FY 2013 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The FY 2013 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) was a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) under the U.S. Department of Justice. Released under Funding Opportunity Number BJS 2013 3534, this program used a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which typically means recipients should expect an ongoing working relationship with the federal program office. Rather than a one-time pass through of funds with minimal interaction, a cooperative agreement commonly involves federal collaboration, guidance, and monitoring tied to the project goals and performance.

At its core, NCHIP was designed to strengthen public safety and national security by improving the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information. In practical terms, the program aimed to help jurisdictions make criminal record systems more accurate, more up to date, and easier to use by authorized agencies. A major emphasis of the program was also ensuring robust nationwide implementation of background check systems used for both criminal justice purposes (such as law enforcement investigations and court operations) and noncriminal justice purposes (such as employment, licensing, and other authorized screening contexts). The underlying idea is that background checks are only as reliable as the data behind them, so NCHIP focuses on closing gaps in records and strengthening data systems so that decisions based on those records are better informed.

The opportunity fell under the funding activity category of Information and Statistics, reflecting BJS's mission focus on criminal justice data quality and system improvement. The estimated total funding available was $6,000,000, with an expectation of about 50 awards. The CFDA number associated with the program was 16.554, which corresponds specifically to the National Criminal History Improvement Program. Notably, there was no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award, which can reduce barriers for eligible agencies and tribal entities seeking to modernize or strengthen their record systems.

Eligibility was intentionally limited to ensure awards went to the organizations responsible for statewide or tribal-level management of these record improvement efforts. Eligible applicants included only the agency designated by the governor in each state to administer the NCHIP program and federally recognized tribal entities. The announcement also allowed for collaborative submissions, including multi-state consortia, multi-tribe consortia, or other joint entities. However, these consortium approaches came with a coordination expectation: applicants were advised to contact their BJS program manager for guidance when proposing a combined application structure, likely to ensure the governance, roles, and deliverables were clearly defined and consistent with program rules.

The key dates show it was a time-limited FY 2013 opportunity. The program was posted and created on March 22, 2013, with an original and current closing date of May 13, 2013, and an archive date of June 12, 2013. This timeline indicates a typical federal grant window of several weeks for application preparation and submission. For applicants who could not access the full announcement electronically, the notice provided a direct point of contact: Cathy Maston, Management and Program Analyst, at 202-307-5992, reinforcing that BJS intended the solicitation to be accessible to all eligible applicants.

Overall, this NCHIP solicitation was about strengthening the systems that produce and distribute criminal history records so that background checks and criminal justice decision-making are based on more complete and accurate information. By funding improvements to record quality and system accessibility, the program sought to reduce missing or incomplete dispositions, improve the reliability of identification and record linking, and support the broader nationwide infrastructure that underpins both justice operations and authorized screening processes.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Bureau of Justice Statistics

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Information and Statistics

Next opportunity: FY 2013 NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP)

Previous opportunity: BJA FY 13 Improving the Completeness of Firearm Background Checks through Enhanced State Data Sharing

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for BJS 2013 3534

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (BJS 2013 3534) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "BJS 2013 3534", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.