Performance Reporting at the Bureau of Justice Assistance
The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is required to set clear program goals and collect performance measures data to demonstrate achievement of those goals. All recipients of BJA funding are required to collect and report performance data that demonstrate the results of funded activities.
To demonstrate program progress and success—and to assist BJA with fulfilling its responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, and the Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency Act of 2019—applicants that receive funding from BJA must provide regular performance data that measure the results of the work done under the solicitation.
BJA currently collects performance measure data in the Justice Grants System (JustGrants), the Performance Measurement Tool (PMT), and the BJA Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Reporting Portal. BJA staff determine the appropriate system and performance measures for each award and inform grantees which system they are to use to report their data. You will be notified by BJA regarding which system to use for reporting.
Performance Management
Performance management—the process by which grantees regularly collect data on their grant activities—is a systematic process that promotes ongoing analysis of a program’s performance, creates the potential for continuous process improvement, and relies on performance measurement—the regular collection of data and indicators to assess whether the correct processes are performed, and the desired results achieved. This process includes the use of strategic planning, goals, performance measures, evaluations, analysis, data-driven reviews, and reporting.
Performance Measures
BJA establishes performance measures for each individual program. Performance measures are the data—specific values or characteristics—reported by grantees that measure the output or outcome of grantees’ activities and services and demonstrate accomplishment of the goals and objectives of BJA's programs. These measures help capture inputs, outputs, and outcomes over time and enable pre- and post-comparisons that can be used to facilitate change as needed. These measures are defined in the grant solicitation and may be updated or revised during the life of the program. Performance measures for individual programs can be found through a link in the solicitation or in the performance measures table in the solicitation's appendix. Solicitations are available on the Open Funding Opportunities page. Grant programs that report in the PMT can also access copies of their performance measures from the BJA Program Performance Measures page. Grant programs that report in the BJA TTARP can access more information about their performance measures from the BJA Training and Technical Assistance Providers page.
There are three types of data that grantees are required to report during the life of their grant: performance measures, narrative questions, and closeout questions.
- Performance measures capture outcomes of grant activities, demonstrating if programs accomplish goals and objectives. BJA grantees report on performance measures for a three (quarterly) or six month (biannual) reporting period.
- Narrative questions relate to the grantee’s specific goals, objectives, barriers, and successes and are reported only in January and July.
- Closeout questions are a series of questions grantees only respond to when activities have been completed and the grant is ending.
Reporting News and Information
In October 2020, OJP grant management processes moved to the Justice Grants System (JustGrants). Grantees reporting their performance measures in the Performance Measurement Tool (PMT) also upload their PMT report semiannually into JustGrants. TTA grantees report their TTA and deliverable activities into the TTA Reporting Portal and upload their Semiannual Grant Reports into JustGrants. Other grantees report performance measures directly into JustGrants.
The reporting system grantees use is determined by their grant program. Grantees can reference the grantee reporting guidance to determine where they should report. If you do not see your grant program listed, contact your State Policy Advisor/Grant Manager for guidance.
Learn More
Visit the following pages for additional information and resources:
New Grantees or New to Reporting Data Collection Methods and Logic Models Understanding Reporting BJA Program Performance Measures Performance Reports BJA Training and Technical Assistance Providers Frequently Asked Questions About the Team Contact Us