NIJ FY25 Research and Development of Innovations in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes

The National Institute of Justice, part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, administers this funding opportunity to advance scientific innovation in forensic science for criminal justice applications. NIJ serves as the research, development, and evaluation agency for DOJ and is responsible for supporting evidence-based practices that enhance public safety, uphold the rule of law, and protect civil rights. This opportunity reflects NIJ’s commitment to advancing high-quality scientific research under the principles of Gold Standard Science, ensuring integrity, transparency, and practical applicability of funded work. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support basic and applied research as well as development projects that advance forensic science capabilities. Projects must either contribute to foundational knowledge that informs forensic science policy and practice or result in the development of new tools, systems, methods, or materials with potential forensic application. The program emphasizes improving the accuracy, reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of forensic analyses used in criminal justice contexts. Eligible research areas span a wide range of forensic disciplines including DNA analysis, digital evidence, toxicology, firearms identification, and trace evidence. Funding under this opportunity is flexible in structure, with no fixed award ceiling per project. Instead, applicants are encouraged to propose budgets aligned with the scope and requirements of their proposed research, up to the total program funding of $12,500,000. The anticipated number of awards is up to 30, and projects may extend for a period of up to five years. Cost sharing is not required, as the program allows for up to 100 percent federal funding, although applicants may propose voluntary contributions which, if approved, become binding. Eligibility for this program is broad and inclusive, encompassing government entities at all levels, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations regardless of tax status, for-profit entities including small businesses, and certain federal and quasi-federal research organizations. Collaborative applications are permitted, though a single lead applicant must be designated and responsible for the majority of project execution. Applicants are encouraged to form multidisciplinary teams and partner with forensic laboratories to strengthen the relevance and impact of their research. The application process follows a two-step submission structure. Applicants must first submit the SF-424 form through Grants.gov, followed by a full application submission in JustGrants. Required application components include a detailed proposal narrative, budget justification, biosketches of key personnel, data management plan, and various compliance and disclosure forms. The proposal narrative must clearly articulate the research problem, methodology, expected impact, and team capabilities, while adhering to strict formatting and page limitations. Applications are evaluated through a rigorous peer review process based on criteria including the significance of the research problem, strength of the project design, qualifications of the research team, potential impact on the field, and budget justification. Additional programmatic and financial reviews assess alignment with agency priorities, geographic distribution, and applicant risk factors. Successful applicants are expected to produce deliverables such as technical summaries, peer-reviewed publications, and archived datasets to support transparency and reproducibility. The application timeline includes a Grants.gov submission deadline of June 2, 2026, followed by a JustGrants submission deadline of June 9, 2026. Awards are anticipated to begin on January 1, 2027. NIJ provides support through its Response Center and system-specific help desks to assist applicants throughout the process. This funding opportunity is part of an ongoing federal effort and is expected to recur annually, supporting continuous advancement in forensic science research and development.

Align proposal with forensic science challenges and clearly demonstrate impact on criminal justice practice; ensure rigorous methodology and strong dissemination plan; follow Gold Standard Science principles