NIJ FY25 Graduate Research Fellowship

The NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship program is offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice to support doctoral students conducting dissertation research that directly relates to criminal justice and juvenile justice policy and practice in the United States. The program is designed to increase the pool of researchers engaged in developing science-based solutions for issues involving crime prevention and control, border protection, law enforcement, public safety, and the fair administration of justice. NIJ emphasizes support for rigorous, policy-relevant research and aligns the fellowship with the Department of Justice mission to uphold the rule of law, support law enforcement operations, protect American children, assist victims, and promote scientific integrity through adherence to Gold Standard Science principles. The fellowship is available only to accredited degree-granting academic institutions located in the United States or its territories. Eligible institutions include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education. The applying institution must sponsor a doctoral student currently enrolled in a qualifying research doctorate program. Humanities and visual or performing arts programs are excluded from eligibility. Applications submitted directly by students rather than by their institutions will not be considered. The proposed dissertation research must clearly demonstrate relevance to criminal or juvenile justice policy or practice in the United States. Institutions may submit multiple applications provided that each application supports a different doctoral student. NIJ anticipates awarding approximately eight grants under this funding opportunity with a total program allocation of approximately $1 million. Individual fellowship awards may total up to $180,000 over a project period ranging from 12 to 60 months. Each fellowship can support up to three years of funding within a five-year period. Annual support includes $41,000 for salary and fringe benefits, up to $16,000 for education-related costs such as tuition and indirect costs, and up to $3,000 for research expenses. Research expenses may include supplies, participant incentives, research travel, conference participation, and professional memberships. International travel is generally not supported. Awards are made for the full fellowship amount, but continuation funding after the first year depends on annual verification of enrollment and satisfactory academic progress toward completion of the degree. The application process requires a two-step federal submission procedure. Applicants must first submit the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance through Grants.gov by May 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The complete application package must then be submitted through JustGrants by May 27, 2026 at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants are strongly encouraged to begin SAM.gov registration or renewal at least 30 days before the deadline. Required application components include a proposal narrative, budget detail form, enrollment verification, undergraduate and graduate transcripts, a statement of support from the dissertation committee chair or appropriate faculty representative, biosketches or resumes, a personal statement, current and pending support documentation, a data management and sharing plan, a privacy certificate, and additional disclosures and certifications required by DOJ. The proposal narrative may not exceed eight pages excluding appendices and supplemental materials. Applications are evaluated through a multi-stage review process beginning with a responsiveness screening to ensure that all required application components are included. Qualified applications then undergo peer review based on several weighted criteria. Project design and implementation account for 40 percent of the review score, while potential impact accounts for 25 percent. Capabilities and competencies are weighted at 15 percent, budget at 15 percent, and statement of the problem at 5 percent. NIJ also considers strategic priorities such as supporting law enforcement operations, combating violent crime, protecting children, and supporting victims of trafficking and sexual assault. Applicants proposing evaluation research are expected to use rigorous methodologies and include discussion of implementation fidelity, independence safeguards, and data archiving requirements. Award recipients must comply with extensive reporting and post-award requirements. Deliverables include scholarly publications, practitioner-focused dissemination products, archived research datasets, and a completed dissertation accepted by the student’s dissertation committee. Annual and final performance reports, quarterly financial reports, and final financial reports are required throughout the period of performance. Data generated under the fellowship must be archived according to NIJ data management standards, typically through the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data or another approved repository. The anticipated start date for funded projects is January 1, 2027. NIJ notes that this fellowship opportunity is recurring and may continue in future fiscal years depending on congressional appropriations and agency priorities. Applicants may contact the OJP Response Center for assistance regarding the funding opportunity by phone at 800-851-3420 or by email at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov during standard weekday business hours. Technical assistance for Grants.gov and JustGrants is also available through designated support desks. NIJ conducted a pre-application webinar related to this opportunity on April 15, 2026, and materials from the webinar are available through the NIJ funding opportunity webpage. The solicitation identifies no mandatory cost-sharing or matching requirement, although institutions may voluntarily contribute non-federal support if desired. The program is expected to recur annually based on historical patterns and NIJ’s ongoing commitment to graduate research support.

Emphasize rigorous research methodology and clear criminal justice policy relevance. Strong dissemination planning and actionable practitioner impact are heavily weighted in review criteria. Ensure all required attachments are complete because missing mandatory components result in removal before peer review.