BJA FY 23 Drug Data Research Center to Combat the Overdose Crisis | O BJA 2023 171649

Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2023 171649

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), offered the FY 23 Drug Data Research Center to Combat the Overdose Crisis grant to strengthen the nation s ability to understand and respond to the overdose emergency through better data. The opportunity is framed within OJP s broader priorities, which include advancing civil rights and racial equity, improving access to justice, supporting victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, and building trust between law enforcement and communities. In practical terms, this solicitation focuses on building durable, data-driven infrastructure so policymakers, public health leaders, and justice system partners can make faster and more targeted decisions to reduce fatal and nonfatal overdoses.

This program is designed to expand the drug data research center model that began with the first award made in 2022. BJA s plan is to grow a network of centers by funding up to two additional accredited colleges or universities to scale an existing statewide drug data repository into a regional drug data research center. The emphasis on "expanding an existing statewide repository" signals that applicants are expected to already have a functioning data collection and integration effort in place and then use federal support to broaden its reach, sophistication, and impact across a multi-state region rather than starting from scratch.

The core purpose of the regional drug data research centers is to promote the collection, analysis, research, and dissemination of information that can help curb overdoses involving opioids, stimulants, and other substances. That typically implies building or enhancing systems that can bring together multiple sources of overdose-related data (for example, information relevant to overdose incidents, toxicology trends, drug composition, nonfatal overdose events, and related public safety indicators) and then turning those inputs into usable intelligence. The intent is not data for its own sake, but data that can be translated into actionable insights for prevention, treatment engagement strategies, harm reduction planning, investigative priorities, and cross-agency coordination.

A major feature of this opportunity is collaboration and model replication. Awarded institutions and their regional centers are expected to work with the FY 2022 DDRC-funded center at the University of Alabama. The new centers are also expected to function as models and technical advisors, helping translate the approach into other U.S. regions over time. This means the program is structured not just as isolated research projects, but as an interconnected network where practices, methods, and lessons learned are shared to speed adoption of effective data infrastructure and analytic approaches nationwide.

Administratively, the funding mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement, which generally indicates a more hands-on relationship with the federal agency than a typical grant. In a cooperative agreement, BJA often has substantial programmatic involvement, such as coordinating activities across awardees, setting shared expectations, and supporting consistent approaches that enable a national network of centers rather than unrelated local efforts. The funding activity category is listed as Information and Statistics, underscoring that the primary output is improved data capacity, analysis, and dissemination rather than direct service delivery.

Eligibility is limited to accredited institutions of higher education, including both public/state-controlled and private universities. The program s Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 16.046, and the opportunity was released by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The solicitation was created on March 9, 2023, and the application closing date was May 1, 2023. The award ceiling is $1,980,000, and BJA anticipated making up to two awards, consistent with the goal of seeding a small number of regional centers that can then support broader replication.

• The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 23 Drug Data Research Center to Combat the Overdose Crisis" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.046.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-03-09.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-05-01. (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 $1,980,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for O BJA 2023 171649

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: