NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on School Safety | Apply Online

NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on School Safety (O-NIJ-2025-172601): FAQs

What is the NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on School Safety grant?

It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), released in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The grant supports rigorous, innovative research and evaluation intended to strengthen what is known about preventing and responding to school violence in K-12 settings.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The main purpose is to close key knowledge gaps by funding projects that produce credible evidence decision-makers can use when choosing, improving, or implementing school safety strategies in K-12 environments.

Who is offering the grant?

The grant is offered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and was released in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is O-NIJ-2025-172601.

What kinds of projects does the solicitation focus on?

The solicitation focuses on two core topical areas: (1) research on malleable factors that affect school violence in K-12 schools, and (2) evaluations of the impact and effectiveness of school safety approaches implemented for purposes authorized under the STOP School Violence Act.

What does NIJ mean by "malleable factors" in this solicitation?

"Malleable" factors are conditions that can realistically be influenced through policy, practice, programs, training, environmental changes, or other interventions. Projects in this area generally aim to identify, measure, and better understand changeable conditions or drivers associated with violence or threats in school communities.

What is NIJ looking for in the "malleable factors" research area?

NIJ is looking for studies that clarify how changeable factors relate to risk, prevention, and outcomes in K-12 school communities, helping stakeholders understand what can be changed and how those changes may influence school violence or threats.

What is the second topical area about (evaluations of school safety approaches)?

The second topical area supports evaluations of the impact and effectiveness of school safety approaches that are implemented for purposes authorized under the STOP School Violence Act. These projects assess whether specific school safety strategies work, for whom they work, under what conditions, and at what cost or tradeoff.

Do projects need to be tied to the STOP School Violence Act?

For the evaluation topical area, the solicitation specifically points to school safety approaches implemented for purposes authorized under the STOP School Violence Act. The overall solicitation is also framed around producing evidence that informs policy and practice tied to STOP-authorized purposes and broader K-12 safety needs.

What types of methods or study designs does NIJ emphasize?

The opportunity emphasizes rigorous research and evaluation with strong designs and meaningful outcome measures, while being appropriate to real-world school contexts.

What population or setting is the focus of the grant?

The focus is K-12 settings, specifically preventing and responding to school violence in K-12 schools and school communities.

What funding activity category does this award fall under?

Awards are made as grants under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development funding activity category.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 16.560.

What is the maximum award amount?

The maximum award amount listed is $5,000,000.

How many awards does NIJ anticipate making?

NIJ anticipates making about 5 awards under this opportunity.

When was this opportunity posted?

The creation/posting date is May 1, 2026.

When is the application closing date?

The posting indicates an original application closing date of June 3, 2026.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in that nonprofit category listing); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.

Can K-12 school districts apply directly?

Yes. Independent school districts are listed as eligible applicants.

Can colleges and universities apply?

Yes. Both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are listed as eligible, with the specific note that the nonprofit category listing referenced here excludes institutions of higher education.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.

Are tribal entities eligible to apply?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed as eligible.

Can public agencies beyond schools apply?

Yes. Multiple government entities are eligible (state, county, city/township, special district), and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are also eligible.

Does NIJ expect partnerships for this grant?

The eligibility and framing reflect applied research and evaluation where strong projects often involve partnerships among researchers, schools/districts, public agencies, and community stakeholders.

What makes a project competitive under this opportunity?

Competitive projects will generally: clearly define the school safety problem being studied, use rigorous methods appropriate to real-world school contexts, and generate results that can inform policy and practice tied to STOP School Violence Act-authorized purposes and broader K-12 safety needs.

What kind of results is NIJ trying to fund?

NIJ is aiming to fund projects that produce actionable, defensible evidence about school violence prevention and school safety interventions, especially evidence that decision-makers can use in selecting or improving strategies.

What does it mean to use "meaningful outcome measures" for this grant?

The solicitation indicates that evaluations should use meaningful outcome measures, meaning outcomes that credibly reflect changes relevant to school safety and violence prevention in K-12 contexts, aligned with the evaluation goals described (whether an approach works, for whom, under what conditions, and at what cost or tradeoff).