Fiscal Year 2018 Report on the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program

• NCJ Number: 253054
• Date Published: September 2019
• Length: 50 pages
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Report (Annual/Periodic); Program/Project Description; Grants and Funding

Annotation

Activities during Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 are reported for the U.S. Justice Department's Paul Coverdell National Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program, which provides funding to states and units of local government to improve the quality and timeliness of their forensic science and medical-examiner services.

Abstract

In order to assist in addressing opioid-related challenges faced by the forensic science community, the U.S. Justice Department's National Institute of Justice (NIJ), which administers the Coverdell Grants Program, identified opioid-focused forensic science needs as a priority purpose for grants in FY 2018. NIJ requested that applicants identify items related to addressing the opioid crisis in their narratives and budgets. The funding directed toward these efforts will depend on need, as expressed in the aggregate dollar value of budget items designated to address the opioid crisis. On March 7, 2018, NIJ released the solicitations for funding under the FY 2018 Coverdell Grants Program. NIJ received 170 applications; 58 were for formula funding, and 112 applications were for competitive funding. NIJ made 77 awards that totaled $27,195,042; 46 states received formula awards; 6 states received both formula and competitive awards; and 19 units of local government received competitive awards. This report provides on-line access to abstracts about each project, written by the awardees.