National Youth Gang Survey, Fiscal Year 2020 | NIJ 2020 18233

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2020 18233

The National Youth Gang Survey, Fiscal Year 2020 (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2020 18233) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ). It is offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the NIJ expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, coordination on design decisions, deliverables, and dissemination). The overall purpose is to fund the design, pilot testing, and full implementation of a national survey of U.S. law enforcement agencies to better understand the scope of youth gang activity and the ways agencies respond to it.

At its core, the project is meant to produce a clearer, more credible national picture of youth gangs by collecting standardized information directly from law enforcement. A central objective is to develop a rigorous sampling plan and then collect survey data from a nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies across the United States. The emphasis on national representation is important because it aims to support estimates that are valid not only for large cities, but also for suburban and rural jurisdictions that are often underrepresented in gang-related research.

A major expected outcome is the production of accurate and reliable national estimates in several key areas: whether gangs are present in a jurisdiction, how many gang members are believed to be active, and how much crime is considered gang-related. The solicitation specifically highlights the need to break this information out across urban, suburban, and rural communities, signaling an intent to move beyond a one-size-fits-all narrative and to measure differences in gang dynamics by community context. Beyond simple counts, the work is also expected to gather detailed data on the characteristics of gang-related crimes, which could include the types of offenses, patterns or circumstances surrounding incidents, and other descriptive elements that help interpret what "gang-related" means in practice across different agencies.

Another key goal is trend analysis over time. The survey is not just intended as a snapshot; it is meant to support analysis of how gang presence, gang membership, and the prevalence and characteristics of gang-related crime have changed. That implies attention to consistency with prior data collections or comparable measures so that changes can be assessed credibly rather than being artifacts of shifting definitions or survey methods.

The solicitation also seeks information on law enforcement strategies, spanning prevention, intervention, and suppression. In practical terms, this means the survey should capture what agencies say they are doing to prevent youth gang involvement, intervene with at-risk youth or active gang members, and suppress gang-related crime through enforcement-oriented approaches. Collecting these strategy data alongside prevalence and crime measures is intended to help policymakers and practitioners understand not only where gang problems exist, but also how agencies are responding and how those responses may vary by jurisdiction type and over time.

Administratively, the opportunity was created on March 24, 2020, with an original closing date of May 25, 2020. NIJ anticipated making one award, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000. The program is listed under CFDA 16.560 and falls within the funding activity categories of law, justice and legal services as well as science, technology, and other research and development, reflecting its applied research focus with direct relevance to public safety operations.

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other eligible entities as described in the solicitation’s additional eligibility guidance. Overall, NIJ is looking for a capable applicant (or team) that can handle national-level survey design and administration, produce defensible national estimates, and translate those findings into usable knowledge about youth gang activity and law enforcement responses across the country.

• The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Youth Gang Survey, Fiscal Year 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 25, 2020. (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 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NIJ 2020 18233

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