During the open funding opportunity period, please contact the OJP Response Center: toll-free at 1-800-851-3420; via TTY at 202-353-5556 (hearing impaired only); email [email protected].
For technical assistance with submitting the SF-424 in Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov Customer Support Hot Line at 800-518-4726.
For technical assistance with submitting the full application in JustGrants, contact the JustGrants Service Desk at 833-872-5175 or [email protected].
The GRF program supports the development of young scientists engaged in research relevant to NIJ's criminal justice mission. The intent is to give these students the financial support to allow them to devote their full attention to completion of their dissertation research. GRF fellowships include: a student fellow salary; an allowance for tuition, fees, and administrative costs; and an allowance for research expenses. Up to three years of support may be requested.
In past years, the funding opportunity has typically posted in January and been open for at least 90 days. Potential applicants can register for updates at https://nij.ojp.gov/subscribe to be notified when the notice of funding opportunity is released.
Students enrolled in a research doctorate program who propose a dissertation topic relevant to criminal or juvenile justice are eligible. Humanities and visual and performing arts degree programs are not eligible. The applicant academic institution must be fully accredited by one of the regional institutional accreditation commissions recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Failure to provide verification of current enrollment at the time of application will disqualify an applicant.
A student can apply for and be awarded a fellowship at any stage in their graduate program if they are currently enrolled. However, they will not begin to receive fellowship funding until:
- A dissertation committee has been formed, and
- The dissertation topic has been approved by the committee and is substantively similar to what was originally proposed in the fellowship application.
If the doctoral student has already passed these milestones at the time of application, then the dissertation committee chair should indicate this in the letter of support included with the application.
If the doctoral student has NOT accomplished these milestones at the time of application, then the student’s project timeline should indicate the dates by which these milestones are expected to be met. The statement of support from the student’s faculty advisor, department chair, departmental director of graduate studies or individual with similar responsibilities should also refer to the dates by which these requirements are expected to be met. Although an award may be made in such cases, access to award funds will be withheld until NIJ receives documentation that the student has met both milestones.
Not necessarily. The GRF NOFO links to current lists from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics for reference:
We recognize that new and emerging degree programs may not yet be represented. If your degree or field of study does appear on these lists as appropriate (i.e., not classified under Humanities or Visual and Performing Arts), then it is eligible. If it is not listed and you are in doubt, please contact the OJP Response Center ([email protected]) for a determination of eligibility.
We cannot determine the eligibility of a specific research topic until reviewing the full proposal. All eligible applicants proposing research relevant to preventing and controlling crime, protecting the border, enforcing the law, promoting public safety, or ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal or juvenile justice in the United States, are invited to apply. The applicant must determine the appropriateness of the scope of their proposal.
The earliest possible date that funds could become available is January 1 of the year following submission of an application. This is the official “start date” of the fellowship grant. But the practical availability of funds can in some cases be delayed until certain grant requirements are satisfied (e.g., human subjects approval from an Institutional Review Board; environmental protection checklist; dissertation topic approval). It is important that you work with your university Office of Sponsored Programs, or equivalent, to make sure all of these conditions are satisfied.
Successful institutional applicants must agree to comply with additional requirements prior to receiving grant funding. Learn more about these requirements.
The official applicant is the academic institution, not the student. Therefore, the student's citizenship does not affect eligibility. GRF awards are made only to degree-granting academic institutions in the U.S. and its territories. The sponsoring academic institution must be fully accredited by one of the regional institutional accreditation commissions recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
The GRF program funds dissertation research across a wide range of topics with relevance to criminal and juvenile justice. Successful applicants must demonstrate the relevance of their dissertation research to preventing and controlling crime, protecting the border, enforcing the law, promoting public safety, or ensuring the fair and impartial administration of criminal or juvenile justice in the United States.
The GRF program has integrated two previously separate notice of funding opportunity: the Graduate Research Fellowship in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (GRF-SBS), and the Graduate Research Fellowship in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (GRF-STEM). Since 2020, all applicants are invited to apply to the same, single funding opportunity.