OJJDP FY 17 Changing Minds: Professional Development and Public Education to Address Children Exposed to Violence and Childhood Trauma | OJJDP 2017 11000

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the OJJDP FY 17 "Changing Minds" grant opportunity?

It is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) titled "Changing Minds: Professional Development and Public Education to Address Children Exposed to Violence and Childhood Trauma." It supports efforts that improve how communities recognize and respond to children exposed to violence (CEV) and childhood trauma.

What is the main purpose of this program?

The core purpose is to extend and build on earlier "Changing Minds" work by supporting training, technical assistance, and practical resources for professionals who regularly interact with at-risk children and justice-involved youth, while also improving public understanding of how violence exposure and trauma affect development, behavior, learning, and long-term outcomes.

What types of activities does the program fund?

The solicitation emphasizes (1) master trainings, (2) training-of-trainers (ToT), (3) technical assistance and practical resources that strengthen day-to-day practice, and (4) public education efforts through an expanded and enhanced public awareness campaign.

What does it mean that awards are made through cooperative agreements?

A cooperative agreement generally means OJJDP expects to have an active role in shaping, overseeing, or coordinating the funded work as it is carried out, rather than simply issuing funds with minimal federal involvement.

Who is the intended audience for the program's training and outreach?

The assistance is intended to reach state, local, and tribal audiences, with an emphasis on broad dissemination and consistent training approaches that can be replicated across jurisdictions and professional disciplines.

Which government area does this opportunity fall under?

The activity area is categorized under Law, Justice and Legal Services.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The program is associated with CFDA number 16.818.

Who is eligible to apply?

The opportunity lists a wide range of eligible applicants, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.

What does the broad eligibility suggest about what OJJDP is looking for?

It suggests OJJDP is prioritizing capability and reach. Organizations that can credibly deliver large-scale training and outreach (such as universities, training and technical assistance providers, research organizations, and specialized firms) may be competitive if they can show strong content expertise in childhood trauma and violence exposure and the operational capacity to deliver training across jurisdictions and professional disciplines.

How is the work organized in the solicitation?

The solicitation divides the work into three distinct categories of funding, and applicants would typically propose work in one defined category (or "lane").

What is funded under Category 1?

Category 1 supports master trainings and training-of-trainers focused on children exposed to violence and childhood trauma for educators and educational administrators, including staff in traditional public schools and in correctional and alternative education settings. The training content is based on the Changing Minds K-12 training institute.

Why does Category 1 include correctional and alternative education settings?

The solicitation notes that youth impacted by trauma are often served in disciplinary, alternative, or justice-connected learning environments, so the training audience includes those settings in addition to traditional schools.

What is the significance of training-of-trainers (ToT) in Category 1?

The emphasis on ToT signals a sustainability strategy: building local training capacity so knowledge and consistent approaches can continue to spread after the federal project period ends.

What is funded under Category 2?

Category 2 funds master trainings and training-of-trainers for law enforcement built around the "Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Children Exposed to Violence" curriculum and toolkit.

Why is law enforcement a focus of Category 2?

The solicitation recognizes that police and other law enforcement personnel may be first on scene during domestic incidents, community violence events, or other situations where children witness harm. The goal is to improve identification of children exposed to violence and strengthen trauma-informed response practices during and after critical incidents.

Does Category 2 require use of a specific curriculum?

Category 2 is anchored to the "Enhancing Law Enforcement Response to Children Exposed to Violence" curriculum and toolkit, signaling interest in consistent national messaging and practices, while still allowing adaptation to local context and policy environments.

What is funded under Category 3?

Category 3 focuses on expanding and enhancing the Changing Minds public awareness campaign (Phase 2). This category targets broader public education to increase awareness of childhood trauma and violence exposure and to encourage supportive responses by caregivers, community members, and systems.

What does "expansion and enhancement" of the public awareness campaign imply?

It implies the campaign already exists and that OJJDP is seeking improved reach, stronger or updated messaging and materials, broader distribution channels, and potentially refined targeting so information connects with communities and stakeholders most likely to influence children's environments.

Is this grant focused on developing new curricula from scratch?

The solicitation indicates an interest in scaling established models rather than creating entirely new curricula, referencing the Changing Minds K-12 training institute for education and the existing law enforcement curriculum and toolkit for Category 2.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is listed as $1,750,000.

How many awards did OJJDP anticipate making?

OJJDP anticipated making about six awards.

What does the anticipated number of awards suggest about competitiveness and scope?

With an award ceiling of $1,750,000 and about six anticipated awards, the solicitation appears to be a competitive national opportunity where successful applicants would likely be expected to deliver multi-jurisdictional impact rather than a single-site project.

When was the opportunity created, and what was the original application closing date?

The opportunity was created on March 17, 2017, and the original application closing date was May 2, 2017.

What systems does the program aim to strengthen?

The program is structured to strengthen day-to-day practice in systems that most often encounter traumatized children, specifically highlighting education settings (including alternative and correctional education) and law enforcement, alongside broader public education through the awareness campaign.

What is the overall strategy behind the "Changing Minds" effort described here?

Overall, it is a national capacity-building effort designed to spread evidence-informed, trauma-aware practices in education and law enforcement while strengthening public understanding through a coordinated awareness campaign, all aimed at improving outcomes for children and youth exposed to violence and trauma.