NIJ FY22 Research and Evaluation on Domestic Radicalization and Violent Extremism | O NIJ 2022 171193

Opportunity Information: Apply for O NIJ 2022 171193

The NIJ FY22 Research and Evaluation on Domestic Radicalization and Violent Extremism grant is a discretionary research funding opportunity from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) within the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Its core purpose is to fund rigorous research and evaluation that deepens understanding of how domestic radicalization develops in the United States and, more importantly, how communities and institutions can prevent or interrupt pathways that lead to violent extremism. The solicitation is framed within OJP priorities that emphasize civil rights and racial equity, improving access to justice, supporting victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, responding to evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

NIJ is looking for projects that produce practical, evidence-based knowledge, not just descriptive work. In particular, the agency signals a strong interest in research that examines the radicalization of Americans into white nationalist extremism and that identifies interventions that can be shown, through sound methods, to reduce risk or improve prevention. The opportunity encourages approaches that connect research to real-world decision-making, especially models where researchers and practitioners work in active partnership so the findings translate into tools, strategies, and lessons that other jurisdictions can realistically adopt.

The solicitation identifies four main topic areas. First, it supports research that informs terrorism prevention efforts, which can include studying risk factors, recruitment dynamics, community-level protective factors, and prevention frameworks that can be implemented before someone mobilizes to violence. Second, it seeks research on disengagement, deradicalization, and reintegration, reflecting interest in what helps individuals step away from extremist movements, how to support longer-term behavior change, and what reintegration looks like in practice for individuals returning to families, workplaces, schools, or communities. Third, it invites evaluations of programs and practices, meaning applicants can test whether existing interventions actually work, under what conditions they work best, and what implementation challenges or unintended harms might arise. Fourth, it funds research on countering mis-, dis-, and mal-information, recognizing that false or manipulative information ecosystems can contribute to grievance formation, social polarization, and radicalization trajectories, and that effective countermeasures need to be grounded in evidence rather than assumptions.

A major operational expectation is that projects involving criminal justice or other agency partnerships must be backed by strong letters of support. These letters need to come from appropriate decision-making authorities within the partnering agencies and should do more than offer general enthusiasm. They must specifically acknowledge that de-identified data connected to the project, whether generated by the research team or obtained through agency cooperation, will be archived with the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD) at the end of the award. Applicants are encouraged to review NACJD policies and protections ahead of time so data sharing, confidentiality, and archiving requirements are understood early rather than becoming a late-stage barrier. If selected, grantees are expected to have a formal agreement in place with partnering agencies by January 1, 2023, and that agreement must include language ensuring the project will meet the required data archiving obligations.

The solicitation also clarifies how multi-organization partnerships should be structured for funding purposes. Only one entity may apply as the primary applicant, and any other participating organizations that will use federal funds to carry out project work must be included as subrecipients. The opportunity uses a standard federal definition of "state" that includes U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia and U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands).

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S.-based entities: state, county, city, township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status); and for-profit organizations (including small businesses). Federal agencies may apply as well, but any award to a federal agency would be handled through an inter-agency reimbursable agreement rather than a standard grant. Foreign governments, foreign organizations, and foreign colleges or universities are explicitly not eligible to apply.

A notable compliance condition is tied to Executive Order 13929, Safe Policing for Safe Communities. For FY 2022 DOJ discretionary grant funding, state, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or must have started the certification process to be eligible. The certification requirement is tied to use-of-force policy standards, including compliance with applicable laws and a prohibition on chokeholds except where deadly force is legally authorized. This condition also applies when such law enforcement agencies participate through subawards, meaning it can affect project design if law enforcement partners will receive grant funds.

On the funding details provided, this is a grant (not a contract) categorized under science and technology and other research and development, under CFDA 16.560. The opportunity number is O-NIJ-2022-171193. The original closing date listed is April 25, 2022, and the award ceiling shown is up to $10,000,000. Finally, the solicitation includes a cost principle that recipients and subrecipients, including for-profit organizations, must forgo any profit or management fee, reinforcing that the funding is intended to support the actual research and project work rather than generating margin.

• The National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY22 Research and Evaluation on Domestic Radicalization and Violent Extremism" 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 2022-03-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-04-25. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
• 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, Others.

Apply for O NIJ 2022 171193

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