NIJ FY25 Invited to Apply - Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development: Social Development Sub-study (ABCD-SD)

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ), operating under the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, has released a continuation funding opportunity titled "Invited to Apply - Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development: Social Development Sub-study (ABCD-SD)." This grant aims to extend support for a long-term sub-study of the broader Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study originally funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The ABCD-SD initiative is focused on understanding the social development trajectories of youth, especially in the context of their involvement with substance use, delinquency, victimization, and the juvenile justice system. This funding opportunity is designated for a coordinating center that will oversee longitudinal data collection at five sites. It also enables the continuation of data infrastructure to support approximately ten years of additional data collection, contingent on the main ABCD study's timeline and federal appropriations. The purpose of this grant is to generate high-quality longitudinal research that sheds light on how environmental, biological, and social factors intersect in shaping youth development and criminal behavior patterns. The ABCD-SD study specifically contributes to criminal justice policy and practice by creating actionable insights about the causes and correlates of crime. Grantees are expected to demonstrate research excellence and infrastructure to deliver longitudinal data and scholarly products, such as peer-reviewed publications and data archives. Moreover, the research should produce outputs that are directly useful to practitioners and policymakers in the criminal justice field. The total funding available through this opportunity is $1,800,000, with one anticipated award to be made. The period of performance is expected to begin May 1, 2026, and last for 12 months. NIJ anticipates issuing supplemental awards annually to sustain the longitudinal sub-study. All resulting data must be archived annually with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Brain Development Cohorts (NBDC) Data Sharing Platform and a companion study page created at the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD). These measures ensure transparency, replicability, and broader research access. Applicants are subject to strict eligibility criteria—only those who received an official invitation letter from NIJ are eligible to apply. The program does not require cost sharing or a match. The cooperative agreement format used in this funding mechanism means NIJ will have substantial involvement in overseeing the funded activities. Required deliverables include scholarly products, data archiving, interim and final research reports, and performance data submissions through quarterly and semi-annual reports. To apply, applicants must complete a two-step submission process. First, an SF-424 form must be submitted via Grants.gov by February 26, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Following that, the full application—including the proposal narrative, budget form, project timeline, letters of support, human subjects documentation, and other required components—must be submitted via JustGrants by March 5, 2026, at 8:59 PM ET. No pre-application such as a Letter of Intent is required. Applications must conform to page limits, formatting, and required documentation as specified in the solicitation. Proposal narratives must include a problem statement, project design, potential impact, and discussion of applicant capabilities. Applications will be reviewed by NIJ based on their alignment with the objectives of the solicitation, reasonableness of the design, ability to deliver required products, and organizational competence. Final decisions will be made by the Director of NIJ, with attention to the proposed project’s contribution to federal justice research priorities. Award notifications will be sent through JustGrants, and recipients must accept the award package within 45 days. Post-award compliance includes submission of financial and performance reports, compliance with federal civil rights laws, and implementation of strong internal financial controls. This funding opportunity is a critical continuation of long-term research investments into youth development and criminal justice outcomes.

Submit SF-424 early; ensure all attachments are uploaded in JustGrants before deadline; follow formatting rules to avoid disqualification