OJJDP FY 20 Enhancing Juvenile Indigent Defense | OJJDP 2020 17353

Opportunity Information: Apply for OJJDP 2020 17353

The OJJDP FY 20 Enhancing Juvenile Indigent Defense grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number OJJDP 2020 17353) is a discretionary grant program offered by the U.S. Department of Justice through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). It is designed to help states and local jurisdictions strengthen the quality, availability, and overall effectiveness of indigent defense for youth who become involved in the juvenile justice system. In practical terms, the program is aimed at improving how communities ensure that young people who cannot afford an attorney still receive meaningful legal representation at every critical stage of a juvenile case.

The main purpose of the program is twofold. First, it focuses on ensuring youth have real access to legal counsel, not just in name, but in a way that supports fair process and appropriate outcomes. That typically means improving systems so youth are represented early, consistently, and competently, with defenders who have the time, training, and institutional support needed to advocate effectively. Second, the program emphasizes helping youth access resources that address the collateral consequences of juvenile justice involvement. Collateral consequences can include impacts on education, housing, employment, immigration status, eligibility for public benefits, and other areas that can follow a young person long after a case ends. The intent is to promote defense services that look beyond the courtroom and help reduce long-term harm to a young person’s life chances.

OJJDP points applicants toward established best practices, specifically referencing the National Juvenile Defense Standards as a guide for strengthening juvenile indigent defense. By tying the program to these standards, the opportunity signals that successful projects are expected to be grounded in recognized principles of effective juvenile defense, such as youth-centered representation, developmentally informed advocacy, confidentiality and client trust, thorough investigation and case preparation, and meaningful client participation in decision-making. The standards also generally reflect the idea that juvenile defense is not the same as adult defense, and that representation should account for adolescence, family dynamics, school issues, and the unique ways youth experience legal proceedings.

This opportunity is offered as a grant under the Law, Justice and Legal Services funding activity category, with CFDA number 16.836. The posted award ceiling is $437,500 per award, and OJJDP anticipated making approximately 4 awards under this solicitation. The opportunity was created on February 5, 2020, with an original application closing date of April 6, 2020. Eligibility is listed broadly as “Others,” with further clarification referenced in the solicitation’s additional eligibility information section, meaning applicants would need to consult the full announcement text to confirm whether they qualify and under what conditions.

Overall, the grant is structured to help jurisdictions move from patchwork or under-resourced juvenile defense systems toward more consistent, high-quality representation that protects youth rights and reduces the lasting negative effects that can come from even brief involvement with the juvenile justice system.

• 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 Enhancing Juvenile Indigent Defense" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.836.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 05, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 06, 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 $437,500.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for OJJDP 2020 17353

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