NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Drones as First Responders
OpenNational Institute of Justice · Opportunity number O-NIJ-2026-172805
Eligibility
Nonprofits are listed as eligible applicants.
- City or township governments
- Private institutions of higher education
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
- Public and state controlled institutions of higher education
- County governments
- Special district governments
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Independent school districts
- State governments
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
Other Units of Local Government
Description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Drones as First Responders. This opportunity seeks proposals for rigorous evaluations of implementations of drone technology to combat violent crime, immigration enforcement, and other law enforcement activities. The goal of this NOFO is to provide actionable information about police implementation of small drones through a collaboration between law enforcement agencies and researchers. NIJ welcomes research and evaluation of drones as first responders (DFR) capabilities, including evaluation of existing capabilities or pilot programs at police departments already using DFR, as well as implementation of new pilot programs or demonstrations. NIJ expects research entities and law enforcement agencies to collaborate on implementing DFR and evaluating operational performance. Law enforcement agencies participating in evaluations will have the option to retain any DFR technology purchased through the NOFO at the study’s conclusion.
Funding
| Total program funding | $3,500,000 |
|---|---|
| Award floor | Not listed |
| Award ceiling | $3,500,000 |
| Category | Science and Technology |
| Assistance listing | 16.560 |
Official sources
Last verified on Grants.gov Nov 4, 2026. Grantvello is not affiliated with Grants.gov or National Institute of Justice. The notice on Grants.gov is the binding text.