Well Told Grants

Grants / Department of Justice / Bureau of Justice Assistance

O-BJA-2021-58002: BJA FY 21 Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program

Closed Closed April 13, 2021 Opportunity O-BJA-2021-58002

This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Bureau of Justice Assistance notices from 2021.

Bureau of Justice Assistance offered grants of up to $750,000 to nonprofits and tribes. It expected to make $12.8 million in total. Applications closed on April 13, 2021.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed May 28, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.

Other notices with this title

Bureau of Justice Assistance has posted this title under other numbers: earlier or later rounds, or the same competition for another area. Each has its own dates and may change its rules.

NoticePostedDeadlineStatus
O-BJA-2026-172717September 21, 2026Closed October 30, 2026Closed
O-BJA-2025-172499March 25, 2026Closed May 8, 2026Closed
O-BJA-2024-172024March 7, 2024Closed April 29, 2024Closed
O-BJA-2023-171683March 27, 2023Closed May 24, 2023Closed
O-BJA-2022-171031March 16, 2022Closed June 8, 2022Closed

Key dates

PostedJanuary 14, 2021
DeadlineApril 13, 2021

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to nonprofits and tribes.

To advance Executive Order 13929 Safe Policing for Safe Communities, the Attorney General determined that all state, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process to be eligible for FY 2021 DOJ discretionary grant funding. To become certified, the law enforcement agency must meet two mandatory conditions: (1) the agency’s use of force policies adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws; and (2) the agency’s use of force policies prohibit chokeholds except in situations where use of deadly force is allowed by law. The certification requirement also applies to law enforcement agencies receiving DOJ discretionary grant funding through a subaward. For detailed information on this new certification requirement, please visit https://cops.usdoj.gov/SafePolicingEO to access the Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities, Implementation Fact Sheet, and List of Designated Independent Credentialing Bodies. All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or management fee.

More grants for nonprofits, tribes.

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-199), reauthorized by the First Step Act of 2018, provides a comprehensive response to assist in the transition individuals make from prison, jail, or juvenile residential facilities to the community so that the transition is more successful and promotes public safety.

Who has won Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative grants before

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative (16.812) awarded $402 million across 447 grant awards, an average of $898,947 per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
The Council of State Governments LTD.Kentucky6$23.7 million
American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral SciencesVirginia3$12.4 million
Impact JusticeCalifornia4$11.4 million
The Soulfisher MinistriesMissouri3$5.7 million
Vera Institute of Justice, Inc.New York3$4.5 million

Top states: California ($31.7 million), Kentucky ($27.4 million), New York ($24.6 million), Virginia ($22.2 million), Pennsylvania ($20.4 million).

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.

Questions people ask

Is O-BJA-2021-58002 still open?

No. It closed on April 13, 2021.

Who can apply for BJA FY 21 Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program?

Bureau of Justice Assistance accepted applications from nonprofits and tribes. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

What is the deadline for BJA FY 21 Second Chance Act Community-Based Reentry Program?

Closed April 13, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $750,000 each. About $12.8 million in total.

Who has won Second Chance Act Reentry Initiative grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Council of State Governments LTD., American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences, Impact Justice. The program made 447 awards worth $402 million in that time.