Title: Solicitation for Crime and Justice Research Series: Solicitation Author: National Institute of Justice Published: February 2004 Subject: Funding resources 14 pages 28,000 bytes ---------------------------- Figures, charts, forms, and tables are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice Solicitation for Crime and Justice Research Notice: You must submit your application using the Office of Justice Programs' automated Grants Management System. Paper applications will not be accepted. We suggest you begin the process as soon as possible. To start the process, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. Deadline: 9 p.m. eastern time, March 31, 2004, and September 28, 2004 SL 000663 ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street N.W. Washington, DC 20531 John Ashcroft Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels Assistant Attorney General Sarah V. Hart Director, National Institute of Justice This and other publications and products of the National Institute of Justice can be found on the World Wide Web at: Office of Justice Programs National Institute of Justice http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij ---------------------------- Solicitation for Crime and Justice Research I. Introduction The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. The Institute solicits proposals to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. NIJ is seeking proposals for crime and justice research on topics relevant to State and/or local criminal and juvenile justice policy and practice. Through this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for social and behavioral research and evaluation addressing community crime prevention, policing, juvenile and criminal justice systems improvement, corrections, alcohol- and drug-related crime, criminal behavior, and other topics (presented below) that have the potential to advance practice and policy in criminal and juvenile justice operations nationally. The Institute's specific research and evaluation interests are continually evolving in response to the needs of the field. Themes and topic areas presented in Section II of this solicitation represent directions that NIJ intends to pursue during the next few years. Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate how the proposed research advances basic knowledge, practice, and/or policy in one of these designated areas or will make a compelling case for proposed research in other areas of crime and justice. Due dates: Due dates are listed on the cover of this announcement and on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. Extensions to the deadlines are generally not granted. Page limit: The program narrative section of your proposal must not exceed 30 double-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Tables, charts, figures, appendixes, and government forms do not count toward the 30-page limit. Reasons for rejection: NIJ may reject applications that are incomplete, do not respond to the scope of the solicitation, do not comply with format requirements, or are submitted after the deadline. No additions to the original submission are allowed. How to submit proposals to NIJ: Complete details about how to apply for funding are in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. II. Proposal Topics NIJ has identified priority topic areas for research. Although any specific topic may be proposed, NIJ asks that proposals be submitted on a priority topic in one of the general areas below (cite the topic in the "Topics Designation Form" at the end of this document and submit the form with your application). Special consideration will be given to applicants who use the most rigorous research methods--in particular, randomized controlled trials--in order to maximize the validity and reliability of findings. Law Enforcement/Policing: Research or evaluation on strategies for improving police and law enforcement agencies' effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity, and enhancing officer safety, particularly through better use of public/private policing partnerships; procedures and technologies that improve the ability of police organizations to collect, analyze, disseminate, and use information effectively and to communicate reliably and securely; procedures, policies, technologies, and basic knowledge that will maximize the effectiveness of appropriate and lawful police actions; research that identifies the characteristics of partnerships between law enforcement agencies and researchers that lead to effective problem-solving and that establishes the relative importance of those characteristics; and studies addressing improved law enforcement and first responder prevention of and preparation for terrorist events. Justice Systems: Research or evaluation on the policies and operations of the criminal or juvenile justice systems (i.e., courts, corrections, probation, parole) and the functional role a policy, practice, or program plays in the broader context of the community, system, or organization, including the impact of differing sentencing strategies; how the State or local funding structures affect criminal justice cost effectiveness or cost shifting; and the impact of policies or practices in one part of the system on those "downstream" from it (i.e., the effect of court operations on managing prison populations or the impact of correctional practices on parole and reentry). Courts, Prosecution, and Defense: Research or evaluation on specialized courts and specialized prosecution strategies; charging and plea bargaining; system costs, cost effectiveness, indirect and opportunity costs of differing strategies; court services for litigants and other participants who have special needs; community prosecution; court system improvement strategies; and better understanding of how court systems are affected by the introduction of new, sophisticated scientific evidence. Corrections: Research or evaluation leading to safe, secure, and cost-effective operations in managing both adult and juvenile offenders in prisons, jails, and community corrections, including studies on assessing and managing special offender populations; the causes of violence and the strategies for reducing violence, including sexual assault and other misconduct in prisons and jails; policies and practices to manage high-risk offenders; and approaches to increase the cost effectiveness of operations or programs and containment of system costs. Offender Programs and Treatment: Research on or evaluation of treatment/intervention strategies within the correctional system, their effectiveness in influencing offender behaviors, and their impact on operations. This includes studies of substance abuse or other behavior, educational or vocational programs, programs operated by community-based (including faith-based) organizations, and programs designed to encourage successful reentry of offenders into communities. Crime Prevention/Causes of Crime: Research on delinquent/criminal behavior or evaluation of prevention programs, interventions, and strategies; studies of crime prevention in specific situations or environments using physical design, access control strategies, and technologies; community-based and faith-based approaches that prevent crime; deterrence mechanisms that prevent crime; and studies that develop cost-benefit methods that can be applied to crime prevention or control programs or that assess the cost effectiveness of specific crime prevention strategies, programs, and technologies. Violence and Victimization, Including Violent Crimes: Research on or evaluation of strategies to prevent and intervene in child abuse and neglect, other victimization of children, and youth violence (e.g., school violence, bullying, hate crime); studies of repeat and series victimization; research to help understand and prevent white collar crime, identity theft, and elder fraud; research on victims of trafficking and services for trafficking victims; research on crime victim compensation programs; studies of efforts to reduce community violence; and evaluation of policies and interventions to address crime victims' needs. (Note: Research on selected violence against women issues has been announced under separate solicitations and should not be submitted under this solicitation. Research that focuses primarily on firearms was announced under a separate solicitation and should not be submitted under this solicitation.) Drugs, Alcohol, and Crime: Research or evaluation that furthers understanding of the relationships between drugs and alcohol and crime; research and evaluation of drug-control policies and initiatives; research on the growth of new and emerging drug markets; research on and evaluation of disruption of drug markets and drug sales; and the development and evaluation of technologies used to test for illicit drugs. International Crime and Justice: Research related to transnational crime, including terrorism, corruption, human smuggling, intellectual property theft, drug trafficking, and illegal logging; the nature and interaction of the criminal groups involved in these crimes and assessments of the harm they cause; and evaluation of criminal justice responses in the transnational context. Evaluation Research. In addition to basic and applied research and program evaluation, NIJ is also interested in improving the quality and utility of evaluations through methodological research on cost-benefit analysis, evaluability assessment, and evaluation design that are pertinent to criminal justice problems. These advances may be proposed as methodology research or as integral parts of an empirical evaluation. III. General Requirements and Guidance This section describes the main requirements for submitting your proposal. Complete instructions are in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. A. Submit applications online: Paper applications are not accepted. Applications must be submitted through the Office of Justice Programs' online Grants Management System. NIJ suggests you begin the process early, especially if this is the first time you have used the system. To begin, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. There are three types of documents that can be uploaded to an application package: PDFs, Word Documents, and Text Documents. B. Relevance of the project for policy and practice: Higher-quality proposals clearly explain the practical implications of the project. They connect technical expertise with policy and practice. To ensure that the project has strong relevance for policy and practice, some researchers and technologists collaborate with practitioners and policymakers. You may include letters showing support from practitioners, but they carry less weight than clear evidence that you understand why policymakers and practitioners would benefit from your work and how they would use it. While a partnership may affect State or local activities, it should also have broader implications for others across the country. C. Equal opportunity for all applicants: It is OJP policy that faith-based and community organizations that statutorily qualify as eligible applicants under OJP programs are invited and encouraged to apply for awards. Faith-based and community organizations will be considered for an award on the same basis as any other eligible applicants and, if they receive awards, will be treated on an equal basis with nonfaith-based and community organization grantees in the administration of such awards. No eligible applicant or grantee will be discriminated against on the basis of its religious character or affiliation, religious name, or the religious composition of its board of directors or persons working in the organization. D. Cofunding is not required: You are not required to combine NIJ funds with other funds (for example, you do not need matching funds), but if you intend to use multiple funding sources to support your proposed effort, the budget you submit must show the other funds. E. Number of grants to be awarded: NIJ's grant award process is highly competitive. The number of awards to be made depends on the availability of funds and the number and quality of applications received. F. When awards will be made: The review and approval process takes about 6 months. Therefore, you should not propose to begin work until at least 6 months after the deadline on the cover of this solicitation. Also, you should not expect to receive notification of a decision for at least 6 months after that date. Lists of awards are updated regularly on NIJ's Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. G. Financial audits are required: If your organization spends $500,000 or more of Federal funds during the year, you will be required to submit an organization- wide financial and compliance audit report before any award is made. The audit must be performed in accordance with the U.S. General Accounting Office Government Accounting Standards and must conform to Chapter 19 of the Office of Justice Programs' Financial Guide (available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/FinGuide). You may include the costs of complying with these audits in the proposed budget submitted as part of your application. Detailed information regarding the independent audit is available in Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133 (available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars). H. An environmental assessment may be required: All award recipients must comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To ensure NEPA compliance, NIJ may require some award recipients to submit additional information. I. Protection of confidentiality: Federal regulations require applicants for NIJ funding to outline specific procedures for protecting private information about individuals as part of the Privacy Certificate submitted with the application package. For complete details, see http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. J. New requirement--DUNS number: Beginning October 1, 2003, a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number must be included in every application for a new award or renewal of an award. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant submits an application through the Office of Justice Programs' Grants Management System or using the government-wide electronic portal (http://www.grants.gov). An application will not be considered complete until a valid DUNS number is provided by the applicant. Individuals who would personally receive a grant or cooperative agreement from the Federal government are exempt from this requirement. Applicants can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711. If you have questions, contact the Office of Justice Programs' Office of the Comptroller's Customer Service Center at 1-800-458-0786. K. Funds cannot be used to lobby: Under the Anti-Lobbying Act (18 U.S.C. [section] 1913), grantees generally may not use funds to support the enactment, repeal, or modification of any law, regulation, or policy at any level of government. For the complete rules and regulations, see "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications" at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm and OJP's Financial Guide at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/FinGuide. L. What will not be funded: 1. Research on selected violence against women issues. This has been announced under separate solicitations. (See the "Funding Opportunities" page, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm, on the NIJ Web site.) Proposals should not be submitted under this solicitation. 2. Research on firearms violence. This has been announced under a separate solicitation. (See the "Funding Opportunities" page, http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm, on the NIJ Web site.) Proposals should not be submitted under this solicitation. 3. Proposals for science and technology testing or development grants are not eligible under this solicitation. Typically, NIJ does not fund the following: 1. Provision of training or direct service. 2. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, material, or supplies. (Your budget may include these if they are necessary to conduct applied research, development, demonstration, evaluation or analysis, but NIJ does not fund proposals that are primarily to purchase equipment.) M. Cost of proposed work: Multiple awards, ranging from less than $100,000 to $300,000--and occasionally more--will be made. The number of awards will depend on the funds available and the number of high-quality applications. If you propose a project that exceeds the amount of money available under this solicitation, we recommend that you divide the project into phases, stages, or tasks so that NIJ can consider making an award for a specific portion of the work. NIJ cannot guarantee that subsequent phases, stages, or tasks will be funded. Such additional funding depends on NIJ's resources and your satisfactory completion of each phase, stage, or task. Note: Deliverables (e.g., a final report) will be required at the end of each phase, stage, or task. N. Call for assistance: 1. For technical guidance about using the Grants Management System, call the hotline at 1-888-549-9901. 2. For questions about this solicitation, the research being solicited, or other NIJ funding opportunities, contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. IV. Selection Criteria NIJ is firmly committed to the competitive process in awarding grants. All proposals are subjected to an independent peer-review panel evaluation. External peer-review panelists consider both technical and programmatic merits. Panelists are selected based on their expertise in subject areas pertinent to the proposals. Peer-review panelists evaluate each proposal and give their assessments to NIJ. NIJ staff then recommend to the NIJ Director which proposals are most worthy of an award. The Director makes final award decisions. Successful applicants must demonstrate the following: A. Understanding of the problem and its importance. B. Quality and technical merit. 1. Awareness of the state of current research or technology. 2. Soundness of methodology and analytic and technical approach. 3. Feasibility of proposed project and awareness of pitfalls. 4. Innovation and creativity (when appropriate). C. Impact of the proposed project. 1. Potential for significant advances in scientific or technical understanding of the problem. 2. Potential for significant advances in the field. 3. Relevance for improving the policy and practice of criminal justice and related agencies and improving public safety, security, and quality of life. 4. Affordability and cost-effectiveness of proposed end products, when applicable (e.g., purchase price and maintenance costs for a new technology or cost of training to use the technology). 5. Perceived potential for commercialization and/or implementation of a new technology (when applicable). D. Capabilities, demonstrated productivity, and experience of applicants. 1. Qualifications and experience of proposed staff. 2. Demonstrated ability of proposed staff and organization to manage the effort. 3. Adequacy of the plan to manage the project, including how various tasks are subdivided and resources are used. 4. Successful past performance on NIJ grants and contracts (when applicable). E. Budget. 1. Total cost of the project relative to the perceived benefit. 2. Appropriateness of the budget relative to the level of effort. 3. Use of existing resources to conserve costs. F. Dissemination strategy. 1. Well-defined plan for the grant recipient to disseminate results to appropriate audiences, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. 2. Suggestions for print and electronic products NIJ might develop for practitioners and policymakers. V. Requirements for Successful Applicants If your proposal is funded, you will be required to submit several reports and other materials as follows: A. Final report: The final report should be a comprehensive overview of the project and should include a detailed description of the project design, data, and methods; a full presentation of scientific findings; and a thorough discussion of the implications of the project findings for criminal justice practice and policy. It must contain an abstract of no more than 400 words and an executive summary of no more than 2,500 words. A draft of the final report, abstract, and executive summary must be submitted 90 days before the end date of the grant. The draft report will be peer reviewed upon submission. The reviews will be forwarded to the principal investigator with suggestions for revisions. The principal investigator must then submit the revised final report, abstract, and executive summary by the end date of the grant. The abstract, executive summary, and final report must be submitted in both paper and electronic formats. For evaluation studies, the report should include a section on measuring program performance. This section should outline the measures used to evaluate program effectiveness, modifications made to those measures as a result of the evaluation, and recommendations regarding these and other potential performance measures for similar programs. (This information will be particularly valuable to NIJ and other Federal program agencies in implementing performance measures for federally funded criminal justice programs.) B. Interim reports: Grantees must submit quarterly financial reports, semi-annual progress reports, and a final progress report. Future awards and fund drawdowns may be withheld if reports are delinquent. Post-award reporting requirements are described in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. C. Materials concerning protection of confidential information and human subjects: Recipients of NIJ research funds must comply with Federal regulations concerning the protection of private information about individuals. Recipients also must comply with Federal regulations concerning protection of human subjects. In general, all research involving human subjects that is conducted or supported by NIJ funds must be reviewed and approved by an Institutional Review Board before Federal funds are expended for that research. NIJ may also ask grant recipients for additional information related to privacy and human subjects testing. Additional general information regarding NIJ's requirements for privacy and protection of human subjects appears in "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. Complete information about NIJ's requirements can be found at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/humansubjects. D. Electronic data: Some grant recipients will be required to submit electronic data and supporting documentation, such as a codebook or dictionary, capable of being re-analyzed and used by other researchers. The materials must be submitted by the end date of the grant. Grant applicants should ensure that the proposed timeline and budget accommodate these requirements. E. Performance guidelines: NIJ collects data to comply with the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), Public Law 103-62. Generally, these data are contained in a grantee's final report (discussed in Section V of this solicitation), but NIJ may request additional information to facilitate future planning and to ensure accurate reporting to Congress and others on the measurable results of grants. For complete details, see "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. ---------------------------- Topics Designation Form Indicate one primary topic area under which this proposal should reviewed. o Violence and other criminal behaviors o Sex offenders/offenses o Victims of crime o Crime and delinquency prevention o Child abuse and neglect o Juvenile delinquency o Policing practices, organization, and administration o Terrorism or counter-terrorism o Drugs, drugs and crime, alcohol, and drug testing o Drug treatment o White collar crime, cybercrime o Transnational crime, organized crime o Justice systems o Courts, prosecution, and defense o Corrections o Offender programs and treatment o Crime mapping and spatial analysis o Other thematic areas: (Include this form as part of Attachment C: Other Program Attachments. See "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available on the NIJ Web site at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm.) ---------------------------- Tips for Submitting Your Application 1. Begin the application process early--especially if you have never used the online Grants Management System before. NIJ will not accept applications received after the closing date and time listed on the cover. To start the process, go to http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/fundopps.htm. 2. Be sure your application package includes-- o Abstract of no more than 400 words. o Complete budget, including detailed worksheet and narrative. o Program narrative. 3. Review "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications" for complete instructions, available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. 4. Although your proposal may budget for the purchase of equipment if the equipment is necessary to conduct the project, NIJ will not fund applications that are primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. 5. Call for help: o For technical guidance about the Grants Management System, call the hotline at 1-888-549-9901. o For questions about this solicitation, the research being solicited, or other NIJ funding opportunities, contact the U.S. Department of Justice Response Center at 1-800-421-6770. ---------------------------- View or print a copy of this document from the NIJ Web site (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm) or request one by calling NCJRS at 1-800-851-3420 or e-mailing askncjrs@ncjrs.org ---------------------------- The National Institute of Justice is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice. NIJ provides objective, independent, evidence-based knowledge and tools to enhance the administration of justice and public safety. NIJ is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and the Office for Victims of Crime. ---------------------------- SL 000663