OJJDP FY 2022 and 2023 Nonparticipating States: Connecticut (2022), Nebraska (2022), Texas (2022 and 2023), Wyoming (2022 and 2023) | O OJJDP 2023 171848

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OJJDP 2023 171848

This discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), administered by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), is designed to support juvenile justice and youth delinquency efforts in a specific set of "nonparticipating" states for federal fiscal years 2022 and 2023: Connecticut (2022), Nebraska (2022), Texas (2022 and 2023), and Wyoming (2022 and 2023). The overarching purpose is to help eligible applicants within those states plan, establish, operate, coordinate, and evaluate programs and system-improvement projects that strengthen how communities prevent and respond to youth delinquency. Funding is intended to back practical work on education and training, research and evaluation, prevention and early intervention, diversion from deeper system involvement, treatment, rehabilitation, and broader juvenile justice system improvement activities that can be implemented directly by the applicant or through subawards, grants, and contracts with public agencies and private nonprofit partners.

The opportunity is grounded in OJP priorities that emphasize civil rights and racial equity, expanded access to justice, support for victims and people impacted by the justice system, stronger community safety, and increased trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Within that umbrella, OJJDP frames its juvenile justice vision around the idea of transforming the system so it is developmentally appropriate and opportunity-focused. The solicitation explicitly aligns with a "Treat Children as Children" approach, favoring responses that keep young people closer to home when safe and appropriate, maintain and strengthen family and community connections, and create meaningful opportunities for youth who are system-involved. Applicants proposing youth-focused work are expected to explain how their program design connects to these priorities, not just in broad language but in how services and strategies are actually delivered.

A central requirement of this solicitation is the integration of meaningful youth and family partnerships. OJJDP is clear that youth and family members with lived experience are not simply "stakeholders" to consult occasionally, but essential partners whose perspectives should shape planning, implementation, and ongoing decision-making. Applications must describe how the project will build and sustain these partnerships within both the project plan and the budget, meaning applicants should be prepared to show concrete mechanisms for engagement and resourcing (for example, compensation, stipends, advisory roles, training, or other supports that make participation real and sustainable). The solicitation recognizes multiple levels at which these partnerships can operate. At the individual level, partnerships can show up in case planning and service delivery, including before, during, and after a youth's contact with youth-serving systems. At the agency level, partnerships may involve youth and families helping guide policy and practice, co-developing programs, participating in implementation and evaluation, serving on advisory bodies, or contributing to staffing and budget development conversations. At the system level, partnerships can extend to strategic planning, system improvement initiatives, advocacy and reform efforts, and coordinated approaches across agencies. The expectation is that engagement is not symbolic, but structured, ongoing, and tied to outcomes.

Mechanically, this is a cooperative agreement (rather than a simple grant), which typically means the federal agency anticipates a more active role in the project through collaboration, guidance, and oversight during the award period. The funding activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services, and the CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with the opportunity is 16.540. The maximum award amount listed is $2,000,000, and the solicitation anticipates making about eight awards. The opportunity was created on August 1, 2023, with an original application closing date of September 15, 2023, indicating it was a time-bound competitive solicitation.

Eligibility is broad across public and nonprofit sectors, allowing county governments and city/township governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit categories). The solicitation also includes an "Others" category with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the full text. In practical terms, this mix suggests OJJDP wanted to enable a wide range of state and local system actors and community-based providers to compete, including those positioned to run direct services, coordinate multi-agency efforts, or lead research and evaluation tied to juvenile justice improvements.

Overall, the grant opportunity is about strengthening juvenile justice responses in the named nonparticipating states by funding initiatives that are both system-aware and youth-centered. Competitive applications would be expected to combine sound program design with credible implementation and evaluation plans, demonstrate alignment with OJP and OJJDP priorities (especially equity, access to justice, and developmentally appropriate responses), and show in specific, budgeted terms how youth and families will be meaningfully engaged as partners at the individual, agency, and/or system levels.

• 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 2022 and 2023 Nonparticipating States: Connecticut (2022), Nebraska (2022), Texas (2022 and 2023), Wyoming (2022 and 2023)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.540.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 01, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2023. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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).

Apply for O OJJDP 2023 171848

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: