Opportunity Information: Apply for O NIJ 2023 171774

The NIJ FY23 Research and Evaluation on Correctional Culture and Climate opportunity is a discretionary research grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), focused on improving how correctional agencies understand and manage organizational culture and day-to-day climate inside prisons, jails, and similar facilities. The core intent is to fund rigorous research and evaluation that helps agencies better achieve their missions, especially maintaining safe, humane, and secure environments for both staff and incarcerated people. NIJ is looking for studies that go beyond surface descriptions and instead explain how culture and climate shape outcomes like safety, working conditions, staff recruitment and retention, and an agency's ability to implement and sustain operational or programmatic reforms over time.

The solicitation is explicitly tied to broader Department of Justice priorities that emphasize civil rights and racial equity, improved access to justice, support for victims and justice-involved individuals, stronger community safety, and building public trust. In practical terms, NIJ wants projects that can generate credible evidence correctional leaders, policymakers, and practitioners can use to make real changes, not just publish findings. Applicants are encouraged to form multidisciplinary research teams, bringing together complementary methods and expertise (for example, combining quantitative analysis of administrative data with qualitative interviews or ethnographic work, organizational psychology, criminology, public health, or implementation science).

A major feature of this opportunity is NIJ's emphasis on meaningful engagement with people who have lived experience related to the topic. Proposals get special consideration when the research design includes authentic involvement of groups such as correctional practitioners, community members, service providers, victims, and people with justice system involvement. NIJ also expects projects to measure and seriously consider diversity, discrimination, and bias where applicable, across characteristics such as age, gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. This is framed as a substantive research expectation, not a check-the-box requirement, meaning applicants should be prepared to incorporate these issues into their data collection, measurement strategy, and analysis plan.

For projects that rely on partnerships with criminal justice agencies or other organizations, NIJ requires clear evidence that the partners are on board. Applications should include letters of support signed by an appropriate decision-making authority at each partnering agency. These letters must specifically acknowledge NIJ's data archiving requirement: de-identified data produced or obtained through the award must be archived with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at the end of the project. Applicants and partners are expected to follow NIJ data archiving guidance, and if selected, grantees must have formal agreements in place with partners by January 1, 2024, including contract language that supports the archiving requirement.

NIJ also places strong weight on dissemination that is designed to drive policy and practice change. Proposals are expected to include robust, creative, multi-pronged dissemination plans, ideally built around strategic partnerships with organizations and associations positioned to reach decision-makers in corrections and translate findings into action. Special consideration is given to applications that dedicate at least 15 percent of the requested budget to implementing these dissemination strategies, and applicants must show that commitment clearly in the Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative.

Administratively, this is a grant opportunity under CFDA 16.560 (science and technology and other research and development). Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; public housing authorities; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses, subject to any limits described in the solicitation. The opportunity number is O-NIJ-2023-171774. NIJ anticipated making about four awards, with an award ceiling of $3,500,000. The solicitation was posted May 23, 2023, and the original closing date was August 7, 2023.

Finally, the solicitation clarifies expectations about who applies and how partnership funding flows. Even when multiple agencies are involved in carrying out the work, only one entity can be the applicant, and any other participating organizations must be included as subrecipients. The applicant is expected to conduct the majority of the proposed work, reinforcing NIJ's focus on clear accountability, strong project management, and the ability to deliver rigorous research products along with usable, practice-oriented dissemination.

  • The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY23 Research and Evaluation on Correctional Culture and Climate" 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 May 23, 2023.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 07, 2023. (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 $3,500,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, 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, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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FAQs: NIJ FY23 Research and Evaluation on Correctional Culture and Climate (O-NIJ-2023-171774)

What is the NIJ FY23 Research and Evaluation on Correctional Culture and Climate opportunity?

This is a discretionary research grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ). It funds rigorous research and evaluation to help correctional agencies better understand and manage organizational culture and day-to-day climate in prisons, jails, and similar facilities.

What is the main purpose of the funding?

The core intent is to generate credible evidence that correctional leaders, policymakers, and practitioners can use to improve agency performance and better achieve missions such as maintaining safe, humane, and secure environments for staff and incarcerated people.

What kinds of facilities or settings does this solicitation focus on?

The opportunity focuses on correctional settings such as prisons, jails, and similar facilities where organizational culture and daily climate influence safety, working conditions, and operations.

What does NIJ mean by "correctional culture" and "correctional climate" in this context?

Based on the solicitation description, the focus is on organizational culture and day-to-day climate inside correctional agencies and facilities, and how these factors shape outcomes like safety, working conditions, staffing, and the success of reforms.

What types of outcomes should proposed studies examine?

NIJ is looking for research that explains how culture and climate shape outcomes such as safety, working conditions, staff recruitment and retention, and an agency's ability to implement and sustain operational or programmatic reforms over time.

Is NIJ looking for descriptive studies, or something more?

NIJ is explicitly looking for studies that go beyond surface descriptions. Proposals should aim to explain how culture and climate influence key outcomes and how agencies can use evidence to make real, practical changes.

How is this solicitation tied to broader Department of Justice priorities?

The solicitation is tied to DOJ priorities emphasizing civil rights and racial equity, improved access to justice, support for victims and justice-involved individuals, stronger community safety, and building public trust.

Are multidisciplinary research teams encouraged?

Yes. Applicants are encouraged to form multidisciplinary teams that bring complementary methods and expertise, such as combining quantitative analysis of administrative data with qualitative interviews or ethnographic work, and drawing from fields like organizational psychology, criminology, public health, or implementation science.

Does NIJ require engagement with people who have lived experience?

NIJ places major emphasis on meaningful engagement with people who have lived experience related to the topic. Proposals may receive special consideration when the design includes authentic involvement of groups such as correctional practitioners, community members, service providers, victims, and people with justice system involvement.

What does "special consideration" mean in this opportunity?

The solicitation indicates that applications can receive special consideration for (1) authentic lived-experience engagement in the research design and (2) dedicating at least 15 percent of the requested budget to dissemination strategies, with that commitment clearly shown in the budget materials.

How should proposals address diversity, discrimination, and bias?

NIJ expects projects to measure and seriously consider diversity, discrimination, and bias where applicable across characteristics such as age, gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. This is framed as a substantive research expectation, meaning it should be integrated into data collection, measurement, and analysis rather than treated as a checkbox.

What partnership documentation is required for agency-based projects?

If the project relies on partnerships with criminal justice agencies or other organizations, NIJ requires clear evidence that partners are committed. Applications should include letters of support signed by an appropriate decision-making authority at each partnering agency.

What must partner letters of support specifically acknowledge?

The letters must specifically acknowledge NIJ's data archiving requirement: de-identified data produced or obtained through the award must be archived with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at the end of the project.

What is the NIJ data archiving requirement?

De-identified data produced or obtained through the award must be archived with NACJD at the end of the project. Applicants and partners are expected to follow NIJ data archiving guidance.

By when must formal partnership agreements be in place if selected?

If selected, grantees must have formal agreements in place with partners by January 1, 2024, including contract language that supports the data archiving requirement.

What does NIJ expect for dissemination?

NIJ places strong weight on dissemination designed to drive policy and practice change. Proposals are expected to include robust, creative, multi-pronged dissemination plans, ideally supported by strategic partnerships with organizations and associations positioned to reach corrections decision-makers and translate findings into action.

Is there a recommended budget level for dissemination activities?

Special consideration is given to applications that dedicate at least 15 percent of the requested budget to implementing dissemination strategies. Applicants must show that commitment clearly in the Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number is 16.560 (science and technology and other research and development).

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is O-NIJ-2023-171774.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; public housing authorities; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses, subject to any limits described in the solicitation.

How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?

NIJ anticipated making about four awards.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $3,500,000.

When was the solicitation posted, and when did it close?

The solicitation was posted on May 23, 2023. The original closing date was August 7, 2023.

Can multiple organizations apply together as co-applicants?

No. The solicitation clarifies that only one entity can be the applicant, even when multiple agencies are involved in carrying out the work.

How should other participating organizations be included in the application?

Any other participating organizations must be included as subrecipients.

Is the applicant expected to do most of the work?

Yes. The applicant is expected to conduct the majority of the proposed work, reflecting NIJ's emphasis on clear accountability, strong project management, and the ability to deliver rigorous research products and usable dissemination.

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