The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is accepting applications for its Community Reentry Settings Initiative.
Donor Name: National Institute of Corrections (NIC)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/04/2026
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Establish a process evaluation framework specifically tailored for state Department of Corrections (DOC) agencies to facilitate a systematic and in-depth examination of the decision making processes involved in releasing incarcerated individuals to halfway houses and reentry centers. This is not a funding opportunity to establish halfway homes, build halfway homes nor staffing for halfway homes. The central aim is to uncover the precise operational mechanisms, identify the challenges encountered, and understand the various factors that influence these critical determinations. It is important to clarify that this evaluation focuses on understanding.
This is a two-year project cooperative agreement award. The general purpose of this project is to develop and facilitate a process evaluation for identified State Department of Corrections (DOC) agencies and their current halfway house decision-making processes. Review, assess and report those findings of the evaluation. The central aim is to identify precise operational mechanisms and understand various factors that influence these critical determinations.
The first year will focus on the development, collection and analysis of the data while year two will focus on working with subject matter experts to develop national recommendations based on the collected data, to enhance utilization of halfway houses. The diagnostic approach ensures that observed discrepancies between intended goals and actual results can be used to improve upon that decision-making point in state departments of corrections.
Funding Priorities / Focus Areas
The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) supports public safety by providing specialized corrections training, information services, and technical assistance to federal, state, local, and tribal justice agencies. The outcomes of NIC’s activities contribute significantly to the achievement of the following correctional goals and priorities:
- Effectively managed prisons, jails, and community corrections programs and facilities. NIC provides services related to effective planning, management, and operational practice leading to safe and secure prisons, jails, and community services.
- Enhanced organizational and professional performance in corrections. NIC provides education and training in management, leadership, and corrections operations based on that enhance organizational and professional performance.
- Community, staff, and offender safety. NIC promotes correctional practices and procedures that maximize the safety of the community, staff, and offenders; holds detainees, inmates, and parolees/probationers accountable; and seeks to reduce recidivism.
- Improved correctional practices through the exploration of trends and public policy issues. NIC promotes the exploration of critical issues and the shaping of public policies that strengthen and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of corrections.
- Enhanced services through improved organizational and staff effectiveness. NIC provides opportunities for organizational and professional growth that enhance the field of corrections.
Goals and Objectives
Goal – To understand the half-way house placement decision making process by state Department of Corrections.
Objectives (Year 1)
- To design a process methodology to include elements/questions for survey, phone, calls, focus groups, emails to state Department of Corrections on information used to make halfway house release decisions.
- To design a methodology implementation plan (which DOCs,when and how to query).
- To collect all information based on the methodology to illustrate how halfway house decisions are made by relevant state DOC.
- To work collaboratively, with NIC program manager to establish criteria, plan and conduct on-site visit assessments of DOC and halfway houses.
Objective: (year 2)
- Convene working group members, to include criminal justice subject matter experts in conjunction with NIC program manager to examine the “findings” of the halfway house decision-making process”.
- To synthesize findings from year one and assist in facilitating subject matter workgroups in making national recommendations to improve the decision-making process from prison to halfway houses.
- Develop a plan for conducting the meetings – number of groups, number of meetings, agendas, dates, places.
- Facilitate all working group sessions to reach consensus/recommendations on best practices and/or policies for DOCs in making release decisions to halfway houses
Funding Information
NIC expects to make one award for a 12-month project period. Requests for amounts more than award amount, including direct and indirect costs will not be considered.
- Total funding available: $100,000.00
- Total Award Amount: $100,0000.00
Eligibility Criteria
- NIC invites applications from nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations), for-profit organizations (including tribal for-profit organizations), and institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education). Recipients, including for-profit organizations, must agree to waive any profit or fee for services. Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply. Proof of 501(c) (3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required.
- NIC welcomes applications that involve two or more entities; however, one eligible entity must be the applicant, and the others must be proposed as subrecipients. The applicant must be the entity with primary responsibility for administering the funding and managing the entire program. Only one application will be accepted from a submitting organization.
- NIC may elect to make awards for applications submitted under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on the merit of the applications and on the availability of appropriations.
Entity Types Eligible to Apply:
- nonprofit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations)
- for-profit organizations (including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations)
- institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
