OJJDP FY 20 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children | OJJDP 2020 16831

Opportunity Information: Apply for OJJDP 2020 16831

The OJJDP FY 20 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children opportunity is a discretionary grant program from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Its main purpose is to promote and expand services for incarcerated individuals who have minor children under the age of 18, with an emphasis on strengthening and safeguarding the parent-child relationship in ways that are appropriate, child-centered, and supportive of long-term family stability. The program reflects the idea that maintaining healthier family connections during incarceration, when done safely and in a manner that prioritizes the child, can reduce harm to children and support better outcomes for families and communities.

The grant supports projects that either build comprehensive services from the ground up or expand existing programs already operating in correctional settings. A central requirement is partnership: applicants are expected to work closely with relevant agencies and service providers to coordinate services for incarcerated parents and their children. In practice, this can mean integrating correctional institutions with community-based organizations, child welfare and family service agencies, reentry providers, and other local partners to ensure families receive consistent support before, during, and after incarceration. The overall direction is toward coordinated, wraparound approaches rather than isolated or short-term interventions.

A notable component of the opportunity is the focus on training for correctional officers and other facility staff, specifically training tied to protection and safeguarding. This includes preparing staff to address the needs and safety considerations of children and families who visit incarcerated parents, recognizing that visitation settings can present unique risks and stressors for minors. By building staff capacity in child-sensitive practices and safety procedures, the program aims to create visitation and family contact environments that are more secure, more humane, and better aligned with the well-being of children.

The opportunity also explicitly highlights support for rural facilities, acknowledging that rural areas often face additional challenges such as fewer service providers, longer travel distances for family visitation, staffing constraints, and limited access to specialized family or child-focused resources. Projects serving rural communities are encouraged to develop solutions that realistically fit those contexts while still meeting the program goal of supporting incarcerated parents and their minor children.

OJJDP indicates it will give priority consideration to applicants that already have policies, practices, and/or procedures designed to ensure the best interests of the child when facilitating parent-child relationships. Examples listed include using a guardian ad litem or a court-appointed special advocate, which signals that OJJDP is looking for programs that incorporate formal safeguards and child-focused decision-making structures rather than treating family contact as a one-size-fits-all activity. This priority also suggests that applicants should be prepared to show how they assess child safety and well-being, manage complex family situations, and ensure that any efforts to support parent-child connection do not inadvertently place children at risk.

Administratively, the funding opportunity number is OJJDP 2020 16831 and the CFDA number is 16.831, placing it in the Law, Justice and Legal Services category. The award ceiling is $750,000, with an expected six awards. The opportunity was created on January 10, 2020, with an original closing date of March 10, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, meaning a range of entity types may be allowed to apply depending on the specific eligibility language in the solicitation.

Finally, the program is framed within broader juvenile justice and public safety goals. OJJDP ties the work to enhancing public safety, supporting accountability to victims and communities, and empowering youth to live productive, law-abiding lives. While the target population includes incarcerated parents, the stated outcomes reflect a prevention and youth well-being logic: reducing family disruption and improving the conditions surrounding a child with an incarcerated parent can help mitigate risk factors that contribute to later justice involvement, while also supporting healthier family functioning and stronger community stability.

• The Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJJDP FY 20 Second Chance Act Addressing the Needs of Incarcerated Parents and Their Minor Children" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.831.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jan 10, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 10, 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 $750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for OJJDP 2020 16831

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