Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2018 14121
The NIJ FY18 Criminal Justice Requirements and Resources Consortium grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2018 14121) is a discretionary Department of Justice solicitation run by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to strengthen innovation in criminal justice research and practice. The core idea is to support a consortium that can serve as a central hub for identifying, tracking, and communicating the criminal justice field's emerging problems, unmet needs, and promising opportunities. NIJ is looking for a group that can translate what is happening on the ground into actionable insights that help shape research priorities and practical solutions, while also keeping key audiences informed.
This opportunity emphasizes the role of timely, real-world feedback in driving useful research. NIJ wants proposals that can effectively inform practitioners, policy makers, industry providers, federal agencies, and NIJ itself about what the criminal justice community is facing now and what it is likely to face next. In practice, that means the consortium is expected to maintain strong connections across criminal justice stakeholders, gather requirements and resource needs from the field, and surface trends that could guide technology development, program design, and future research investments. The solicitation frames this as a way to ensure research is not isolated from day-to-day operational realities, and that innovations respond to genuine needs rather than abstract questions.
A notable feature of the solicitation is its recognition that innovation does not only come from universities or outside researchers. It also comes from within criminal justice agencies themselves, especially law enforcement organizations that are increasingly interested in building internal capacity to ask researchable questions, use data responsibly, and evaluate what works. For that reason, NIJ signals a desire to continue supporting programs like LEADS, an NIJ initiative focused on building in-house research capabilities among law enforcement officers and agencies. The consortium is therefore positioned not just as an information clearinghouse, but also as a mechanism that can reinforce practitioner-driven learning and evidence-building, helping agencies become smarter consumers and producers of research.
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, which generally means NIJ anticipates substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on priorities, deliverables, or coordination with related federal efforts. The solicitation lists an award ceiling of $500,000 and indicates NIJ expects to make one award, suggesting NIJ is aiming to fund a single lead organization (or lead applicant with partners) to coordinate the consortium's activities at a national level rather than dividing funds across multiple independent projects.
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); individuals; and for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profit entities). This wide eligibility reflects NIJ's interest in practical capability and connectivity to the field, not just a particular organizational type. The funding activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services under CFDA 16.560.
Key administrative details include a creation date of March 27, 2018, and an original closing date of May 29, 2018. In summary, this grant opportunity is designed to fund a single consortium that can keep NIJ and the broader criminal justice ecosystem aligned with the field's changing needs, while supporting practitioner-centered innovation and research capacity building, including continued emphasis on efforts like LEADS.Apply for NIJ 2018 14121
- The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY18 Criminal Justice Requirements and Resources Consortium" 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 27, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 29, 2018. (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 $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), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): NIJ FY18 Criminal Justice Requirements and Resources Consortium (NIJ 2018 14121)
1) What is this grant opportunity?
This is the NIJ FY18 Criminal Justice Requirements and Resources Consortium solicitation (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2018 14121). It is a discretionary Department of Justice funding opportunity run by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) intended to strengthen innovation in criminal justice research and practice.
2) What is the main purpose of the proposed project?
The core purpose is to support a consortium that operates as a central hub for identifying, tracking, and communicating emerging problems, unmet needs, and promising opportunities in the criminal justice field. The consortium is meant to translate real-world, on-the-ground developments into actionable insights that can shape research priorities and practical solutions.
3) What does NIJ mean by a "consortium" in this solicitation?
Based on the solicitation description, the consortium is expected to function as a coordinated, national-level hub that stays closely connected to criminal justice stakeholders, gathers requirements and resource needs from the field, and communicates trends and insights to key audiences. The opportunity indicates NIJ expects a single award, which suggests one lead organization (potentially with partners) would coordinate the consortium rather than multiple independent projects being funded separately.
4) Why is NIJ emphasizing "requirements" and "resources"?
NIJ is emphasizing timely, real-world feedback so that research and innovation are driven by operational realities. The idea is to ensure research is not isolated from day-to-day practice, and that technology development, program design, and future research investments respond to genuine needs identified by the criminal justice community.
5) Who is the consortium expected to inform?
The solicitation states the consortium should effectively inform practitioners, policy makers, industry providers, federal agencies, and NIJ itself about current and emerging challenges, needs, and likely future issues facing the criminal justice field.
6) What kinds of activities is the consortium expected to carry out?
From the information provided, expected activities include maintaining strong connections across criminal justice stakeholders, gathering requirements and resource needs from the field, identifying trends and emerging issues, and communicating those findings in a way that helps guide research priorities and practical solutions.
7) How does this opportunity define "innovation" in criminal justice?
The solicitation frames innovation as being informed by real-world needs and operational experience, not just academic research. It recognizes that innovation can come from within criminal justice agencies themselves, alongside universities and outside researchers, particularly as agencies build the ability to ask researchable questions, use data responsibly, and evaluate what works.
8) What is the connection to NIJ's LEADS program?
The solicitation notes NIJ's desire to continue supporting programs like LEADS, an NIJ initiative focused on building in-house research capabilities among law enforcement officers and agencies. The consortium is positioned as a mechanism that can reinforce practitioner-driven learning and evidence-building, helping agencies become better consumers and producers of research.
9) What type of award is being offered?
The award is structured as a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates NIJ anticipates substantial involvement during the project period, such as collaboration on priorities and deliverables, and coordination with related federal efforts.
10) How much funding is available?
The solicitation lists an award ceiling of $500,000.
11) How many awards does NIJ expect to make?
NIJ indicates it expects to make one award, suggesting a single lead applicant (or a lead applicant with partners) will coordinate consortium activities at a national level.
12) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those categories); individuals; and for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profit entities).
13) Does NIJ restrict eligibility to universities or research institutions?
No. The solicitation describes wide eligibility across government entities, higher education, tribal governments and organizations, nonprofits, individuals, and for-profit organizations. The description emphasizes practical capability and connectivity to the field rather than limiting participation to a single organizational type.
14) What is the CFDA number and program area for this opportunity?
The funding activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services under CFDA 16.560.
15) When was this opportunity created and when was it originally due?
The solicitation lists a creation date of March 27, 2018, and an original closing date of May 29, 2018.
16) What problem is NIJ trying to solve with this consortium?
NIJ is trying to close the gap between research and practice by creating a structured way to capture evolving field needs and translate them into research priorities and practical innovation pathways. The consortium model is intended to keep NIJ and the broader criminal justice ecosystem aligned with what agencies are experiencing now and what they are likely to face next.
17) What makes this solicitation different from a typical research grant?
Rather than funding a standalone research study, this solicitation is aimed at building and operating a national-level hub that gathers and communicates requirements, unmet needs, and emerging issues. It is also issued as a cooperative agreement, which indicates more active NIJ engagement during the project.
18) Is this opportunity focused only on law enforcement?
The description references criminal justice broadly and identifies multiple key audiences (practitioners, policy makers, industry providers, federal agencies, and NIJ). It also specifically highlights law enforcement capacity building through LEADS as an important element, but the overall framing is about criminal justice field needs and cross-stakeholder connectivity.
19) What role do practitioners play in the consortium's work?
Practitioners are central to the concept described. The consortium is expected to capture real-world feedback and operational realities, reinforce practitioner-driven learning and evidence-building, and help ensure innovations respond to genuine field needs rather than abstract questions.
20) What is NIJ expecting in terms of national coordination?
Because NIJ expects to make one award, the solicitation implies the funded entity will coordinate consortium activities at a national level, serving as a central point for identifying and communicating needs and trends across the criminal justice ecosystem.
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