Jurisdictions seeking to strengthen coordinated responses to human trafficking can currently apply for the OVC FY2026 Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking.

This is the current federal opportunity corresponding most closely with the human-trafficking task-force listing.

It is separate from OVC’s later Specialized Human Trafficking Assistance: Task Forces and Legal Services competition.

The current ECM programme has approximately $22 million available and expects up to 30 individual awards supporting paired task-force applicants.

How Does the Enhanced Collaborative Model Work?

Each funded task force brings together two lead organisations:

1. An eligible law-enforcement lead; and
2. An eligible victim-service organisation.

Both partners submit separate applications, but they must work as one coordinated task force.

The programme aims to improve:

• Victim identification;
• Victim services;
• Investigations;
• Prosecutions;
• Coordination;
• Survivor-centered responses.

Applicants that do not have an eligible partner are not considered for funding.

Three Funding Categories

Category 1: New Task Forces

This category supports new local or Tribal ECM task forces.

Each applicant can request up to approximately $700,000, with total paired funding of up to roughly $1.2 million per task force.

Category 2: Expansion of Existing Task Forces

Previously funded local or Tribal task forces can compete for expanded support.

Each applicant can request up to approximately $900,000, with paired funding reaching about $1.5 million per task force.

Category 3: Statewide Task Forces

Statewide ECM task forces can receive the largest awards.

Each applicant can request up to $1 million, creating a potential combined task-force award of up to $2 million.

Who Can Apply?

Depending on category and partner role, eligible applicants can include:

• State governments;
• Counties;
• Cities;
• Special district governments;
• Federally recognised Tribal governments;
• Certain Tribal organisations;
• 501(c)(3) nonprofits;
• Public institutions of higher education;
• Other qualifying entities specified by OVC.

The most important structural requirement is the partnership between law enforcement and victim services.

Matching Funding Is Required

The current competition requires match.

Applicants should review the full NOFO carefully when building their budgets because both lead partners submit distinct budgets.

The project period is expected to run for approximately three years beginning in January 2027.

What Makes a Strong Task Force?

Human trafficking cases frequently require coordination across:

• Law enforcement;
• Prosecutors;
• Healthcare providers;
• Housing providers;
• Legal services;
• Social services;
• Victim advocates;
• Community organisations.

A competitive proposal should demonstrate that these systems will operate as one coherent response rather than as isolated organisations.

Applicants should also address both sex trafficking and labor trafficking where required.

Key Deadlines

Step 1, Grants.gov: October 14, 2026 at 11:59pm ET

Step 2, JustGrants: October 20, 2026 at 8:59pm ET

Official Application Link

Opportunity Number: O-OVC-2026-172699

Apply through the official Grants.gov opportunity

Complete the full application through JustGrants

View the official OVC funding page

Each lead applicant must complete its own federal submission. One application from only one member of the proposed partnership is not enough.