Applying to the Data Resources Program Solicitation: Funding for the Analysis of Existing Data
NIJ annually funds proposals to reproduce, replicate original findings or, preferably, extend research by testing new hypotheses with existing data.
NIJ gives preference to research that:
- Asks compelling crime and justice questions rather than research that furthers statistical methods or technical refinement of data sets.
- Uses data sets from NIJ-sponsored research archived at the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD). However, you may use other publicly available data sets that are applicable to criminal justice — many successful applicants have combined several data sets.
Learn about:
Research Topics and Areas of Focus
Each year, NIJ typically encourages proposals that address a particular criminal justice issue or type of data analysis. The current focus for fiscal year 2010 is sentencing and other federal criminal case analysis.
In general, NIJ is particularly interested in the secondary analysis of data from previously funded NIJ, but will consider data from other sources. Hundreds of NIJ-sponsored datasets covering a wide range of criminal justice topics are now available from NACJD. Data collections, as well as abstracts and codebooks, are available to download from NACJD.
Application Requirements
Before submitting any application for NIJ funding, you are strongly encouraged to read carefully the entire text of the solicitation under which you are applying. Many of the requirements for NIJ funding are standard across all solicitations. Here you will learn about two requirements of particular importance to applicants for the Data Resources Program Solicitation:
- Data Archiving Strategy.
- Dissemination Strategy.
Data Archiving Strategy
All data files resulting from Data Resources Program funding (and most other NIJ funding) must be added to NACJD, regardless of their source. In your application, you must include a data archiving strategy that briefly describes the:
- Anticipated manipulations of original, intermediate and final data sets (as applicable).
- Methods of documentation of such manipulations.
- Preparation of original, intermediate and final data sets for archive submission.
Dissemination Strategy to Practitioner and Policymaker Audiences
It is important to NIJ that grant recipients disseminate the results of their research to various relevant audiences. When applying for any NIJ grant funding, you must include a dissemination strategy in your program narrative. This strategy describes the publications, conferences and other venues at which you propose to present your study findings.
When applying to the solicitation Data Resources Program: Funding for the Analysis of Existing Data, your dissemination strategy should include multidisciplinary audiences. You should look beyond traditional criminology and criminal justice research publications and conferences and include venues that speak directly to practitioners and policymakers in other fields — education, social services, adolescent development and family violence as well as legislators and city, county and state officials — that can make direct use of the research findings.
NIJ provides additional funding to Data Resources Program grantees specifically for dissemination of their study findings to these nontraditional practitioner- and policymaker-oriented venues.
Have a backup plan. NIJ recognizes that circumstances may arise that prevent you from presenting or publishing according to your dissemination plan. Please identify some possible alternative venues in your dissemination plan.
Keep track of your publications and presentations. If you receive a grant from NIJ, you must include in your final technical report a description of your presentations and publications. You should describe the development of the presentations and articles and discuss why these venues were appropriate for this research and what the potential impact was of the presentation or publication.
