FY 2026 State and Local Collection and Reporting of Crime Data
🏛 National Institute of Justice (USDOJ-OJP-NIJ)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for government research units and agencies seeking to improve crime data collection and reporting practices. Eligible applicants include state government, local government, and special districts conducting rigorous research on crime data quality and integrity. The research must examine how agencies collect and report offense information accurately, and develop scalable best practices for data governance. Proposals should demonstrate the potential to strengthen data systems across multiple jurisdictions.
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Program description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the NIJ FY 2026 State and Local Collection and Reporting of Crime Data program. This opportunity seeks proposals for rigorous research that examines the accuracy of crime data collection and reporting practices across state and local jurisdictions. The goal is to identify common challenges and develop scalable and widely adoptable best practices to improve data quality and integrity. Of particular interest are studies that examine how agencies collect information regarding offenses to ensure fidelity between reported data and actual events and to strengthen broader data governance practices.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative/Statement of Work
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity and Experience documentation
- Government partnership letters or MOUs
- Research design and methodology documentation
- Evaluation plan
- Dissemination and implementation strategy
Program contact
- 👤 National Institute of Justice
- 📧 OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
- 📞 202-616-5314
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.560 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$18,393,640
-
$13,250,000
-
$10,561,120
-
$6,998,958
-
$5,997,434
-
$5,691,859
-
$4,581,851
-
$4,501,620
-
$4,500,000
-
$4,000,000
Top States by Funding
- NC 9 awards $41.4M
- VA 13 awards $27.9M
- PA 3 awards $12.5M
- IL 9 awards $11.7M
- CA 6 awards $11.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.560). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $57,808,937 | |
| 2025 | $3,183,371 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
State and local government units and special districts conducting research on crime data collection and reporting. Academic institutions and research organizations must partner with eligible government agencies.
What is the deadline and funding amount?
The deadline is July 30, 2026. Funding is a cooperative agreement with awards up to $2,000,000 total program funding available.
What activities does this grant support?
Research examining the accuracy of crime data collection practices across jurisdictions. Projects should identify data quality challenges and develop widely adoptable best practices and improved governance frameworks.
Is cost sharing required?
No cost sharing or matching funds are required for this grant.
How competitive is this funding?
This is a highly competitive federal research grant. Proposals must present rigorous research design and clear pathways to scalable, multi-jurisdictional impact.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start by identifying a specific data quality problem across multiple jurisdictions. General research without practical application is less competitive.
- Partner with actual law enforcement and government agencies that collect crime data. Applicants without government partners face significant disadvantages.
- Focus on scalability and adoptability in your proposal. Show how your findings can be implemented by other jurisdictions nationwide.
- Use rigorous quantitative or mixed-method research design. Exploratory qualitative studies alone are rarely competitive for NIJ.
- Build a team with both research expertise and government data management experience. Partnerships demonstrate feasibility and real-world applicability.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposing research that lacks government agency partnership or buy-in. Submitting overly academic projects without clear pathways to practical implementation. Failing to address scalability and how findings will be disseminated beyond the research team.
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