OJJDP FY 2023 Invited to Apply - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children | O OJJDP 2023 171866

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OJJDP 2023 171866

The OJJDP FY 2023 "Invited to Apply - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children" opportunity is a discretionary Department of Justice funding announcement intended to support a single, nationally focused effort led by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Issued by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) within the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the grant reflects DOJ's broader priorities around advancing civil rights and racial equity, improving access to justice, supporting crime victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, addressing evolving public safety threats, and building trust between law enforcement and communities.

At its core, this solicitation funds NCMEC to continue operating the National Resource Center and Clearinghouse. The funded work is designed to reduce and respond to child abduction and child sexual exploitation nationwide. The key goals are practical and service-oriented: helping prevent abductions and exploitation before they occur, improving the ability to locate and recover missing children, and providing technical assistance and training to the people most directly involved in these cases. That includes victims and survivors of abduction and sexual exploitation, their families and caregivers, and the professionals who respond to and investigate these incidents such as law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection personnel, victim service providers, and other allied practitioners. The emphasis on a resource center and clearinghouse structure signals that the project is meant to serve as a central hub for expertise, tools, guidance, and capacity-building that can be used across jurisdictions and disciplines.

This funding is offered as a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant, meaning DOJ anticipates substantial involvement in the direction, oversight, and collaboration related to the project. The opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 16.543 and categorized in the area of law, justice, and legal services. It was created on August 23, 2023, with an original closing date of September 1, 2023. The expected number of awards is one, reinforcing that this is an invited, targeted award rather than a broadly competitive solicitation open to many applicants.

Financially, the award ceiling is $41,383,391, which indicates the federal government is supporting a large-scale, national infrastructure effort rather than a limited pilot program. Eligibility is shown as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the solicitation, but the title and description make clear that the intended recipient is NCMEC. The statutory authority cited for the award is Pub. L. No. 117-328, 136 Stat. 4459, 4539, which provides the legal basis for DOJ to make this award and fund the continued operation of the national resource and clearinghouse functions.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as DOJ's mechanism for sustaining and strengthening the national backbone of training, technical assistance, prevention support, and coordinated resources that help communities and professionals respond effectively to missing children cases and to child sexual exploitation, while aligning that work with DOJ's stated priorities around equity, victim support, community safety, and public trust.

• The Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJJDP FY 2023 Invited to Apply - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.543.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 23, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 01, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $41,383,391.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O OJJDP 2023 171866

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