agencies focusing on crime and justice 

problems.

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

(when applicable).

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

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

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

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

collaborate with practitioners and policymakers. The application may include letters showing 

support from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence of the applicant’s 

understanding of how policymakers and practitioners can best use and benefit from the 

proposed work. While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should also have 

broader implications for other communities nationwide.
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Capabilities/Competencies (Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of 

applicants) — 10%

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

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

leadership roles, mentoring experience, and record of publication.

2. Demonstrated ability of dissertation chair to manage endeavor.

3. Adequacy of management plan to ensure project completion.

4. University record of accomplishment with respect to doctoral candidates’ completion of 

degrees.

5. University record of past performance regarding NIJ grants and contracts. 

Dissemination Strategy — 15%

1. Extensiveness and creativity of the applicant’s plan for print and electronic product 

dissemination to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Extensive dissemination 

may include plans for peer-reviewed journal articles, web-based documents, conference 

and meeting presentations, program guides, tools, or trade articles, and identification of 

journals and organizations through which products will be released. Creativity is the 

degree to which the applicant’s plan goes beyond standard reporting requirements, such 

as a final technical report, but includes multimedia products, such as DVDs, blogs, or 

podcasts.

Review Process

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

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

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

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

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

a combination, to review the applications. An external peer reviewer is an expert in the subject 

matter of a given solicitation who is NOT a current DOJ employee. An internal reviewer is a 

current DOJ employee who is well-versed or has expertise in the subject matter of this 

solicitation. A peer review panel will evaluate, score, and rate applications that meet basic 

minimum requirements. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any resulting recommendations are 

advisory only. In addition to peer review ratings, considerations for award recommendations and 

decisions may include, but are not limited to, underserved populations, geographic diversity, 

strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding.

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), in consultation with NIJ, reviews applications 

for potential discretionary awards to evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of 

applicants, examines proposed costs to determine if the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget 

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

necessary, and allowable under applicable federal cost principles and agency regulations. 

All final award decisions will be made by the Director of the National Institute of Justice, who 

may consider factors including, but not limited to, underserved populations, geographic 

diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, and available funding when making awards.
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Additional Requirements

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

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

these additional requirements prior to submitting an application. Additional information for each 

requirement can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/funding/other_requirements.htm. 

• Civil Rights Compliance

• Civil Rights Compliance Specific to State Administering Agencies

• Faith-Based and Other Community Organizations

• Confidentiality

• Research and the Protection of Human Subjects

• Anti-Lobbying Act

• Financial and Government Audit Requirements

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

• DOJ Information Technology Standards (if applicable) 

• Single Point of Contact Review

• Non-Supplanting of State or Local Funds

• Criminal Penalty for False Statements

• Compliance with Office of Justice Programs Financial Guide

• Suspension or Termination of Funding

• Nonprofit Organizations

• For-profit Organizations

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

• Rights in Intellectual Property 

• Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA) 

• Awards in Excess of $5,000,000 – Federal Taxes Certification Requirement
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• Policy and Guidance for Conference Approval, Planning, and Reporting

• OJP Training Guiding Principles for Grantees and Subgrantees

If a proposal is funded, the award recipient will be required to submit several reports and other 

materials, including: 

Final substantive report: The final deliverable for a GRF award is an official signed copy of the 

student’s defended dissertation. 

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

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

Office of Management and Budget Circular A–133. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be 

withheld if reports are delinquent. Semi-annual progress reports will be submitted in the 

Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) format (www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/rppr).

How to Apply 

Applicants must submit applications through Grants.gov. Applicants must first register with 

Grants.gov in order to submit an application through Grants.gov, a “one-stop storefront” to find 

federal funding opportunities and apply for funding. Find complete instructions on how to 

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

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

4726 or 606–545–5035, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except federal holidays. Registering 

with Grants.gov is a one-time process; however, processing delays may occur, and it can 

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

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

In addition, OJP urges applicants to submit applications 72 hours prior to the application due 

date to allow time to receive validation messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and 

to correct in a timely fashion any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

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

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

with Grants.gov for email updates will be notified.

All applicants are required to complete the following steps: 

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

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

federal funds include a DUNS number in their applications for a new award or a 

supplement to an existing award. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence 

recognized as the universal standard for identifying and differentiating entities receiving 

federal funds. The identifier is used for tracking purposes and to validate address and 

point of contact information for federal assistance applicants, recipients, and 

subrecipients. The DUNS number will be used throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining 

a DUNS number is a free, one-time activity. Call Dun and Bradstreet at 866–705–5711 

to obtain a DUNS number or apply online at www.dnb.com. A DUNS number is usually 

received within 1-2 business days. 
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2. Acquire registration with the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM replaces 

the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database as the repository for standard 

information about federal financial assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients. 

OJP requires all applicants (other than individuals) for federal financial assistance to 

maintain current registrations in the SAM database. Applicants must be registered in 

SAM to successfully register in Grants.gov. (Previously, organizations that had 

submitted applications via Grants.gov were registered with CCR, as it was a requirement 

for Grants.gov registration. SAM registration replaces CCR as a pre-requisite for 

Grants.gov registration.) Applicants must update or renew their SAM registration 

annually to maintain an active status. 

Applicants that were previously registered in the CCR database must, at a minimum:

• Create a SAM account;

• Log in to SAM and migrate permissions to the SAM account (all the entity 

registrations and records should already have been migrated).

Applicants that were not previously registered in the CCR database must register in 

SAM prior to registering in Grants.gov. Information about SAM registration procedures 

can be accessed at www.sam.gov.

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

username and password. Complete the AOR profile on Grants.gov and create a 

username and password. The applicant organization’s DUNS number must be used to 

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

www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.

4. Acquire confirmation for the AOR from the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz 

POC). The E-Biz POC at the applicant organization must log into Grants.gov to confirm 

the applicant organization’s AOR. Note that an organization can have more than one 

AOR.

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

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

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this solicitation is 16.562, titled 

“Criminal Justice Research and Development – Graduate Research Fellowships,” and 

the funding opportunity number is NIJ-2013-3374.

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

information. Applicants that expend any funds for lobbying activities must provide the 

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

Applicants that do not expend any funds for lobbying activities should enter “N/A” in the 

required highlighted fields. 

7. Submit an application consistent with this solicitation by following the directions 

in Grants.gov. Within 24–48 hours after submitting the electronic application, the 

applicant should receive an e-mail validation message from Grants.gov. The message 

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

errors, with an explanation. Important: OJP urges applicants to submit applications at 
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least 72 hours prior to the application due date to allow time to receive validation 

messages or rejection notifications from Grants.gov, and to correct in a timely fashion 

any problems that may have caused a rejection notification.

Note: Grants.gov only permits the use of specific characters in names of attachment 

files. Valid file names may only include the following characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore 

(_), hyphen (-), space, and period. Grants.gov will forward the application to OJP’s Grants 

Management System (GMS). GMS does not accept executable file types as application 

attachments. These disallowed file types include, but are not limited to, the following 

extensions: “.com,” “.bat,” “.exe,” “.vbs,” “.cfg,” “.dat,” “.db,” “.dbf,” “.dll,” “.ini,” “.log,” “.ora,” “.sys,” 

and “.zip.”

Note: Duplicate Applications

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

version submitted. 

Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues

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

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

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

application deadline and request approval to submit their application. The e-mail must 

describe the technical difficulties, and include a timeline of the applicant’s submission efforts, 

the complete grant application, the applicant’s DUNS number, and any Grants.gov Help Desk or 

SAM tracking number(s). Note: NIJ does not automatically approve requests. After the 

program office reviews the submission, and contacts the Grants.gov or SAM Help Desks to 

validate the reported technical issues, OJP will inform the applicant whether the request to 

submit a late application has been approved or denied. If the technical issues reported cannot 

be validated, OJP will reject the application as untimely. 

The following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions: (1) failure to register 

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

posted on its Web site, (3) failure to follow each instruction in the OJP solicitation, and (4) 

technical issues with the applicant’s computer or information technology environment, including 

firewalls.

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

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

Provide Feedback to OJP on This Solicitation

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

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

review/peer review process. Feedback may be provided to 

OJPSolicitationFeedback@usdoj.gov.

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

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

you must directly contact the appropriate number or email listed on the front of this solicitation 
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document. These contacts are provided to help ensure that you can directly reach an individual 

who can address your specific questions in a timely manner. 

If you are interested in being a reviewer for other OJP grant applications, please email your 

resume to ojppeerreview@lmbps.com. The OJP Solicitation Feedback email account will not

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

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

NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship Program 

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

Eligibility Requirement: 

_____The University is fully accredited by one of the regional institutional accreditation agencies 

recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education 

_____Dissertation topic has direct implications for criminal justice policy and practice in the 

United States and is in an NIJ-supported discipline 

What an Application Should Include: 

_____ Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) (see page 10)

_____ Program Narrative (see page 12 and “Selection Criteria” page 18)

_____ Appendices to the Program Narrative: (see page 13)

_____ Bibliography/references (required)

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

pertaining to the proposed study (if applicable)

_____ Dissertation committee complete contact information (required)

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

dissertation chair (required)

_____ Doctoral student eligibility documentation (timeline or other 

documentation, as applicable)

_____ Dissertation chair’s statement of support (on university letterhead and 

signed by the dissertation chair) (required)

_____ Project timeline and research calendar with expected milestones 

(required)_____ Human Subjects Protection paperwork

_____ Privacy Certificate

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

investigators

_____ Letters of cooperation/support or administrative agreements from 

organizations collaborating in the project (if applicable)

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

this proposal has been submitted (if applicable). 

_____ Budget Detail Worksheet (see page 14)

_____ Budget Narrative (see page 14)

_____ Additional Attachments (see page 20)

_____ Applicant Disclosure of Pending Applications

_____ Research and Evaluation Independence and Integrity

_____ Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (see page 22)

_____ Other Standard Forms as applicable (see page 17), including:

_____ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (if applicable)