BJA FY 17 Smart Reentry: Focus on Evidence-Based Strategies for Successful Reentry from Incarceration to Community | BJA 2017 11541

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2017 11541

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) FY 17 Smart Reentry grant (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2017-11541) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at helping jurisdictions strengthen how they support people returning to the community from incarceration. The central purpose is public safety: reducing recidivism by improving the overall reentry process for individuals assessed as having a medium to high risk of reoffending. Rather than funding a single standalone "reentry program," the opportunity frames reentry as a continuous, coordinated process that begins at the point of incarceration and continues through release and community reintegration until risk is measurably reduced and the person is stabilized in the community.

A key emphasis of the grant is the use of evidence-based strategies and practices. Applicants are expected to build a reentry approach that is driven by information from empirically validated risk/needs assessments. In practical terms, this means jurisdictions should not rely on generic service referrals or one-size-fits-all case plans. Instead, they should assess each individual to identify criminogenic needs (the specific dynamic factors linked to criminal behavior, such as substance use, antisocial thinking patterns, or unstable employment) and then match services and supervision strategies to the assessed level of risk and the identified needs. The opportunity also stresses that assessment should inform planning in a way that reflects the individual risk of recidivism and translates into targeted interventions that research suggests are more likely to reduce reoffending.

The grant’s concept of reentry planning is intentionally comprehensive, covering both pre-release and post-release phases. Pre-release work can include coordinated transition planning, enrollment or reactivation of benefits where allowable, connection to community-based providers, and preparation that addresses practical barriers such as housing, employment readiness, behavioral health treatment continuity, and prosocial supports. Post-release work focuses on follow-through: ensuring services actually begin quickly after release, addressing emerging needs as circumstances change, and maintaining continuity of care and supervision. The reentry plan is expected to be more than a document; it should include a clear strategy for how needs will be met over time, who is responsible for each component, and how the jurisdiction will ensure handoffs between jail/prison, supervision agencies, and community providers do not break down.

Another core feature is collaboration. The opportunity is designed for jurisdictions that can bring together corrections, community supervision, service providers, and other local partners in a coordinated model. That collaborative expectation reflects the reality that reentry outcomes depend on multiple systems working in alignment: institutions that control the pre-release environment, agencies responsible for supervision and compliance, and community-based organizations that deliver treatment, employment supports, housing assistance, and other stabilizing services. The grant supports jurisdictions seeking to develop or enhance these cross-system strategies so they operate as an integrated reentry process rather than disconnected activities.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a grant program under CFDA 16.812 in the Law, Justice and Legal Services category. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The funding opportunity was posted on January 11, 2017, with an original closing date of March 14, 2017. Awards were capped at $1,000,000 per award, and BJA anticipated making up to six awards under this solicitation.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as BJA’s push for jurisdictions to move beyond ad hoc reentry efforts and toward structured, data-informed reentry systems. The grant prioritizes strategies that begin early during incarceration, rely on validated assessment tools, target criminogenic needs with evidence-based interventions, and maintain continuity of support after release. The intended outcome is a measurable reduction in recidivism for medium- to high-risk returning individuals, alongside safer communities and more effective use of correctional and community resources.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 17 Smart Reentry: Focus on Evidence-Based Strategies for Successful Reentry from Incarceration to Community" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.812.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 11, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 14, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

Apply for BJA 2017 11541

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