OJJDP FY 2016 National Girls Initiative

OJJDP established the National Girls Initiative (NGI) to build momentum; create stronger networks of juvenile justice stakeholders, practitioners, and advocates; and to develop programs that will result in systemic improvement and lasting change on behalf of girls and young women in—or at risk for entering—the juvenile justice system.

For the Fiscal Year 2016 National Girls Initiative, The National Crittenton Foundation (TNCF) as the lead applicant, Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality, and a core team of girls' experts will ensure that the goals, objectives and deliverables of NGI are met. NGI will focus on the eight areas noted in OJJDP’s policy guidance. Additionally, the following key strategies will be used in all NGI work: 1) Engaging girls, young women and their families as leaders and partners; 2) Employing an intersectional approach that considers the impact of the interaction between race, gender, class, etc.; 3) Building bridges and collaboration; 4) Applying evidence and data; 5) Maximizing and leveraging resources in impact; and 6) Innovating through technology.

NGI activities will include the provision of targeted and universal training and technical assistance, development and dissemination of resources on girls, and convening topic-specific roundtables of state and tribal juvenile justice stakeholders including state advisory group representatives, practitioners, advocates, researchers, young women impacted by the justice system, and diverse experts. The program will also collaborate with other organizations, including other federal agencies and private foundations, to support innovation and efforts involving girls’ programs as well as system improvement.

CA/NCF