BJS FY25 National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP) National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) Program, Reference Years (RY) 20252029

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), operating under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, has released a funding opportunity for a cooperative agreement to administer and support two of its key national prison data collection efforts: the National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP) and the National Prisoner Statistics (NPS) program. This grant covers data reference years 2025 through 2029 and seeks a qualified applicant to function as a data collection and analysis agent. The successful applicant will be responsible for collecting, managing, processing, and disseminating data that measure the size, characteristics, and transitions within state and federal prison populations. These data form the statistical backbone of many of BJS’s publications and tools and are critical for tracking corrections trends over time. The purpose of the NCRP and NPS programs is to comprehensively capture data on individuals incarcerated in state and federal prison systems, including admissions, releases, demographics, sentences, and transitions through post-confinement community supervision (PCCS). The NPS program, in existence since 1926, provides annual aggregate counts on the custody and jurisdictional prison populations. It includes statistics such as race, sex, age, admissions and releases during the year, and facility capacity. Meanwhile, the NCRP, operational since 1983, collects detailed individual-level data, linking prisoner records across years to form terms from admission through release. These longitudinal data enable BJS to study recidivism, time served, aging populations, and other dynamic corrections trends. The selected recipient will help ensure the integrity, timeliness, and usability of these datasets, and will support development of analytic tools such as the Corrections Statistical Analysis Tool (CSAT). Allowable use of funds includes performing outreach and technical assistance to state Departments of Corrections (DOCs), facilitating timely submission of data, ensuring data quality through imputation and statistical checks, preparing reports and tables, updating processing standards, managing identifiers, and producing final datasets for BJS archiving and publication. The recipient will also be tasked with enhancing data reliability by reducing error rates, developing crosswalks for offense coding, and improving participation from all 50 states. Notably, the grant also requires the recipient to prepare for and conduct a one-time supplemental collection on opioid use disorder screening and treatment (OUDST) in federal and state prisons, which will be incorporated into the broader NPS effort. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad. Applicants may be national, regional, state, or local public or private entities. Eligible organizations include nonprofit and for-profit organizations, faith-based and community groups, institutions of higher education, and federally recognized American Indian tribal governments. While subrecipients may participate in the project, only one entity can apply as the lead applicant. There is no cost share or match requirement associated with this grant, and small businesses may apply if they meet Small Business Administration size standards. The application process involves a two-step submission: first through Grants.gov, then through JustGrants. Applicants must submit the SF-424 form through Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on February 24, 2026. The full application, including narrative, budget, and other supporting documentation, must be submitted through JustGrants by 8:59 PM ET on March 3, 2026. Required components include a detailed project narrative, budget detail form, data management plan, privacy certificate, and documentation of organizational capacity. Applications that do not include the SF-424, narrative, and budget form will be deemed incomplete and not reviewed. Evaluation criteria for award selection will include the applicant’s ability to articulate the problem and proposed approach, project design and implementation plan, organizational capacity, and reasonableness of the budget. BJS will also review performance measures, such as data timeliness, completeness, quality checks, and level of state participation. The anticipated start date for the 60-month performance period is April 1, 2026. The total available funding is $4,600,000, and BJS anticipates making a single award. The cooperative agreement model allows BJS to maintain significant involvement in oversight and strategic decisions while the recipient executes the technical work.

Submit early to avoid technical delays; demonstrate capacity with corrections data; adhere to BJS processing standards for reliability and timeliness