BJA FY 21 The HOPE Institute: Applying the Principles of Swiftness, Certainty, and Fairness | O BJA 2021 12001

Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2021 12001

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 21 grant opportunity titled "The HOPE Institute: Applying the Principles of Swiftness, Certainty, and Fairness" is a Department of Justice initiative focused on strengthening community supervision practices in ways that improve public safety and outcomes for people on probation, parole, or other forms of community supervision. At its core, the opportunity supports work that aligns with DOJ priorities such as advancing civil rights, increasing access to justice, supporting crime victims, protecting the public from crime and evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Rather than funding direct supervision programs in one jurisdiction, this specific solicitation is designed to fund one organization to serve as a national training and technical assistance (TTA) provider that can help many jurisdictions adopt and improve supervision strategies grounded in the Swiftness, Certainty, and Fairness (SCF) principles.

The SCF framework emphasizes three practical ideas about how supervision agencies should respond to behavior. Swiftness means responding to a violation or positive behavior quickly enough that the person under supervision clearly connects the consequence or reward to what they just did, instead of experiencing a delayed response that feels disconnected or arbitrary. Certainty means applying responses consistently and predictably, so expectations are clear and similarly situated individuals are treated in similar ways, reducing confusion and the perception that outcomes depend on who you are or which officer you get. Fairness means tailoring sanctions and incentives so they are proportional and appropriate, avoiding overreactions to minor noncompliance while still responding in meaningful ways, and also recognizing positive behavior with rewards that encourage continued compliance. In combination, these principles are intended to reduce new criminal behavior, improve compliance, and make supervision practices more effective and credible.

This solicitation seeks a single award recipient to operate as the HOPE Institute TTA provider, delivering information, resources, and hands-on assistance to state, local, and tribal community supervision agencies. The expectation is that the provider will help agencies develop, test, and refine new or enhanced applications of SCF in their local contexts. Importantly, the work is described as data-driven and collaborative, meaning agencies should use local data to identify problems, design interventions, monitor implementation, and measure outcomes, while engaging key partners who influence supervision decisions and follow-through (for example, courts, prosecutors, defense counsel, treatment providers, law enforcement, jail administrators, and community stakeholders). The solicitation also emphasizes that assistance should be informed by research while remaining responsive to local circumstances, acknowledging that what works operationally can vary based on jurisdiction size, resources, legal structures, and community needs.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, the award is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement through the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. A cooperative agreement typically signals that BJA expects to have substantial involvement in the project beyond what is common in a standard grant, such as close coordination on deliverables, priorities, or implementation decisions. The opportunity number is O-BJA-2021-12001. The anticipated funding level has an award ceiling of $500,000, with BJA expecting to make one award. The solicitation was created on May 14, 2021, and the original application closing date was June 29, 2021.

Eligibility is broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with 501(c)(3) status and those without 501(c)(3) status), and other eligible entities as described in the solicitation’s additional eligibility information. Overall, the grant is aimed at selecting a capable organization with the expertise and capacity to deliver high-quality training and technical assistance to supervision agencies nationwide, helping them implement SCF-based responses that are prompt, consistent, and proportionate, with the broader goal of reducing crime and improving supervision outcomes.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the affordable care act sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 21 The HOPE Institute: Applying the Principles of Swiftness, Certainty, and Fairness" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.828.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 14, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 29, 2021. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O BJA 2021 12001

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: