BJA FY25 Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), a division within the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP), administers federal resources and leadership to bolster law enforcement, reduce crime and recidivism, support crime victims, and strengthen community safety. Through the BJA’s Second Chance Act Pay for Success Initiative, this funding opportunity seeks to foster innovation and accountability in reentry services for individuals leaving incarceration by supporting performance-based and outcomes-based contracting models. These models aim to reduce recidivism by aligning service provider payment with demonstrable improvements in reentry outcomes. The initiative will fund state, local, and tribal government efforts to design, implement, or enhance performance-based contracts with non-governmental service providers. It focuses on two categories: (1) individualized reentry services for individuals assessed at moderate to high risk of reoffending, and (2) reentry housing programs to support formerly incarcerated individuals in their transition back into the community. Each approach requires formalized contracts that incorporate outcome metrics, baseline benchmarks, payment incentives and penalties, and ongoing performance reviews. Contracts funded under this initiative must be rooted in validated assessment tools and structured monitoring systems. Government agencies are expected to collaborate with service providers on detailed performance benchmarks, data validation strategies, and on-site inspections. Training on procurement structures, reentry service delivery, and outcomes verification must also be provided to relevant stakeholders. Award recipients must show demonstrated capacity and commitment to transitioning from traditional grant funding to outcome-based compensation models. Applicants are not required to provide matching funds, as cost sharing is not a condition of this grant. Eligibility extends to state governments, county and city governments, special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and public housing authorities, including Indian housing authorities. However, all applicants must demonstrate support from at least one correctional or community supervision agency, as evidenced by a signed memorandum of understanding or letter of intent outlining specific resource contributions to the project. Applications must be submitted through a two-step process. First, the SF-424 form must be filed in Grants.gov by April 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Then, the complete application package must be submitted through JustGrants by May 4, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. ET. This includes the proposal narrative, budget detail form, MOUs or letters of support, mandatory assurances, and performance measure commitments. Applications that do not include the required documents—such as the proposal narrative, budget form, and subrecipient documentation—will not proceed to merit review. Submissions will be evaluated based on issue relevance, project design, alignment with the NOFO goals, capacity and competency of the applicant, and budget clarity. Successful applicants will be notified via JustGrants, and the anticipated award start date is October 1, 2025. Awards will span a 54-month period, which includes a 12-month planning phase, a 36-month implementation phase, and a 6-month wrap-up period. All recipients must comply with mandatory performance reporting, including quarterly financial reports, semiannual progress updates, and a final report documenting contract execution and achieved outcomes. The grant has a total funding pool of $6,250,000. Category 1 projects can receive up to $1,250,000, and Category 2 projects up to $1,000,000. While applicants may submit multiple applications for different projects, each proposal must be distinct. A pre-application webinar will be scheduled to guide interested applicants. For further questions, applicants can contact the OJP Response Center by phone at 800-851-3420 or email at [email protected] during business hours.

Submit complete packages early; Missing core documents leads to disqualification; Align proposal goals with performance measures.