Opportunity Information: Apply for O NIJ 2025 172575

  • The National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship" 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 2026-03-25.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-19. (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 $180,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
Apply for O NIJ 2025 172575

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Opportunity Summary:

The NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship is a discretionary grant opportunity from the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) intended to support doctoral students who are conducting dissertation research tied to real-world criminal and juvenile justice needs in the United States. The central goal is to strengthen the pipeline of researchers who can produce rigorous, science-based findings that help practitioners and policymakers prevent and control crime, enhance public safety, support law enforcement and border-related priorities, and promote a fair and impartial justice system. In practical terms, the fellowship is designed to help doctoral candidates complete dissertation work that is directly relevant to justice policy and practice, with NIJ aiming to expand the national capacity for high-quality research in this space.

This opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number O-NIJ-2025-172575 and falls within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding activity category (CFDA 16.560). The funding instrument is a grant, and the opportunity is categorized as discretionary, meaning awards are made through a competitive process rather than by formula. The program anticipates making about 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $180,000 per award. While the specific budget structure and allowable cost details are typically defined in the full NOFO, the stated ceiling indicates the maximum amount an individual fellowship-supported project may receive under this competition.

Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, specifically public and state-controlled universities as well as private universities. This framing generally means the application is submitted by the university on behalf of the doctoral student and their dissertation project, rather than by the student as an individual applicant. The fellowship is therefore positioned as institutional support for a student-led research effort that aligns with NIJ priorities, with the institution serving as the formal grantee and administrative home for the award.

Key dates included in the listing indicate the opportunity was created on March 25, 2026, and has an original closing date of May 19, 2026. Applicants should treat the closing date as the deadline by which a complete application must be submitted through the required federal submission process, with enough time built in for institutional review and approvals.

Overall, the fellowship is best understood as NIJ's investment in doctoral-level dissertation research that can contribute credible evidence and actionable insights to the criminal and juvenile justice field. By funding these dissertation projects, NIJ advances the DOJ mission of developing and applying research that helps the justice system operate more effectively, equitably, and safely, while also cultivating the next generation of researchers focused on justice-relevant questions.

NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship (O-NIJ-2025-172575) - FAQs

1) What is the NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship?

The NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), designed to support doctoral students conducting dissertation research that addresses real-world criminal and juvenile justice needs in the United States. The fellowship aims to help doctoral candidates complete rigorous, science-based dissertation work that is directly relevant to justice policy and practice.

2) What is the main purpose of this fellowship?

The central purpose is to strengthen the pipeline of researchers who can produce credible, evidence-based findings that help practitioners and policymakers. NIJ is using this fellowship to expand national capacity for high-quality criminal and juvenile justice research and to support dissertation projects that can yield actionable insights for the field.

3) What kinds of outcomes is NIJ trying to support through this program?

Based on the opportunity description, NIJ is focused on supporting research that can help prevent and control crime, enhance public safety, support law enforcement and border-related priorities, and promote a fair and impartial justice system. The emphasis is on producing rigorous research findings that have practical value for justice policy and practice.

4) Who is the awarding agency?

The awarding agency is the Department of Justice (DOJ), National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

5) Is this a formula grant or a competitive grant?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity, which means awards are made through a competitive selection process rather than by formula.

6) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a grant.

7) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is O-NIJ-2025-172575.

8) What is the CFDA number and program category listed for this opportunity?

The listing references CFDA 16.560 and places the opportunity within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding activity category.

9) How many awards does NIJ expect to make?

NIJ anticipates making about 8 awards under this competition.

10) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is $180,000 per award. This indicates the maximum amount a single fellowship-supported project may receive under this competition.

11) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, including public and state-controlled universities and private universities.

12) Can an individual doctoral student apply directly?

The eligibility framing indicates that the application is submitted by the university (the institution of higher education) on behalf of the doctoral student and dissertation project, rather than by the student as an individual applicant. The institution serves as the formal grantee and administrative home for the award.

13) What type of student project is this intended to support?

The fellowship is intended to support doctoral dissertation research that is tied to real-world criminal and juvenile justice needs in the United States and aligned with NIJ priorities for science-based, policy- and practice-relevant findings.

14) What does NIJ mean by research tied to "real-world" justice needs?

In the context provided, it means dissertation research that is directly relevant to justice policy and practice, with the potential to generate credible evidence and actionable insights for the criminal and juvenile justice field.

15) What does it mean that the university is the "formal grantee"?

It means the institution of higher education is the official applicant and recipient of the grant, and it acts as the administrative home for the fellowship award. The funded work is described as a student-led research effort supported through the institution.

16) When was this opportunity created?

The listing indicates the opportunity was created on March 25, 2026.

17) What is the application deadline?

The original closing date listed is May 19, 2026. A complete application must be submitted by that deadline through the required federal submission process.

18) What does the closing date imply for applicants working through a university?

Because the university submits the application on behalf of the doctoral student, applicants should plan for internal university review and approvals and allow enough time to submit a complete application by the May 19, 2026 closing date.

19) What is NIJ trying to build or strengthen by funding dissertation projects?

NIJ is aiming to strengthen the pipeline of researchers and cultivate the next generation of justice-focused scholars, while increasing the nation's overall capacity to produce high-quality, rigorous research that can inform the justice system.

20) How does this fellowship connect to DOJ and NIJ mission priorities?

As described, the fellowship advances the DOJ mission by supporting research that develops and applies evidence to help the justice system operate more effectively, equitably, and safely. It prioritizes research that can support public safety outcomes and a fair and impartial justice system, and it includes mention of law enforcement and border-related priorities.

21) Is the fellowship focused on criminal justice, juvenile justice, or both?

The description explicitly includes both criminal justice and juvenile justice needs in the United States.

22) Does the opportunity description specify detailed allowable costs or a required budget structure?

The information provided does not include detailed allowable cost rules or a required budget structure. It notes that these details are typically defined in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), while the listing provides the award ceiling of $180,000.

23) What is the practical takeaway for a doctoral candidate interested in this fellowship?

The practical takeaway is that a doctoral candidate would typically work with their university to submit an application for dissertation research that is strongly connected to real-world U.S. criminal and/or juvenile justice needs and is positioned to produce rigorous, science-based findings useful to policy and practice.

24) What does "discretionary" mean for the likelihood of funding?

"Discretionary" indicates the program is competitive, with NIJ expecting to make about 8 awards. Funding is not guaranteed and is awarded based on a competitive review and selection process.

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