MEMPHIS – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee today announced that more than $65 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help communities combat human trafficking and serve adults and children who are victimized in trafficking operations.

"Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety and countering this threat remains one of the Administration’s top domestic priorities," said Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs. "The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions."

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. OJP’s programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that support human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Human trafficking of minors and adults for commercial sex purposes is an unconscionable crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. The Department of Justice is committed to providing meaningful resources to our state and local law enforcement partners to strategically combat human trafficking by finding and rescuing victims, and imposing severe consequences on offenders. We appreciate the commitment of Attorney General Barr and the Office of Justice Programs in providing enhanced financial support to help us better address some of the most pressing issues impacting public safety in communities across West Tennessee."

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future.

Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Programhttps://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/ojjdp-2020-17351

Total Available $1.8 million          Deadline 4/6/2020 (Extended)

Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking

Total Available $22 million           Opens week of 3/16/2020

Preventing Trafficking of Girls

Total Available $1.7 million          Opens week of 3/16/2020

Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Personshttps://nij.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/nij-2020-17324

Total Available $2.5 million          Deadline 4/20/2020

Services for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $16.5 million        Opens week of 3/16/2020

Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $2 million             Opens week of 3/16/2020

Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program

Total Available $5 million             Opens week of 3/16/2020

Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking

Total Available $6 million             Opens week of 3/16/2020

Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking

Total Available $8 million            Opens week of 3/16/2020

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

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