The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) program resources are targeted to distressed neighborhoods that have persistent crime challenges and produce a significant proportion of crime or type of crime within the larger jurisdiction, impeding broader neighborhood development goals.

The goal

credit: NBC Philadelphia

of BCJI is to reduce crime and improve community safety as part of a comprehensive strategy to rebuild neighborhoods and spur revitalization.

Through a broad cross-sector partnership team, including neighborhood residents, BCJI grantees target neighborhoods with persistent hot spots of violent and serious crime and employ data-driven, cross-sector strategies to reduce crime and violence and increase trust.



To achieve BCJI program goals and objectives, the fiscal agent must commit to accomplishing the following:
? Identify a neighborhood with a concentration of crime hot spots which have for a period of time composed a significant proportion of crime or types of crime;
? Ensure meaningful engagement of residents and other partners, including coordination in the development or implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated strategic plan;
? Develop and/or implement a plan that outlines a set of strategies that offers a continuum of approaches to address crime drivers including enforcement, prevention, intervention, and revitalization strategies with support from the BCJI training and technical assistance provider;
? Demonstrate commitment and a clear history of the partners, including the local law enforcement agency and a research partner or team, to support the data collection and analysis throughout the life of the grant;
? Demonstrate ability to hire and support a skilled lead site coordinator that will oversee and facilitate coordination and collaboration among criminal justice and service providers (e.g., by the formation of a diverse advisory board or cross-sector partnership team to address an identified problem);
? Facilitate, as appropriate, collaboration with relevant local, state, or federal initiatives located in, adjacent, or overlapping the jurisdiction that addresses issues that relate to the crime issues identified; and,
? Support the planning, implementation and sustainment of the program through proactive program management tied to rigorous research and data analysis, program assessment, and leverage other funding and resources.

Selected Recipients for this Program

Fiscal Year 2017: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2018: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2019: No Current Data Available

Uses and Use Restrictions

Allowable uses of funds include the planning and implementation of data-driven, evidence-based strategies that target crime in locations where most crime is occurring and can have the biggest impact while also building the capacity of the community to deter future crime through neighborhood revitalization.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

See the current solicitation available at the Office of Justice Programs website https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Eligible entities to serve as fiscal agent include states, unit of local governments, non-profit organizations, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments as determined by the Secretary of the Interior.

Credentials/Documentation

The application must include: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424); Program Abstract; Program Narrative; Budget and Budget Narrative; Project Timeline and Position Descriptions; Letters of Support. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Aplication and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

The BCJI application requires a consortium of partners (hereinafter ?cross-sector partnership?) to work together to design a strategy addressing a targeted crime problem and responding to the scope of this solicitation.

The application must also show commitment from the local law enforcement agency, community leaders, and a research partner as part of this partnership through detailed letters of support outlining their participation and partnership in the project.

This cross-sector partnership must designate one agency or organization as the Fiscal Agent.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program.

This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.

12372.

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. All competitive grant applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applications or supplemental materials received by facsimile or postal mail will not be accepted.

Award Procedures

Upon approval by the Assistant Attorney General, successful applicants are notified via the Grants Management System. One copy of the grant award must be signed by the authorized official and returned to the Office of Justice Programs.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Authorization

This program is funded under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113). And, an act appropriating funds for the Department of Justice in the current fiscal year.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 90 to 120 days.

Appeals

There are no appeal rights for rejection of a discretionary application. Please see section 28 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 18.

Renewals

Subject to annual appropriations.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula. This program has no matching requirements. This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Up to 36 months. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: For specifics pertaining to this program, please see the current fiscal year?s program solicitation available at the Office of Justice Programs web site (https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm). For additional information, see the Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide section on ?Period of Availability of Funds' at https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/chapter3.2a.htm.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

No program reports are required.

No cash reports are required.

Recipients are required to submit semi-annual Progress Reports.

Recipients are required to submit semi-annual Progress Reports in accordance with the Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide (https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm).

Recipients are required to submit semi-annual Progress Reports and quarterly Financial Reports.

To assist in fulfilling the Departments responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Public Law 103-62, and the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, Public Law 111?352, recipients must provide data that measures the results of their work.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, non-Federal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503. Payments and transactions are subject to audits by the Government Accountability Office, Department of Justice?s Office of the Inspector General, state or local government auditors, and auditors from independent public accounting firms. Jurisdictions must follow their local policies and procedures, including maintenance of reliable and accurate accounting systems, record keeping, and systems of internal control.

Records

In accordance with the requirement set forth in 2 CFR 200, Subpart F, grantees must maintain all financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the award for at least 3 years following the close of the most recent audit.

Financial Information

Account Identification

15-0404-0-1-754.

Obigations

(Project Grants (Discretionary)) FY 17 Not Available; FY 18 est $0; and FY 19 Estimate Not Available

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Category 1 (Implementation) Award: up to $850,000 Category 2 (Planning and Implementation) Award: up to $1 million.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

Solicitation guidelines are posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site at https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm. For additional guidance reference the Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide (https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/index.htm) and Post award Instructions (https://ojp.gov/financialguide/DOJ/PostawardRequirements/index.htm). Applicable administrative requirements and Department of Justice regulations applicable to specific types of grantees can be found in title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 C.F.R.).

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance 810 7th Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20531 Email: AskBJA@usdoj.gov Phone: (202) 616-6500 or 1-866-859-2647

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

See the current fiscal years? program solicitation available at the Office of Justice Programs web site (https://ojp.gov/funding/Explore/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm) and/or https://www.bja.gov/funding.aspx.