O-NIJ-2021-54001: NIJ FY 2021 Invited to Apply - National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Closed
This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Violent Crime: Gangs and Organized Criminal Groups (Domestic and Transnational) (O-NIJ-2026-172806). Status: Closes November 30, 2026 (23 days left). It is in our archive of National Institute of Justice notices from 2021.
National Institute of Justice offered grants of up to $3.3 million to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make one award worth $3.3 million in total. Applications closed on January 21, 2021.
From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed January 21, 2021. Checked November 7, 2026.
- Award ceiling$3.3 million
- Total funding$3.3 million
- Expected awards1
- Cost sharingNot required
- Funding typeCooperative Agreement
Key dates
| Posted | January 14, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Deadline | January 21, 2021 |
Who can apply
This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
The University of North Texas Health Science Center. All recipients and subrecipients (including any for-profit organization) must forgo any profit or management fee.
Is this a realistic fit?
- Past National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants awards averaged $596,032; this notice allows up to $3.3 million per award.
- Most of the program's money (45% over five years) went to colleges and universities.
- No cost sharing or match is required.
What the grant funds
Currently in the United States, thousands of people are searching for those who are missing. NamUs was developed to provide national assistance in this search, for those living and deceased, in hopes of resolving these cases. Many of the nation's unidentified persons fell victim to foul play. Identifying a victim is the first step in a criminal investigation. NamUs assists law enforcement agencies, as well as medical examiners and coroners, in meeting their missions in support of public health and public safety. NIJ seeks proposals from eligible candidates to partner with NIJ to manage the day-to-day operations of NamUs; support ongoing NamUs programs; continue national outreach efforts; provide and manage free forensic services (DNA, dental, fingerprint and anthropology); provide national technical assistance; and collaborate with NIJ scientists to evaluate the impact of NamUs to aid medicolegal investigative efforts.
Who has won National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants grants before
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants (16.560) awarded $228 million across 383 grant awards, an average of $596,032 per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Triangle Institute | North Carolina | 20 | $26.9 million |
| The Cna Corporation | Virginia | 12 | $19.1 million |
| National Opinion Research Center | Illinois | 7 | $7.0 million |
| Michigan State University Foundation | Michigan | 7 | $6.8 million |
| University of Pittsburgh - of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education | Pennsylvania | 2 | $5.0 million |
Applying now
This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, O-NIJ-2026-172806, which is open now.
The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.
Questions people ask
Is O-NIJ-2021-54001 still open?
No. It closed on January 21, 2021. A newer notice is open: O-NIJ-2026-172806, closes November 30, 2026 (23 days left).
Who can apply for NIJ FY 2021 Invited to Apply - National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)?
National Institute of Justice accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.
What is the deadline for NIJ FY 2021 Invited to Apply - National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)?
Closed January 21, 2021. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.
How much funding is available?
Awards of up to $3.3 million each. About $3.3 million in total for one award.
Who has won National Institute of Justice Research, Evaluation, and Development Project Grants grants before?
The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Research Triangle Institute, The Cna Corporation, National Opinion Research Center. The program made 383 awards worth $228 million in that time.