BJA FY 2026 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance is offering the Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes funding opportunity to support state, local, and tribal governments, community-based organizations, educational organizations, nonprofits, and other eligible entities that provide education and employment programming for adults and youth leaving prisons and jails. The program is authorized under the Second Chance Act and related federal authorities. Its overall goal is to improve education attainment and employment outcomes for people in reentry, thereby improving employment prospects and reducing recidivism. Approximately $20,000,000 is expected to be available through this federal grant competition. The opportunity contains two funding categories. Category 1, Improving Reentry Education Outcomes, supports prison educational programming and vocational or trade education and training serving adults or youth who are currently incarcerated and have two years or less before release into the community. Category 2, Improving Reentry Employment Outcomes, supports employment programs such as career pathway systems or workforce development networks that are informed by labor market needs and local demand and serve currently incarcerated adults with two years or less before release. Applicants may propose projects that develop marketable skills, leverage technology, build organizational or program capacity, align programming with the local job market, and help participants engage in the digital economy. Applicants must commit to restricting internet access in incarcerated settings as deemed appropriate by the applicable correctional agency. BJA anticipates making 10 awards under Category 1 and 10 awards under Category 2, with awards of up to $1,000,000 in either category. The expected project period is 36 months beginning October 1, 2026. Cost sharing or matching funds are not required. Costs included in an application must be reasonable, allocable, necessary for implementation, allowable under the funding statute, and consistent with agency requirements. Award funds may not be used for prizes, rewards, entertainment, trinkets or other monetary incentives, client stipends, gift cards, vehicle purchases, or food and beverages. Additional activities and costs identified by the NOFO as outside program scope or unallowable are also prohibited. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized and other Native American Tribal governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without federal 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, small businesses, other units of local government, and faith-based organizations. Applicants may submit more than one application when each application proposes a different project, but each application should address only one NOFO category. Nonprofit organizations and non-correctional government applicants must provide an MOU demonstrating an established collaborative relationship with the correctional agency responsible for the applicable facility, facilities, or community corrections population. Applicants must also submit the mandatory chief executive assurance concerning collection and reporting of participant identifiers and recidivism indicator data. Submission uses a two-step federal process. Applicants must first complete the required SF-424 and submit it through Grants.gov by September 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. The full application must then be submitted through JustGrants by October 1, 2026, at 8:59 PM ET. Required components include Standard Applicant Information, a Proposal Narrative, a Budget, and the Mandatory Chief Executive Assurance. An MOU is additionally required for nonprofit organizations and non-correctional government applicants. Other components include a proposal abstract, the Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire, the Agency Funding Priorities Inventory when priority consideration is sought, applicable budget and financial attachments, applicable Tribal Authorizing Resolution, and required disclosures and assurances. The proposal narrative may not exceed 15 pages and must address Description of the Need, Project Goals and Objectives, Project Design and Implementation, and Capabilities and Competencies. Peer review scoring assigns 5 percent to Description of the Need, 15 percent to Project Goals and Objectives, 35 percent to Project Design and Implementation, 30 percent to Capabilities and Competencies, and 15 percent to the Budget. BJA identifies additional priority considerations, including Category 1 projects focused on vocational or trade education and training and Category 2 projects that assess local employee demand, conduct individualized reentry career or post-release employment planning, demonstrate employer connections, and track employment outcomes. Priority consideration does not guarantee funding. Recipients must provide required performance reporting and a final performance report that includes the recidivism outcomes described in the mandatory assurance. The NOFO was released August 17, 2026. Applicants are advised to begin SAM.gov registration or renewal by August 25, 2026, and no later than September 10, 2026, although registration is not a pre-application competition gate. The Grants.gov submission deadline is September 24, 2026, and the JustGrants final application deadline is October 1, 2026. The anticipated 36-month performance period begins October 1, 2026. The NOFO does not state that this particular competition recurs on a fixed schedule. Program questions may be directed to the OJP Response Center at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov or 800-851-3420. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726, and JustGrants technical support is available at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833-872-5175.

Prioritize Project Design and Implementation because it represents 35 percent of the application score and Capabilities and Competencies because it represents 30 percent. Clearly substantiate the need, connect project goals and objectives to the NOFO, define the target population and baseline recidivism rate, identify staffing and partnerships, and provide a reasonable, allocable, necessary budget. Category 1 applicants can receive priority consideration for focusing on vocational or trade education and training. Category 2 applicants should assess local employee demand, conduct individualized career or post-release employment planning, demonstrate employer connections, and track employment outcomes. Applicants seeking other stated agency priority consideration should provide the required supporting documentation.