Establishment of a National Center on Restorative Justice, FY2019 | NIJ 2019 16510

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2019 16510

The Establishment of a National Center on Restorative Justice, FY2019 grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2019 16510) is a discretionary funding program from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ). It was designed to fund a single national center that would be created through a formal partnership between NIJ and an accredited institution of higher education and/or a law school. The overall aim is to build a lasting academic and practice-focused hub that strengthens restorative justice knowledge, develops future justice leaders, and connects research to real-world services that reduce inequities in the justice system.

The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that NIJ expects to have substantial involvement in shaping or guiding the work as it unfolds, rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal engagement. The opportunity carried an award ceiling of $3,000,000, with one award anticipated, meaning NIJ intended to invest the full amount into a single lead organization to establish and operate the Center at a national level. The activity categories associated with the opportunity include law, justice, and legal services, as well as science and technology and other research and development, reflecting that the Center was expected to blend education, training, and applied research rather than focusing on only one of those areas.

Eligibility was aimed primarily at colleges and universities, including both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education, with an additional category of "others" referenced in the solicitation for any clarifying details. In practice, the core requirement is that the applicant be an accredited higher education institution and/or law school capable of building a national platform for restorative justice training and research, and of convening diverse stakeholders from education, criminal justice practice, and community-based work.

The Center described in the solicitation has three main pillars. First, it is meant to educate and train the next generation of justice leaders, implying a strong emphasis on curriculum development, professional preparation, and leadership formation in restorative approaches. Second, it is expected to support research that focuses on the practical question of how to deliver direct services that address social inequities. The solicitation gives an example of these inequities as the need for simultaneous access to substance abuse treatment and higher education, pointing to an interest in integrated service models that do not treat education, health, and justice involvement as separate silos. Third, the Center is expected to engage and challenge students across multiple levels, including undergraduate, masters, and law students, while also working alongside criminal justice professionals, community members, educators, and social service providers. The intent is broad exposure and cross-sector learning, with engagement envisioned at state, regional, and national scales.

A notable feature of the program is its emphasis on structured learning formats that can reach varied audiences. The opportunity specifically mentions using a degree program, a summer institute, or short courses as vehicles to broaden understanding of justice systems and restorative approaches. This indicates that NIJ was looking for an institution that could deliver both deep, sustained training (such as a degree pathway) and shorter, intensive options that can rapidly upskill practitioners or introduce restorative frameworks to new audiences. It also explicitly encourages access to educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals, signaling that the Center should not be limited to traditional campus populations and should meaningfully include people directly impacted by incarceration as learners and participants.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted June 12, 2019, with an original closing date of August 12, 2019. It is associated with CFDA number 16.560, which corresponds to NIJ research and evaluation assistance. Overall, the grant is best understood as a concentrated federal investment to launch a national-level restorative justice center anchored in higher education, with expectations to produce trained leaders, actionable research tied to service delivery and equity, and broad stakeholder engagement that includes justice practitioners and incarcerated learners.

• The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Establishment of a National Center on Restorative Justice, FY2019" 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 Jun 12, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 12, 2019. (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 $3,000,000.00 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, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NIJ 2019 16510

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