Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2024 172081
The BJA FY24 Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Incubator Initiative is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), designed to strengthen community-based reentry services by investing in organizations that can act as both funders and capacity-builders. Rather than primarily funding direct service providers one-by-one, BJA is looking for a small number of strong nonprofit organizations to function as financial intermediaries. These intermediaries would receive federal funds and then make subawards to multiple community-based reentry programs (the subawardees). Alongside subgrantmaking, the intermediaries are expected to provide structured support using an "incubator" model, meaning hands-on assistance meant to help smaller or developing reentry organizations grow their internal capability, stability, and overall organizational capacity.
At its core, the opportunity is about improving the effectiveness and readiness of local reentry providers by pairing money with sustained technical support. Community-based reentry programs often have strong community ties and practical knowledge of what justice-involved people need, but they may lack back-office infrastructure, consistent funding systems, evaluation capacity, strong governance, or compliance experience required to scale services and manage federal funds. Under this initiative, the intermediary organization is meant to help close those gaps. The incubator-style support typically implies a more intensive approach than basic technical assistance: structured coaching, tools and templates, training, peer learning opportunities, and ongoing problem-solving focused on areas such as program design, financial management, performance measurement, strategic planning, partnership building, and readiness for future public funding.
The program aligns with the Department of Justice mission by focusing on safer communities and civil rights through improved reentry outcomes. In practical terms, stronger reentry organizations can help reduce recidivism, stabilize individuals returning from incarceration, and support access to services like housing, employment, behavioral health care, substance use treatment, and other supports that reduce the likelihood of reoffending. By building the strength of community-based organizations, the initiative aims to make reentry services more consistent, more accountable, and more sustainable over time, including in communities that may be underserved or disproportionately impacted by the justice system.
This solicitation is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a more active federal role during the award period compared to a standard grant. Cooperative agreements often involve ongoing coordination with BJA, including collaboration on implementation approaches, reporting expectations, and possibly participation in learning communities or other DOJ-directed activities. The funding activity category is listed as Humanities in the source data, though the administering agency and program focus clearly sit within criminal justice and reentry.
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The expectation is that the selected nonprofits will have the capacity to responsibly manage a large federal award, administer a subaward process, monitor subrecipient performance and compliance, and deliver meaningful capacity-building support across a portfolio of community-based reentry subawardees. Because the intermediaries will be distributing funds onward, they typically must demonstrate strong internal controls, grant management systems, and the ability to set clear subaward requirements while helping subawardees meet them.
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity number O-BJA-2024-172081 and CFDA number 16.812. The opportunity was created on April 16, 2024, and the original closing date was July 8, 2024. BJA anticipated making 2 awards under this solicitation, with an award ceiling of $4,000,000 per award. With only two awards expected, this is a highly competitive opportunity aimed at selecting intermediaries with a demonstrated ability to support multiple local organizations at once and to drive measurable improvements in organizational capacity across the subaward network.
In summary, this grant is not primarily aimed at a single community reentry program delivering direct services. It is aimed at building an intermediary-led reentry ecosystem: a small number of well-qualified nonprofits will receive large cooperative agreements to (1) regrant funds to community-based reentry providers and (2) operate an incubator that strengthens those providers so they can deliver better services, manage funding responsibly, and sustain and scale their impact in line with DOJ and BJA public safety and civil rights goals.Apply for O BJA 2024 172081
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the humanities sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY24 Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Incubator Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-07-08. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BJA FY24 Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Incubator Initiative?
It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The initiative is designed to strengthen community-based reentry services by investing in a small number of nonprofit organizations that will function as financial intermediaries and capacity-builders for multiple local reentry programs.
What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?
The main goal is to improve the effectiveness, readiness, and sustainability of community-based reentry providers by pairing funding with structured, hands-on capacity-building support delivered through an "incubator" model.
Who is this opportunity intended to fund?
This opportunity is intended to fund a small number of strong nonprofit organizations that can act as intermediaries. These intermediaries receive federal funds and then make subawards to multiple community-based reentry programs (subawardees), while also providing intensive support to strengthen the subawardees' organizational capacity.
Is this grant meant for direct service providers to apply as the main applicant?
Not primarily. The solicitation is aimed at intermediary organizations rather than funding a single direct service reentry program. The expectation is that the intermediary will regrant (subaward) funds to multiple community-based reentry providers and support them through an incubator approach.
What does it mean to serve as a "financial intermediary" under this initiative?
A financial intermediary is an organization that receives the federal award from BJA and then distributes a portion of those funds through a subaward process to multiple community-based reentry programs. The intermediary is also responsible for setting subaward requirements, monitoring subrecipient performance, and supporting compliance.
What is the "incubator" model in the context of this grant?
The incubator model refers to structured, hands-on assistance intended to help smaller or developing reentry organizations grow their internal capability and stability. Compared to basic technical assistance, this implies more intensive support such as coaching, tools and templates, training, peer learning opportunities, and ongoing problem-solving.
What types of capacity-building support are intermediaries expected to provide?
Based on the description, expected support areas can include program design, financial management, performance measurement, strategic planning, partnership building, governance, evaluation capacity, compliance, and readiness to pursue and manage future public funding.
Why is BJA using an intermediary approach instead of funding many local programs directly?
The intermediary approach is intended to strengthen an ecosystem of community-based reentry providers by combining subawards with sustained capacity-building. Many community reentry programs have deep community ties and strong practical knowledge but may lack back-office infrastructure, grant compliance experience, evaluation capacity, or systems needed to scale and manage federal funding.
How does this initiative connect to the Department of Justice mission?
The initiative aligns with DOJ goals of safer communities and civil rights by improving reentry outcomes. Stronger community-based reentry organizations can help reduce recidivism and support stability for people returning from incarceration through connections to services such as housing, employment, behavioral health care, and substance use treatment.
What type of federal award is being offered (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This solicitation is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates a more active federal role during the award period than a standard grant, including ongoing coordination with BJA on implementation and reporting expectations.
What might "more active federal role" mean for an awardee?
As described, it may involve ongoing coordination with BJA, collaboration on implementation approaches, defined reporting expectations, and possible participation in learning communities or other DOJ-directed activities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status. Institutions of higher education are excluded.
Are colleges or universities eligible if they are nonprofits?
No. The eligibility language specifies nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
What capacities should an intermediary applicant be able to demonstrate?
The opportunity expects applicants to have the ability to responsibly manage a large federal award, administer a subaward process, monitor subrecipient performance and compliance, and deliver meaningful incubator-style capacity-building across a portfolio of subawardees. This typically requires strong internal controls and grant management systems.
What are "subawardees" in this program?
Subawardees are the community-based reentry programs that receive funding from the intermediary through subawards. They are the local organizations that will receive both funding and incubator support.
How many awards did BJA anticipate making?
BJA anticipated making 2 awards under this solicitation.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $4,000,000 per award.
How competitive is this opportunity expected to be?
It is described as highly competitive, in part because only two awards were anticipated and the program is designed to select intermediaries with demonstrated ability to support multiple local organizations and drive measurable improvements across a network.
What is the funding opportunity number for this solicitation?
The funding opportunity number is O-BJA-2024-172081.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number is 16.812.
When was the opportunity created, and what was the original closing date?
The opportunity was created on April 16, 2024, and the original closing date was July 8, 2024.
What is the program focus area?
While the funding activity category is listed as Humanities in the source data, the administering agency and the described program focus are clearly centered on criminal justice and reentry, specifically strengthening community-based reentry services through intermediary-led subawards and capacity-building.
What kinds of outcomes is this initiative trying to support?
The initiative is intended to improve the consistency, accountability, and sustainability of reentry services over time by strengthening the organizations that provide them. In practical terms, it aims to support improved reentry outcomes that can contribute to reduced recidivism and increased stability for people returning from incarceration.
Does this initiative emphasize underserved or disproportionately impacted communities?
Yes. The description notes an intent to build sustainable and accountable reentry capacity over time, including in communities that may be underserved or disproportionately impacted by the justice system.
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