NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons | O NIJ 2024 171960

FAQs: NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons (O-NIJ-2024-171960)

What is the NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons opportunity?

This is a discretionary U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) funding opportunity administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), developed in collaboration with the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). It funds applied research and evaluation focused on trafficking in persons in the United States, with an emphasis on producing findings that can directly shape policy and day-to-day practice.

What is the main goal of this funding program?

The goal is to strengthen what the criminal justice field knows about trafficking in persons in the U.S. by supporting applied research and evaluations that generate actionable evidence. NIJ is looking for work that does more than describe trafficking; projects should produce results that can be used to improve prevention, investigations, prosecutions, victim identification and service responses, and system-level decision-making.

Which DOJ and OJP priorities does the solicitation emphasize?

The solicitation is framed around DOJ and OJP priorities that emphasize civil rights and equity, improved access to justice, stronger support for victims and people affected by the justice system, safer communities, and greater public trust in justice institutions.

What types of projects is NIJ looking to fund?

NIJ is seeking applied research and evaluation projects that produce rigorous, actionable findings relevant to trafficking in persons in the United States. The solicitation highlights practical usefulness for criminal justice policy and practice, including prevention strategies, investigative and prosecutorial approaches, victim identification and service responses, and broader system decision-making.

What are the two main research categories for this opportunity?

Projects must align with one of two categories: (1) Victimization and prevalence, and (2) Technology and trafficking.

What does the "Victimization and prevalence" category cover?

This category focuses on improving understanding of who is being trafficked, how trafficking victimization occurs, and how common trafficking is across settings and communities. It can include improved measurement approaches and prevalence estimates, as well as research on risk factors, recruitment tactics, trafficking pathways, and barriers to identifying victims. It also encourages attention to how trafficking intersects with other forms of victimization and vulnerability and how different systems encounter and respond to trafficking.

Which systems and settings are relevant under the victimization and prevalence category?

The solicitation references multiple systems that may encounter trafficking and victim needs, including law enforcement, courts, schools, child welfare, health care, and community organizations, along with their responses to trafficking.

What does the "Technology and trafficking" category cover?

This category targets both (a) the role technology may play in facilitating trafficking and (b) how technology can be used to prevent trafficking, support investigations, and improve victim safety. It can include online platforms, digital evidence, financial technology, encryption and anonymity tools, and other parts of the digital ecosystem that traffickers may exploit, as well as practical and ethical challenges agencies face in using technology for detection, intelligence, and intervention.

Does NIJ want projects that only document trafficking trends?

The solicitation emphasizes proposals that go beyond describing the problem. NIJ is looking for studies and evaluations that generate evidence that can inform concrete decisions and operational improvements in policy and practice.

What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?

The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement. This generally indicates NIJ expects a more hands-on partnership than a standard grant, such as ongoing coordination, progress reporting, and engagement with NIJ priorities during the project period.

What is the activity category for this solicitation?

The activity category is research and development (science and technology and other R and D).

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number listed for this program is 16.560.

How many awards does NIJ expect to make?

NIJ anticipates making about 10 awards.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is up to $3,000,000 per award.

What does the size of the award ceiling suggest about the types of projects NIJ expects?

An award ceiling of up to $3,000,000 suggests NIJ is prepared to support substantial projects, including multi-year efforts and multi-partner studies or evaluations designed to produce rigorous and actionable results.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, as specified); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities as allowed by the solicitation.

Can local governments apply directly?

Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes units of local government such as towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general-purpose political subdivisions of a state, indicating local jurisdictions can apply directly.

What is the official funding opportunity title?

The official title is NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The opportunity number is O-NIJ-2024-171960.

When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on January 31, 2024.

What was the original application closing date?

The original application closing date was April 24, 2024.

Is this opportunity focused on trafficking in persons in the United States?

Yes. The solicitation is focused on trafficking in persons in the United States and aims to strengthen the U.S. criminal justice field's evidence base and operational responses.

How does this solicitation relate to victim services?

The opportunity was developed in collaboration with the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and explicitly highlights research that can inform victim identification and service responses, as well as approaches that strengthen support for victims and people affected by the justice system.

How does equity and civil rights fit into proposed research?

The solicitation is framed around DOJ and OJP priorities that emphasize civil rights and equity. Proposed projects should be designed with those priorities in mind, particularly where findings could influence access to justice, victim support, and trust in justice institutions.

What kinds of outcomes are most valued by NIJ in this solicitation?

NIJ emphasizes outcomes that are usable in real-world settings: evidence that can shape policy, guide prevention strategies, improve investigative and prosecutorial approaches, strengthen victim identification and services, and support system-level decision-making across institutions that encounter trafficking.