NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on Forensic Science Systems
Status: Forecasted
Posted date: April 30, 2026
Close date: June 2, 2026
Opportunity ID: 362153
Opportunity number: O-NIJ-2025-172599
Opportunity category: Discretionary
Agency name: National Institute of Justice
Agency code: USDOJ-OJP-NIJ
Award floor: $0
Award ceiling: $2,000,000
Cost sharing required: No
Funding Instrument Types
- Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Eligible Applicants
- City or township governments
- County governments
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- 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
- Others
- Private institutions of higher education
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- Small businesses
- Special district governments
- State governments
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
- agency_code:usdoj_ojp_nij
- category_of_funding_activity:science_and_technology_and_other_research_and_development
- cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:false
- eligible_applicants:city_or_township_governments
- eligible_applicants:county_governments
- eligible_applicants:for_profit_organizations_other_than_small_businesses
- eligible_applicants:independent_school_districts
- eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_governments_federally_recognized
- eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_organizations_other_than_federally_recognized_tribal_governments
- eligible_applicants:nonprofits_having_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
- eligible_applicants:nonprofits_that_do_not_have_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
- eligible_applicants:others
- eligible_applicants:private_institutions_of_higher_education
- eligible_applicants:public_and_state_controlled_institutions_of_higher_education
- eligible_applicants:public_housing_authoritiesindian_housing_authorities
- eligible_applicants:small_businesses
- eligible_applicants:special_district_governments
- eligible_applicants:state_governments
- funding_instrument_type:cooperative_agreement
- opportunity_category:discretionary
- status:forecasted
This NOFO seeks proposals for rigorous applied research and evaluative studies on the forensic science system. The field of forensic science is changing, particularly as technological advancements improve the criminal justice system’s ability to use forensic evidence more effectively and efficiently. Research is needed to better understand the impact of forensic science on the criminal justice system and law enforcement operations. With this NOFO, NIJ requests applications in three topic areas: • The impact of forensic science on the criminal justice system and law enforcement operations, such as improving investigative clearance rates, increasing law enforcement effectiveness, and reducing crime lab backlogs. • Evaluations of the implementation of new and innovative forensic science methods and their impact on strengthening courtroom admissibility and evidentiary reliability. • Developing the forensic science workforce.