FY 2015 NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The FY 2015 NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) is a federal grant opportunity run by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) designed to help states, territories, and eligible tribal governments improve the quality, completeness, and accessibility of records that feed into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The program traces back to the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (NIAA), enacted after the Virginia Tech shooting, where a key failure point was that the shooter was able to pass a background check because records reflecting a prohibiting mental health history were not available to NICS. In practical terms, NARIP exists to close those information gaps so the background check system can more reliably identify people who are legally prohibited from buying or possessing firearms, while also helping reduce unnecessary delays for lawful purchasers by making records more automated and easier to search.

This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement under the federal assistance listing tied to CFDA 16.813 (NICS Act Record Improvement Program). The funding activity category is listed as Information and Statistics, which reflects the program's emphasis on data quality, record automation, and improving the underlying information infrastructure that supports firearm background checks. For FY 2015, the estimated total funding available was $25,000,000, with an expected 25 awards. The notice does not specify an award floor or ceiling (both shown as 0), which generally signals that award amounts may vary depending on applicant needs, project scope, and overall program priorities rather than being capped at a published maximum. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated for this program, making it easier for eligible jurisdictions to participate without needing to provide a specific local match.

Eligibility is limited and structured to ensure the funds go to the entities responsible for the relevant record systems. Eligible applicants include: (a) the agency designated by the Governor to administer NARIP, (b) the state or territory central administrative office (or similar entity) that is designated by statute or regulation to administer federal grant funds on behalf of the jurisdiction's court system, and (c) federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior. Beyond fitting into one of those applicant categories, the announcement notes that there are two specific statutory conditions tied to eligibility that a state must satisfy before receiving awards under the Act, with details referenced in the full announcement under the "Eligibility" section (page 4 in the source description). The existence of these conditions reflects the NIAA's structure: it does not just offer support, it also sets expectations for record completeness and includes potential penalties for failing to meet the Act's goals.

The timeline for the FY 2015 opportunity was straightforward. The funding opportunity was posted on February 23, 2015, with an application closing date of May 7, 2015, and an archive date of June 6, 2015. The funding opportunity number is BJS-2015-4103, which is the key identifier applicants would use when searching for the solicitation or referencing it in correspondence and submissions. The program also provides a contact point for access issues related to the full announcement: Cathy Maston, Management and Program Analyst, phone 202-307-5992.

Overall, NARIP is aimed at strengthening the national background check process by helping jurisdictions improve the records that determine whether a firearm transfer should be approved or denied. The program is grounded in the idea that background checks are only as effective as the data behind them: if disqualifying mental health adjudications, commitments, or other prohibiting factors are missing, incomplete, or not automated in ways that make them searchable and transferable to NICS, the system can fail in exactly the way that motivated the NIAA. By supporting record improvement and automation, the program is intended to both enhance public safety by preventing prohibited purchases and improve efficiency by reducing delays and uncertainty for people who are lawfully eligible to purchase firearms.

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