Public Safety and Violence Prevention Research, Evaluation, and Implementation
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
• Published manuscript based on evaluation of the DHS Blue Campaign
o Raising Awareness about Sex Trafficking among School Personnel (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, July 2024)
o Developed a publicly available, online searchable database of tools, indicators, and red flags for professionals whose work brings them in contact with victims of sex and labor trafficking
• Utilization of data and capabilities to inform policy and practice for enhancing terrorism and targeted violence prevention programming at the local level, and
• Reliable and valid data for DHS incorporated into policy, practice, and operations in order to produce assessments that are valid, reliable, and repeatable.
Program Objective
S&T seeks to support foundational research that contributes to advancing the state of the science through novel, nuanced, innovative and rigorous scientific inquiry using diverse and non-traditional strategies. This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) aims to:
1. Conduct basic and applied research to improve our understanding of how and why individuals radicalize to violence, mobilize to violence, and disengage from violence using diverse and non-traditional research strategies from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
2. Understand the efficacy of non-government, online interventions to prevent, deter, or otherwise mitigate negative outcomes and harms related to online behaviors as they are related to Homeland Security missions. Please note that any activities conducted for research purposes must include an independent and objective evaluation component to understand outcomes and, if possible, impacts of interventions that are measurable and repeatable.
3. Ensure key stakeholders such as federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, law enforcement, community-based organizations, violence prevention practitioners, and members of the public have the knowledge and tools required to support the implementation of effective prevention and intervention programming.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- State governments
- Local governments
- Public nonprofits
- Federally recognized tribes
- Private nonprofits
Applicant Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this program, must meet the below requirements:
a. Applicants must not be a government organization.
b. National laboratory employees may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the activities directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization.
c. The standards organization may provide funds through its assistance agreement with DHS to an FFRDC for project-specific, non-federal research personnel, supplies, equipment, facilities, data, and other expenses directly related to activities under this cooperative agreement.
d. Federal agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on a grant or cooperative agreement and may not receive salaries or in other ways augment their agency's appropriations through awards made by this program.
i. Nonetheless, federal employees may interact substantively with recipients in the form of cooperation.
ii. Cooperation involves consulting on the planning, management, and coordination of standards organization and/or information sharing and analysis organization activities, sharing or comparing information, indicators, samples, equipment, facilities, data, models, or other support during the conduct of the standards development and related activities in which the interaction is substantial and requires the award of a cooperative agreement, rather than a grant.
iii. Substantial involvement occurs when the collaboration or cooperation of a federal employee or facility is necessary to achieving the overall goals of the activities supported by this cooperative agreement.
Beneficiaries
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Federal, State, and local governments, private, public, profit or nonprofit organizations, Indian tribal governments, and individuals.
How to Apply
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to the program.
Application deadline and other information are contained in the application/program guidance.
Award Procedure
Applications or plans are reviewed by DHS program and administrative staff. Any issues or concerns noted in the application will be negotiated with the successful applicant prior to the award being issued.
Refer to program guidance document.
Program details & compliance
Description
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is the science advisor to the Secretary and serves as the research and development arm for the Department. S&T’s mission is to enable effective, efficient, and secure operations across all homeland security missions. S&T management of multi-disciplinary social science, engineering, and technology R&D efforts are done to ensure that the advancements in science and technology are harnessed for solutions to address fundamental policy and operational challenges. Preventing acts of terrorism and targeted violence requires a whole of society approach and is part of Goal 1 of the DHS Strategic Plan. S&T supports this mission by conducting evidence-based research and evaluation to understand an evolving threat landscape. To support this mission, S&T conducts social, behavioral, and economic science research to (a) support our understanding of individual and organizational motives for engaging in, and disengaging from, violent extremism; (b) develop and assist locally tailored interventions with local partners; and (c) evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of terrorism prevention activities and policies.
Social, behavioral, and economic science research is critical for DHS in developing a scientific understanding of how individuals, small groups, and organizations affect prevention, deterrence, threats, targeted violence, interventions, response, resilience, security, and recovery activities. Knowledge of how human beings behave in—and interact with—the various socio-economic contexts they inhabit is an essential component of promoting multi-disciplinary research. These challenging tasks require access to a broad set of expertise drawn from the fields of psychology, economics, criminology, political science, sociology, biostatistics, computer science, and other disciplines. Knowledge and findings from this research will be translated into easily digestible products for federal, state, local, and community-based organizations to enable education and awareness to reinforce a whole-of-society prevention approach. These efforts will equip and empower local terrorism and prevention stakeholders, such as family members, bystanders, teachers, community leaders, community-based organizations and law enforcement, with the knowledge they need to recognize concerning behavior and to take the necessary steps to minimize a threat as it evolves.
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
Funding is used for labor and materials in support of basic efforts supporting the purpose of this grant. Refer to program guidance.
Required Documentation
May be required by the U.S. Statute, regulation, or program guidance. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements