OJJDP FY 20 National AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program | OJJDP 2020 17390

Opportunity Information: Apply for OJJDP 2020 17390

The OJJDP FY 20 National AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program is a U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) discretionary funding opportunity designed to strengthen how the nation prevents, responds to, and resolves cases involving missing, endangered, and abducted children. Through a single national award made as a cooperative agreement, the program funds a lead organization to deliver coordinated training and hands-on technical assistance that improves the effectiveness and consistency of the AMBER Alert system across jurisdictions. The overall aim is to make child recovery efforts faster, more reliable, and better integrated with modern investigative practices and community engagement.

A central focus of the initiative is enhancing the national AMBER Alert network and improving law enforcement response in child abduction and endangerment cases. That includes building capacity for law enforcement agencies and alert coordinators to make sound, timely decisions about alert activation, ensure accurate and complete information is collected quickly, and promote strong interagency coordination during the critical early stages of an incident. By improving readiness and standardizing practices through training and technical assistance, the program ultimately seeks to increase the recovery rate of abducted children and reduce delays and gaps that can occur when cases cross local or state lines.

The opportunity also places notable emphasis on strengthening child alert systems along the United States' northern and southern borders. The intent is to better protect American children who may be abducted to or through foreign countries by improving cross-border awareness, coordination, and operational readiness. In practical terms, this aspect of the work supports stronger systems and partnerships that can help agencies respond when an abduction has an international dimension, including the challenges that arise when information, jurisdiction, or investigative actions must move quickly across border regions.

Another priority is expanding community capacity to understand and respond to broader issues tied to child victimization, including exploitation and abuse. While AMBER Alert is often associated specifically with abductions, the program recognizes that missing and endangered child cases intersect with a wider set of risks and harms. Training and technical assistance under this award are intended to help stakeholders better recognize these connections, improve multidisciplinary collaboration, and strengthen community-informed approaches that support prevention, reporting, and recovery efforts.

The program continues and deepens support for work in Indian Country, with explicit direction to implement the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018. This reflects the federal priority to ensure that tribal communities have effective, culturally informed alerting and response capabilities, and that systems are in place to address gaps that have historically affected the timely recovery of missing and abducted Native children. The funded provider is expected to support implementation efforts and help expand the reach and effectiveness of AMBER Alert-related practices in tribal settings.

A further goal is enhancing public participation in recovery efforts for missing, endangered, and abducted children. AMBER Alert depends heavily on rapid dissemination of accurate information and on the public knowing what to look for and how to report credible tips. This award supports efforts that improve how alerts and related information are communicated to the public and how community members can contribute safely and effectively to recovery efforts, complementing law enforcement operations rather than complicating them.

Administratively, this opportunity was issued under Funding Opportunity Number OJJDP 2020 17390 and CFDA 16.543. It was posted on January 24, 2020, with an original closing date of March 26, 2020. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, signaling that OJJDP anticipates substantial involvement with the awardee in guiding and coordinating the work. The maximum award amount (ceiling) listed is $4,400,000, and OJJDP expected to make one award. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the opportunity's eligibility details.

• The Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJJDP FY 20 National AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program" 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 Jan 24, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 26, 2020. (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 $4,400,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for OJJDP 2020 17390

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