FY 2019 Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Criminal Justice Statistics | BJS 2019 16229

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJS 2019 16229

The FY 2019 Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Criminal Justice Statistics is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), designed to support doctoral-level research that makes substantive use of BJS criminal justice data or BJS statistical series. The program operates through awards made to accredited universities, which then support a doctoral student or doctoral research project that aligns closely with BJS data and the federal priorities laid out by DOJ. In practical terms, this fellowship is meant to strengthen the quality and reach of criminal justice statistics by encouraging rigorous, data-driven dissertation research that can inform policy and practice while also building the next generation of criminal justice statistical researchers.

A core requirement is that the proposed dissertation research must rely on BJS data resources. That can include nationally recognized BJS collections and series that track crime, victimization, corrections populations, courts, law enforcement, and other parts of the justice system. The emphasis is not simply on using “any” criminal justice data, but on leveraging BJS datasets or series in a meaningful way to answer important questions, develop methods, or produce analyses that add value to the criminal justice statistical infrastructure. Because the focus is doctoral research, proposals are expected to be research-intensive, methodologically sound, and capable of producing findings suitable for publication, dissertation completion, or broader dissemination.

The topic area must also align with one of DOJ's stated top priorities. For this solicitation, the priority areas include: (1) enhancing national security and countering terrorism threats, (2) securing the borders and enhancing immigration enforcement, (3) reducing violent crime and promoting public safety, and (4) prosecuting federal drug crimes and enforcing the rule of law. Applicants are expected to connect their research aims clearly to at least one of these priorities while still grounding the project in BJS data. This means a competitive application would typically describe the problem being studied, explain why it matters in terms of DOJ priorities, and show exactly how BJS data will be used to examine the issue and produce credible evidence.

Administratively, the opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement rather than a simple grant. A cooperative agreement generally indicates that the funding agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project period, such as coordination on research activities, deliverables, or dissemination plans. While the specific form of involvement can vary, applicants should be prepared for an active relationship with BJS, including reporting expectations and potential coordination around how findings are communicated, especially when those findings rely on major federal statistical series.

The official opportunity number is BJS 2019 16229, and it falls under the “Information and Statistics” funding activity category. The CFDA number associated with this program is 16.734, which corresponds to BJS statistical and research assistance programming. The posting was created on March 22, 2019, with an original closing date of May 21, 2019, setting a relatively short application window typical of many federal research solicitations.

Funding is capped at an award ceiling of $120,000, and BJS anticipated making approximately three awards under this FY 2019 solicitation. That structure signals a competitive process with limited slots, where strong alignment to BJS data, clear relevance to DOJ priorities, and a well-executed research plan are likely to be decisive. Eligibility is listed as “Others,” with clarification referenced in an additional eligibility section, but the description makes clear that awards are made to accredited universities to support doctoral research, meaning the institutional applicant is the university rather than an individual student applying independently.

Overall, this fellowship program is best understood as a targeted federal investment in doctoral research that uses BJS datasets to generate policy-relevant statistical insights in areas DOJ considers especially urgent. It blends academic research training with federal statistical priorities, aiming to produce both scholarly outputs and practical knowledge that can improve understanding of crime, justice system operations, and public safety challenges.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2019 Graduate Research Fellowship Program for Criminal Justice Statistics" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.734.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 22, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 21, 2019. (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 $120,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BJS 2019 16229

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