OJJDP FY 2021 Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program | O OJJDP 2021 47005

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OJJDP 2021 47005

The OJJDP FY 2021 Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), focused on improving reentry outcomes for moderate- to high-risk youth returning to their communities after time in juvenile residential or correctional facilities. The program is designed to reduce recidivism and address the practical barriers young people face when they leave custody, emphasizing coordinated planning and service delivery that begins before release and continues through the transition back home. A core theme of the solicitation is collaboration: applicants are encouraged to build partnerships that link state agencies, local governments, and community- and faith-based organizations so youth and their families experience a more connected and consistent set of supports rather than fragmented, short-term interventions.

The solicitation is organized into two distinct funding tracks. Category 1, the Youth Offender Reentry Program, generally targets reentry work that is anchored in or closely connected to juvenile facilities and system-led reentry planning, with an emphasis on structured, evidence-informed approaches for youth who have higher needs and higher risk of reoffending. Category 2, the Community-Based Youth Reentry Program, centers more heavily on reentry support delivered in the community, typically involving community-based organizations and local partners that can provide wraparound services, supervision supports, mentoring, and connections to education, employment, behavioral health, and family-centered services. Across both categories, the intent is to strengthen the handoff between confinement and the community, reduce gaps in care, and make sure services are coordinated across agencies and providers.

Eligible applicants are broad and include state governments, counties, and cities or townships, as well as federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations. Nonprofit organizations are also eligible, including both 501(c)(3) nonprofits and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status (in both cases, other than institutions of higher education). The eligibility section also notes that additional applicant types may qualify depending on the clarification provided in the solicitation’s “Additional Information on Eligibility” field.

Administratively, this opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number O-OJJDP-2021-47005 and falls within the Law, Justice and Legal Services funding activity area, with CFDA number 16.812. It was created on December 21, 2020, with an original application closing date of February 5, 2021. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $9,750,000, and OJJDP anticipated making approximately 13 awards. In practical terms, that combination of a relatively small number of awards and a high ceiling suggests the program was intended to support substantial, multi-partner initiatives capable of serving significant numbers of youth or building robust reentry infrastructure in a jurisdiction or region.

Overall, the grant opportunity is aimed at jurisdictions and organizations that can demonstrate strong cross-system coordination and a clear strategy to lower reoffending among youth returning from placement. The program’s framing reflects a recognition that successful youth reentry is not only about supervision or short-term services, but about aligning institutions, community providers, and families around a consistent plan that addresses education, employment readiness, behavioral health needs, housing stability where relevant, positive peer and adult connections, and ongoing case management during a high-risk transition period.

• The Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJJDP FY 2021 Second Chance Act Youth Offender Reentry Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812.
• This funding opportunity was created on Dec 21, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 05, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $9,750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 13 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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