BJA FY25 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes

This NOFO supports state, local, and tribal governments and community-based organizations to provide education and employment programs for people leaving jail and prison. The goal of the program is to improve academic and vocational/trade programs available to people 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.

Program Details

Bureau of Justice Assistance is a federal agency that offers the BJA FY25 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes grant program to support workforce. This funding opportunity is available nationally and is administered by Bureau of Justice Assistance through Grants.gov. Organizations seeking funding for workforce should review the details below and confirm their eligibility before preparing an application.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include educational institutions, government agencies and municipalities, for-profit businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and to review the full program guidelines before submission. Because eligibility rules and funding priorities can change between cycles, applicants should always confirm the current requirements with Bureau of Justice Assistance or on Grants.gov before investing time in an application.

Funding and Timeline

Funding available: $0 – $900K. Applications are due by May 8, 2026. Applicants should allow sufficient time to gather required documentation, including organizational information, project descriptions, budgets, and supporting materials as specified in the program guidelines. Submitting a complete application well ahead of the deadline reduces the risk of disqualification on technical or administrative grounds.

Program Focus

This grant supports workforce. This grant is associated with NAICS industry classifications: 922120, 541611. Organizations operating in these sectors are encouraged to review eligibility. Funded projects are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes aligned with the program's stated objectives. Grant recipients may be required to submit progress reports and final evaluations as a condition of the award, and to retain records for audit and compliance purposes.

How to Apply

Eligible organizations can apply through Grants.gov. Create a free organization profile on GrantRegister to see whether this grant matches your organization's NAICS code, entity type, location, and focus area, and to receive a weekly digest of every open grant you qualify for.

GrantRegister maintains a complete, authoritative registry of US federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities — matched automatically to your organization profile and delivered every Monday.

Eligibility

• Funded by BJA

Award details

Award range: $0 – $900K. Applications close on May 8, 2026.

Categories

Workforce