OJJDP FY25 Strategies To Support Children Exposed to Violence | O OJJDP 2025 172451

FAQs: OJJDP FY25 Strategies To Support Children Exposed to Violence

What is the OJJDP FY25 Strategies To Support Children Exposed to Violence grant?

This is a discretionary (competitive) grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). It supports community initiatives that (1) build or expand services for children exposed to violence and (2) develop, enhance, or implement strategies to reduce violent crime involving youth, with an emphasis on violent juvenile offenders.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The purpose is to help communities better support children who have been exposed to violence (as victims or witnesses) while also achieving clear public safety outcomes by reducing serious youth violence. Projects are expected to pair a child- and victim-centered response with measurable violence reduction efforts.

What kinds of violence exposure does the program address?

The program recognizes both direct and indirect exposure to violence. Direct exposure includes children who are harmed. Indirect exposure includes children who witness violence such as domestic violence, neighborhood shootings, assaults on peers, or other traumatic events occurring in homes, schools, or neighborhoods.

What are the three main goals of the program?

The opportunity centers on three goals: (1) reduce the incidence of violence by strengthening accountability efforts for juvenile offenders, particularly those involved in violent behavior; (2) improve community responses when children are victimized at school, in the community, or within the family; and (3) increase protective factors that help prevent juvenile violence, delinquency, and victimization over time.

How does the grant approach youth violence reduction?

The solicitation emphasizes strategies that strengthen accountability for violent juvenile offenders and improve how jurisdictions identify, supervise, and intervene with high-risk youth, while staying consistent with juvenile justice principles and appropriate due process.

What does “child- and victim-centered response” mean in this context?

In this opportunity, a child- and victim-centered response means structuring services and systems coordination around the needs, safety, and trauma impacts experienced by children exposed to violence, while ensuring responses are timely, coordinated, and connected to practical safety outcomes.

What types of services or supports are the grant intended to build or expand?

The program is designed to build or expand services for children affected by violence in homes, schools, and neighborhoods, including coordinated services that address trauma and safety together. The solicitation also signals the importance of cross-system coordination among partners that serve children and families.

What are “protective factors” in this program?

Protective factors are conditions that reduce risk over time and can help prevent juvenile violence, delinquency, and victimization. The opportunity gives examples such as supportive relationships, stable environments, access to behavioral health care, positive school connections, and community-based supports.

What is the CFDA number for this grant?

The CFDA listing provided for this opportunity is 16.818.

What funding category does this opportunity fall under?

The opportunity is listed under the Law, Justice, and Legal Services category.

How much funding is available per award?

The anticipated award ceiling is $830,000 per award.

How many awards does OJJDP expect to make?

OJJDP expects to make about 9 awards.

When was this opportunity created and when is the application due?

The opportunity was created on September 12, 2025. The original application closing date is October 21, 2025.

Is this a competitive grant?

Yes. The solicitation is described as a discretionary funding opportunity, which means applications should expect a competitive review process.

What should applicants be prepared to include in a strong application?

Applicants should be prepared to clearly explain: the problem statement; the target population; the evidence-informed strategy; partnerships; the implementation plan; and how results will be measured for both victim support and violence reduction outcomes.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility includes: state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education). The solicitation also allows for other applicants that fall within the listed eligibility categories.

Are nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status eligible?

Yes. Nonprofits are eligible whether they have 501(c)(3) status or not, provided they are not institutions of higher education.

Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible. Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments are also eligible.

Are schools and universities eligible to apply?

Independent school districts are eligible. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are also eligible.

Does OJJDP indicate any applicant types as especially relevant?

Yes. The description highlights Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments) and units of local government as particularly relevant applicant types, suggesting an emphasis on community-based and locally driven implementation capacity, including in tribal and underserved communities.

What kinds of communities is this grant intended to help?

The opportunity emphasizes communities experiencing serious youth violence and communities where children are regularly impacted by violence as victims or witnesses.

What kinds of partnerships are encouraged or implied by the solicitation?

Strong proposals are expected to show how systems and community partners will work together. The solicitation references potential partners such as juvenile justice agencies, schools, victim service providers, behavioral health organizations, child welfare, and community-based groups.

What outcomes are applicants expected to measure?

Applicants should describe how they will measure results related to both (1) victim support for children exposed to violence and (2) violence reduction/public safety outcomes, including efforts focused on violent juvenile offenders.

What does OJJDP mean by sustainability in this opportunity?

The description indicates that proposals should demonstrate that strategies are sustainable beyond the grant period, typically by showing coordinated systems and community partners working together in ways that can continue over time.