DOJ Grants: Securing Criminal Justice and Public Safety Funding

Understanding the DOJ Grant Landscape

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is one of the largest federal grant-making agencies, distributing billions of dollars annually to support criminal justice, public safety, victim services, juvenile justice, and community violence intervention programs. DOJ grants fund state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, corrections, tribal governments, nonprofit service providers, and research institutions. For organizations working in these areas, DOJ grants offer substantial funding opportunities, but the application landscape can be complex given the number of offices and programs involved.

DOJ grants are administered primarily through three grant-making components:

• Office of Justice Programs (OJP): The largest component, encompassing the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), and National Institute of Justice (NIJ). Each bureau focuses on distinct program areas and target populations.
• Office on Violence Against Women (OVW): Administers grants authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for programs that address domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
• Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office: Funds community policing strategies, including the COPS Hiring Program, which provides funding to hire and train law enforcement officers for community policing activities.

Identifying the right program within DOJ's structure requires careful research. Our article on strategic grant research and prospecting methods provides techniques for systematically identifying the best-fit funding opportunities across federal agencies.

Key DOJ Grant Programs

Several DOJ programs are particularly significant for applicants in the criminal justice and public safety space:

Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG)

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program is DOJ's primary provider of criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. JAG funds support a broad range of activities including law enforcement, prosecution, courts, prevention and education, corrections, drug treatment, technology improvement, and crime victim and witness programs. JAG operates through both formula and competitive grants.

STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grants

Administered by OVW, STOP grants support a coordinated community response to violence against women by funding law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services. States receive formula allocations and sub-grant funds to local agencies and nonprofits.

Second Chance Act Programs

These programs fund reentry services for individuals returning to their communities from incarceration. Eligible activities include mentoring, job training, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment, and family reunification services.

Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative

A newer DOJ priority, this program funds evidence-based community violence intervention strategies including hospital-based intervention programs, street outreach, and group violence intervention models.

Writing Competitive DOJ Grant Applications

DOJ applications are submitted through JustGrants, the department's grants management system. Each solicitation specifies the application components, which typically include a program narrative, budget detail and narrative, goals and objectives, and various required certifications and assurances. Several strategies improve competitiveness across DOJ programs:

• Develop a clear logic model. DOJ increasingly requires applicants to submit logic models that articulate the causal pathway from inputs and activities to outputs and outcomes. A well-constructed logic model demonstrates that your program design is grounded in theory and evidence. Our comprehensive guide to logic models and theory of change explains how to build models that satisfy federal reviewers.
• Use evidence-based practices. DOJ places strong emphasis on programs that are supported by research evidence. Reference specific studies, cite listings from evidence clearinghouses such as CrimeSolutions.gov, and explain how your implementation will maintain fidelity to evidence-based models.
• Demonstrate data capacity. Describe your organization's ability to collect, manage, and report performance measurement data. DOJ requires grantees to report on specific performance metrics, and applications that demonstrate existing data infrastructure score higher.
• Address sustainability. Explain how programs will continue after DOJ funding ends. Identify institutional support, alternative funding sources, and plans for embedding successful practices into ongoing operations.
• Build a realistic and compliant budget. DOJ applies federal cost principles from 2 CFR 200 and has specific restrictions on certain cost categories. Ensure your budget aligns precisely with proposed program activities and complies with all DOJ cost restrictions. For detailed guidance on federal budgets, see our article on budget fundamentals and federal cost principles.

DOJ Application Tips and Common Mistakes

Common mistakes in DOJ applications include failing to address all required elements of the solicitation, submitting generic narratives that do not respond to the specific program's priorities, presenting budgets that include unallowable costs, and neglecting to demonstrate collaboration with key stakeholders in the criminal justice system. DOJ also requires applicants to address civil rights compliance, including equal employment opportunity plans and accommodation of individuals with limited English proficiency. Overlooking these requirements can result in application rejection or delayed awards.

Learn more about grant writing strategies at Subthesis.

Develop comprehensive grant writing skills for DOJ and other federal agencies. Enroll in The Complete Grant Architect course for expert training on building competitive criminal justice and public safety funding proposals.