Executive Leadership Training for New Wardens

The National Institute of Corrections, an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, administers programs that support the professional development of correctional staff and the effective operation of correctional facilities across the United States. Through its Corrections Training and Staff Development Assistance Listing, the agency provides funding to strengthen institutional leadership and improve outcomes in correctional systems. This particular funding opportunity is issued as a Grants Notice under a cooperative agreement mechanism and reflects the agency’s continued investment in leadership training for correctional administrators. The purpose of this opportunity is to support the delivery of three in person Executive Leadership Training programs for new wardens. These programs are designed to enhance leadership capacity within correctional agencies by equipping participants with the necessary administrative and strategic skills required to oversee complex correctional environments. The initiative responds to workforce challenges driven by the increasing incarcerated population and the retirement of experienced leaders, which has created a growing demand for qualified wardens across prisons, jails, and community corrections facilities nationwide. The training program itself is a structured, instructor led curriculum totaling approximately 36 hours and is targeted specifically at wardens with fewer than two years of experience. It includes pre class instructional webinars, in person sessions, and post event coaching for selected participants. Core subject areas include institutional culture, relationships with central offices, fiscal management, human resource practices, media engagement, action planning, and personal resilience. Networking among participants is also emphasized as a key benefit, fostering peer collaboration across jurisdictions. Funding under this opportunity is intended to support the implementation and delivery of the training programs, including curriculum execution, participant engagement activities, and follow up coaching. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning that the National Institute of Corrections will maintain substantial involvement in the project’s execution. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement associated with this funding. Eligibility for this opportunity is highly restricted. This announcement is not a competitive solicitation but rather a continuation notice for an existing cooperative agreement. Only the prior award recipient associated with Cooperative Agreement 24PR09GLS4 is eligible to receive funding. Applications submitted by any other organization will not be reviewed or considered. This effectively limits participation to a single, pre selected entity with demonstrated experience in delivering the specified training program. The application timeline is short and clearly defined, with the opportunity posted on July 1, 2026 and a closing date of July 15, 2026. There are no pre application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers. Interested parties, limited to the eligible recipient, must submit their application materials by the stated deadline. For assistance or technical issues related to accessing the announcement, applicants may contact the designated grantor representative by phone. This funding opportunity does not indicate recurring cycles and appears to function as a continuation award tied to an existing agreement. The expected number of awards is one, with total program funding and award ceiling both set at 200000 dollars. The performance period and specific reporting requirements are not detailed in the notice but would typically be governed by the terms of the cooperative agreement between the agency and the recipient.