NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on 911, Alternative Hotlines, and Alternative Responder Models | O NIJ 2024 171981

Opportunity Information: Apply for O NIJ 2024 171981

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) FY24 Research and Evaluation on 911, Alternative Hotlines, and Alternative Responder Models grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: O-NIJ-2024-171981) is a discretionary research and evaluation program that funds studies focused on how communities route and respond to calls for help. The core goal is to build solid evidence on whether traditional 911 systems and alternative three-digit numbers such as 311, 211, and 988 can identify public service and safety needs accurately and then connect people to the right kind of response in ways that are safe, efficient, effective, and equitable. NIJ is looking for proposals that do more than describe programs; the emphasis is on rigorous research and evaluation that can inform policy and operational decisions across jurisdictions.

A major theme is the front end of the response system: call taking, triage, and dispatch. NIJ is interested in research on the methods, technologies, training, and operating procedures that shape how calls are coded and prioritized, and how dispatch decisions are made. This includes studying whether call-taking and dispatch processes produce accurate classifications and whether they reduce or unintentionally introduce bias. In practical terms, proposals can examine how dispatch protocols work in real settings, how decision-support tools or new technologies affect call classification, and what kinds of training or quality assurance practices improve consistency, fairness, and accuracy when determining what resources should be sent and how urgently.

Another central focus is the growing ecosystem of alternative hotlines and service numbers that are intended to divert certain call types away from 911. NIJ specifically invites evaluations of the public’s awareness and usage of numbers like 311, 211, and 988, and whether these systems are actually receiving the types of calls they were designed to handle. The solicitation also calls for research on whether these alternative lines are adequately addressing diverted calls, meaning whether they can meet caller needs, provide appropriate referrals, resolve issues without unnecessary escalation, and reduce burdens on 911 while maintaining or improving outcomes for the people seeking help. This can include studying call flows, referral pathways, coordination with other agencies, and whether diverted calls lead to timely and appropriate services.

The opportunity also targets the response side of the equation, especially models that rely on non-sworn first responders. NIJ seeks evaluations of approaches where civilians, clinicians, EMTs, community responders, or other non-sworn personnel respond in partnership with police or instead of police in certain situations. The intent is to understand how these alternative responder models perform, for whom, and under what conditions. Strong proposals would typically look at outcomes such as safety for responders and community members, effectiveness in resolving incidents, service linkage and follow-through, impacts on arrests or use of force, response times, repeat calls, costs, and equity impacts across neighborhoods and demographic groups.

In addition, NIJ explicitly invites evaluations of alternative traffic enforcement models. This includes studies of policy changes that redefine which traffic violations are handled by sworn officers versus other approaches, as well as the creation or expansion of non-sworn traffic response or enforcement roles. The purpose is to generate evidence about how these models affect roadway safety, enforcement patterns, equity outcomes, resource allocation, and community trust, while also considering operational feasibility and legal or administrative constraints that might shape implementation.

From an administrative standpoint, NIJ expects to make about six awards, with an award ceiling of $3,000,000. The solicitation falls under CFDA 16.560 and is categorized as Science and Technology and other Research and Development. Eligibility is broad and includes state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits); and other eligible entities. The original closing date listed for applications was April 30, 2024, and the opportunity was created on February 14, 2024.

Overall, this NIJ solicitation is designed to strengthen the evidence base around how people access help (through 911 and alternative numbers), how systems decide what kind of help to send (call-taking and dispatch decisions), and what happens when different kinds of responders arrive (including non-sworn response models and alternative traffic enforcement). The throughline across all topic areas is a focus on measurable performance and equitable outcomes, with NIJ aiming to support research that can guide jurisdictions toward response systems that match needs to services more accurately and fairly while improving safety and effectiveness.

• The National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NIJ FY24 Research and Evaluation on 911, Alternative Hotlines, and Alternative Responder Models" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-30. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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