Opportunity Information: Apply for 23AC05
The Corrections Staffing Initiative: National Focus Groups and Curriculum Development (Funding Opportunity No. 23AC05) is a U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections (NIC) cooperative agreement aimed at helping correctional agencies respond to a nationwide staffing crisis that has intensified in the post-COVID-19 period. The opportunity is built around the reality that corrections has been hit hard by shifting labor-market conditions, including the wave of voluntary departures often referred to as "The Great Resignation," along with the ongoing stressors and operational disruptions that agencies managed throughout the pandemic. As vacancy rates remain extremely high, the initiative is designed to support practical, field-informed solutions that improve how agencies recruit, hire, train, and retain staff.
A central focus of the grant is the role of correctional training directors and human resources directors, who are positioned as the key organizational leaders driving staffing outcomes. The opportunity highlights that these professionals have had to adopt new methods and techniques to keep staffing pipelines moving, maintain training quality, and strengthen retention at a time when the workforce and broader management priorities are rapidly evolving. Because HR and training staff make high-impact decisions that shape agency culture, readiness, and performance, NIC frames this work as both urgent and foundational to corrections operations nationwide.
The project itself centers on two connected deliverables: conducting national focus groups and developing curriculum. In practical terms, the focus groups are meant to gather input and insights from across the field about current staffing challenges, emerging issues, and strategies that are working (or failing) in real agency environments. Those findings then inform the creation of training curriculum that can be used to strengthen the capacity of HR and training units, promote more effective and consistent practices, and support mission-driven, collaborative approaches to workforce development. The overall intent is to create actionable guidance and learning resources grounded in what agencies are experiencing now, rather than relying only on pre-pandemic assumptions about hiring, training, and retention.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a cooperative agreement, meaning the award is not just a standard pass-through grant; it typically involves substantial involvement from NIC in shaping, supporting, or guiding the work. The total funding ceiling is up to $1,000,000, with NIC expecting to make one award. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 16.601 and is categorized as "Other" for both the opportunity category and funding activity category, indicating it is a specialized initiative rather than a routine program area. The eligible applicant category is also listed as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. The posting date was June 8, 2023, and the original application closing date was July 24, 2023.
Overall, the grant is intended to help corrections agencies stabilize and strengthen their staffing systems by capturing national-level input through structured focus groups and converting that knowledge into curriculum that improves the effectiveness of the people and units responsible for recruitment, hiring, and training. In a period where staffing shortages are described as historically severe, NIC is positioning this initiative as a targeted, high-impact effort to support the professionals who directly influence whether agencies can rebuild and sustain a capable corrections workforce.Apply for 23AC05
- The Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Corrections Staffing Initiative: National Focus Groups and Curriculum Development" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.601.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 08, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 24, 2023. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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