BJA FY25 National Center on Restorative Justice

The Bureau of Justice Assistance within the U.S. Department of Justice is offering funding through the BJA National Center on Restorative Justice program to support the continued management and expansion of the National Center on Restorative Justice. The funding opportunity is intended to strengthen public safety by promoting restorative justice approaches that reinforce offender accountability, improve outcomes for victims, and support justice system efficiency. The program emphasizes the integration of restorative justice practices into traditional law enforcement and criminal justice systems while maintaining a focus on victim restoration, public safety, and measurable operational improvements. The solicitation is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the federal agency expects to maintain substantial involvement in project implementation and oversight throughout the award period. The program is designed to support a national center operated by an accredited institution of higher education or accredited law school. Eligible applicants include accredited public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and accredited private institutions of higher education recognized by regional institutional accreditation agencies approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges or universities are not eligible. The selected recipient may work with project partners and subrecipients, but only one organization may serve as the primary applicant. The funding opportunity does not require cost sharing or matching contributions. The anticipated total funding available is $2,543,279, with one anticipated award and a maximum award ceiling equal to the total program amount. The anticipated project period is 48 months beginning June 1, 2026. The National Center on Restorative Justice is expected to provide education, training, technical assistance, research, and implementation support for justice professionals including law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, court personnel, correctional institutions, and victim service providers. Required activities include the development of evidence-based training modules, maintenance of a national digital resource center, delivery of implementation-focused resources such as webinars and fact sheets, provision of on-site technical assistance, and production of evaluation data demonstrating project effectiveness. The center must also produce monthly project status reports documenting deliverables, assistance requests, identified needs, solutions delivered, and resulting outcomes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate how their proposed work will improve public safety, reduce recidivism, strengthen offender accountability, support victims, and increase justice system efficiency. The application process requires a two-step federal submission process. Applicants must first submit the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance through Grants.gov by May 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The full application must then be completed and submitted in JustGrants by May 15, 2026 at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applicants must maintain an active SAM.gov registration and Unique Entity Identifier throughout the application and award process. Required application components include a proposal abstract, proposal narrative, budget detail form, financial management questionnaire, disclosures and certifications, and various attachments including resumes, work product examples, timeline documentation, letters of support, memoranda of understanding if applicable, and subrecipient disclosures. The proposal narrative is limited to 15 pages and must address four primary sections: description of the need, project design and implementation, capabilities and competencies, and the plan for collecting required performance data. Applications will undergo a basic minimum requirements review before moving to peer review. To pass the minimum review, the application must come from an eligible applicant, remain within the award ceiling, respond to the program scope, and include all mandatory submission components. Peer reviewers will evaluate applications based on four weighted criteria: description of the issue, project design and implementation, organizational capabilities and competencies, and budget completeness and cost effectiveness. Additional factors considered during final award decisions may include geographic coverage, strategic priorities, risk assessment findings, past performance, and budget reasonableness. The Department of Justice has identified several funding priorities that may receive additional consideration, including projects supporting law enforcement operations, combating violent crime, protecting children, supporting crime victims, and addressing trafficking and sexual assault. Award recipients will be subject to standard federal reporting and compliance requirements including quarterly financial reports, semi-annual performance reports, and final financial and performance reports. Recipients must also report performance data through the BJA Training and Technical Assistance Reporting Portal. The program includes extensive civil rights compliance obligations, financial management standards, and audit requirements consistent with federal grant regulations. Technical assistance regarding the application process is available through the OJP Response Center, Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and the JustGrants Service Desk. The funding opportunity was released on April 15, 2026 and appears to follow an annual federal grant cycle associated with Department of Justice appropriations and fiscal year funding opportunities.

Provide detailed implementation plans with measurable outcomes and operational metrics. Emphasize evidence-based restorative justice practices that reinforce offender accountability and victim restoration. Demonstrate capacity for national training and technical assistance delivery including virtual and in-person formats. Align project activities closely with law enforcement and public safety priorities identified in the NOFO.