Opportunity Information: Apply for O NIJ 2026 172801
The NIJ FY 2026 Crime and Justice Research notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is a discretionary grant program from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) focused on applied research and evaluation in the adult criminal justice system. The overall aim is to generate practical, evidence-based knowledge about what works, why it works, and under what conditions it works, especially in areas tied to workforce performance, operational readiness, safety, and policing training outcomes. The funding falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category and is listed under CFDA 16.560.
The NOFO is organized into two distinct application categories. Category 1, titled "Crime and Justice Research," supports research projects that examine or develop new programs, strategies, and technological solutions intended to improve workforce effectiveness, strengthen operational readiness, and support safety across the adult criminal justice system. In practice, this category is geared toward studies that can inform real-world decision-making for justice agencies and their partners, including research that tests interventions, evaluates implementation, assesses outcomes, and explores how innovations or operational changes affect personnel performance and system functioning. Projects under this category can include a wide range of research and development approaches, as long as they are focused on adult criminal justice and tied to the stated themes of workforce capability, readiness, and safety.
Category 2 is titled "Assessment of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) De-escalation Training Program" and is more targeted. It supports proposals specifically designed to study how the COPS De-Escalation Training Program is implemented and what impact it has. This category is meant to go beyond simply describing training content and instead produce credible findings about delivery, uptake, fidelity, and outcomes. Depending on the research design, that could include examining how agencies adopt and sustain the training, what factors help or hinder successful implementation, how officers and agencies change practices after training, and whether measurable outcomes shift in ways consistent with de-escalation goals.
Eligibility is broad and includes public sector, academic, nonprofit, and private sector organizations. Eligible applicants include state governments; county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. This wide eligibility range allows for proposals led by research universities, local or state agencies, tribal entities, research nonprofits, and industry partners, including technology developers, provided the proposed work aligns with one of the two categories.
The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number "O-NIJ-2026-172801" and was created on October 9, 2026. Applications are due by November 16, 2026. NIJ lists an award ceiling of $5,000,000, and the program expects to make around 9 awards, indicating a competitive process with potentially sizable awards for a limited number of selected projects. The funding instrument is a grant, and because it is discretionary, awards will be made based on NIJ review and selection criteria rather than by formula.
In practical terms, applicants should think of this NOFO as supporting rigorous research or evaluation that can produce usable findings for the justice field. Category 1 is the broader track for innovation and research on programs, strategies, or technologies that improve adult criminal justice workforce effectiveness, readiness, and safety. Category 2 is the focused track for evaluating the implementation and impact of the COPS De-escalation Training Program. Both tracks are positioned to produce actionable evidence that can inform policy, training, operational planning, and future investments in the criminal justice system.Apply for O NIJ 2026 172801
- The National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY 2026 Crime and Justice Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-10-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-11-16. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 9 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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FAQs: NIJ FY 2026 Crime and Justice Research (O-NIJ-2026-172801)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the NIJ FY 2026 Crime and Justice Research notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), a discretionary grant program from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). It supports applied research and evaluation in the adult criminal justice system, with an emphasis on producing practical, evidence-based findings about what works, why it works, and under what conditions it works.
What is the main purpose of the NOFO?
The overall aim is to generate usable evidence tied to workforce performance, operational readiness, safety, and policing training outcomes in the adult criminal justice system. The intent is to inform real-world decisions by justice agencies and their partners.
What type of funding mechanism is used?
The funding instrument is a grant. Because it is discretionary, awards are made based on NIJ review and selection criteria rather than a formula allocation.
What is the CFDA number and funding category for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 16.560 and falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.
What are the application categories under this NOFO?
The NOFO has two distinct application categories: (1) Crime and Justice Research and (2) Assessment of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) De-escalation Training Program.
What does Category 1 (Crime and Justice Research) support?
Category 1 supports research projects that examine or develop new programs, strategies, and technological solutions intended to improve workforce effectiveness, strengthen operational readiness, and support safety across the adult criminal justice system.
What kinds of activities fit under Category 1?
Based on the NOFO description, Category 1 can include applied research and evaluation approaches such as testing interventions, evaluating implementation, assessing outcomes, and studying how innovations or operational changes affect personnel performance and system functioning, as long as the work is focused on adult criminal justice and aligned with workforce capability, readiness, and safety themes.
What does Category 2 focus on?
Category 2 is specifically focused on assessing the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) De-escalation Training Program. It supports proposals designed to study how the training is implemented and what impact it has.
Is Category 2 meant to describe the training curriculum?
No. Category 2 is meant to go beyond describing training content and instead produce credible findings about delivery, uptake, fidelity, and outcomes related to the COPS De-escalation Training Program.
What kinds of research questions could Category 2 address?
The NOFO indicates Category 2 may include research that examines how agencies adopt and sustain the training, what factors help or hinder successful implementation, how officer and agency practices change after training, and whether measurable outcomes shift in ways consistent with de-escalation goals (depending on the research design).
Does this NOFO support research in juvenile justice systems?
The NOFO is described as being focused on applied research and evaluation in the adult criminal justice system.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes public sector, academic, nonprofit, and private sector organizations. Eligible applicants include: state governments; county, city, or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses.
Are tribal entities eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicants.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. The NOFO lists for-profit organizations other than small businesses, as well as small businesses, as eligible.
Are nonprofits eligible even if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, with the note that these nonprofit categories are not institutions of higher education.
Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?
Yes. The NOFO includes both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education as eligible applicants.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is O-NIJ-2026-172801.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on October 9, 2026.
What is the application due date?
Applications are due by November 16, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount?
NIJ lists an award ceiling of $5,000,000.
How many awards does NIJ expect to make?
The program expects to make around 9 awards, suggesting a competitive process with a limited number of funded projects.
What kinds of results is NIJ looking for from funded projects?
NIJ positions both categories to produce actionable, evidence-based findings that can inform policy, training, operational planning, and future investments in the criminal justice system, particularly around workforce effectiveness, readiness, safety, and de-escalation-related outcomes (where applicable).
How should an applicant choose between Category 1 and Category 2?
Category 1 is the broader track for research on programs, strategies, or technologies that improve adult criminal justice workforce effectiveness, operational readiness, and safety. Category 2 is the focused track for evaluating the implementation and impact of the COPS De-escalation Training Program.
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