Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2020 17324
The Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) released the discretionary grant opportunity "Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons, Fiscal Year 2020" (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2020 17324) to support research and evaluation projects that improve how the United States understands, prevents, and responds to human trafficking. The central expectation is that proposed studies are not purely academic exercises; they should be designed to produce findings with clear, practical implications for criminal justice policy and practice, such as actionable guidance for law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, corrections, victim service partnerships, and related public safety decision-makers.
NIJ signals that it is continuing an ongoing federal research and evaluation agenda in this area, meaning proposals should ideally build evidence in ways that help the field move from general awareness to measurable prevention strategies and more effective interventions. The activity category is framed broadly across law, justice, and legal services as well as science and technology and other research and development, which leaves room for a range of methodologies, including empirical field research, program evaluations, mixed-method studies, and other rigorous approaches suited to criminal justice questions.
For FY 2020, NIJ highlights four priority research areas where it is particularly interested in funding work. First is labor trafficking research, which can include studies that clarify how labor trafficking occurs in U.S. contexts, how cases are identified and investigated, what barriers prevent reporting or detection, and how criminal justice agencies coordinate with labor regulators and community partners. Second is demand reduction research, focused on understanding and testing strategies that reduce demand that fuels trafficking, which could span policy, enforcement, diversion, deterrence, and prevention approaches as long as the work ties back to criminal justice practice. Third is research that identifies the health and wellness effects of trafficking victimization, which points toward studying the physical and mental health consequences for victims and survivors and translating that knowledge into improvements in justice system responses, referrals, and trauma-informed practices. Fourth is profiling recruitment tactics, emphasizing research that maps and analyzes how traffickers recruit victims, the tactics used across different settings, and how that information can be used to improve prevention, detection, investigations, and victim identification.
The maximum award amount listed is $500,000, and NIJ anticipated making about four awards under this solicitation, indicating a competitive program with a limited number of funded projects. The original posting date is January 21, 2020, with an original closing date of April 20, 2020, giving applicants a defined window to develop proposals aligned to NIJ's priorities and criminal justice relevance.
Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as specified); and for-profit organizations other than small businesses, along with other entities as allowed under the program's additional eligibility language. This wide eligibility suggests NIJ is open to proposals led by academic teams, governments, community-based organizations, research firms, and cross-sector partnerships, provided the proposed work is rigorous and produces outputs that can be used by the U.S. criminal justice system.
Overall, the opportunity is designed to generate practical, evidence-based knowledge about trafficking in persons in the United States, with a strong preference for research that can inform real-world policy choices, improve investigative and prosecutorial strategies, strengthen victim identification and support practices, and evaluate or refine interventions aimed at preventing trafficking and reducing its harms.Apply for NIJ 2020 17324
- The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the law, justice and legal services, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons, Fiscal Year 2020" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 21, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 20, 2020. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Research and Evaluation of Trafficking in Persons, Fiscal Year 2020" and is offered by the Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NIJ 2020 17324.
What is the overall purpose of this grant program?
This NIJ discretionary grant supports research and evaluation projects that improve how the United States understands, prevents, and responds to human trafficking. NIJ emphasizes that funded work should generate findings with clear, practical implications for criminal justice policy and practice.
Does NIJ want purely academic research?
No. NIJ explicitly signals that proposed studies should not be purely academic exercises. Projects should be designed to produce results that can be used in real-world criminal justice settings, such as actionable guidance for law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, corrections, victim service partnerships, and other public safety decision-makers.
What kinds of outcomes does NIJ expect from funded projects?
NIJ is looking for evidence-based knowledge that can inform policy choices and operational decisions, including improvements to investigative and prosecutorial strategies, stronger victim identification and support practices, and the evaluation or refinement of interventions aimed at preventing trafficking and reducing harm.
Is this opportunity part of an ongoing NIJ research agenda?
Yes. NIJ frames this solicitation as continuing an ongoing federal research and evaluation agenda on trafficking in persons. Proposals are expected to contribute evidence that helps the field move from general awareness toward measurable prevention strategies and more effective interventions.
What activity categories does this solicitation fall under?
The activity category is described broadly across law, justice, and legal services as well as science and technology and other research and development. This broad framing allows for a range of rigorous research approaches tied to criminal justice questions.
What types of research methods are allowed or encouraged?
The solicitation leaves room for multiple methodologies, including empirical field research, program evaluations, mixed-method studies, and other rigorous approaches suited to criminal justice research and evaluation needs.
What are NIJ's priority research areas for FY 2020 under this solicitation?
NIJ highlights four priority areas:
- Labor trafficking research
- Demand reduction research
- Health and wellness effects of trafficking victimization
- Profiling recruitment tactics
What does NIJ mean by "labor trafficking research" in this solicitation?
Labor trafficking research can include studies that clarify how labor trafficking occurs in U.S. contexts, how cases are identified and investigated, what barriers prevent reporting or detection, and how criminal justice agencies coordinate with labor regulators and community partners.
What does "demand reduction research" cover?
Demand reduction research focuses on understanding and testing strategies that reduce the demand that fuels trafficking. The solicitation indicates this could span policy, enforcement, diversion, deterrence, and prevention approaches, as long as the work is tied back to criminal justice practice.
What does NIJ mean by research on the health and wellness effects of trafficking?
This priority points to research on the physical and mental health consequences for victims and survivors and translating that knowledge into improvements in justice system responses, referrals, and trauma-informed practices.
What is meant by "profiling recruitment tactics"?
This priority emphasizes research that maps and analyzes how traffickers recruit victims, the tactics used across different settings, and how that information can be applied to improve prevention, detection, investigations, and victim identification.
How much funding can an applicant request?
The maximum award amount listed is $500,000.
How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?
NIJ anticipated making about four awards under this solicitation, suggesting a competitive opportunity with limited awards.
When was the opportunity posted?
The original posting date is January 21, 2020.
What was the original application closing date?
The original closing date is April 20, 2020.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- State, county, city, or township governments
- Special district governments
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as specified)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Other entities as allowed under the program's additional eligibility language
Are universities allowed to apply?
Yes. Both public/state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are included in the eligibility list.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible even if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. The eligibility description includes nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, as specified in the solicitation's eligibility language.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are included among eligible applicants.
Are tribal governments eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are listed as eligible.
Does NIJ encourage partnerships across sectors?
The broad eligibility suggests NIJ is open to proposals led by academic teams, governments, community-based organizations, research firms, and cross-sector partnerships, as long as the work is rigorous and produces outputs usable by the U.S. criminal justice system.
What criminal justice audiences are the findings expected to support?
NIJ calls out practical implications for criminal justice policy and practice, including use by law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, corrections, victim service partnerships, and related public safety decision-makers.
Does the solicitation focus on trafficking in the United States?
Yes. The opportunity is described as generating practical, evidence-based knowledge about trafficking in persons in the United States, including U.S. contexts for labor trafficking and criminal justice responses.
What makes a proposal align well with NIJ's stated expectations?
Based on the solicitation description, strong alignment means proposing rigorous research or evaluation that fits one or more NIJ priority areas and is clearly designed to produce actionable, practical guidance for criminal justice policy and practice (not just general knowledge).
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