NIJ FY 09 Predictive Policing Demonstration and Evaluation Program | Apply Online

NIJ FY 09 Predictive Policing Demonstration and Evaluation Program (NIJ 2009 2239) - FAQs

What is the NIJ FY 09 Predictive Policing Demonstration and Evaluation Program?

It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the research, development, and evaluation arm of the U.S. Department of Justice within the Office of Justice Programs. The program supports the development and field demonstration of predictive policing models that can be evaluated rigorously for their effects on crime, policing performance, and broader community and justice outcomes.

What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?

The purpose is to move predictive policing beyond theory and into real world testing by funding evaluation-ready demonstrations. NIJ is looking to support projects that not only implement a predictive policing intervention in one or more jurisdictions, but also measure what was done and what changed as a result, using objective evaluation methods from the start.

How does NIJ define predictive policing in this program?

NIJ frames predictive policing as strategies and tactics that improve law enforcement situational awareness about people, places, or conditions before criminal activity occurs, with the expectation that these approaches can be assessed using both traditional policing metrics and broader measures of social impact.

Is this funding intended for buying technology or software?

No. NIJ emphasizes that it is not simply funding technology purchases or operational deployments. Instead, NIJ is funding the planning, execution, and measurement of specific predictive policing interventions that can be evaluated rigorously over time.

What does NIJ mean by "evaluation-ready" demonstrations?

Projects are expected to be built so that objective evaluation methods can be applied immediately and throughout implementation. This allows both short term and long term outcomes to be measured, rather than trying to add evaluation after deployment is already underway.

What kinds of outcomes is NIJ expecting projects to measure?

NIJ expects predictive policing approaches to be evaluated for their effects on crime and policing performance, and also for broader community and justice outcomes, consistent with NIJ's view that these interventions can have wider social impacts beyond standard policing metrics.

Who is the intended applicant or lead organization for these projects?

NIJ intended these awards primarily to help law enforcement agencies, or regional law enforcement compacts, plan and run demonstrations in their jurisdictions. While the eligibility field is listed as unrestricted in the source data, the narrative focus is clearly on law enforcement-led demonstrations, often supported through partnerships.

Are partnerships encouraged or expected?

Yes. The opportunity anticipates demonstrations that may include partnerships bringing technical expertise, research capability, or products to test. In addition, each funded effort is expected to include strong analytical and evaluation research support, either in-house or through partners.

What analytical and research capacity is expected from applicants?

Applicants are expected to have the capability to design the predictive model or approach, monitor implementation, manage and analyze relevant data, and support the evaluation design. This includes helping define outcomes, comparison strategies, and performance indicators so the intervention can be documented and evaluated objectively.

Why does NIJ require strong evaluation research support?

NIJ is explicitly funding demonstrations that can be evaluated rigorously. The program is designed to document not just deployment, but measurable effects, so NIJ is looking for qualified applicants that can demonstrate competence in both operations (deploying predictive policing) and research (documenting implementation and outcomes).

Will there be an independent evaluator involved?

Yes. NIJ planned a companion solicitation to fund an independent multisite evaluator. Award recipients under this demonstration program would be required to collaborate with that evaluator as a condition of the award.

What does collaboration with the independent multisite evaluator involve?

The opportunity states that recipients must collaborate with the external evaluator to support independence and comparability across funded sites. The solicitation emphasizes coordination and evaluation throughout implementation, so collaboration is positioned as an award condition.

What type of award mechanism is used for this program?

This opportunity was offered as a cooperative agreement, reflecting NIJ involvement consistent with research and demonstration projects that require coordination, structured evaluation, and collaboration with an external evaluator.

How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?

NIJ anticipated making about five awards under this solicitation.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA listing associated with the program is 16.560, National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is NIJ 2009 2239.

What funding activity categories does this program fall under?

The funding activity categories are listed under law, justice and legal services as well as science and technology and other research and development, reflecting the program's mix of operational demonstration and R and D evaluation.

Does the program require cost sharing or matching funds?

The opportunity states that applicants are expected to contribute resources to the demonstration. This contribution does not have to be cash and may include in-kind support such as facility costs, leveraging existing information systems, or partnering with vendors that provide hardware or software at no cost specifically for demonstration and evaluation purposes.

What are examples of acceptable in-kind contributions mentioned in the opportunity?

Examples listed include facility costs, use of existing information systems, and vendor partnerships that provide hardware or software at no cost for purposes of the demonstration and evaluation.

Is the award amount specified?

The award floor and ceiling were shown as 0 in the source data. This indicates that the solicitation itself should be consulted for the actual guidance on award size.

When was this opportunity posted and when was it due?

The posting date was May 14, 2009. The original closing date was June 15, 2009 and it was extended to June 22, 2009. The archive date was September 15, 2009.

How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications were required to be submitted through the Office of Justice Programs Grants Management System (GMS).

Where can applicants get technical help with submission through GMS?

Technical submission assistance was available through the GMS Support Hotline at 1 888 549 9901, option 3, during weekday hours.

Who is the point of contact for programmatic questions?

The listed point of contact for programmatic questions about solicitation requirements is William Ford, Chief of the Information and Sensor Technology Division at NIJ. He can be reached at 202 353 9768 or by email at william.ford@usdoj.gov.

What is NIJ looking for in terms of project focus and structure?

NIJ is looking for projects that combine operational deployment of a predictive policing intervention with rigorous, objective evaluation. Projects should be structured from the beginning to support measurement of short term and long term outcomes, and to support independent evaluation and cross-site comparability through collaboration with an external multisite evaluator.