BJA Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program

Funding Agency:
Department of Justice

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP),Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) seeks applications for funding to the Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions (ROL/WCR) Site-based Program. This program furthers the DOJ’s mission to protect civil rights, address inequities, and advance criminal justice reform by supporting wrongful conviction review entities (WCR entities) that represent individuals with post-conviction claims of innocence to review individual cases and conviction integrity efforts. 

By advancing methodologies and policies that address the underlying causes of wrongful convictions, funding through this program is intended to help wrongful conviction entities, prosecutors, law enforcement, defense counsel, and courts identify actual perpetrators and develop training tools, policies, and procedures that can prevent wrongful convictions.

Solicitation Categories:

  • Category 1: Wrongful Conviction Review Entity-Led Strategy
  • Category 2: Prosecutor/Conviction Integrity Unit-Led Partnerships with Wrongful Conviction Review Entities

Deadline: May 17, 2023

Agency Website

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=347008

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

  • City or township governments
  • County governments
  • Native American tribal governments (federally recognized)
  • Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
  • 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
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and state controlled institutions of higher education
  • State governments
  • Other
    • County, state, or local public defender offices that have in-house post-conviction representation programs that show demonstrable experience and competence in litigating post-conviction claims of innocence. If the applicant is not a WCR entity, they must be partnered with one.

An applicant entity may submit more than one application, if each application proposes a different project in response to the solicitation. Also, an entity may be proposed as a subrecipient (subgrantee) in more than one application. 

Funding Type

Grant

Eligibility

Faculty

Category

Community Outreach and Engagement
Social Sciences

External Deadline

May 17, 2023