BJA FY25 Second Chance Act Training and Technical Assistance Program

The Second Chance Act Training and Technical Assistance Program, offered through the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the U.S. Department of Justice, aims to support reentry programs and reduce recidivism across the United States. This initiative specifically addresses the needs of Smart Reentry program grantees, among other Second Chance Act (SCA) award recipients. The BJA, a component of the Office of Justice Programs, plays a critical role in providing federal leadership in criminal justice policy and funding. It focuses on enhancing public safety through targeted assistance to law enforcement, community organizations, and other criminal justice stakeholders. This funding opportunity aligns with the DOJ’s broader mission to uphold the rule of law and protect civil rights, while supporting justice system improvements. The primary objective of this grant is to assess and enhance community reentry strategies through the implementation or expansion of technical assistance solutions. These may include the integration of administrative data systems, technology to track housing release plans, tools to enhance supervision such as electronic monitoring and risk assessment platforms, and support for statistical analyses to evaluate reentry programs. The goal is to build the capacity of grantees to implement evidence-based strategies that result in successful reentry outcomes and lower recidivism rates. Applicants must propose a technical assistance (TTA) framework that is responsive to SCA grantee needs, including processes for prioritizing support and defining communication protocols and timelines. This funding opportunity provides up to $605,000 in total funding for a single award, with a 36-month performance period expected to begin on October 1, 2025. Applicants must develop project budgets that are reasonable, aligned with their proposed activities, and reflect their capacity to manage the award. The program is funded under CFDA number 16.812 and is subject to the availability of appropriated federal funds. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this grant. Applicants may include public or private institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses), and nonprofit organizations, regardless of 501(c)(3) status. The application process follows a two-step submission protocol. First, applicants must submit the SF-424 form in Grants.gov by April 10, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Subsequently, the full application must be submitted in JustGrants by April 17, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. ET. Applications must include a proposal narrative, budget detail form, project abstract, financial management questionnaire, and additional documentation such as résumés of key staff and work samples. JustGrants registration and active SAM.gov status are mandatory to proceed with submission. Early registration is strongly encouraged due to potential processing delays. Evaluation of applications involves a multi-step review process, including a check for basic minimum requirements followed by a peer review. Applications will be assessed on the basis of issue description, project goals and objectives, implementation plan, organizational capacity, and budget appropriateness. Additional programmatic and financial review by OJP staff may follow the peer review. Final award decisions rest with the Assistant Attorney General and are influenced by factors such as geographic coverage, past performance, and strategic priorities. Only one application may be submitted per applicant; subrecipients are allowed across multiple applications, but a single lead agency must be identified. The grant includes mandatory quarterly financial reporting and semi-annual performance reporting. Award recipients will be expected to submit data on key performance measures and deliverables as outlined in the program description. These may include establishing a technical assistance framework and conducting validation studies. A dedicated pre-application webinar will be announced through BJA's Upcoming Events page, providing further guidance. Contact support is available through the OJP Response Center for inquiries related to this NOFO, and applicants experiencing technical issues during submission may request waivers under specific conditions.

Submit early to avoid technical issues; clearly define subrecipient roles; only one application allowed per lead agency.