Title: Visiting Fellowship Program Series: Solicitation Author: National Institute of Justice Published: November 2003 Subject: Funding resource 13 pages 26,000 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 November 2003 Visiting Fellowship Program 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: January 23, 2004 SL 000634 ------------------------------ 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 ------------------------------ Visiting Fellowship Program I. Introduction The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is the research, development, and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and a component of the Office of Justice Programs. The Institute 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's Visiting Fellowship Program supports the investigation, analysis, and development of innovative approaches that enhance justice and advance public policy decisionmaking on issues related to crime, violence, and substance abuse. NIJ offers criminal justice researchers, scholars, and practitioners--both international and domestic--the opportunity to undertake research and development projects of interest to NIJ and of substantial benefit to the administration of justice in the United States as well as to the international community. Through the program, Fellows may investigate new methods for resolving operational problems and become involved in NIJ's national criminal justice research program. Visiting Fellows study topics of mutual interest to the Fellow and the Institute while in residence at NIJ for 12 to 24 months. Due date: The due date is 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 deadline are generally not granted. Page limit: The program narrative section of your proposal must not exceed 6 double-spaced pages in 12-point font with 1-inch margins. Tables, charts, figures, appendixes, and government forms do not count toward the 6-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 offers criminal justice researchers, scholars, and practitioners--both international and domestic--the opportunity to undertake research and development projects of interest to NIJ and of substantial benefit to the administration of justice in the United States as well as to the international community. A. Researcher Visiting Fellowship: NIJ solicits applications from candidates with extensive experience in criminal justice research. These applicants may be currently employed in research settings, such as colleges and universities, private nonprofit research institutions, or State and local research agencies. Research topics have focused on improving the working assumptions and tools on which criminal justice operations are based and on improving field and investigative operations. NIJ is particularly interested in applications from candidates working in areas related to the long-range goals of the Institute's research, evaluation, and science and technology programs, including forensic science. B. Practitioner Visiting Fellowship: NIJ seeks research-oriented practitioners at the middle and upper levels of the justice profession. These applicants, with experience in all aspects of criminal justice, will have demonstrated their leadership ability and a particular field-based expertise that they wish to enhance through the Fellowship program. Previous practitioner visiting fellow studies have focused on policy issues that may require technical design input from NIJ professional staff. Fellows may also address the application of science and technology within criminal justice. C. International Visiting Fellowship: NIJ seeks criminal justice professionals and researchers who propose to undertake research and development projects of interest to NIJ and valuable to the administration of justice in the United States and throughout the world. Specifically, NIJ will host foreign scholars and award fellowships to researchers to perform research or program development activities related to international and transnational criminal justice issues. NIJ is particularly interested in issues that have direct implications for crime and justice in the United States. D. Priority areas for NIJ's Visiting Fellowship Program: NIJ will give preference to proposals in the following high-priority areas: o Program evaluation: Proposals to develop the capacity to conduct cost- effective and cost-benefit evaluations of criminal justice programs and technologies; improve the rigor of NIJ evaluations; expand/improve/refine evaluation methodologies and models; improve evaluation utilization by policymakers, practitioners, and program developers through collaborative partnerships and processes. o Information sharing for criminal justice: Proposals to develop new approaches to information sharing among criminal justice agencies for use in law enforcement operations, intelligence gathering and analysis, integrated justice, and court proceedings; evaluate information sharing approaches in use by criminal justice agencies to determine best practices and cost-effective solutions. o Technology assistance: Proposals to evaluate technology assistance activities provided by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center system and the Forensic Resource Network to enhance the technological capabilities and capacity of law enforcement, corrections, and other criminal justice agencies at the Federal, State, and local levels. o Courts, prosecution, and defense: Proposals to conduct research and evaluation that employs a sophisticated understanding of organizational structures to examine court operations, prosecutorial practices, defense systems, and/or treatment programs requiring judicial oversight of court mandated compliance (i.e., drug treatment courts and mental health courts). o Counterterrorism/critical incidents: Proposals to synthesize existing knowledge about terrorist groups, their structures, motives, finances, and similar elements; develop knowledge and tools that help prevent, deter, or apprehend terrorists, including improving intelligence gathering, information sharing, risk assessment, target hardening, surveillance, and detection; improve the tools and techniques available to first responders in a critical incident; evaluate and refine technologies, practices, and procedures to minimize harm to persons, property, and communities from terrorism. Applications that make use of data, where appropriate, available in the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACJD will also be given preferential consideration. E. Expectations for Fellows: Fellows are expected to prepare reports, suitable for publication by NIJ, summarizing the results and policy implications of their research. Specific products in the award package will be negotiated with Fellows during the preaward period. Fellows also may be asked to-- o Participate in developing plans for nationally significant criminal justice research programs relating to the Fellow's proposed research and field of expertise. o Collaborate with Institute staff and other Fellows. o Develop and make presentations to inform and involve the Institute's research and development community and program partners in discussion and interpretation of research findings and policy implications. o Assist NIJ in developing informational materials for new or current projects. o Provide technical assistance in specific program areas. F. Guidance for submitting concept papers: Under this solicitation, NIJ is asking that you propose a project through a 6-page concept paper that captures the essence of a full proposal. "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications" and the Office of Justice Programs' Grants Management System (GMS) handbook describe the process for submitting applications for full proposals, not concept papers. (The main differences between a concept paper and a full proposal are page count and amount of detail in the budget. Concept papers are much shorter than full proposals and do not contain detailed budgets.) Your concept paper should state the research objectives, how the work described would contribute to knowledge and practice, and how the Fellow's residence at NIJ would contribute to the work of the Institute. While the concept paper should not include a detailed budget or management plan, it should include an estimate of the funding required, summarized by task, and a general timeframe for completion of those tasks and the project as a whole. o Review process. The Institute will review each concept paper for suitability with current NIJ needs and priorities and selectively invite the development of a full proposal reflecting a scope of work and work plan of mutual interest. Use section "III. General Requirements and Guidance" as a framework for your concept paper because it will be the framework for your full proposal if you are invited to submit one. o Using GMS for concept papers. GMS does not consider an application complete until three files are uploaded: (1) Program Narrative, (2) Budget Detail Worksheet and Narrative, and (3) Other Program Attachments. Upload your concept paper in the "Program Narrative" box. Concept papers do not have Budget Detail Worksheets and Narratives and do not have Other Program Attachments. Hence, you should upload blank files into those boxes in GMS. 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. 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's 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 an award, will be treated on an equal basis with non-faith-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 fiscal year, you may be asked 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. A DUNS number is required: The Office of Management and Budget requires that all businesses and nonprofit applicants for Federal funds include a DUNS (Data Universal Numeric System) number in their application for a new award or renewal of an award. Applications without a DUNS number are incomplete. A DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and keeping track of entities receiving Federal funds. The identifier is used for tracking purposes and to validate address and point of contact information. NIJ will use the DUNS number throughout the grant life cycle. Obtaining a DUNS number is a free, one-time activity. Obtain one by calling 1-866-705-5711 or by applying online at http://www.dunandbradstreet.com. Individuals are exempt from this requirement. J. What will not be funded: Typically, NIJ does not fund the following: 1. Provision of training or direct service.. 2. Proposals primarily to purchase equipment, materials, or supplies. (Your budget may include these items 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.) 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. Award amount: Funding allocations for this program are based on the quality of the proposals received and the extent to which they are related to ongoing research, evaluation, or science and technology priorities of NIJ. Fellows receive full financial and logistical support from NIJ as well as access to the abundant criminal justice resources of NIJ and the Nation's capital. Awards cover salary, fringe benefits, reasonable costs of relocation, travel expenses essential to the project, and office expenses not provided by NIJ (e.g., computers and research assistants). Applicants should develop a reasonable budget that adequately covers the costs of the proposed project. Visiting Fellowships last from 12 to 24 months. The period in residency and starting date at NIJ are negotiable. NIJ recognizes that in extraordinary cases a move to the Washington, D.C., area could impose a financial hardship. Hence, the salary may be adjusted to compensate for differences in costs of living between the applicant's place of residence and Washington, D.C. This differential cannot exceed 20 percent of the applicant's current salary. An allocation for relocation expenses may be approved to supplement the cost of temporary housing in the Washington, D.C., area or commuter travel from the Fellow's permanent residence to Washington, D.C. For this program, no indirect costs are allowable. M. 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. Documents that protect the confidentiality of information and human subjects: 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 "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications," available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. 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. ------------------------------ 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. Review "NIJ Guidelines for Submitting Applications" for complete instructions, available at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/funding.htm. 3. 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. 4. 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. ------------------------------