Opportunity Information: Apply for 17AC02
The Alabama Department of Corrections Thinking for a Change (T4C) Implementation Project is a discretionary federal funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections (NIC). The initiative focuses on supporting the Alabama Department of Corrections in the continued rollout and strengthening of Thinking for a Change, a cognitive-behavioral intervention commonly used in correctional settings to reduce criminogenic thinking and improve decision-making, problem-solving, and social skills. Rather than funding direct service expansion alone, the core purpose of this award is to reinforce the internal infrastructure Alabama DOC needs to implement the program well, keep it consistent over time, and measure whether implementation is improving and making a difference.
The scope of work centers on implementation support, meaning the awardee is expected to provide hands-on technical assistance, guidance, and structured support to Alabama DOC personnel as they refine and apply a plan grounded in the core components of active implementation. In practical terms, this typically involves helping the agency move beyond initial training into sustained, high-quality delivery by building routines for coaching, troubleshooting common implementation barriers, and reinforcing fidelity to the model. Because the funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, NIC is likely to be actively involved in the project, with the awardee collaborating closely with federal staff and Alabama DOC leadership on priorities, deliverables, and progress.
The anticipated deliverables emphasize capacity-building inside the agency so that Alabama DOC can eventually manage and maintain T4C implementation with less reliance on external experts. One key deliverable is continued support and coaching for both the internal implementation team and already-trained T4C facilitators. This indicates the project is not starting from scratch; it is designed to strengthen an existing implementation effort by improving facilitator performance, addressing drift from the curriculum, and helping the implementation team coordinate scheduling, participant selection, oversight, and problem resolution.
Another major deliverable is building Alabama DOC capacity for internal coaching and the use of a fidelity observation tool. Fidelity tools are used to assess whether facilitators are delivering the curriculum as intended, using the required techniques, pacing, and participant engagement strategies that make the intervention effective. The goal here is to create an internal system where staff can observe sessions, provide structured feedback, document adherence and quality, and use that information to improve delivery across facilities. This internal coaching capacity is a common make-or-break factor in whether a program remains effective after the initial launch phase.
Knowledge transfer is also explicitly required, signaling that the awardee must ensure expertise is embedded within Alabama DOC rather than remaining with the outside provider. This usually involves producing practical guides, templates, observation checklists, coaching protocols, training refreshers, and lessons learned that Alabama DOC personnel can continue using. It may also involve mentoring designated staff into coach or trainer roles so the agency can support new facilitators over time and sustain consistent quality when staffing changes occur.
Finally, the project calls for developing a framework of potential performance measures to determine impact and track implementation progress. This is about creating a measurement approach that helps the agency understand both whether the program is being implemented correctly (process measures) and whether it is producing desired outcomes (impact measures). Process measures might include the number of groups delivered, completion rates, facilitator fidelity scores, coaching frequency, and timeliness of observations. Impact measures might look at institutional behavior changes, disciplinary infractions, program participant skill gains, or longer-term indicators such as recidivism, depending on available data and evaluation design. The emphasis on a framework suggests the deliverable may be a structured set of recommended metrics, definitions, data sources, and reporting routines that Alabama DOC can adopt to monitor progress and support continuous improvement.
Administratively, the opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number 17AC02 under CFDA 16.603, with an award ceiling of $15,000 and an expectation of one award. It was created on August 17, 2017, with an original closing date of August 31, 2017. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement, which often indicates that NIC may be seeking a specialized provider such as a technical assistance organization, training entity, research or evaluation partner, or an individual/consultant with recognized expertise in T4C and correctional implementation. Overall, the project is best understood as a targeted, implementation-focused technical assistance effort intended to stabilize and strengthen Alabama DOCs use of Thinking for a Change by improving coaching, fidelity, sustainability, and performance measurement.Apply for 17AC02
- The Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alabama Department of Corrections Thinking for a Change Implementation Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.603.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 17, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2017. (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 $15,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Alabama Department of Corrections Thinking for a Change (T4C) Implementation Project?
This is a discretionary federal funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement by the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Corrections (NIC). It supports the Alabama Department of Corrections (Alabama DOC) in continuing to roll out and strengthen Thinking for a Change (T4C), a cognitive-behavioral intervention used in correctional settings to reduce criminogenic thinking and improve decision-making, problem-solving, and social skills.
What is the main purpose of this award?
The core purpose is to reinforce the internal infrastructure Alabama DOC needs to implement T4C well, keep implementation consistent over time, and measure whether implementation quality is improving and making a difference. The focus is on implementation support and capacity-building rather than only expanding direct service delivery.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
The opportunity is offered through a cooperative agreement. This generally means NIC is likely to be actively involved and the awardee will collaborate closely with federal staff and Alabama DOC leadership on priorities, deliverables, and progress.
What kinds of activities are expected under the scope of work?
The work centers on hands-on technical assistance and structured implementation support for Alabama DOC personnel. This includes helping the agency move beyond initial training into sustained, high-quality program delivery by establishing routines for coaching, addressing common implementation barriers, and reinforcing fidelity to the T4C model.
Is this project starting a brand-new T4C program in Alabama DOC?
No. The deliverables indicate the effort is not starting from scratch. The project is designed to strengthen an existing implementation effort by supporting already-trained T4C facilitators and an internal implementation team, improving performance, addressing curriculum drift, and strengthening coordination and oversight.
What are the anticipated deliverables for this project?
Deliverables emphasize building capacity inside Alabama DOC so the agency can sustain T4C with less reliance on external experts. Key deliverables include: continued support and coaching for the internal implementation team and already-trained facilitators; building internal coaching capacity and use of a fidelity observation tool; knowledge transfer so expertise is embedded internally; and developing a framework of potential performance measures to track implementation progress and determine impact.
What does "implementation support" mean in this opportunity?
Implementation support means providing practical guidance and assistance to help Alabama DOC deliver T4C consistently and with high quality over time. This typically includes coaching systems, troubleshooting barriers that arise during delivery, and strengthening fidelity to the model so that staff deliver the curriculum as intended.
Who is expected to receive coaching and support through this project?
The project calls for continued support and coaching for both (1) the internal implementation team within Alabama DOC and (2) already-trained T4C facilitators. The intent is to improve facilitator delivery, prevent drift from the curriculum, and strengthen the implementation team's ability to coordinate scheduling, participant selection, oversight, and problem resolution.
What is a fidelity observation tool and why is it important here?
A fidelity observation tool is used to assess whether facilitators are delivering T4C as intended, including required techniques, pacing, and strategies to engage participants. The tool supports structured observation and feedback. This opportunity highlights fidelity because strong fidelity and coaching systems are commonly decisive for sustaining program effectiveness after initial launch.
What does "building internal coaching capacity" involve?
Building internal coaching capacity involves establishing an internal system where Alabama DOC staff can observe T4C sessions, provide structured feedback to facilitators, document adherence and delivery quality, and use that information to improve delivery across facilities. It is intended to reduce long-term dependence on outside experts.
What does "knowledge transfer" mean for the awardee?
Knowledge transfer is explicitly required and means the awardee must ensure expertise is embedded within Alabama DOC rather than remaining solely with the external provider. This often includes developing practical materials (such as guides, templates, checklists, coaching protocols, and training refreshers) and mentoring designated staff into coach or trainer roles to support future facilitators and sustain quality through staffing changes.
What performance measurement work is required?
The project calls for developing a framework of potential performance measures to determine impact and track implementation progress. This is a measurement approach that addresses both process (whether the program is implemented correctly) and impact (whether desired outcomes are occurring), along with definitions, data sources, and reporting routines that Alabama DOC can use for monitoring and continuous improvement.
What are examples of process measures mentioned or implied in the opportunity?
Examples of process measures include the number of groups delivered, completion rates, facilitator fidelity scores, coaching frequency, and the timeliness of observations.
What are examples of impact measures mentioned or implied in the opportunity?
Examples of impact measures include institutional behavior changes, disciplinary infractions, program participant skill gains, and potentially longer-term indicators such as recidivism, depending on available data and evaluation design.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $15,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of one award.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this grant?
The opportunity is identified as Funding Opportunity Number 17AC02 under CFDA 16.603.
When was this opportunity created and when did it close?
It was created on August 17, 2017, with an original closing date of August 31, 2017.
Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. This often suggests NIC may be looking for a specialized provider such as a technical assistance organization, training entity, research or evaluation partner, or an individual/consultant with recognized expertise in T4C and correctional implementation.
Is the project primarily about funding direct services or expanding programming volume?
Not primarily. While supporting delivery quality can affect services, the described core purpose is to strengthen internal infrastructure: coaching, fidelity, sustainability, and performance measurement. It is framed as implementation-focused technical assistance rather than direct service expansion alone.
What does success look like for this project, according to the description?
Success is implied to include more consistent and higher-quality T4C delivery over time, stronger internal coaching and fidelity monitoring, effective knowledge transfer so Alabama DOC can maintain implementation with less external help, and a usable framework of performance measures to track implementation progress and potential impact.
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