Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2015 4059
Apply for BJA 2015 4059
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 15 Second Chance Act Statewide Adult Recidivism Reduction Strategic Planning Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812 Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 12, 2015 and posted on Jan 12, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 10, 2015. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligible applicants are limited to state correctional agencies (state departments of corrections or community corrections) or State Administering Agencies (SAAs). Agencies from states that were awarded Second Chance Act Statewide Recidivism Reduction grants in fiscal year (FY) FY 2013 are NOT eligible to apply. Applicants should note that the next potential opportunity to apply for a Second Chance Act Statewide Adult Recidivism Reduction Strategic Planning grant will be FY 2017. BJA welcomes applications that involve two or more entities however, one eligible entity must be the applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire project. BJA may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations. For additional eligibility information, see Section C. Eligibility Information. Deadline
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Opportunity Summary:
The BJA FY 15 Second Chance Act Statewide Adult Recidivism Reduction Strategic Planning Program was a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), designed to help states build a solid, evidence-based blueprint for reducing adult recidivism. It sits under the broader Second Chance Act (Public Law 110-199), which was created in response to the reality that the vast majority of people who are incarcerated will eventually be released and return to their communities. With more than 2.2 million people in federal and state prisons and millions more cycling through local jails each year, the program recognizes that reentry is not a side issue but a central public safety and community stability challenge. It also highlights that coordination can be especially complicated for members of Native American tribes, who may return from federal, Bureau of Indian Affairs, state, local, or tribal facilities, making cross-jurisdiction planning and service alignment even more critical.
This specific solicitation focused on planning rather than immediate large-scale service delivery. BJA offered 12-month strategic planning grants to support state-level teams in convening the right partners, analyzing data, and producing a statewide plan that is both actionable and grounded in proven approaches. The core planning tasks were clearly defined: first, states were expected to identify the key drivers of recidivism within their own systems and communities (for example, gaps in behavioral health care, housing instability, substance use disorder treatment needs, lack of employment pathways, or supervision practices that unintentionally increase technical violations). Second, states had to select a target population and set measurable recidivism reduction goals, rather than trying to address every reentry challenge at once. Third, they were expected to review how well existing corrections programs and practices aligned with evidence-based practices, essentially taking inventory of what the state already funds and does, and comparing it to what research suggests is most effective. Fourth, states needed to develop a strategic plan to meet their goals using evidence-based interventions, which implies not just listing programs but designing a coordinated approach across corrections and key reentry domains like housing, health, employment, and education.
A major incentive built into the opportunity was the connection between planning and later implementation funding. After completing the Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan, states would be invited to apply for competitive implementation grants of up to $1 million, with the possibility of two additional supplemental awards of $1 million each. In practical terms, that meant a state could potentially access up to $3 million in implementation funding, but only if it produced a strong plan and later demonstrated progress and performance. BJA made clear that implementation awards would be competitive and that the quality and comprehensiveness of the strategic plan would be a significant factor in those decisions. Supplemental awards were not guaranteed and were dependent both on performance toward goals and on the availability of funds.
In terms of funding details, this opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2015-4059) was posted January 12, 2015, with an application deadline of March 10, 2015, and it was later archived on April 9, 2015. BJA anticipated making about seven awards. The award ceiling for the planning grant was $100,000 (with no stated award floor). The program was listed under CFDA 16.812 (Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative) and noted a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were expected to contribute some form of match as part of the project budget under the program rules described in the full announcement.
Eligibility was limited and intentionally state-focused. Only state correctional agencies (such as state departments of corrections or community corrections agencies) or State Administering Agencies (SAAs) could apply as the primary applicant. States that had already received Second Chance Act Statewide Recidivism Reduction grants in FY 2013 were not eligible for this FY 2015 planning solicitation. The program also emphasized collaboration: applications could involve multiple entities, but one eligible state agency had to serve as the applicant of record, with other partners included as subrecipients. That structure reinforced BJA's expectation that statewide recidivism reduction planning should be led by the agency with primary responsibility for corrections oversight and statewide coordination, while still leveraging expertise and services from other systems.
Overall, the opportunity was built around a straightforward idea: states are more likely to reduce recidivism when they stop relying on fragmented, program-by-program efforts and instead use data to identify what is driving returns to custody, choose clear target outcomes, align resources to evidence-based practices, and create an integrated statewide strategy that connects corrections with housing, health, employment, and education systems. The planning grant was essentially a funded on-ramp to a larger, competitive implementation phase, with the quality of the plan functioning as the foundation for future investment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BJA FY 15 Second Chance Act Statewide Adult Recidivism Reduction Strategic Planning Program?
It was a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), to help states create a statewide, evidence-based strategic plan (a practical blueprint) to reduce adult recidivism.
What law or initiative is this opportunity connected to?
This program sits under the broader Second Chance Act (Public Law 110-199), which focuses on improving reentry outcomes because most incarcerated people will ultimately return to their communities.
Is this funding for planning or for direct service delivery?
This solicitation focused on planning rather than immediate, large-scale service delivery. The grant supported state-level strategic planning work such as convening partners, analyzing data, and writing an actionable statewide plan.
How long was the planning grant period?
BJA offered 12-month strategic planning grants.
How much funding was available per planning award?
The award ceiling for the planning grant was $100,000. No award floor was stated in the provided information.
About how many awards did BJA expect to make?
BJA anticipated making about seven awards.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this solicitation?
The Funding Opportunity Number was BJA-2015-4059.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program was listed under CFDA 16.812, Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative.
When was the opportunity posted, when was the deadline, and when was it archived?
It was posted January 12, 2015. The application deadline was March 10, 2015. It was archived on April 9, 2015.
Who was eligible to apply as the primary applicant?
Eligibility was limited to state correctional agencies (such as state departments of corrections or community corrections agencies) or State Administering Agencies (SAAs). One eligible state agency had to be the applicant of record.
Were states that already received similar statewide recidivism reduction grants eligible?
No. States that had already received Second Chance Act Statewide Recidivism Reduction grants in FY 2013 were not eligible for this FY 2015 planning solicitation.
Could multiple entities participate in the application?
Yes. Applications could involve multiple entities, but an eligible state agency had to serve as the applicant of record, and other partners could participate as subrecipients.
What kinds of partners or systems were expected to be involved?
The opportunity emphasized statewide coordination across corrections and key reentry domains like housing, health, employment, and education, reflecting the expectation that a statewide plan should align efforts across these systems.
What were the core tasks states were expected to complete during the planning period?
The solicitation outlined several core planning tasks: identify key drivers of recidivism in the state; select a target population and set measurable recidivism reduction goals; review and assess alignment of existing corrections programs and practices with evidence-based practices; and develop a statewide strategic plan using evidence-based interventions across corrections and reentry domains.
What does it mean to identify the "drivers of recidivism"?
It means using data and analysis to determine what factors are contributing to people returning to custody in that state. Examples mentioned include gaps in behavioral health care, housing instability, substance use disorder treatment needs, limited employment pathways, or supervision practices that increase technical violations.
Why did the solicitation require selecting a target population and measurable goals?
The program emphasized that states should not try to address every reentry challenge at once. Instead, they were expected to define a target population and set measurable recidivism reduction goals to focus planning and create an actionable strategy.
What does "aligning with evidence-based practices" involve in this context?
It involves taking inventory of existing corrections programs and practices already funded or used by the state and comparing them to what research indicates is most effective, then using that information to shape the strategic plan.
What was the main deliverable expected from the planning grant?
The key deliverable was a Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan that is actionable and grounded in proven (evidence-based) approaches.
Was there an opportunity for later implementation funding?
Yes. After completing the Statewide Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan, states would be invited to apply for competitive implementation grants of up to $1 million, with the possibility of two supplemental awards of $1 million each.
How much total implementation funding could a state potentially access after planning?
A state could potentially access up to $3 million in implementation funding ($1 million initial implementation grant plus up to two $1 million supplemental awards), but only through later competitive awards.
Were implementation awards and supplemental awards guaranteed?
No. Implementation awards were competitive, and the quality and comprehensiveness of the strategic plan was described as a significant factor. Supplemental awards were not guaranteed and depended on performance toward goals and the availability of funds.
What role did the strategic plan play in future funding decisions?
BJA indicated that the strategic plan would function as a foundation for later investment, and that the quality and comprehensiveness of the plan would be an important factor when deciding competitive implementation awards.
Did the opportunity include a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. The program noted a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were expected to contribute some form of match as part of the project budget under the rules described in the full announcement.
Why did the solicitation highlight Native American tribal reentry as a coordination challenge?
It noted that coordination can be especially complicated for members of Native American tribes because individuals may return from federal, Bureau of Indian Affairs, state, local, or tribal facilities, making cross-jurisdiction planning and service alignment more critical.
What was the overarching goal or theory behind this planning program?
The opportunity was built around the idea that states are more likely to reduce recidivism when they use data to identify what drives returns to custody, set clear target outcomes, align resources to evidence-based practices, and develop an integrated statewide strategy that connects corrections with housing, health, employment, and education systems.
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