NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation of Policing Practices

The NIJ Research and Evaluation of Policing Practices funding opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice. The program is designed to support rigorous applied research and evaluation projects focused on improving policing practices, officer performance, public safety outcomes, and organizational effectiveness in law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. The solicitation emphasizes the federal government's commitment to evidence-based policy development, scientific integrity, and the advancement of criminal justice practices through high-quality research. The funding opportunity aligns with broader Department of Justice priorities related to violent crime reduction, law enforcement support, public safety, and the protection of civil rights. The opportunity is issued as a competitive federal grant program under Assistance Listing Number 16.560. The program seeks proposals in four primary topic areas. The first area supports evaluations of existing police training programs, including academy training, field training, technology-assisted training, and training related to national issues such as human trafficking interdiction. NIJ is particularly interested in understanding how different training approaches influence police performance and operational efficiency. The second topic area focuses on officer safety and health, including physical safety, mental health, stress reduction, organizational culture, wellness programs, burnout prevention, and workplace conditions affecting recruitment and retention. The third topic area supports research on criminal investigations, especially studies examining strategies to improve violent crime clearance rates, investigative efficiency, evidence collection practices, deployment structures, task force partnerships, and investigative technologies. The fourth topic area addresses policing strategies and tactics such as hot spot policing, focused deterrence, order maintenance, crime prevention through environmental design, and data-driven policing approaches. Proposals outside these identified topics will not be considered responsive. The solicitation provides flexibility regarding award size. The total anticipated funding available under the opportunity is $5,000,000, and the anticipated award ceiling will depend on the scope and requirements of the proposed research project. Applicants may request funding up to the total amount available under the solicitation if justified by the project design and research activities. NIJ expects funded projects to operate within a period of performance of up to five years, with an anticipated project start date of January 1, 2027. Awards may support personnel, research activities, evaluation work, dissemination activities, implementation studies, data collection, cost-benefit analysis, and other allowable expenses necessary to complete the proposed research. The solicitation also requires applicants conducting evaluation research to include implementation evaluations and cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness analyses. Artificial intelligence evaluation proposals are specifically excluded from this funding opportunity and directed to a separate NIJ solicitation. Eligible applicants include a broad range of entity types. Government applicants may include state, county, city, township, tribal, and special district governments. Educational institutions including public and private institutions of higher education and independent school districts are eligible. Nonprofit organizations with or without IRS 501(c)(3) status may apply, as may for-profit organizations, including small businesses. Public housing authorities and other local government units are also eligible. Applicants may submit multiple applications if each proposal addresses a distinct project. Collaborative applications involving multiple entities are permitted; however, only one organization may serve as the primary applicant while partner organizations must participate as subrecipients. NIJ expects the lead applicant to conduct the majority of the proposed work. Cost sharing is not required because awards may fund up to 100 percent of total project costs, although applicants may voluntarily contribute nonfederal support. Applications must be submitted electronically through a two-step process involving Grants.gov and JustGrants. Applicants must first submit the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance through Grants.gov by June 9, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The complete application package, including attachments, must then be submitted through JustGrants by June 16, 2026 at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Required application materials include the proposal narrative, budget detail form, resumes or curriculum vitae for investigators and project directors, a proposal abstract, financial management questionnaire, and various supporting documents depending on project design. The proposal narrative may not exceed 30 pages and must include sections addressing the statement of the problem, project design and implementation, potential impact, organizational capabilities, and appendices. Additional required attachments may include data management plans, human subjects protection documentation, privacy certificates, letters of support, project timelines, and research independence statements. Applications will first undergo a basic minimum requirements review to confirm applicant eligibility and submission completeness. Responsive applications will then be evaluated through peer review based on five weighted criteria. Project design and implementation accounts for 40 percent of the evaluation score, while potential impact represents 25 percent. Capabilities and competencies account for 15 percent, budget quality for 15 percent, and statement of the problem for 5 percent. NIJ also considers factors such as geographic diversity, strategic priorities, prior performance, and funding availability during final award decisions. Successful applicants will be required to submit quarterly financial reports, semiannual performance reports, final research reports, scholarly products, and archived datasets. NIJ expects funded projects to generate peer-reviewed publications and dissemination products intended for practitioners and policymakers. Key dates for the funding opportunity include the release date of May 7, 2026, the recommended SAM.gov registration initiation date of May 10, 2026, the Grants.gov submission deadline of June 9, 2026, and the JustGrants submission deadline of June 16, 2026. The solicitation appears to represent a recurring annual federal research funding program based on the fiscal year designation and NIJ's ongoing research portfolio. Applicants needing assistance may contact the OJP Response Center at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov or by phone at 800-851-3420. Technical support is also available through Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and JustGrants service desks. The official funding opportunity number is O-NIJ-2025-172603.

Emphasize rigorous evaluation design and implementation fidelity metrics. Include cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness analyses for evaluation projects. Clearly demonstrate how findings will inform criminal justice policy and practice. Strong dissemination plans for practitioner and policymaker audiences are important. Applications should align with NIJ priority goals related to violent crime reduction public safety and law enforcement support.