As funding becomes available from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the funding announcements will be posted to this page. Click on a URL below to view the full grant announcement, which contains detailed information about the opportunity, applicant eligibility, application requirements, and directions on how to apply.
Notice to BJA Funding Applicants Regarding SAM Process Change All applicants must register with and maintain current registrations in the System for Award Management (SAM). However, recent activities have led to a change in process for SAM registrations that will impact schedule, so please plan accordingly. If you are a new entity registering in SAM or an existing entity that needs to update or renew your SAM registration, you must submit an original, signed notarized letter via U.S. Postal Service Mail appointing the authorized Entity Administrator before your registration will be activated. Learn more about this process change and what is required in the letter on www.gsa.gov/samupdate.
View prior years' funding opportunities.
Following are some frequently asked questions concerning BJA funding:
What does BJA look for when reviewing grant applications? Answer
Who is eligible for a BJA grant? Answer
Is guidance available on the BJA funding process and the submission of funding applications? Answer
How can I become a peer reviewer for BJA? Answer
Have a question about the BJA Visiting Fellows Program solicitation? Answer
What are the reporting requirements under JMHCP? Answer
Who can we call with questions or requests for assistance regarding the work of our JMHCP grant? Answer
How do I access my JMHCP funds? Answer
Under Categories 1 and 2, who is eligible to apply? Answer
Under Category 3, who is eligible to apply? Answer
May Category 2 resources be used during tribal criminal proceedings? Answer
Can resources in Categories 1 and 2 be used to provide legal assistance on juvenile matters to federally recognized Indian tribes, members of federally recognized Indian tribes, or tribal justice systems? Answer
All grant categories have a 24-month project period. Must an applicant then include a 24-month budget narrative and budget detail plan in their application? Answer
What are allowable and unallowable costs? Answer
Can I submit more than one proposal? Answer
Where can I learn about other funding opportunities? Answer
If a state or territory, including the District of Columbia, does not have public defenders who are eligible, as defined by the statute, to apply for John R. Justice (JRJ) funds, is such state still eligible to administer the JRJ grant program? Answer
Are individuals who are elected prosecutors or public defenders eligible for the JRJ Program? Answer
Has BJA administered the JRJ grant program prior to 2018? Answer
What amount of JRJ funding will each state receive? Answer
How much money from the JRJ allocation can each state spend on administrative costs? Answer
Can a designated state agency contract with a private non-profit organization to manage the JRJ Program? Answer
What additional information, other than the designation, is a state required to submit as part of its JRJ application? Answer
How does a prosecutor or public defender apply for JRJ student loan repayment benefits? Answer
What are the FY 2018 JRJ award start and end dates? Answer
How are the JRJ funds disbursed to the Governor-designated state agency and who will handle the individual loan repayment? Answer
Are there limitations regarding the number of years an attorney has been practicing (in regards to the JRJ Program)? Answer
Is there a suggested means of determining the "cost of living adjustment" for applicants, as required for the plan to select the "least able to pay" within the entire applicant pool (in regards to the JRJ program)? Answer
What is considered full-time employment for the purpose of the JRJ solicitation? Answer
Does a person have to be employed full-time at the time of selection to be eligible for the JRJ Program? Answer
Are attorneys who handle appellate-level criminal or juvenile delinquency case work eligible for the JRJ Program? Answer
Are attorneys who handle an exclusively civil caseload, such as civil forfeiture or dependency cases, eligible for the JRJ Program? Answer
Are loans that were purchased or sold by the original holder eligible for payment (in regards to the JRJ Program)? Answer
May the designated state agencies issue co-payment of the loan repayment award jointly to the beneficiary and the lender (in regards to the JRJ Program)? Answer
May a designated state agency use “salary” rather than “gross or net income” in determining which applicants have the least ability to repay their loans (in regards to the JRJ Program)? Answer
How is “spouse” defined for the purposes of JRJ? Answer
In determining which JRJ applicants have the least ability to repay their loans, if an applicant is married, must a state agency use “household income”? Answer
Are there tax consequences associated with receipt of JRJ benefits? Answer
Do employees of Public Defender Service (PDS) in the District of Columbia qualify as “public defenders” as that term is defined under the John R. Justice statute (42 U.S.C. 3797cc-21(2)? Answer
Once JRJ awards are made, how will money be disbursed to the state agencies? Answer
Regarding the JRJ Program, is a person eligible if their loan is “past due,” but still reported as in a payment status? Is a person eligible if their loan is in a “deferment” or “forbearance” status? Answer
When does the JRJ service obligation begin? Answer
I’ve signed multiple service agreements under my original 3-year service agreement. Do these service agreements add compounded service time? Answer
Is a beneficiary obligated to enter into a new service agreement of 3 years in addition to, and upon completion of, the initial 3-year service commitment if that person is selected again by the JRJ state administering agency? Answer
Regarding the JRJ Program, does the service agreement permit the Department of Justice to collect more than the principal amount of the award if the terms of the service agreement are not satisfied? Answer
How should a JRJ recipient in repayment status repay the financial obligation they’ve incurred under the terms of their signed JRJ Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) Service Agreement? Answer
What if a JRJ beneficiary in repayment status is unable to repay the full sum of their received JRJ benefits within a certain timeframe? Answer
Can a JRJ recipient in “repayment status” arrange for a payment plan? Answer
How long does a JRJ recipient in “repayment status” have before the outstanding debt is referred to the U.S. Treasury Department for collection? Answer
Regarding the JRJ Program, can a beneficiary hold some of the grant award to pay any tax liability rather than have all of these funds applied to repayment of a qualifying loan? Answer
Will JRJ funds be available in FY 2019? Answer
How will the JRJ Program affect funding through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program? Answer
Regarding the JRJ Program, should state administering agencies evaluate the percentage of eligible loans contained in a consolidated loan? Answer
Why is there a difference in the de minimis base amount of funding for some JRJ administering agencies to distribute? Answer
What responsibility does the Governor-designated JRJ administering agency have to cooperate with BJA in the administration of JRJ awards? Answer
What is the process for requesting a waiver of the repayment of JRJ funds for exiting recipients who are within the terms of the JRJ Student Loan Repayment Program Service Agreement? Answer
Is a JRJ beneficiary eligible to continue receiving JRJ benefits from their state of origin if they attain an eligible position in a different state? Answer
Current and prior year BJA grant awards can be accessed on the following OJP funding pages:
Examples of Funded Applications:
See the following pages to view examples of previously awarded applications:
Funding from Other Agencies:
You can access information about funding opportunities from other OJP agencies and bureaus by visiting the Open Solicitations section of the OJP site. Additionally, the Federal government's Grants.gov website serves as a central storehouse for information on over 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards.
Following are several links to websites and resources that may be of use to you when applying for and/or after receiving BJA funds:
