BJA Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Program
The Community-based Reentry Program funds nonprofits and Tribes to provide mentoring, case management and transitional services to adults leaving prison or jail, before release, after release or both. Reviewers put 65% of the score on project design and organizational capability, and the strength of the correctional partnership, including pre-release access and data sharing, is named as a key factor. Statutory priority goes to evidence-based activities and independent evaluation with random assignment where feasible.
Program facts
- Agency
- Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
- Assistance Listing
- 16.812
- Statutory authority
- Second Chance Act of 2007, Pub. L. No. 110-199, Sec. 211 (34 U.S.C. 60531), as amended by the First Step Act of 2018; Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2026 (Pub. L. No. 119-74)
- Award ceiling
- Up to $1,000,000
- Awards
- The FY2026 Community-based Reentry NOFO planned about 13 awards from up to $12.5 million; BJA released six Second Chance Act NOFOs in FY2026
- Period of performance
- 36 months, starting January 1, 2027 for the FY2026 cohort
- Cost share
- None required
- Cycle
- SCA NOFOs have posted in late winter or spring in some years and in fall in others; the FY2026 Community-based Reentry NOFO posted September 21, 2026, with the SF-424 due October 30 and the JustGrants application due November 6, 2026
Program goals
- Reduce recidivism among moderate- to high-risk adults returning from correctional facilities
- Provide mentoring, peer support and case management that start before release
- Connect participants to employment, education, housing, health and substance use or mental health care
- Build data-sharing partnerships with institutional and community corrections
Scoring rubric
Description of the need5
Data on the reentry population, the service gap and its impact on the community, and how it fits the NOFO purpose.
Project goals and objectives15
Broad goals and measurable objectives tied to recidivism reduction and the NOFO's objectives.
Project design and implementation35
Activities with named validated risk and needs assessment tools, timeline, target population and enrollment math, the baseline recidivism rate, pre-release access through the correctional MOU, key staff and, for priority consideration, the evaluation design.
Capabilities and competencies30
Capacity to deliver services and report performance data, prior reentry projects, staff and partner experience, an independent evaluator if seeking priority, and a documented history of collaboration with corrections.
Budget15
Costs with computations tied to activities, and none of the NOFO's unallowable items: client stipends, gift cards, incentives, vehicles, food and beverages.
Weights are from the FY2026 BJA Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Program NOFO (O-BJA-2026-172717). The other FY2026 SCA solicitations use the same OJP five-part structure; confirm in each posting.
Eligibility
- Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Tribal governments
- Applicants must serve adults returning from correctional facilities who are assessed as moderate to high risk of recidivism
- An MOU with the correctional agency that oversees the facility where participants will be recruited is required
- Applicants must certify they will collect unique identifiers and recidivism indicator data for each participant
Required attachments
- SF-424 in Grants.gov (Step 1)
- Proposal abstract (2,000 characters), including the names of other SCA NOFOs you applied to
- Proposal narrative (10 pages maximum)
- Budget Detail Worksheet or separate budget attachment
- MOU with one or more correctional agencies documenting pre-release access and data sharing
- Mandatory Chief Executive Assurance to Collect and Report Recidivism Indicator Data
- Financial Management and System of Internal Controls Questionnaire
- Indirect cost rate agreement and executive compensation disclosure, if applicable
Formatting rules
- Narrative not to exceed 10 pages, double-spaced, 12-point standard font, 1-inch margins, numbered pages
- Tables and charts count toward the 10-page limit and may use a smaller legible font
- OJP may reduce the score of a narrative that does not follow the format
Why applications lose points
- No correctional agency MOU, or an MOU that does not grant pre-release access to participants
- Missing the baseline recidivism rate for the target population
- No validated risk and needs assessment named in the design
- Budgets with client stipends, gift cards, vehicles or food, all unallowable under the FY2026 NOFO
- Missing the chief executive recidivism data assurance
- Enrollment targets that cannot be served in 36 months with the proposed staffing
How ELIXIR CONSUMERS helps with BJA SCA Reentry
- 1.Drafts the narrative within the 10-page limit and keeps a live page count as you edit
- 2.Pulls baseline recidivism figures and enrollment history from your case management exports and cites each number to its source file
- 3.Generates the correctional MOU outline covering facility access, referral flow and data sharing
- 4.Reuses approved narrative sections across multiple SCA applications, which the NOFO allows, while keeping budgets and attachments separate
More public safety breakdowns
- BJA JAG Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, Local Formula SolicitationALN 16.738
- COPS CHP COPS Hiring Program (CHP)ALN 16.068
- FEMA AFG Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) ProgramALN 97.044
- OJJDP Mentoring OJJDP Mentoring Programs (FY2026 Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Other Substance Use)ALN 16.726
Questions, answered
Can we apply to more than one Second Chance Act NOFO?
Yes. The FY2026 NOFOs allow multiple applications and reuse of narrative portions, but every other required material must be submitted separately for each NOFO.
Do we have to run a randomized evaluation?
No, but the statute gives priority consideration to applications that use proven practices and propose an independent evaluation with random assignment where feasible.
Can we serve low-risk participants?
The program targets adults assessed as moderate to high risk for recidivism using a validated tool. Low-risk participants fall outside the target population.
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