Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2019 16850
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), within the U.S. Department of Justice, released a discretionary funding opportunity in 2019 titled "BJA FY 19 An Academic-based Training Initiative to Improve Police Responses for People with Mental Illness and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities" (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2019-16850; CFDA 16.738). The central purpose of the initiative was to support the creation and delivery of academic-based, transdisciplinary crisis intervention training designed specifically for law enforcement. The goal was to improve how officers recognize, communicate with, and respond to individuals who have mental illness as well as intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) during routine and crisis encounters, so officers are better prepared to carry out their duties safely, effectively, and appropriately.
The program was structured around the idea that improving police responses in these situations requires a training approach that crosses traditional disciplinary lines. In practice, "academic-based" and "transdisciplinary" implies a training model grounded in research and higher-education expertise, and informed by multiple fields such as criminal justice, psychology, psychiatry, social work, disability services, public health, and crisis intervention practices. Rather than focusing narrowly on enforcement tactics, the opportunity emphasized education and preparedness, with the expectation that trainees would gain practical skills for real-world interactions. While the notice text provided here is brief, the intent is clear: strengthen officer decision-making and interaction strategies when encountering people experiencing mental health crises or living with I/DD, where misunderstandings, sensory or communication differences, or symptoms of illness can escalate encounters if officers are not properly trained.
Funding was offered through a cooperative agreement, which typically means BJA expected a more hands-on relationship with the award recipient than in a standard grant, often involving federal involvement in project direction, deliverables, or coordination. The maximum award amount (ceiling) was listed as $2,254,000, and BJA anticipated making one award. This combination suggests a single, relatively large national-level effort rather than multiple smaller local projects, likely aimed at developing a model curriculum, training framework, or scalable training program that could be implemented broadly or serve as a national resource.
Eligibility was centered on institutions of higher education, including both public/state-controlled and private colleges and universities, with additional eligible entities possible as indicated by the solicitation's "Additional Information on Eligibility" section. This eligibility design aligns with the academic-based emphasis and suggests BJA was looking for a lead applicant capable of developing rigorous training content, integrating evidence-informed methods, evaluating training outcomes, and potentially building partnerships with law enforcement agencies and subject-matter experts.
In terms of timing, the opportunity was created on August 5, 2019, with an original application deadline of October 4, 2019. The listed activity categories included employment, labor and training; humanities (cultural affairs); and law, justice and legal services, reflecting the training and justice-system focus and the cross-sector nature of the topic.
Overall, this grant opportunity targeted a specific operational need in policing: improving responses to people with mental illness and I/DD through structured, higher-education-led crisis intervention training. By investing in a transdisciplinary approach and funding a single major award, BJA signaled an interest in developing a high-impact training initiative with the potential for wide adoption, standardization, and measurable improvements in law enforcement interactions involving these vulnerable populations.Apply for BJA 2019 16850
- The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the employment, labor and training, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 19 An Academic-based Training Initiative to Improve Police Responses for People with Mental Illness and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.738.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 05, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 04, 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 $2,254,000.00 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).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "BJA FY 19 An Academic-based Training Initiative to Improve Police Responses for People with Mental Illness and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities."
Which agency released this opportunity?
This opportunity was released by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), within the U.S. Department of Justice.
What year was this opportunity released?
The opportunity was released in 2019.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is BJA-2019-16850.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 16.738.
What is the central purpose of the initiative?
The central purpose was to support the creation and delivery of academic-based, transdisciplinary crisis intervention training designed specifically for law enforcement, with the intent of improving how officers recognize, communicate with, and respond to individuals with mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
Who is the training intended for?
The training is intended for law enforcement officers, focusing on improving preparedness during routine and crisis encounters involving people with mental illness and people with I/DD.
Which populations are the focus of the training initiative?
The training focuses on improving police responses to (1) people with mental illness and (2) people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
What does "academic-based" mean in the context of this program?
In this context, "academic-based" implies a training model grounded in research and higher-education expertise, with content development and delivery led or supported by institutions of higher education.
What does "transdisciplinary" mean for the training approach?
"Transdisciplinary" means the training approach is intended to cross traditional disciplinary lines and be informed by multiple fields. The notice describes a model drawing from areas such as criminal justice, psychology, psychiatry, social work, disability services, public health, and crisis intervention practices.
What types of skills or improvements was the training meant to support?
The initiative aimed to strengthen officers' ability to recognize relevant signs and needs, communicate effectively, and respond appropriately and safely during interactions where symptoms of illness, sensory or communication differences, or misunderstandings could otherwise escalate an encounter.
Why did the program emphasize training rather than enforcement tactics?
The program emphasized education and preparedness so that trainees would gain practical, real-world interaction skills and improved decision-making for encounters involving mental illness and I/DD.
What type of award was offered under this opportunity?
Funding was offered through a cooperative agreement.
What does a cooperative agreement suggest about BJA's role?
A cooperative agreement typically suggests a more hands-on relationship between BJA and the award recipient than a standard grant, often involving federal involvement in project direction, deliverables, or coordination.
What was the maximum award amount (ceiling)?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) was listed as $2,254,000.
How many awards did BJA anticipate making?
BJA anticipated making one award.
What does "one award" indicate about the likely scale of the project?
Because the solicitation anticipated a single, relatively large award, it suggests a national-level effort rather than multiple smaller local projects, potentially aimed at developing a model curriculum, training framework, or scalable training program that could be implemented broadly or serve as a national resource.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was centered on institutions of higher education, including public/state-controlled and private colleges and universities. The notice also indicates additional eligible entities may have been included as described in the solicitation's "Additional Information on Eligibility" section.
Why were institutions of higher education emphasized for eligibility?
The emphasis aligns with the academic-based nature of the initiative and suggests BJA was seeking a lead applicant capable of developing rigorous training content, using evidence-informed methods, evaluating outcomes, and potentially partnering with law enforcement agencies and subject-matter experts.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on August 5, 2019.
What was the original application deadline?
The original application deadline was October 4, 2019.
What activity categories were associated with this opportunity?
The listed activity categories included employment, labor and training; humanities (cultural affairs); and law, justice and legal services.
How do the activity categories relate to the purpose of the initiative?
The categories reflect the program's focus on training within the justice system and the cross-sector nature of improving police responses to people with mental illness and I/DD through education and preparedness.
What problem or operational need was this opportunity trying to address?
The opportunity targeted the need to improve law enforcement responses during encounters with people experiencing mental health crises or living with I/DD, where communication differences, sensory differences, misunderstandings, or symptoms of illness can increase the risk of escalation if officers are not properly trained.
Was this opportunity described as a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The notice describes it as a discretionary funding opportunity released by BJA.
Is this opportunity oriented toward routine encounters, crisis encounters, or both?
Both. The goal was to improve officer performance during routine and crisis encounters involving people with mental illness and people with I/DD.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Employment, Labor and Training, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Law, Justice and Legal Services
Next opportunity: Plover Management and Monitoring
Previous opportunity: Groundwork Buffalo Capacity Building
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for BJA 2019 16850
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (BJA 2019 16850) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| BJA FY 20 Northern and Middle States Regional Law Enforcement Training and Technical Assistance Program Apply for BJA 2020 17373 Funding Number: BJA 2020 17373 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $4,000,000 |
| BJA FY 20 Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program Apply for BJA 2020 17110 Funding Number: BJA 2020 17110 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| BJA FY 20 Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative: Outcomes-based Contracting To Lower Recidivism and Address Substance Use Disorders Through Reentry and Housing Services Apply for BJA 2020 17237 Funding Number: BJA 2020 17237 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| BJA FY 20 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Program Apply for BJA 2020 17118 Funding Number: BJA 2020 17118 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Employment, Labor and Training, Humanities (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA), Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "BJA 2019 16850", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.