OVC FY 2026 Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking

The Office for Victims of Crime, within the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, is offering the Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking funding opportunity. The program supports jurisdictions in developing and expanding multidisciplinary task forces that improve responses to human trafficking through increased victim identification, comprehensive service provision, investigations, and prosecution of traffickers. Task forces are expected to bring together victim and social service providers, local, state, Tribal, and federal law enforcement, prosecution personnel, survivors of human trafficking, and other governmental and nongovernmental partners. The program also supports training for law enforcement and other stakeholders on victim identification, related offenses, and victim-centered investigations. Funding is organized into three categories. Category 1 supports development of new local or Tribal human trafficking task forces, including task force structure, operational procedures, professional development, strategic planning, outreach and training, and assessment of areas where sex and labor trafficking may occur. Category 2 supports expansion of local or Tribal ECM task forces previously funded by the Office of Justice Programs, including expanded partnerships, improved protocols, peer mentoring when requested by OVC, survivor engagement, and victim-centered strategic approaches. Category 3 supports statewide task forces, whether new or previously OJP-funded, that intend to provide support across all areas of a state. Across the program, recipients must develop collaborative partnerships, hold regular task force meetings, identify a full-time task force director or coordinator, and provide comprehensive services needed by victims of sex and labor trafficking. The expected total funding available is 22000000, with 20 to 30 awards anticipated across all categories, representing approximately 10 to 15 task forces. Category 1 provides up to 700000 per applicant and 1200000 per task force. Category 2 provides up to 900000 per applicant and 1500000 per task force. Category 3 provides up to 1000000 per applicant and 2000000 per task force. Awards are grants with an expected 36-month performance period beginning January 1, 2027. A 25 percent cost share based on total project costs is required. Federal funding may cover no more than 75 percent of total project costs, while recipients must provide at least 25 percent through cash and/or in-kind contributions. Allowable victim services can include information and referral, advocacy, transportation, interpretation, crisis and mental health services, case management, shelter and housing assistance, certain legal assistance, education, vocational training, job readiness, and skill building. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, federally recognized Native American Tribal governments, other Native American Tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education. Each task force must apply through two eligible lead partners: an eligible lead law enforcement agency and an eligible lead victim service organization. Each lead submits a separate application in Grants.gov and JustGrants, with identical proposal narratives but separate and distinct budgets. Category 1 is for local or Tribal task forces that have never received OJP ECM Task Force Program funding or are newly formed and formally operational for less than three years. Category 2 requires the applicant pair to include at least one applicant that is or has been a previous local or Tribal OJP ECM recipient. Category 3 is limited to statewide task forces consisting of state governments and eligible nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits holding money in offshore accounts for purposes of avoiding the specified federal tax are ineligible. Submission occurs in two required steps. Applicants must complete the SF-424 in Grants.gov by October 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time and submit the full application in JustGrants by October 20, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Required components include the SF-424, Standard Applicant Information, Proposal Narrative, Budget, and Letter of Intent or Memorandum of Understanding as applicable. Additional components include a Task Force Organizational Chart, Tribal Authorizing Resolution if applicable, curricula vitae or resumes, and a project timeline. The Proposal Narrative may not exceed eight pages and must address Description of the Need, Project Goals and Objectives, Project Design and Implementation, and Capabilities and Competencies. Applicants must address both sex and labor trafficking and explain task force structure, services, investigations and prosecutions, referrals, staffing, training, victim safety and confidentiality, survivor involvement, protocols, and coordination with other trafficking initiatives. Peer review scoring assigns 5 percent to Description of the Need, 10 percent to Project Goals and Objectives, 35 percent to Project Design and Implementation, 30 percent to Capabilities and Competencies, 5 percent to specified other materials including the organizational chart, letters of intent, and memoranda of understanding, and 15 percent to the Budget. OJP may also give priority consideration to projects advancing specified DOJ priorities, including law enforcement operations, combating violent crime, services to American citizens, protection of American children, and services for American victims of trafficking and sexual assault. Additional priority consideration is available for qualifying state or local law enforcement efforts coordinated with federal law enforcement through specified partnerships or task forces. Priority consideration does not guarantee funding. The NOFO was released August 19, 2026. Applicants are instructed to begin SAM.gov registration or renewal by September 11, 2026, and no later than September 29, 2026, although registration is not treated as a pre-application gating deadline. The required Grants.gov submission deadline is October 14, 2026, followed by the final JustGrants deadline on October 20, 2026. The expected award period is 36 months beginning January 1, 2027. No recurring or annually repeated application cycle is stated. Program questions may be directed to the OJP Response Center at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov or 800-851-3420. Grants.gov support is available at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726, and JustGrants support is available at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833-872-5175.

Address both sex and labor trafficking throughout the application and support the need with relevant local data. Clearly describe task force membership, co-leadership, prosecution and law enforcement partners, victim service partners, and the required full-time Task Force Coordinator or Director. Explain victim referral, services, investigations, prosecution, training, survivor engagement, safety, confidentiality, and multidisciplinary protocols. Align the narrative closely with the weighted review criteria, particularly Project Design and Implementation at 35 percent and Capabilities and Competencies at 30 percent. Ensure both lead partners submit separate applications with identical proposal narratives and separate budgets, include the required match, remain within the applicable award ceiling, and obtain all required LOI or MOU signatures.