Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2019 15364

The BJA FY 19 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (ICBR) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), designed to help communities tackle persistent crime problems in very specific places. The program is aimed at neighborhoods or areas experiencing both high levels of crime and concentrated social and economic distress, especially locations that function as crime "hot spots." Its central idea is that public safety improvements are more likely to stick when law enforcement strategies are intentionally combined with community-based prevention, local partnerships, and place-focused interventions rather than relying on enforcement alone.

A major emphasis of this opportunity is supporting DOJ priorities around reducing violent crime, including violence that may be connected to gang activity, and helping jurisdictions that are struggling with drug abuse and the public safety issues that often accompany it. The program also highlights support for law enforcement officers by encouraging approaches that integrate officers into broader community-based crime reduction efforts. In practice, that means pushing applicants to build strategies where police are not operating in isolation, but instead are part of a coordinated plan with residents, service providers, local government, and other stakeholders to reduce violence and disorder in targeted areas.

The grant is offered as a standard grant (not a cooperative agreement) under Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2019-15364 and CFDA 16.817. It falls under several broad activity categories tied to community development and justice-related services, reflecting that the work is expected to cross traditional boundaries between policing, community services, local data analysis, and neighborhood-level problem solving. The program was posted on April 23, 2019, with an original application deadline of June 25, 2019.

In terms of funding levels, the maximum award amount listed is $1,000,000 per award, and BJA anticipated making about 10 awards under this solicitation. While the short description does not spell out required match, project period, or mandatory deliverables, the structure and intent suggest competitive proposals would identify clearly defined target locations, use data to justify why those places were selected, and lay out a practical plan for coordinated enforcement and community-driven prevention that can measurably reduce crime and improve safety conditions.

Eligible applicants cover a wide range of public and nonprofit entities that commonly lead local public safety initiatives. This includes county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized tribal governments. Higher education institutions are also eligible, including both public/state-controlled and private institutions, which can be important partners for data analysis, evaluation, and research support. In addition, nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) may apply, and the solicitation allows for other eligible applicant types as described in the full opportunity text. Overall, eligibility is broad enough to support different local leadership models, such as a city government leading a multi-agency strategy, a county coordinating across multiple municipalities, a tribe addressing place-based crime challenges on tribal lands, or a nonprofit or university serving as the backbone organization for a community-wide approach.

Taken together, this opportunity is best understood as a place-based crime reduction investment that expects applicants to focus on the highest-need micro-areas, align enforcement with community priorities, and address violent crime and drug-related harms through integrated strategies. The program is positioned for communities that can demonstrate both the severity of the problem in specific hot spots and the readiness to bring partners to the table to implement a coordinated, community-centered plan.

  • The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the community development, employment, labor and training, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), information and statistics, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 19 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 Apr 23, 2019.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 25, 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 $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, Special district 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, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): BJA FY 19 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (ICBR) Program

What is the BJA FY 19 Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (ICBR) Program?

The Innovations in Community-Based Crime Reduction (ICBR) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). It is designed to help communities reduce persistent crime problems in very specific places by combining law enforcement strategies with community-based prevention, local partnerships, and place-focused interventions.

What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?

The program focuses on improving public safety in targeted micro-areas (often crime hot spots) by using coordinated approaches that go beyond enforcement alone. The intent is to support strategies that are more likely to produce lasting safety improvements because they integrate policing with prevention, services, and community-driven problem solving.

What kinds of locations is the program intended to help?

The program is aimed at neighborhoods or areas experiencing both high levels of crime and concentrated social and economic distress, particularly places that function as crime "hot spots." The emphasis is on addressing problems in specific locations rather than applying a broad, citywide or countywide approach without a defined place-based focus.

Does the program prioritize violent crime reduction?

Yes. A major emphasis is supporting DOJ priorities around reducing violent crime, including violence that may be connected to gang activity. The solicitation also highlights jurisdictions struggling with drug abuse and the public safety issues that often accompany it.

How does the program expect law enforcement to be involved?

The opportunity encourages approaches that integrate law enforcement officers into broader community-based crime reduction efforts. Rather than operating in isolation, law enforcement is expected to be part of a coordinated plan that includes residents, service providers, local government, and other stakeholders working together in targeted areas.

Is this grant focused only on enforcement activities?

No. The central idea of the program is that enforcement alone is not enough for long-term crime reduction in hot spots. The program promotes intentionally combining enforcement with community-based prevention, local partnerships, and place-focused interventions to improve safety conditions and reduce crime.

What is the funding opportunity number (FON) for this solicitation?

The Funding Opportunity Number is BJA-2019-15364.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number listed is 16.817.

Is this funding a grant or a cooperative agreement?

This opportunity is offered as a standard grant, not a cooperative agreement.

When was this opportunity posted and what was the application deadline?

The program was posted on April 23, 2019. The original application deadline was June 25, 2019.

How much funding can an applicant request?

The maximum award amount listed is $1,000,000 per award.

How many awards did BJA expect to make?

BJA anticipated making about 10 awards under this solicitation.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized tribal governments. Institutions of higher education are also eligible (both public/state-controlled and private). Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) may apply. The solicitation also allows for other eligible applicant types as described in the full opportunity text.

Can tribal governments apply?

Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments are listed as eligible applicants, including for place-based crime challenges occurring on tribal lands.

Can universities or colleges apply directly?

Yes. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public/state-controlled institutions and private institutions. They may be positioned to contribute through data analysis, evaluation, and research support, consistent with the program's cross-boundary focus.

Can nonprofit organizations apply?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) may apply.

Does the program require partnerships?

While the short description does not list mandatory partnership requirements, the program is clearly structured around coordinated, community-centered plans. Competitive proposals are expected to demonstrate readiness to bring partners to the table, including residents, service providers, law enforcement, local government, and other stakeholders.

What kinds of activities does the program support?

The program falls under broad activity categories tied to community development and justice-related services. The description indicates the work is expected to cross traditional boundaries between policing, community services, local data analysis, and neighborhood-level problem solving, with an integrated strategy aimed at reducing crime and improving safety in specific locations.

What does "place-based" or "hot spot" focus mean in this program?

It means applicants should focus on very specific micro-areas where crime is concentrated, rather than spreading efforts thinly across an entire jurisdiction. The program is intended for targeted interventions in the highest-need places where crime and social/economic distress are concentrated.

How should applicants select and justify the target area(s)?

Although the short description does not list formal requirements, it suggests competitive proposals would identify clearly defined target locations and use data to justify why those places were selected. This aligns with the program's emphasis on focusing resources where problems are most severe and concentrated.

What makes an application more competitive based on the description provided?

Based on the stated intent, stronger applications would likely (1) define specific target locations, (2) use data to explain the crime and distress conditions in those areas, (3) propose a coordinated approach aligning enforcement with community-driven prevention, and (4) present a practical plan aimed at measurable reductions in crime and improvements in safety conditions.

Does the summary mention a required match or cost share?

No. The short description does not spell out a required match or cost share.

Does the summary include the project period or required deliverables?

No. The short description does not specify the project period or mandatory deliverables. It does, however, indicate that proposals should be practical and focused on measurable improvements in crime and safety conditions in targeted locations.

Is this opportunity intended for a single agency or a multi-stakeholder approach?

The program is intended to support multi-stakeholder, coordinated approaches. The description emphasizes integrating law enforcement with residents, service providers, local government, and other stakeholders so that crime reduction efforts are not carried out by police alone.

What types of communities are a good fit for this program?

The program is positioned for communities that can demonstrate (1) severe crime problems in specific hot spots, (2) concentrated social and economic distress in those areas, and (3) readiness to coordinate across partners to implement a community-centered, place-based plan addressing violence, disorder, and drug-related harms.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance

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