Missing Children's Assistance (16.543)
Missing Children's Assistance (Assistance Listing 16.543) is run by the Office of Justice Programs, part of the Department of Justice. It awarded $398 million in 217 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $1.8 million per award on average. 1 funding opportunity is open or forecast now.
The typical award was $661,456. Half of the 217 awards fell between $479,674 and $1.4 million, and they ranged from $185,529 to $41.4 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$398 million
- Grant awards217
- Typical award$661,456
- Awarded in FY 2025$33.2 million
- Size rank423 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- Annual funding fell from $35.1 million in fiscal 2021 to $33.2 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 423rd largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 73% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 51 states and territories.
What the program funds
Program goal(s) name: Protect missing and exploited children. Program goal(s) description: Support research, training, technical assistance, and demonstration programs addressing the prevention, investigation and services for missing and exploited children and families, and professionals who work to prevent, recover and assist missing and exploited children, including victims of online and/or commercial sexual exploitation; Establish and maintain a national resource center and clearinghouse dedicated to missing and exploited children issues (NCMEC); and support the AMBER Alert program. Program objective(s) name: Support task forces, hotlines, and other mechanisms to coordinate resources and information to respond to missing and exploited children. Program objective(s) description: (1) Support enhancements to law enforcement’s investigative responses to missing and exploited children issues (e.g., the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program); (2) support programs focused on the online and/or commercial sexual exploitation of children; (3) provide a toll-free hotline where citizens can report investigative leads and parents and other interested individuals can receive information concerning missing children; (4) promote information sharing and networking opportunities between regional nonprofit organizations, state missing children clearinghouses, and law enforcement agencies; (5) support the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Center to increase the capacity of law enforcement to respond to missing, endangered, and abducted children.
Open opportunities
Rules from the program listing
What the money can and cannot pay for
Funds that support missing children’s program activities.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Missing Children's Assistance (16.543) awarded $398 million across 217 grant awards, an average of $1.8 million per award.
| Recipient | State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children | Virginia | 9 | $184 million |
| Fox Valley Technical College | Wisconsin | 12 | $47.8 million |
| West Virginia State Police | West Virginia | 5 | $5.0 million |
| NW3C, Inc. | Virginia | 7 | $4.7 million |
| Department of State Police Michigan | Michigan | 2 | $3.9 million |
| City of Los Angeles | California | 3 | $3.8 million |
| University of Oklahoma | Oklahoma | 2 | $3.7 million |
| Georgia Bureau of Investigation | Georgia | 3 | $3.6 million |
| Attorney General of Texas | Texas | 3 | $3.6 million |
| City of Dallas | Texas | 2 | $3.2 million |
| Seattle Police Department | Washington | 3 | $3.1 million |
| Zero Abuse Project | Minnesota | 4 | $3.0 million |
| City of Houston | Texas | 3 | $2.9 million |
| County of Broward | Florida | 4 | $2.9 million |
| County of Delaware | Pennsylvania | 3 | $2.8 million |
| State of IL Attorney General | Illinois | 3 | $2.8 million |
| Osceola Co Sheriffs Office | Florida | 3 | $2.7 million |
| Department of Justice Wisconsin | Wisconsin | 4 | $2.7 million |
| City of Knoxville | Tennessee | 2 | $2.7 million |
| City of New York Police Department | New York | 3 | $2.7 million |
Who usually wins
Nonprofits received 51% of the money, state and local governments 33% and colleges and universities 14%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonprofits | 39 | $201 million | 51% |
| State and local governments | 145 | $131 million | 33% |
| Colleges and universities | 19 | $54.4 million | 14% |
| Other | 14 | $11.3 million | 2.9% |
By state
50 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 21 | $193 million |
| Wisconsin | 16 | $50.5 million |
| California | 18 | $17.1 million |
| Texas | 9 | $10.1 million |
| Florida | 10 | $8.0 million |
| Illinois | 8 | $6.1 million |
| Oklahoma | 5 | $5.7 million |
| Minnesota | 6 | $5.3 million |
| New York | 5 | $5.3 million |
| West Virginia | 5 | $5.0 million |
| Pennsylvania | 6 | $4.2 million |
| Georgia | 4 | $4.1 million |
| Michigan | 2 | $3.9 million |
| Indiana | 4 | $3.4 million |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $3.4 million |
| North Carolina | 3 | $3.2 million |
| Tennessee | 3 | $3.2 million |
| Ohio | 3 | $3.1 million |
| Washington | 3 | $3.1 million |
| Alabama | 4 | $2.8 million |
| New Jersey | 3 | $2.8 million |
| Arizona | 3 | $2.6 million |
| South Carolina | 3 | $2.5 million |
| Utah | 3 | $2.5 million |
| Colorado | 3 | $2.5 million |
| Maryland | 3 | $2.3 million |
| Mississippi | 2 | $2.2 million |
| Kentucky | 3 | $2.2 million |
| Connecticut | 4 | $2.1 million |
| Missouri | 3 | $2.1 million |
| North Dakota | 3 | $2.1 million |
| Arkansas | 2 | $2.1 million |
| New Mexico | 3 | $2.0 million |
| South Dakota | 2 | $2.0 million |
| New Hampshire | 3 | $1.9 million |
| Kansas | 2 | $1.9 million |
| Iowa | 2 | $1.9 million |
| Oregon | 3 | $1.8 million |
| Montana | 3 | $1.7 million |
| Rhode Island | 2 | $1.7 million |
| Vermont | 3 | $1.7 million |
| Delaware | 2 | $1.7 million |
| Louisiana | 2 | $1.6 million |
| Nevada | 2 | $1.6 million |
| Hawaii | 2 | $1.4 million |
| Idaho | 2 | $1.4 million |
| Nebraska | 2 | $1.4 million |
| Wyoming | 2 | $1.3 million |
| Maine | 2 | $1.3 million |
| Alaska | 2 | $1.3 million |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $253,289 |