Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2020 17249
The BJA FY 20 National Community Courts Site-based and Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Initiative is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), designed to help jurisdictions start, strengthen, or expand community courts. The central idea behind the program is that many lower-level offenses are tied to underlying needs and conditions such as substance use disorders, behavioral health challenges, housing instability, and other community-level drivers of recurring justice involvement. Community courts aim to improve public safety by responding to these issues directly, rather than relying primarily on traditional case processing or incarceration. The initiative also emphasizes community engagement, with the expectation that residents and local stakeholders play a meaningful role in planning and operations so that the court model reflects local priorities and builds trust in the justice system.
This opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2020-17249; CFDA 16.585) uses a cooperative agreement funding instrument, which typically means the federal agency expects to have substantial involvement in the funded work beyond a standard grant. Awards are capped at $500,000, and BJA anticipated making about 11 awards under this solicitation. The original solicitation timeline lists a creation date of March 2, 2020, with an original closing date of May 1, 2020.
Eligible applicants are broad and include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and special district governments, as well as federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Eligibility also extends to Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments), nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education), and for-profit organizations, including small businesses. The wide eligibility reflects the two-part nature of the initiative: it supports both site-based efforts (local implementation and enhancement of community courts) and training and technical assistance that can be delivered by specialized providers to help jurisdictions plan, launch, and improve these court models.
Programmatically, the initiative is focused on improving how justice systems handle lower-level offenses by offering more effective, problem-solving options. Community courts generally seek to reduce unnecessary incarceration and the downstream harms that can come with it, while still holding people accountable in ways that are connected to service linkages, supervision strategies, and community-centered solutions. By integrating local voices into design and operations, the model also aims to increase public confidence in fairness and effectiveness, especially in communities that may feel underserved or disproportionately impacted by traditional approaches. Overall, the opportunity is positioned as a public safety strategy that combines justice system innovation with practical support and capacity-building through training and technical assistance.Apply for BJA 2020 17249
- The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the 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 20 National Community Courts Site-based and Training and Technical Assistance Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.585.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 02, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 01, 2020. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 11 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the BJA FY 20 National Community Courts Site-based and Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Initiative?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) intended to help jurisdictions start, strengthen, or expand community courts. The initiative supports both (1) local, site-based community court efforts and (2) training and technical assistance (TTA) that helps jurisdictions plan, launch, and improve community court models.
What problem is this initiative trying to address?
The initiative is based on the idea that many lower-level offenses are closely connected to underlying needs and conditions, such as substance use disorders, behavioral health challenges, housing instability, and other community-level factors that drive repeated justice involvement. Community courts aim to respond to these drivers directly rather than relying primarily on traditional case processing or incarceration.
What is a community court in the context of this funding opportunity?
In this opportunity, community courts are described as problem-solving court models focused on lower-level offenses. They aim to improve public safety by linking people to services, using supervision strategies, and applying community-centered solutions. A key feature is meaningful community engagement so the court reflects local priorities and builds trust.
How do community courts approach accountability under this initiative?
The opportunity frames accountability as something that can be achieved through approaches connected to service linkages, supervision strategies, and community-centered solutions. The overall goal is to reduce unnecessary incarceration and related downstream harms while still responding to offending behavior in structured, practical ways.
How does community engagement factor into the program expectations?
Community engagement is emphasized as a core expectation. Residents and local stakeholders are expected to play a meaningful role in planning and operations so that the court model reflects local priorities and helps build trust and confidence in the justice system.
What type of funding instrument is used?
This solicitation uses a cooperative agreement. In general terms, a cooperative agreement typically means the federal agency expects substantial involvement in the funded work beyond what is common with a standard grant.
What is the maximum award amount?
Awards are capped at $500,000 under this opportunity.
How many awards did BJA anticipate making?
BJA anticipated making about 11 awards under this solicitation.
What are the key identifiers for this funding opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number is BJA-2020-17249, and the CFDA number listed is 16.585.
What were the original solicitation dates?
The original solicitation timeline lists a creation date of March 2, 2020, and an original closing date of May 1, 2020.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Native American tribal organizations (including those other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education)
- For-profit organizations, including small businesses
Why is eligibility so broad for this program?
The wide eligibility aligns with the two-part nature of the initiative. It supports site-based implementation and expansion led by jurisdictions, and it also supports specialized providers that can deliver training and technical assistance to help jurisdictions develop and improve community courts.
Does this opportunity support both direct implementation and technical assistance work?
Yes. The initiative is described as supporting both site-based efforts (local implementation and enhancement of community courts) and training and technical assistance (TTA) delivered by providers to help jurisdictions plan, launch, and strengthen community court models.
What types of offenses are the focus of the initiative?
The initiative is focused on improving how justice systems handle lower-level offenses by offering more effective, problem-solving options that address underlying needs and conditions linked to recurring justice involvement.
What outcomes or benefits does the initiative associate with community courts?
Based on the description provided, community courts are positioned as a public safety strategy intended to:
- Improve public safety by addressing underlying drivers of lower-level offenses
- Reduce unnecessary incarceration and its downstream harms
- Increase public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of the justice system
- Incorporate local priorities through meaningful community engagement
How does this initiative relate to fairness and trust in the justice system?
The opportunity highlights that integrating local voices into design and operations can increase public confidence in fairness and effectiveness, particularly in communities that may feel underserved or disproportionately impacted by traditional approaches.
Is this opportunity described as discretionary funding?
Yes. It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity from BJA.
Which federal agency is offering the funding?
The funding is offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).
What is the overall strategy behind this initiative?
The opportunity presents community courts as a public safety strategy that combines justice system innovation with practical support and capacity-building through training and technical assistance, with a focus on addressing root causes tied to recurring justice involvement.
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