OJJDP FY25 National Mentoring Resource Center

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, has announced the National Mentoring Resource Center funding opportunity for the fiscal year. The initiative aims to provide comprehensive support to OJJDP mentoring grantees and the broader mentoring field. Through this funding, OJJDP intends to enhance and maintain the National Mentoring Resource Center (NMRC), a pivotal platform that supports the delivery of quality, evidence-based mentoring services across the United States. The NMRC plays a central role in equipping mentoring organizations with tools, training, and technical assistance (TTA) to develop, implement, and expand safe and effective youth mentoring programs. The primary objective of this funding is to strengthen mentoring infrastructures by maintaining a user-friendly online repository of evidence-based practices, research insights, and implementation tools through the NMRC website. The grantee will be responsible for sustaining resources that cover a wide range of mentoring needs, especially for at-risk and high-risk youth, and updating sections of the site that showcase OJJDP-funded mentoring initiatives and facilitate peer sharing. Additional responsibilities include producing and disseminating up to 16 educational products, hosting quarterly practitioner insight articles, conducting webinars, and organizing up to four local in-person training events—unless otherwise pivoted to virtual formats by OJJDP. Eligible applicants for this award include nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations (excluding small businesses), and both public and private institutions of higher education. Applicants may partner with other entities as subrecipients, although only one applicant entity may formally submit the application. The funding amount totals up to $2,600,000, with a single expected award for a 12-month period of performance beginning June 1, 2026. Importantly, there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for applicants under this opportunity. Applications must be submitted via a two-step process: first through Grants.gov by May 4, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and then through JustGrants by May 11, 2026, 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Submission requires an active registration in SAM.gov and the inclusion of standard documents such as the SF-424 form, proposal narrative, budget detail form, organizational chart, position descriptions, resumes of key staff, and other financial disclosures. Applicants are encouraged to submit materials at least 48 hours before deadlines to avoid disqualification due to technical issues. Evaluation of applications will begin with a basic minimum requirements review, followed by peer review based on the project’s problem statement, goals, implementation plan, applicant capabilities, and budget. Applications will also be reviewed programmatically and financially by OJP staff. Final funding decisions rest with the Assistant Attorney General, and considerations include merit, geographic distribution, and past performance. The award will be issued as a cooperative agreement, giving OJJDP substantial involvement in the execution of the project. Award recipients will be required to submit quarterly and semi-annual reports documenting performance and financial activities. Technical assistance plans must be revised quarterly and approved by OJJDP. The selected grantee will also be expected to host a virtual orientation for new mentoring grantees, provide responsive TTA through the NMRC website, and help organize collaborative opportunities among mentoring stakeholders. Compliance with federal civil rights laws, financial oversight, and audit requirements is mandatory. While this opportunity is issued for FY25, the program is considered recurring and may be funded in subsequent fiscal years depending on performance and availability of appropriations.

Submit application 48 hours before the deadline to avoid technical issues; align proposal with DOJ priority areas like serving justice-involved youth or youth impacted by opioids.