BJA FY 18 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction Program | BJA 2018 13609

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2018 13609

The BJA FY 18 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), built around the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Program. The central purpose is to help local and tribal communities strengthen their ability to address serious and violent crime in specific neighborhoods by using collaborative, cross-sector strategies that connect public safety work to broader neighborhood development and revitalization goals. Rather than focusing only on enforcement, BCJI is framed as a place-based strategy that aims to reduce crime while also improving community trust and overall safety.

A defining feature of this opportunity is its emphasis on partnership-driven, community-centered problem solving. Applicants are expected to build a broad cross-sector team that includes neighborhood residents and typically brings together stakeholders such as local government, law enforcement, community organizations, service providers, and other relevant partners. The program is designed for neighborhoods experiencing concentrated "hot spots" of violent and serious crime, with the expectation that grantees will use data to identify the target area, understand the drivers of crime, and select coordinated interventions. The overall approach encourages communities to align public safety strategies with neighborhood improvement efforts so that crime reduction supports longer-term stability and revitalization.

Eligible applicants are limited to certain types of organizations that can serve as the fiscal agent for the project. These include states; units of local government such as city, township, and county governments; institutions of higher education (public, state-controlled, and private, including tribal institutions of higher education); nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (including tribal nonprofits); and federally recognized Indian tribal governments (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior). This eligibility structure reflects the program's intent to support initiatives that can coordinate multiple sectors and manage a complex, neighborhood-focused strategy.

From a funding standpoint, the opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2018-13609; CFDA 16.817) was released on March 13, 2018, with an original application deadline of April 29, 2018. Awards were capped at an award ceiling of $1,000,000, and BJA anticipated making about 10 awards. The funding activity categories associated with the program include community development and law, justice, and legal services, reflecting the dual focus on crime reduction and neighborhood development outcomes.

In practical terms, the program is aimed at helping communities do three things at once: achieve measurable reductions in violent and serious crime within a defined place, increase trust between residents and institutions responsible for public safety, and improve neighborhood conditions as part of a broader revitalization strategy. The "innovation" element is largely tied to the integration of data-driven analysis with coordinated actions across sectors, anchored by meaningful resident involvement and focused on the specific dynamics of high-crime micro-areas rather than broad, citywide approaches.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the community development, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services, other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 18 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.817.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 13, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 29, 2018. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for BJA 2018 13609

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