No active solicitation right now. Multiple NOFOs per year across different forensic disciplines. Check NIJ.ojp.gov funding page regularly — no single annual cycle.
Browse active grants →NIJ's primary competitive research program for forensic science method development, validation, and technology improvement. Funds R&D intended to improve forensic examinations and translate innovations into operational lab practice.
Apply directly on grants.gov, no state intermediary. This is research funding: universities, nonprofits, companies and state, local or tribal governments (including their labs) are eligible, and projects are often research partnerships with a lab.
Official program pageUniversities, nonprofits, for-profits, and public agencies depending on the specific NOFO. Eligibility varies by solicitation — verify each year's NOFO carefully.
FY2025: 149 applications received, no awards made yet.
Awards per year: FY2021 31 · FY2022 27 · FY2023 37 · FY2024 23 · FY2025 none yet
Round totals: DOJ Office of Justice Programs award data. Award lists: USAspending.gov, plus DOJ’s own award list for rounds USAspending is missing.
General advice for this program, not taken from the notice. The notice’s own review criteria are what reviewers actually score, so check these against it.
Explicitly map your research objectives to NIJ's current forensic science priorities such as DNA mixture interpretation, digital evidence, or toxicology improvements, citing specific NIJ strategic documents to demonstrate alignment.
Define clear, quantifiable performance metrics for each project phase, such as accuracy thresholds, sample size targets, or error rate reductions, so reviewers can assess scientific rigor and feasibility.
Do not submit generic statements about improving public safety without tying outcomes directly to casework workflows, practitioner adoption plans, or specific crime laboratory operational improvements.
Failing to demonstrate that your team includes credentialed forensic scientists, validated laboratory facilities, or accredited partner agencies will raise serious reviewer concerns about your capacity to execute the research.
A starting list, not the official one. Each notice ends with its own application checklist, and that is the list to work from once a round opens.
