Opportunity Information: Apply for O OJJDP 2026 172782

The OJJDP FY 2026 Invited to Apply - National Center for Missing & Exploited Children - IAA USSS funding opportunity is a discretionary federal grant announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). It is issued as a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning OJJDP is expected to have substantial involvement in shaping, monitoring, or collaborating on the work during the award period rather than simply providing funds with minimal federal engagement.

This opportunity is intended to support the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in continuing core national operations tied to missing and exploited children. The central focus is the ongoing operation of NCMEC's National Resource Center and Information Clearinghouse, which serves as a nationwide hub for information, tools, and support aimed at preventing child abduction and sexual exploitation, assisting in locating missing children, and strengthening the response capabilities of communities and professionals. The work under this award emphasizes both prevention and response: helping reduce the risk of victimization while also improving outcomes when children go missing or are exploited.

The scope of support described in the NOFO includes providing technical assistance and training to multiple audiences. This includes direct or indirect support for victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation, their families and caregivers, and the professionals who assist them. In practice, this typically involves disseminating guidance, resources, and best practices; providing expertise and training opportunities to law enforcement and allied practitioners; and maintaining the information clearinghouse functions that allow stakeholders nationwide to access consistent, up-to-date materials designed to improve identification, investigation, recovery efforts, and victim support.

From an administrative perspective, the opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 16.543, within the funding activity category of Law, Justice and Legal Services. The funding opportunity number is O-OJJDP-2026-172782. The instrument type is a cooperative agreement, the opportunity category is discretionary, and the agency name is the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention. The listing indicates an expected single award, with an award ceiling of $6,000,000, reflecting the national-scale nature of the work and the centralized role of NCMEC's resource and clearinghouse functions.

Eligibility is labeled as "Others," and the title and description indicate this is an "Invited to Apply" opportunity, which generally signals a limited-competition or directed solicitation rather than an open competition for any applicant. The closing date shown for applications is 2026-09-29, with a creation date of 2026-09-28, meaning the application window may be extremely short as posted and applicants would need to rely closely on the formal NOFO and any accompanying instructions from OJJDP regarding submission requirements, timelines, and any pre-application coordination expectations.

Overall, the grant is designed to ensure continued national capacity to prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation, support recovery and response when children are missing, and expand the reach and consistency of training and technical assistance available to families, victim-serving organizations, and the professionals responsible for child protection, investigations, and victim support.

  • The Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJJDP FY 2026 Invited to Apply - National Center For Missing & Exploited Children - IAA USSS" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.543.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-28.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $6,000,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others.
Apply for O OJJDP 2026 172782

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled: OJJDP FY 2026 Invited to Apply - National Center for Missing & Exploited Children - IAA USSS.

2) Which federal agency is offering this grant?

This is a discretionary federal grant announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice, specifically the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

3) What type of announcement is this?

It is issued as a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

4) What is the funding instrument type?

The instrument type is a cooperative agreement.

5) What does it mean that this award is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement means OJJDP is expected to have substantial involvement in shaping, monitoring, or collaborating on the work during the award period, rather than only providing funds with minimal federal engagement.

6) What is the opportunity category?

The opportunity category is discretionary.

7) Who is the intended recipient or program this opportunity supports?

The opportunity is intended to support the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in continuing core national operations tied to missing and exploited children.

8) What is the main purpose of the grant?

The central focus is the ongoing operation of NCMEC's National Resource Center and Information Clearinghouse, which serves as a nationwide hub for information, tools, and support aimed at preventing child abduction and sexual exploitation, assisting in locating missing children, and strengthening response capabilities.

9) What kinds of activities does the NOFO describe supporting?

The scope described includes maintaining national resource and clearinghouse functions and providing technical assistance and training to multiple audiences. This includes disseminating guidance, resources, and best practices; providing expertise and training opportunities to law enforcement and allied practitioners; and supporting consistent access to up-to-date materials nationwide.

10) Does the work emphasize prevention, response, or both?

Both. The work emphasizes prevention and response: helping reduce the risk of victimization while also improving outcomes when children go missing or are exploited.

11) Who may benefit from the technical assistance and training supported by this award?

The NOFO describes technical assistance and training for multiple audiences, including victims of child abduction and sexual exploitation (directly or indirectly), their families and caregivers, and the professionals who assist them, such as law enforcement and allied practitioners.

12) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?

The Assistance Listing (CFDA) is 16.543.

13) What funding activity category does this opportunity fall under?

The funding activity category is Law, Justice and Legal Services.

14) What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is O-OJJDP-2026-172782.

15) How many awards does OJJDP expect to make?

The listing indicates an expected single award.

16) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling shown is $6,000,000.

17) What does "Invited to Apply" suggest about competitiveness?

"Invited to Apply" generally signals a limited-competition or directed solicitation rather than an open competition available to any applicant.

18) What does the eligibility category say?

Eligibility is labeled as "Others". The title and description also indicate this is an Invited to Apply opportunity.

19) When is the application due?

The closing date shown for applications is 2026-09-29.

20) When was the opportunity created or posted?

The creation date shown is 2026-09-28.

21) How long is the application window based on the posted dates?

Based on the creation date (2026-09-28) and closing date (2026-09-29), the application window may be extremely short as posted.

22) What should applicants pay close attention to given the short timeline?

Applicants would need to rely closely on the formal NOFO and any accompanying instructions from OJJDP regarding submission requirements, timelines, and any pre-application coordination expectations.

23) What overall outcomes is this funding designed to support?

Overall, the grant is designed to ensure continued national capacity to prevent child abduction and sexual exploitation, support recovery and response when children are missing, and expand the reach and consistency of training and technical assistance for families, victim-serving organizations, and professionals involved in child protection, investigations, and victim support.

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