The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY25 Staff-Led Restrictive Housing Reform Program seeks to fund one Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) provider to help correctional agencies reform restrictive housing practices. The initiative focuses on reducing the use of restrictive housing (e.g., solitary confinement) while maintaining institutional safety and compliance with federal standards such as the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). The program emphasizes staff-led approaches, requiring the participation of correctional staff and incarcerated individuals in policy and practice reforms.
The grant provides a total of $2,000,000 over a 36-month period, starting on October 1, 2025. The awardee will work with six correctional facilities or agencies and provide national-level support through ad hoc training, subject matter expertise, and dissemination of best practices. Eligible applicants include public and private educational institutions, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, and for-profit organizations, including small businesses. Each applicant must meet DOJ requirements, such as registration with SAM.gov and Grants.gov.
The program has three goals: reducing restrictive housing usage, creating resources for reform efforts, and delivering effective training and technical assistance. Specific objectives include selecting facilities for reform, developing staff-led strategies, ensuring compliance with PREA, and producing resources such as white papers, webinars, and guides. The TTA provider will also conduct data collection, develop sustainability plans for the participating facilities, and evaluate the impact of reforms on incarcerated individuals and correctional staff.
Applications must include a proposal narrative, a detailed budget, and additional components such as a financial management questionnaire and resumes for key personnel. Applicants are required to submit the federal SF-424 form via Grants.gov by March 4, 2025, and complete the full application in JustGrants by March 11, 2025. Review criteria include clarity of goals and objectives, strength of the implementation plan, and the applicant's capacity to deliver services.
Award recipients must comply with DOJ reporting requirements, including quarterly financial and performance reports, and provide a final report detailing the outcomes and costs of their program. Performance will be evaluated based on data collected semi-annually through the BJA Training and Technical Assistance Reporting Portal. The award will be a cooperative agreement, allowing for substantial DOJ involvement in project execution.
The program provides resources for applicants, including a pre-application webinar and guidance documents available on the BJA website. The successful applicant will contribute to broader justice system reforms by creating scalable, evidence-based practices to reduce the negative impacts of restrictive housing.
