Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2020 17237
The BJA FY 2020 Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative: Outcomes-based Contracting to Lower Recidivism and Address Substance Use Disorders Through Reentry and Housing Services is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Its central purpose is to help state, local, and federally recognized tribal governments shift traditional reentry service agreements into outcomes-based contracts, meaning service providers are paid based on measurable results rather than simply delivering activities. The broader policy aim is to strengthen accountability for reentry spending while driving better performance over time, especially in reducing recidivism and addressing substance use disorders among people returning to the community after incarceration.
A key focus of the program is supporting jurisdictions that want to build the real-world contracting infrastructure required for outcomes-based work. The grant is designed to help governments price, draft, negotiate, fund, and manage these performance-oriented contracts. In practice, that means applicants are expected to use the award to develop and implement the tools and processes that make outcomes-based contracting feasible, such as defining outcomes and metrics, setting payment terms that align incentives with results, structuring contract requirements so providers are rewarded for effectiveness, and creating management and oversight approaches that track performance reliably. The initiative is framed around improving the quality and impact of reentry services, not just expanding service volume.
The services supported under this opportunity can include recovery housing as well as other reentry services tailored to people leaving incarceration who are assessed as being at moderate to high risk of recidivism. The recovery housing emphasis reflects the program's intent to address substance use disorders as a major driver of instability and reoffending, while also recognizing housing as a foundational need for successful reentry. More generally, the grant allows for contracted reentry supports that help stabilize individuals in the community, with the explicit target population being those who face higher risk and therefore may benefit most from structured, evidence-informed interventions paired with stable housing.
Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The funding instrument is a grant under CFDA 16.812, and the opportunity sits within justice-related funding activity areas (with federal listings also tagging employment/labor and training and related categories). BJA anticipated making two awards, with an award ceiling of $2,500,000 per award, reflecting an expectation that funded jurisdictions will undertake substantial planning, contracting, and implementation work rather than small pilot efforts.
Administratively, the opportunity number is BJA 2020 17237. It was created on March 11, 2020, and originally closed on June 9, 2020. Overall, the grant is best understood as a capacity-building and implementation program for governments that want to pay for reentry and recovery housing services in a way that ties dollars to outcomes, strengthens provider accountability, and aims to produce measurable reductions in recidivism while addressing substance use disorder needs during the transition from incarceration to community living.Apply for BJA 2020 17237
- The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the employment, labor and training, humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 20 Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative: Outcomes-based Contracting To Lower Recidivism and Address Substance Use Disorders Through Reentry and Housing Services" 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 Mar 11, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 09, 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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the official name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "BJA FY 2020 Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative: Outcomes-based Contracting to Lower Recidivism and Address Substance Use Disorders Through Reentry and Housing Services."
2. Which federal agency is offering this grant?
This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).
3. What is the main purpose of the program?
The central purpose is to help state, local, and federally recognized tribal governments shift traditional reentry service agreements into outcomes-based contracts, where service providers are paid based on measurable results rather than simply delivering activities.
4. What does "outcomes-based contracting" mean in this program?
In this initiative, outcomes-based contracting means structuring reentry and housing service contracts so that provider payments are tied to achieving defined, measurable outcomes (for example, performance that aligns with lowering recidivism and addressing substance use disorders), instead of paying solely for service delivery volume or activities completed.
5. What policy goals is BJA trying to advance with this initiative?
The broader policy aim is to strengthen accountability for reentry spending and drive better performance over time, especially by reducing recidivism and addressing substance use disorders among people returning to the community after incarceration.
6. Is this grant mainly for expanding services or for building contracting capacity?
Based on the description, the grant is best understood as a capacity-building and implementation program focused on creating the real-world contracting infrastructure needed for outcomes-based work, rather than simply expanding service volume.
7. What kinds of activities is the grant expected to support?
Applicants are expected to use the award to develop and implement tools and processes that make outcomes-based contracting feasible. Examples described include defining outcomes and metrics, setting payment terms that align incentives with results, structuring contract requirements to reward effectiveness, and creating management and oversight approaches that track performance reliably.
8. What kinds of services can be supported through the outcomes-based contracts?
The services supported can include recovery housing and other reentry services tailored to people leaving incarceration who are assessed as being at moderate to high risk of recidivism.
9. Why is recovery housing emphasized in this opportunity?
The recovery housing emphasis reflects the program intent to address substance use disorders as a major driver of instability and reoffending, and it also recognizes housing as a foundational need for successful reentry.
10. Who is the target population for the supported services?
The explicit target population is people returning to the community after incarceration who are assessed as being at moderate to high risk of recidivism.
11. Which organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments.
12. Are federally recognized tribal governments eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are explicitly listed as eligible applicants.
13. What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument is a grant.
14. What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 16.812.
15. How many awards did BJA anticipate making?
BJA anticipated making two awards.
16. What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $2,500,000 per award.
17. What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is BJA 2020 17237.
18. When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on March 11, 2020.
19. When did the opportunity originally close?
The opportunity originally closed on June 9, 2020.
20. What problem areas is the initiative specifically trying to impact?
The initiative is framed around lowering recidivism and addressing substance use disorders during reentry, using outcomes-based contracting approaches that improve accountability and performance.
21. What does the grant expect jurisdictions to build or improve to manage outcomes-based contracts?
The description highlights building the practical contracting infrastructure, including the ability to price, draft, negotiate, fund, and manage performance-oriented contracts, along with performance tracking, management, and oversight approaches that reliably monitor results.
22. How is success intended to be measured within the spirit of this program?
The program emphasizes measurable results and performance tracking, with the overall intent of producing measurable reductions in recidivism and improvements related to substance use disorder needs among people reentering the community.
23. What kinds of governments does the program aim to support?
The program aims to support jurisdictions including state, county, city or township, special district, and federally recognized tribal governments that want to transition to outcomes-based contracting for reentry and recovery housing services.
24. How is this opportunity categorized in federal listings?
The opportunity sits within justice-related funding activity areas, and federal listings also tag related categories such as employment/labor and training.
25. What is the simplest way to describe this grant in one sentence?
It is a BJA discretionary grant to help governments implement outcomes-based (pay-for-results) contracting for reentry and recovery housing services, with the goal of reducing recidivism and addressing substance use disorders for people leaving incarceration.
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