Closed · BJA-2020-17139 · CFDA 16.746 · Discretionary

BJA FY 20 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program

Federal grant opportunity posted by Bureau of Justice Assistance, cataloged on Grants.gov.

up to $300K
Award range
Closed
Status
April 13, 2020
Close date
12
Expected awards

The verdict

BJA FY 20 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program is a closed discretionary listing from Bureau of Justice Assistance that offered Up to $300,000 across 12 expected awards. Future funding cycles may be published under the same CFDA number. PlainGrants indexes 882 other opportunities from Bureau of Justice Assistance.

up to $300K
award range
Closed
application status
12
expected awards
16.746
CFDA program

Archived opportunity record

BJA FY 20 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preve… is closed (last close April 13, 2020). Check the agency catalog for replacement NOFOs. Bureau of Justice Assistance still indexes 882 other opportunities here.

According to Grants.gov (extract vintage 2026-08-10), this record reflects the officially published listing. See methodology.

Deadline tracker

Application window closed

Closed April 13, 2020

Posted Feb 11 Closes Apr 13

Est. Total Funding

$3,600,000

Expected Awards

12

Instrument

Grant

Description

The Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions (ROL/WCR) Program is committed to protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system and the consistent application of due process for all. The ROL/WCR Program supports efforts by wrongful conviction review entities (WCR entities) that represent individuals with post-conviction claims of innocence to review individual cases. Where possible, the URLPWC Program seeks to identify actual perpetrators of crimes, and to bring justice to victim(s), thereby enhancing public safety. By advancing methodologies and policies that address the underlying causes of wrongful convictions, URLPWC funding is intended to help prosecutors, law enforcement, defense counsel, and courts identify actual perpetrators and develop training tools, policies, and procedures that can prevent wrongful convictions. The reviews may also result in the identification of systemic issues related to prior practices and errors and/or new forensic practices that can contribute to preventing wrongful convictions. Public safety is adversely impacted by delays in the identification and apprehension of actual perpetrators. Exonerations based on false testimony, for example, primarily occur in murder cases, meaning that violent perpetrators remain on the street, potentially committing further crimes. URLPWC funding will support both the review of post-conviction claims of innocence and prosecutorial efforts to address violent crime and improve criminal prosecution, resulting in safer neighborhoods.

Campus–civic applicant bridge · 8 doors

BJA FY 20 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preve… bridges educational institutions with civic applicant types (8 doors: State governments; County governments; City or township governments; Special district governments; +4 more). Expect campus and public/nonprofit operators in the same printed set. The extract does not mark applicant cost-sharing as required. Instrument: Grant. Funding-activity codes span Humanities · Law, Justice and Legal Services (HU;LJL). Inside Bureau of Justice Assistance's indexed book this exact eligibility-code string is unique to this listing.

Code 00
State governments
Code 01
County governments
Code 02
City or township governments
Code 04
Special district governments
Code 06
Public / state-controlled institutions of higher education
Code 12
Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (other than IHEs)
Code 20
Private institutions of higher education
Code 25
Others (see official listing text)

Codes are Grants.gov eligibility category values from the extract vintage 2026-08-10. Confirm the full eligibility statement on the official listing or the Grants.gov eligibility reference.

Official Listing on Grants.gov

View full details, application forms, and submission instructions.

View on Grants.gov

Agency Contact

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, or via email to support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. An applicant that experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond its control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline must email the contact identified below within 24 hours after the application deadline in order to request approval to submit its application after the deadline. Additional information on reporting technical issues appears under “Experiencing Unforeseen Grants.gov Technical Issues” in the How to Apply section. For assistance with any unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues beyond an applicant’s control that prevent it from submitting its application by the deadline, or any other requirement of this solicitation, contact the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center: toll-free at 800-851-3420; via TTY at 301-240-6310 (hearing impaired only); email grants@ncjrs.gov; fax to 301-240-5830; or web chat at https://webcontact.ncjrs.gov/ncjchat/chat.jsp. The NCJRS Response Center hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date. support@grants.gov

What to do next

BJA FY 20 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preve… is closed; use the parent program and agency catalog for the next funding cycle.

  • Browse open federal opportunities in the same category when this listing is closed. Open opportunities
  • Look up CFDA 16.746 across all indexed listings before you commit to this opportunity alone. Eligibility finder
  • Compare award ranges across federal categories before you pick a single CFDA. All categories

Opportunity deadlines and eligibility change on Grants.gov; PlainGrants mirrors the extract and is not the submission system.

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from Grants.gov and SAM.gov and is for informational purposes only. Opportunity details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements change frequently. Always verify current information directly on Grants.gov before applying. PlainGrants is not affiliated with any federal agency.

Data sourced from the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainGrants