OVC FY 2026 Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking
Purpose of the Funding
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is committed to advancing work that furthers the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) mission to keep our country safe and secure and uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of American citizens. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis.
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the OVC FY 2026 Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking. This
opportunity supports jurisdictions in developing and expanding a multidisciplinary, collaborative task force approach to better respond to human trafficking through
increased victim identification, service provision, and case investigations.
This collaborative approach should include victim and social service providers; local, state, and federal law enforcement and prosecution personnel; survivors of human
trafficking; and other governmental and nongovernmental partners to work together to provide services for victims of trafficking and to investigate and prosecute traffickers. ECM task forces also train law enforcement and other stakeholders on how to identify victims of human trafficking and related offenses, and conduct victim-centered investigations to prosecute traffickers.
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) encourages Tribal applicants to apply as task force lead applicants or, where appropriate, encourages ECM task force applicants in
jurisdictions with Tribal communities to include American Indian or Alaska Native participation in their ECM task forces.
Category 1: Development of New Local or Tribal Human Trafficking Task Forces
Category 1 funding will help new task forces with critical first steps related to starting a
multidisciplinary task force and establishing a strong foundation of task force co leadership structure, clear roles and responsibilities, and internal processes and
protocols. Successful award applicants will formalize the task force structure, develop operational procedures, identify professional development opportunities, conduct
strategic planning activities to guide and outline outreach and training efforts, deliver training for key stakeholders, and conduct an assessment to identify potential areas
where sex and labor trafficking may be occurring.
Category 2: Expansion of Local or Tribal ECM Human Trafficking Task Forces Previously Funded by OJP
Category 2 funding will help previously funded local or Tribal ECM task forces that can demonstrate clear task force co-leadership roles and structure; regular use of data to inform and assess task force effectiveness; and an increase in victim identification of sex and labor trafficking victims, service provision, and prosecution of traffickers. This funding will support expanded task force partnerships; refinement and implementation of existing and new protocols; peer mentoring (upon OVC request); meaningful survivor engagement; and commitment to implement a set of strategic approaches that are victim centered.
Category 3: Enhanced Support for Statewide Task Forces (New or Previously OJP-funded)
Category 3 funding recognizes the challenges of establishing and sustaining a statewide response to human trafficking, including the geographic area served, service
provision, law enforcement response, and overall leadership structure and response coordination. Funding in this category will assist with a statewide, multidisciplinary
response to human trafficking for a statewide task force at any stage of development (new or previously OJP-funded). Category 3 funding is available to applicants who
intend to provide support across all areas of the state (as opposed to specific local communities or regional sections of the state).
