NIJ Research and Development in Forensic Science

NIJ Research and Development in Forensic Science funds applied research and validation for innovations used in forensic practice, including new methods and technologies across disciplines such as DNA analysis, latent print analysis, firearms and toolmark science, and digital evidence. The program is operated within NIJ's forensic portfolio and is published as a recurring annual federal grant line. Current material identifies the FY25 forensics R&D solicitation (O-NIJ-2025-172598) as closed, with a two-step submission process via Grants.gov and JustGrants. Funding for this track sits alongside NIJ R&D solicitations in Forensic Systems and Physical Evidence Testing. The practical implication is that proposal authors should submit under the solicitation that matches their methodology and outputs, since NIJ exposes those forensic tracks as separate entries in grant records.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.