OJJDP FY25 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children | O OJJDP 2025 172286

FAQs: OJJDP FY25 Second Chance Act - Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children (O-OJJDP-2025-172286)

1) What is this grant opportunity?

This is a discretionary, competitive federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The solicitation is titled "OJJDP FY25 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children" and is intended to help jurisdictions and community partners build, strengthen, or scale programs operating within detention or correctional settings.

2) What is the main purpose of the program?

The overall intent is to reduce future justice involvement and harm by supporting family connections and stability for incarcerated parents and their minor children. The solicitation frames family-focused supports as strategies to prevent violent crime, reduce recidivism, and improve outcomes for children impacted by a parent's incarceration.

3) Who is the focus population?

The focus is on incarcerated parents (in either the juvenile or adult system) who have children under the age of 18, and on improving outcomes for those minor children affected by parental incarceration.

4) Does this grant apply to parents in adult facilities, juvenile facilities, or both?

Both. The opportunity specifically notes incarcerated parents "whether those parents are in the juvenile or adult system," as long as they have children under 18.

5) Where are funded programs expected to operate?

Funded interventions are expected to be situated within detention or correctional facilities. The solicitation emphasizes programs that operate within detention or correctional settings and that address the needs of incarcerated parents and their minor children.

6) What types of activities might be supported with grant funds?

The excerpt provided does not list required activities, but the stated purpose points toward family-centered, in-facility and reentry-oriented programming, such as parenting and family engagement efforts, strengthening parent-child relationships, supports that improve visitation or communication, coordination with child welfare or family services, and transition planning for reentry that helps parents meet family responsibilities while complying with supervision conditions.

7) How many awards does OJJDP expect to make?

OJJDP anticipates making about five awards under this solicitation.

8) What is the maximum award amount?

The maximum award amount is up to $750,000 per recipient.

9) Is this a formula grant or a competitive grant?

This is a discretionary and competitive grant opportunity, meaning awards are made through a competition rather than by formula.

10) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

Funding is provided through a grant mechanism under CFDA 16.831.

11) What is the opportunity number or label?

The opportunity is labeled O-OJJDP-2025-172286.

12) What is the application deadline?

The application closing date listed for this solicitation is February 6, 2025.

13) When was the opportunity record created?

The opportunity record was created on December 18, 2024.

14) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include state governments, federally recognized Tribal governments, and local governments (such as counties, cities, or townships). Also eligible are Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, as long as the nonprofit is not an institution of higher education.

15) Are nonprofit organizations required to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?

No. The solicitation allows nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status, provided they are not institutions of higher education.

16) Are institutions of higher education eligible?

No. Nonprofit organizations are eligible only as long as they are not institutions of higher education, indicating that institutions of higher education are excluded based on the eligibility information provided.

17) Can local governments such as cities and counties apply?

Yes. The eligibility list includes local governments, including counties and cities or townships.

18) Can Tribal entities apply?

Yes. Federally recognized Tribal governments are eligible, and the solicitation also allows Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments.

19) Are partnerships important for a strong application?

Yes. Because the opportunity is competitive and discretionary, applicants generally need a clear program model, a credible implementation plan, and strong partnerships with corrections or detention facilities and community-based service providers.

20) Why does the solicitation emphasize collaboration between corrections agencies and community partners?

The eligibility and program framing signal that OJJDP expects a mix of public-sector and nonprofit applicants and that collaboration between correctional/detention agencies and outside service partners is likely central to strong proposals, especially given that programming is intended to operate within facilities and connect families to community-based supports.

21) What outcomes is OJJDP trying to achieve with this funding?

The stated goals include supporting family connections and stability, preventing violent crime, lowering recidivism, reducing future justice involvement, and improving outcomes for children impacted by a parent's incarceration.

22) How does this grant connect family support work to public safety goals?

The solicitation explicitly references preventing violent crime and reducing recidivism, framing family-centered supports not only as social services but also as public safety strategies intended to interrupt cycles of incarceration and victimization.

23) What kinds of settings are referenced by the solicitation?

The solicitation references detention or correctional settings and includes parents in both juvenile and adult systems, implying coverage across different types of secure facilities where parents may be incarcerated.

24) What does it mean that the opportunity is "discretionary"?

Based on the information provided, "discretionary" indicates OJJDP will make award decisions through a competitive process (rather than automatic allocation), and applicants should expect to be evaluated on the strength of their proposed program model, implementation plan, and partnerships.

25) What is the overall summary of the funding opportunity?

OJJDP expects to make about five awards of up to $750,000 each under CFDA 16.831 (opportunity label O-OJJDP-2025-172286) to support detention- or correctional-based programming for incarcerated parents (in juvenile or adult systems) who have children under 18, with the goals of strengthening family stability and connections, improving child outcomes, and reducing reoffending and harm.