BJA FY 20 Second Chance Act Training and Technical Assistance Program | BJA 2020 17240

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2020 17240

The BJA FY 20 Second Chance Act Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), offered as a cooperative agreement. Its purpose is to strengthen reentry work nationwide by helping jurisdictions and service providers develop, implement, improve, and test strategies that support youth and adults transitioning from detention or incarceration back into their communities. The program is rooted in the Second Chance Act (SCA), which prioritizes practical, evidence-informed reentry efforts that ultimately aim to reduce recidivism and improve public safety by addressing the barriers people face when returning home.

A key feature of this opportunity is that it is specifically focused on training and technical assistance rather than direct service delivery alone. In practice, that means funding is intended to build the capacity of agencies, communities, and organizations to run better reentry programs by providing guidance, tools, coaching, implementation support, and lessons learned that can be replicated. The work supported under SCA appropriations is connected to the broader federal reentry portfolio, with BJA and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) using these funds to support reentry services and improvements that can be adopted by state and local governments, tribal governments, and community partners. The overall emphasis is on improving reentry systems and program quality in ways that measurably reduce repeat involvement in the justice system.

The opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA 2020 17240) falls under CFDA 16.812 and is categorized across multiple activity areas that commonly intersect with reentry, including education, employment and training, health, and related human services. This signals an expectation that reentry support is multi-disciplinary: successful transitions typically require coordinated help with job readiness and placement, education and credentialing, behavioral and physical health needs, housing stability, family and community connections, and other practical supports that reduce the likelihood of returning to custody.

Eligibility is broad and includes public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education). The solicitation also allows for-profit organizations other than small businesses and other applicants as clarified in the additional eligibility text within the full announcement. This wide eligibility range reflects how reentry work is often implemented through partnerships that can include government agencies, universities and research organizations, nonprofit service providers, and specialized technical assistance providers.

Funding is sizable and competitive. The award ceiling is $3,000,000, with an estimated three awards expected. Because the instrument is a cooperative agreement, recipients should typically anticipate substantial federal involvement in the project, such as coordination with BJA, ongoing collaboration, or structured oversight related to deliverables and performance. The opportunity was created on February 26, 2020, with an original application deadline of April 28, 2020, indicating it was a time-bound FY 2020 competition.

Overall, this grant opportunity is designed to accelerate effective reentry practice by spreading proven approaches, improving implementation, and helping jurisdictions and providers deliver higher-quality services to people leaving detention and incarceration. The central outcome focus is reduced recidivism, achieved by strengthening the systems and programs that support individuals as they rebuild stability in the community.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the education, employment, labor and training, health, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 20 Second Chance Act Training and Technical Assistance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 26, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 28, 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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: 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, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BJA 2020 17240

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