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    § Federal grant opportunity · O-BJA-2026-172698

    BJA FY 2026 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes

    Bureau of Justice Assistance is accepting applications for BJA FY 2026 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes. The deadline is September 24, 2026 and the published award range is $1M.

    Key facts

    Funder
    Bureau of Justice Assistance
    Application deadline
    September 24, 2026
    Award range
    $1M
    Eligibility
    Other Units of Local Government: For the purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, other units of local government include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state.; Faith-based Organizations: Religious organizations, faith-based nonprofits, and organizations with religious charters, names, or missions.
    Geography
    United States
    Focus areas
    Justice
    Opportunity number
    O-BJA-2026-172698

    Program overview

    This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for BJA FY 2026 Second Chance Act (SCA) Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes. This opportunity supports state, local, and tribal governments and community-based organizations to provide education and employment programs for adults and youth leaving prison and jail. The goal of the program is to improve academic and vocational/trade programs available to adults and youth in prisons and jails and expand workforce development and career pathways that result in improved job readiness, employment attainment, and retention, thereby improving employment prospects and reducing recidivism. Applicants may consider proposing projects that develop marketable skills, leverage technology, and build capacity to align with their local job market and engage in the digital economy.

    How to apply

    1. Confirm your organization meets the eligibility criteria above.
    2. Read the full funding opportunity announcement from Bureau of Justice Assistance.
    3. Draft your narrative against the funder's stated priorities and review criteria.
    4. Submit before September 24, 2026, allowing time for registration and validation.

    View the official funding announcement

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