OJJDP FY24 Enhancing School Capacity To Address Youth Violence | O OJJDP 2024 172084

FAQs: OJJDP FY24 Enhancing School Capacity To Address Youth Violence (O-OJJDP-2024-172084)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is titled OJJDP FY24 Enhancing School Capacity To Address Youth Violence.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is O-OJJDP-2024-172084.

Which federal agency is offering this funding?

This is a discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program is listed under CFDA 16.839.

What type of award is this?

This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement generally means OJJDP expects to have an active role during the project period, such as through collaboration, monitoring, and participation in key decisions, rather than only awarding funds and stepping back.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The main purpose is to reduce and prevent youth violence in school-based settings serving kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12).

Which grade levels can this project serve?

Projects must be focused on K-12 school-based settings only.

Is this funding intended to support enforcement-driven school safety approaches?

The solicitation emphasizes prevention and reduction approaches that strengthen overall school climate, rather than framing the effort as purely enforcement-driven.

What kinds of strategies does OJJDP emphasize?

OJJDP emphasizes evidence-based and promising youth violence prevention and reduction approaches, and strategies that improve school climate (such as student connectedness, supportive relationships, consistent and fair discipline practices, and systems to identify and address conflict or risk before it escalates).

What does "improving school climate" mean in the context of this opportunity?

In this solicitation, school climate is described in terms that typically include student connectedness, supportive relationships, consistent and fair discipline practices, and systems that identify and address conflict or risk early.

Is collaboration with community-based organizations required or expected?

Yes. A central expectation is collaboration between schools and community-based organizations (CBOs), using a coordinated, partnership-driven approach rather than schools operating in isolation.

Why does OJJDP emphasize school-CBO partnerships?

The intent is to build more complete prevention and response capacity by combining school-based efforts with community supports and interventions, so efforts are coordinated rather than fragmented.

What are examples of supports that community-based organizations might provide under this opportunity?

The solicitation describes potential CBO contributions such as mentoring, behavioral health supports, conflict mediation, youth development programming, family engagement services, and other wraparound resources that can operate in and around the school environment.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; other units of local government (including general purpose political subdivisions such as towns, boroughs, parishes, and villages); independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; tribal organizations (including those not federally recognized as governments); nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); and for-profit organizations other than small businesses.

Can a school district be the lead applicant?

Yes. Independent school districts are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.

Can a nonprofit organization apply?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations are eligible, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities.

Can a for-profit organization apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations are eligible as long as they are not small businesses, based on the eligibility description provided.

Can tribal entities apply?

Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments are eligible, and tribal organizations are also eligible, including those not federally recognized as governments.

Can institutions of higher education apply?

Yes. Both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible.

Does broad eligibility mean any project topic is allowed?

No. Even though eligibility is broad, the proposed project must be clearly grounded in K-12 school settings and reflect meaningful school-CBO collaboration, consistent with the purpose of reducing and preventing youth violence in schools.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $1,000,000 per award.

How many awards does OJJDP expect to make?

OJJDP anticipated making approximately 23 awards.

When was the solicitation created?

The solicitation was created on April 25, 2024.

What was the application closing date listed?

The original closing date for applications was June 10, 2024.

What is the funding activity category for this opportunity?

The funding activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services.

How does this opportunity fit within OJJDP's broader mission?

The opportunity aligns with OJJDP's mission by focusing on preventing and responding to juvenile delinquency and related public safety concerns while supporting prevention-oriented and developmentally appropriate interventions for youth.

What kind of overall project approach is OJJDP looking for?

OJJDP is looking for a clear, practical plan to reduce youth violence in K-12 schools by scaling interventions with evidence behind them, strengthening school climate, and building durable partnerships between education systems and community organizations.