Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2011 2805
Apply for NIJ 2011 2805
- The 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 "Applied Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560 National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 5, 2011 and posted on Jan 5, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 5, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 100 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant opportunity titled Applied Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes is a discretionary funding program intended to strengthen how physical evidence is identified, analyzed, and interpreted in the criminal justice system. The solicitation invites applied research and development proposals that either build practical knowledge needed to shape forensic science policy and day-to-day practice, or produce tangible outputs such as materials, devices, systems, or analytical methods that could realistically be used in forensic contexts. The emphasis is on moving beyond purely theoretical work and translating scientific advances into tools, procedures, or evidence-handling approaches that can improve real-world outcomes in criminal investigations and court proceedings.
At its core, the program aims to connect basic scientific discoveries and broader research-and-development advances from other disciplines to forensic science needs. NIJ frames the purpose as directing scientific findings toward methods that are highly discriminating (able to distinguish between sources or samples with strong confidence), accurate, reliable, cost-effective, and fast. In practical terms, the opportunity is designed to support projects that can meaningfully improve the quality and efficiency of forensic examinations, whether by refining existing techniques, validating and standardizing new approaches, reducing error rates, improving interpretation frameworks, or developing new instrumentation or workflows that make forensic testing more robust and accessible.
The award mechanism listed is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates a more hands-on relationship with the funding agency than a standard grant. Under a cooperative agreement, applicants should generally expect some degree of NIJ involvement or coordination during the life of the project, such as collaboration on milestones, reporting, or ensuring the work aligns with program goals. The activity categories associated with the solicitation include Law, Justice and Legal Services as well as Science and Technology and other Research and Development, reflecting the program's dual focus on both scientific rigor and criminal justice applicability.
Administrative details show the opportunity was posted on January 5, 2011, with an application closing date of April 5, 2011, and it was later archived on July 4, 2011. The funding opportunity number is NIJ 2011 2805, and the relevant CFDA listing is 16.560 (National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants). The solicitation anticipated up to 100 awards, did not require cost sharing or matching, and stated eligibility as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of applicant organization as long as any additional eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation were met. The published award ceiling and floor were both listed as 0 in the source data, which usually means applicants needed to consult the full announcement for actual funding ranges or that amounts varied by project type and were not specified in the summary record.
The legal authority for the program is tied to major federal public safety statutes, specifically Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (sections 201 and 202) and section 232 of the Homeland Security Act. Those citations signal that the program is anchored in NIJ's broader mandate to support research and development that advances criminal justice and public safety, including capabilities relevant to homeland security and related forensic applications.
For applicants and prospective partners, the solicitation provided standard federal submission and support pathways. NIJ directed programmatic questions to forensic.research@ojp.usdoj.gov. For technical issues related to application submission through Grants.gov, the notice provided the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 8005184726 and the email address support@grants.gov. A link to the full solicitation announcement was also referenced, which would normally contain the detailed scope, priority areas, deliverables, performance measures, budget guidance, and review criteria that determine how proposals are evaluated and selected.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIJ funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Applied Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes.
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
What is the main purpose of this program?
The program is intended to strengthen how physical evidence is identified, analyzed, and interpreted in the criminal justice system by supporting applied research and development that can improve real-world forensic practice and outcomes in investigations and court proceedings.
What kinds of projects is NIJ looking to fund?
NIJ is inviting applied research and development proposals that either:
- Build practical knowledge needed to shape forensic science policy and day-to-day practice, or
- Produce tangible outputs such as materials, devices, systems, or analytical methods that could realistically be used in forensic contexts.
Does the solicitation emphasize applied work over theoretical work?
Yes. The emphasis is on moving beyond purely theoretical work and translating scientific advances into tools, procedures, or evidence-handling approaches that can improve real-world criminal justice outcomes.
What does NIJ mean by connecting basic science to forensic needs?
The program aims to direct basic scientific discoveries and research-and-development advances from other disciplines toward forensic science needs, with the goal of making forensic methods more effective for criminal justice purposes.
What characteristics does NIJ want in the methods or tools developed under this program?
NIJ describes an interest in methods that are:
- Highly discriminating (able to distinguish between sources or samples with strong confidence)
- Accurate
- Reliable
- Cost-effective
- Fast
What are examples of improvements this funding is intended to support?
Based on the program description, the opportunity is designed to support projects that can meaningfully improve forensic examinations by, for example:
- Refining existing techniques
- Validating and standardizing new approaches
- Reducing error rates
- Improving interpretation frameworks
- Developing new instrumentation or workflows that make testing more robust and accessible
What is the award mechanism for this opportunity?
The listed award mechanism is a cooperative agreement.
How is a cooperative agreement different from a standard grant (based on this summary)?
The summary indicates a cooperative agreement typically involves a more hands-on relationship with NIJ than a standard grant, and applicants should generally expect some NIJ involvement or coordination during the project (for example, collaboration on milestones, reporting, or alignment with program goals).
What activity categories are associated with this solicitation?
The activity categories include:
- Law, Justice and Legal Services
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on January 5, 2011.
What was the application closing date?
The application closing date was April 5, 2011.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The record indicates it was later archived on July 4, 2011.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is NIJ 2011 2805.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The relevant CFDA listing is 16.560 (National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants).
How many awards were anticipated?
The solicitation anticipated up to 100 awards.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states that cost sharing or matching was not required.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open to any type of applicant organization, as long as any additional eligibility clarifications in the full solicitation were met.
Were minimum and maximum award amounts provided in the summary?
No clear range is provided in the summary record. The published award ceiling and floor were both listed as 0, which typically indicates applicants needed to consult the full announcement for actual funding ranges or that amounts varied by project type and were not specified in the summary.
What legal authority supports this program?
The legal authority is tied to federal public safety statutes, specifically:
- Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (sections 201 and 202)
- Section 232 of the Homeland Security Act
What does the legal authority suggest about the program's goals?
The cited authorities signal that the program is anchored in NIJ's mandate to support research and development that advances criminal justice and public safety, including capabilities relevant to homeland security and related forensic applications.
Where should programmatic questions be sent?
Programmatic questions were directed to forensic.research@ojp.usdoj.gov.
Who should applicants contact for Grants.gov submission technical support?
For technical issues related to submission through Grants.gov, the notice listed:
- Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline: 8005184726
- Email: support@grants.gov
Where can applicants find the detailed requirements and selection criteria?
A link to the full solicitation announcement was referenced. That full announcement would normally contain the detailed scope, priority areas, deliverables, performance measures, budget guidance, and review criteria used to evaluate and select proposals.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (NIJ 2011 2805) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Solving Cold Cases With DNA Apply for NIJ 2011 2810 Funding Number: NIJ 2011 2810 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Forensic Science Training Delivery and Research Program Apply for NIJ 2011 2812 Funding Number: NIJ 2011 2812 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Basic Scientific Research to Support Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes Apply for NIJ 2011 2806 Funding Number: NIJ 2011 2806 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| NIJ FY 09 Fundamental Research to Improve Understanding of the Accuracy, Reliability, and Measurement Validity of Forensic Science Disciplines Apply for NIJ 2009 2229 Funding Number: NIJ 2009 2229 Agency: National Institute of Justice Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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