Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2013 3362
Apply for NIJ 2013 3362
- The National Institute of Justice in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Basic Scientific Research to Support 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 3, 2013 and posted on Jan 3, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 1, 2013. (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 20 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) released a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Basic Scientific Research to Support Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes" (Funding Opportunity Number NIJ 2013 3362) to fund foundational, early-stage research that strengthens the scientific underpinnings of forensic science as it is used in the criminal justice system. The central focus is on basic scientific research rather than immediate, operational casework tools, meaning NIJ is looking for studies that expand core knowledge, improve understanding of the limits and capabilities of forensic methods, and help build a more rigorous scientific basis for disciplines that may later be applied in investigations, prosecutions, and courts. The solicitation explicitly welcomes research across the physical sciences, life sciences, and cognitive sciences, reflecting NIJ's interest in both the technical aspects of evidence and the human factors that influence how evidence is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and communicated.
This opportunity falls under the federal assistance listing associated with NIJ research and development project grants (CFDA 16.560) and uses a grant as the funding instrument. The activity category is listed as "Other," clarified as research, which signals that the work should be structured as a research project with clear questions, methodology, and expected contributions to scientific understanding in forensic contexts. NIJ anticipated making about 20 awards, indicating a relatively broad portfolio of funded projects rather than a single large award. No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated, so applicants were not expected to contribute non-federal matching funds as a condition of eligibility, which can make participation more feasible for a wider range of research organizations.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the solicitation is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility details that may be included in the full solicitation document. In practical terms, opportunities like this commonly attract proposals from universities, nonprofit research organizations, private laboratories, and other institutions capable of carrying out rigorous scientific research, but the posted summary signals that NIJ did not limit eligibility to a narrow applicant class. The posted information does not specify an award ceiling or floor (both are listed as 0), which typically means funding amounts vary by project scope and are defined in the full solicitation or determined through the proposal review and negotiation process rather than through a fixed range published in the synopsis.
Key dates for the opportunity show it was posted and created on January 3, 2013, with an application deadline of April 1, 2013, and an archive date of July 31, 2013, indicating it is a historical funding announcement rather than an active one. Applicants seeking the complete requirements, submission instructions, and topical priorities were directed to the full solicitation document via the additional information link. For technical difficulties accessing the announcement or for questions about requirements, NIJ provided an assistance contact email at forensic.research@ojp.usdoj.gov, which also signals that the solicitation was managed within NIJ's forensic research portfolio.
Overall, the grant opportunity is best understood as NIJ's effort to invest in the scientific foundations that forensic practice depends on, supporting research that can improve reliability, validity, measurement, interpretation, and decision-making related to forensic evidence used throughout the criminal justice process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Basic Scientific Research to Support Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes".
2. Who is offering this grant?
The grant was released by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
3. What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NIJ 2013 3362.
4. What is the main purpose of the funding?
The funding is intended to support foundational, early-stage (basic) scientific research that strengthens the scientific underpinnings of forensic science as used in the criminal justice system.
5. What does NIJ mean by "basic scientific research" in this solicitation?
Based on the opportunity description, NIJ is emphasizing research that expands core knowledge, improves understanding of the capabilities and limits of forensic methods, and builds a more rigorous scientific basis for forensic disciplines, rather than producing immediate operational tools for day-to-day casework.
6. Is this grant intended to fund operational forensic casework tools?
The central focus is not on immediate, operational casework tools. The solicitation prioritizes basic research that can later inform applications in investigations, prosecutions, and courts.
7. What types of scientific fields are encouraged to apply?
The solicitation explicitly welcomes research across the physical sciences, life sciences, and cognitive sciences.
8. Why does the solicitation include cognitive sciences?
NIJ expressed interest not only in technical evidence issues, but also in human factors that affect how forensic evidence is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and communicated.
9. What kinds of outcomes is NIJ looking for from funded projects?
NIJ is looking for research that improves the reliability, validity, measurement, interpretation, and decision-making related to forensic evidence used throughout the criminal justice process.
10. What is the CFDA number or federal assistance listing associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with NIJ research and development project grants under CFDA 16.560.
11. What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant.
12. What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as "Other", clarified as research. This indicates proposals should be structured as a research project with clear questions, methods, and expected scientific contributions in forensic contexts.
13. How many awards did NIJ anticipate making?
NIJ anticipated making about 20 awards.
14. Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the provided summary, meaning applicants were not expected to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
15. Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the solicitation is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional details that may have been included in the full solicitation document.
16. Are there minimum or maximum award amounts listed in the summary?
No. The posted information lists the award ceiling and floor as 0, which typically indicates that funding amounts vary by project scope and are handled through the full solicitation details or through review and negotiation rather than a fixed published range in the synopsis.
17. When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted (and created) on January 3, 2013.
18. What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was April 1, 2013.
19. Is this opportunity still active?
No. The archive date is July 31, 2013, which indicates this is a historical funding announcement rather than an active one.
20. Where were applicants directed to find full requirements and submission instructions?
Applicants were directed to the full solicitation document via the additional information link referenced in the opportunity summary.
21. Who should be contacted for technical difficulties or questions about requirements?
NIJ provided an assistance contact email: forensic.research@ojp.usdoj.gov.
22. What is the overall goal of NIJ in releasing this solicitation?
Overall, the opportunity reflects NIJ's intent to invest in the scientific foundations that forensic practice depends on, supporting basic research that can strengthen how forensic evidence is understood and used across investigations, prosecutions, and court proceedings.
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institute of Justice
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Previous opportunity: NIJ Applied Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes
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