NIJ FY18 Research on Reducing Violence in Communities | NIJ 2018 13908

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this grant opportunity?

The opportunity is the NIJ FY18 Research on Reducing Violence in Communities grant opportunity.

Who offered this grant?

This was a discretionary research grant offered by the U.S. Department of Justice through the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number?

The Funding Opportunity Number is NIJ 2018 13908.

When was the solicitation released?

The solicitation was released on March 20, 2018.

What was the original application deadline?

The original application deadline was May 21, 2018.

What is the main purpose of the solicitation?

The solicitation focused on generating research-based knowledge that can help communities achieve meaningful and lasting reductions in violence, particularly in places experiencing persistently high levels of violence over time.

What types of violence reduction outcomes was NIJ most interested in?

NIJ emphasized sustained, community-level declines in violence rather than short-term improvements. The intent was to understand what contributes to durable reductions that persist over time.

What did NIJ mean by "community-level" reductions in violence?

Based on the solicitation description, NIJ was interested in violence reductions that occur at the level of a community (not only a single program site or a one-off intervention) and that can be examined in ways that produce practical lessons for broader community safety efforts.

What kind of research approach was NIJ looking for?

NIJ highlighted research that combines empirical investigation with theory-building. That means proposals were expected to involve systematic study (such as data analysis or other empirical methods) while also contributing to broader explanations of why certain approaches work, under what conditions, and how effects can last.

Was the goal only to measure whether a program works?

No. The solicitation was framed as moving beyond the question of whether a program reduces violence and toward understanding how communities can create and maintain violence declines over time, including the pathways and conditions that make durable gains possible.

What kind of deliverables or impact did NIJ want from the research?

The solicitation emphasized practical and generalizable recommendations communities can use. The goal was to produce actionable guidance for community-focused violence reduction efforts that could be adapted across different local contexts, not findings limited to a single neighborhood or a one-time project.

What fields or categories does this opportunity fall under?

It falls under CFDA 16.560 and is categorized within law, justice, and legal services, as well as science and technology and other research and development.

What does CFDA 16.560 indicate for this opportunity?

CFDA 16.560 is the assistance listing associated with NIJ research. In this solicitation, it signaled a research-driven opportunity with relevance to public safety practice.

Who was eligible to apply?

The solicitation listed broad eligibility, including: state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they were not institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and individuals.

Could individuals apply directly?

Yes. Individuals were included in the eligibility list for this solicitation.

Could for-profit organizations apply?

Yes. The eligibility list included for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and it also included small businesses.

Could nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status apply?

Yes. The solicitation stated that nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status could apply, provided they were not institutions of higher education.

Were tribal governments eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments were listed as eligible applicants.

How much funding was available per award?

The award ceiling listed was $1,000,000.

How many awards did NIJ expect to make?

The solicitation indicated an expectation of one award.

What does "one award" imply about the scale of the project?

With an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and an expectation of one award, the solicitation points to a single, comparatively large research project intended to make a substantial contribution to the evidence base on community violence reduction.

What kinds of study designs would fit the solicitation's emphasis on sustainability?

Based on the solicitation description, NIJ emphasized the ability to examine longer time horizons, mechanisms of change, implementation factors, and contextual influences that shape whether violence reductions last. Proposals aligned to this emphasis would be designed to investigate not just outcomes, but also why and how those outcomes persist.

What did NIJ mean by "generalizable" recommendations?

NIJ’s description emphasized recommendations that can translate into actionable guidance and be adapted across different local contexts, rather than conclusions that only apply to a single neighborhood or a single, unique program.

Was this a discretionary research grant?

Yes. The opportunity was described as a discretionary research grant offered through NIJ.

What is the overall summary of what NIJ was trying to learn or produce?

Overall, NIJ positioned this opportunity as a targeted research investment aimed at building scientific evidence about what contributes to sustained, community-level declines in violence, combining empirical rigor with theory development, and producing practical recommendations that communities and practitioners can realistically use in high-violence environments.