Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons, FY 2019 | NIJ 2019 15231

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2019 15231

The Department of Justice's National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant opportunity titled "Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons, FY 2019" (Funding Opportunity Number: NIJ 2019 15231) is a discretionary research grant aimed at strengthening what the criminal justice field knows about trafficking in persons in the United States. The core expectation is that proposed projects are not just academic in nature, but are designed to produce findings that can realistically shape criminal justice policy and day-to-day practice, including how trafficking is identified, investigated, prosecuted, and prevented, and how victims are supported in ways that intersect with the justice system.

NIJ makes clear that it is continuing an ongoing research and evaluation effort, meaning the program is meant to build evidence over time rather than fund isolated studies without operational value. The solicitation emphasizes U.S.-based trafficking and expects applicants to frame the problem through a criminal justice lens. In other words, the strongest proposals are likely to be those that can inform decisions made by law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, courts, corrections, and affiliated service systems, and that can translate into actionable recommendations, tested interventions, or validated approaches to improving outcomes.

For FY 2019, NIJ highlights several priority research areas. First is labor trafficking, signaling a particular interest in studies that examine trafficking occurring in work settings and supply chains, including how these cases are detected, how they are investigated, what barriers prevent successful enforcement, and what strategies might improve victim identification and case building. Second is a phased evaluation approach with a period of performance not to exceed 24 months. This suggests NIJ is open to projects that are structured in stages, such as initial assessment and planning followed by early implementation measurement, with a realistic scope for a two-year window. Third is outcome evaluation of trafficking-focused victim service providers. This priority points to measuring the effectiveness of service programs designed specifically for trafficking survivors, with an emphasis on outcomes that can be credibly assessed and that matter to criminal justice stakeholders, such as safety, stability, service access, cooperation burdens, re-victimization risk, and system navigation. Fourth is developing a better understanding of traffickers, which could include research on trafficker pathways, recruitment and control tactics, organizational structures, use of technology, financial methods, mobility patterns, and how these factors affect investigative and prosecutorial strategies.

While these priorities are emphasized, NIJ also indicates it may fund strong applications outside the priority areas as long as they address human trafficking in the United States in a criminal justice context. That language leaves room for proposals on other issues such as victim identification tools, investigative techniques, data integration, coordinated response models, legal and procedural barriers, prevention strategies, or analyses of trafficking trends, as long as the work is clearly tied to improving justice system responses.

In terms of award structure, the grant uses the "Grant" funding instrument type and falls under activity categories that include law, justice, and legal services as well as science and technology and other research and development. The CFDA number associated with the program is 16.560. NIJ anticipated making about three awards, with an award ceiling of $1,500,000 per award, indicating a relatively competitive solicitation geared toward substantial research or evaluation projects rather than small pilot studies alone.

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 Native American tribal governments; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); individuals; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other entities as described in the solicitation's additional eligibility information. This wide eligibility suggests NIJ is open to partnerships among researchers, practitioners, and community-based organizations, provided the proposed work meets research rigor expectations and has clear criminal justice relevance.

Key dates for the opportunity were a creation date of February 26, 2019, with an original closing date of May 8, 2019. Overall, this funding opportunity is designed to support rigorous, policy-relevant research and evaluation that can help the United States better understand trafficking in persons, improve justice system responses, and assess what interventions and service approaches actually produce measurable benefits.

• 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 on Trafficking in Persons, FY 2019" 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 Feb 26, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 08, 2019. (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 $1,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 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, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for NIJ 2019 15231

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