DOJ/NIJ: 2023 Center for Enhancing Research Capacity at Minority Serving Institutions

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) seeks applications for funding to host the Center to Enhance Research Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

Donor Name: National Institute of Justice

State: All States

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 12/04/2023

Size of the Grant: $1,000,000

Grant Duration: 60 months

Details:

With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for funding the development, operation, and management of the Center to Enhance Research Capacity (CERC) at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs).

Goals

The primary goals of this solicitation are to (1) enhance the competitiveness of MSI research institutions and organizations, (2) increase the probability of long-term growth of research funding to investigators at MSIs, and (3) increase the pool of MSI researchers and graduates who are engaged in providing science-based solutions to problems relevant to criminal and juvenile justice policy and practice in the United States.

Objectives

This solicitation seeks to fund a Center that will serve as a national resource to enhance research capacity at MSIs. The Center will strengthen science and advance justice by providing high-quality TTA that increases knowledge building. The Center will also expand infrastructure, resources, and service delivery to secure, manage, and execute research grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts. Similarly, the Center will offer consultation, promote peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and facilitate outreach within and among MSIs. Ultimately, the Center will help to grow scholars engaged in crime and justice research at MSIs.

Priority Areas

The Department of Justice is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community.

Priority Considerations Supporting Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
- In support of Executive Order 13985, OJP will give priority consideration to:
  - Applicants that demonstrate that their capabilities and competencies for implementing their proposed project(s) are enhanced because they (or at least one proposed subrecipient that will receive at least 40% of the requested award funding, as demonstrated in the Budget Web-Based Form) identify as a culturally specific organization. To receive this additional priority consideration, applicants must describe how being a culturally specific organization (or funding the culturally specific subrecipient organization(s)) will enhance their ability to implement the proposed project(s) and should also specify which populations are intended or expected to be served or to have their needs addressed under the proposed project (s).
  - Culturally specific organizations are defined for the purposes of this solicitation as private nonprofit or tribal organizations whose primary purpose as a whole is to provide culturally specific services to racial and ethnic groups, including, among others, Black people, Hispanic and Latino people, Native American and other Indigenous peoples of North America (including Alaska Native, Eskimo, and Aleut), Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and/or Pacific Islanders.
NIJ will give special consideration in award decisions to proposals for which a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) is the lead applicant.
- Minority-Serving Institutions include:
  - Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
  - Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSI)
  - Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU)
  - Alaska Native-serving Institutions or Native Hawaiian-serving Institutions (ANNH)
  - Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI)
  - Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions (AANAPISI)
  - Native American-serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI).

Funding Information

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards: $1,000,000.00
Period of Performance Duration: 60 months.

Eligibility Criteria

Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Private institutions of higher education
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Small businesses
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Independent school districts
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.