Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2020 17170
The Department of Justice, through the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), offered a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Assessing the Effectiveness of the Second Chance Act Grant Program: A Phased Evaluation Approach, Fiscal Year 2020" (Funding Opportunity Number: NIJ 2020 17170). The core purpose of the solicitation was to fund a rigorous research evaluation of the Second Chance Act (SCA) grant program, with a clear emphasis on determining how well SCA-funded efforts support successful reentry and reduce recidivism. In practical terms, NIJ was looking for a research partner capable of stepping back from individual local projects and producing credible evidence about whether, how, and under what conditions SCA investments lead to measurable public safety and reintegration benefits.
The solicitation called for a phased evaluation strategy rather than a single, one-size-fits-all study. That phased approach was meant to capture the full lifecycle and real-world functioning of SCA grants. It signaled that NIJ expected applicants to examine not only end results, but also how programs were implemented, what services and processes were actually delivered, and how closely sites followed their intended program models. The evaluation was expected to cover multiple dimensions: implementation and fidelity (what was put in place and how well it matched the plan), process (how participants moved through services and what barriers emerged), outcomes (short- and medium-term changes for participants), costs (resources required to run the programs), and impacts (the net effect attributable to SCA-funded interventions, ideally using designs that can support causal conclusions when feasible). Taken together, the goal was a comprehensive assessment that could inform future funding decisions, identify effective practices, and improve accountability for reentry programming.
NIJ positioned this work within a broader Department of Justice priority, specifically DOJ Strategic Objective 3.1: combating violent crime, promoting safe communities, and upholding the rights of crime victims. While the SCA is centered on reentry, the underlying policy logic is that effective reentry can reduce repeat offending, lower victimization, and strengthen community safety. The solicitation therefore aligned evaluation goals with public safety outcomes, including reductions in recidivism, and likely encouraged attention to how programs affect both individuals returning from incarceration and the communities to which they return.
The opportunity was open to a wide range of eligible applicants, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of reentry research and the practical need to partner with justice agencies and service providers. Eligible entities included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other applicants as described in the solicitation’s additional eligibility language. This broad eligibility suggests NIJ anticipated proposals from universities, research organizations, and policy institutes, often in collaboration with corrections departments, community supervision agencies, courts, or community-based reentry providers that interact directly with SCA-funded programs and participants.
From a funding standpoint, the grant instrument type was a standard grant under a research and justice-related funding activity category (Law, Justice and Legal Services, and Science and Technology/other R&D), and it was associated with CFDA number 16.560. NIJ anticipated making a single award, with an award ceiling of $1,500,000. The solicitation was created on March 25, 2020, with an original application closing date of May 26, 2020. The single-award structure and relatively substantial ceiling indicate NIJ was likely seeking one lead evaluator to design and execute a large, coordinated evaluation plan that could produce findings of national relevance for the Second Chance Act portfolio.
Overall, this opportunity was essentially an invitation to build a strong evidence base around the Second Chance Act grant program. NIJ sought proposals that could credibly document what SCA grantees did on the ground, measure participant and system outcomes, estimate the costs of delivering services, and determine whether the program produced meaningful reductions in recidivism and improvements in reentry success. The phased design requirement underscored the expectation of a structured, methodical evaluation that progresses from understanding implementation to testing outcomes and impacts, generating actionable lessons for practitioners, policymakers, and future federal reentry investments.Apply for NIJ 2020 17170
- The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assessing the Effectiveness of the Second Chance Act Grant Program: A Phased Evaluation Approach, Fiscal Year 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 25, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 26, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this NIJ grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Assessing the Effectiveness of the Second Chance Act Grant Program: A Phased Evaluation Approach, Fiscal Year 2020."
Which agency is offering this grant?
The grant was offered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) through the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NIJ 2020 17170.
What is the main purpose of this solicitation?
The core purpose is to fund a rigorous research evaluation of the Second Chance Act (SCA) grant program, focusing on how well SCA-funded efforts support successful reentry and reduce recidivism.
Is this grant intended to fund direct reentry services?
Based on the description provided, the emphasis is on funding an evaluation (research) of the Second Chance Act grant program rather than funding service delivery at local sites.
What is the Second Chance Act (SCA) connection in this opportunity?
This solicitation is specifically about evaluating the Second Chance Act grant program, with the goal of producing credible evidence about whether, how, and under what conditions SCA investments lead to measurable public safety and reintegration benefits.
What does NIJ mean by a "phased evaluation approach"?
The solicitation called for a phased strategy instead of a single one-size-fits-all study. The phased approach is intended to reflect the full lifecycle and real-world functioning of SCA grants, progressing from understanding implementation to examining outcomes and impacts.
What kinds of evaluation components were expected to be included?
The evaluation was expected to cover multiple dimensions, including implementation and fidelity, process, outcomes, costs, and impacts.
What is meant by "implementation and fidelity" in this context?
Implementation and fidelity refers to what was put in place at program sites and how closely the delivered services and activities matched the intended program model or plan.
What is meant by "process" evaluation here?
Process evaluation focuses on how participants move through services and what barriers emerge during delivery, participation, or coordination across agencies and providers.
What outcomes was NIJ interested in measuring?
The description emphasizes measuring short- and medium-term changes for participants and tracking reentry success, with particular attention to recidivism-related outcomes tied to public safety.
What does "cost" evaluation involve for this solicitation?
Cost evaluation involves estimating the resources required to run SCA-funded programs, helping clarify what it takes to deliver services and what costs are associated with implementation.
What does NIJ mean by "impact" in the evaluation?
Impact refers to the net effect attributable to SCA-funded interventions. The solicitation indicated a preference for designs that can support causal conclusions when feasible.
Was NIJ looking for findings that are broader than individual local project results?
Yes. NIJ sought a research partner able to step back from individual local projects and produce credible evidence about whether and how SCA investments produce measurable benefits.
How does this solicitation align with DOJ priorities?
NIJ positioned the work within DOJ Strategic Objective 3.1: combating violent crime, promoting safe communities, and upholding the rights of crime victims. The logic described is that effective reentry can reduce repeat offending, lower victimization, and strengthen community safety.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 16.560.
What type of grant instrument was anticipated?
The grant instrument type was a standard grant.
What funding activity category was this opportunity associated with?
It was associated with Law, Justice and Legal Services and Science and Technology/other R&D.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, other than higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other applicants as described in the solicitation's additional eligibility language.
Does the eligibility list suggest the type of applicant NIJ expected?
The broad eligibility suggests NIJ anticipated proposals from universities, research organizations, and policy institutes, often collaborating with justice agencies and service providers that interact directly with SCA-funded programs and participants.
How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?
NIJ anticipated making a single award.
What was the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling was $1,500,000.
When was the solicitation created?
The solicitation was created on March 25, 2020.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was May 26, 2020.
What does a "single award" structure imply about the scope of work?
It implies NIJ likely intended to fund one lead evaluator to design and execute a large, coordinated evaluation plan capable of producing findings of national relevance for the Second Chance Act portfolio.
What kind of deliverables or results was NIJ seeking from the funded work?
NIJ sought a comprehensive assessment that could document what SCA grantees did on the ground, measure participant and system outcomes, estimate costs, and determine whether programs produced meaningful reductions in recidivism and improvements in reentry success.
Why did NIJ emphasize "rigorous" research?
The description indicates NIJ wanted credible evidence about effectiveness, including (when feasible) evaluation designs that can support causal conclusions, to inform future funding decisions, identify effective practices, and strengthen accountability.
What audiences were the evaluation findings expected to help?
The findings were described as intended to generate actionable lessons for practitioners, policymakers, and future federal reentry investments.
Does the information specify the exact evaluation methodology required?
No specific methodology is spelled out in the provided information, but NIJ indicated an interest in approaches that can support causal conclusions when feasible and in a phased strategy covering implementation through impacts.
Does the opportunity describe partnerships with corrections or community providers?
It suggests that collaboration with corrections departments, community supervision agencies, courts, or community-based reentry providers may be important, since those entities interact directly with SCA-funded programs and participants.
What is the bottom-line goal of funding this evaluation?
The overall goal was to build a strong evidence base for the Second Chance Act grant program by understanding implementation, measuring outcomes and costs, and determining whether SCA-funded efforts reduce recidivism and improve reentry success.
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