Insider Threats in American Law Enforcement | DHS ST 21 108 FR02

Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS ST 21 108 FR02

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through its Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) and the Social Sciences Technology Center (SS-TC), is offering a research-focused grant opportunity called "Insider Threats in American Law Enforcement" (Funding Opportunity Number: DHS ST 21 108 FR02). The central purpose is to strengthen the nations ability to prevent and respond to homeland security threats by building a clearer, evidence-based understanding of insider threats within law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and other government institutions. In practice, this means studying the risk that violent extremist organizations or lone actors could infiltrate LEAs, as well as how violent ideologies and extremist motivations might manifest from within an agency and endanger public safety, officer safety, and institutional trust.

This solicitation sits within a broader DHS push to use scientific and technological expertise to address a fast-changing threat landscape, where motivations, actors, communication methods, and tactics continue to evolve. SS-TC emphasizes that effective prevention and response require serious social science capacity, drawing from fields like psychology, criminology, sociology, political science, economics, biostatistics, and related evaluation disciplines. The work is designed to support DHS Strategic Plan 2020-2024 priorities, particularly Goal 1 (Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security Threats) and Goal 5 (Strengthen Preparedness and Resilience), and it also aligns with the 2020 Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and Targeted Violence. A key theme throughout is building prevention approaches that can be implemented broadly while still respecting civil rights and civil liberties.

The expected project outcomes are strongly data-driven. DHS is looking for high-quality data and rigorous analysis that can clarify what insider threats have looked like historically, how agencies currently attempt to detect and prevent them, and where policies, training, and operational practices may fall short. The intent is not only to document risks, but to translate research into practical, science-based best practices that local, state, and federal agencies can use to improve insider threat prevention programming and policy. Another explicit goal is to strengthen the foundation for continued, objective research in this area, so the field can progress beyond anecdotes and fragmented reporting toward more consistent and comparable evidence.

In terms of what the awardee would actually do, the solicitation describes a fairly comprehensive research effort. Activities may include designing data collection strategies; gathering information from primary sources (such as interviews and focus groups with identified subject matter experts) and secondary sources (such as existing datasets, reports, and prior research); and then analyzing those data to produce findings that agencies can use. The opportunity also calls for reviewing and synthesizing relevant literature across criminology, mental health, psychology, and sociology to identify gaps in knowledge and to help craft recommendations that can reduce the threat posed by violent extremists and violent ideologies to LEAs and the public.

Administratively, this is a discretionary grant under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category (CFDA: 97.108), managed by the DHS Office of Procurement Operations, Grants Division. The listed award ceiling is $500,000. Eligible applicants are broad and include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses. The opportunity was created on 2021-03-24 and originally closed on 2021-05-18. Overall, the grant is positioned as applied social science research meant to produce actionable guidance and prevention-oriented tools for agencies, with results intended for transfer and use across federal, state, local, and private-sector stakeholders as part of a whole-of-society prevention approach.

• The Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Insider Threats in American Law Enforcement" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.108.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-03-24.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-05-18. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for DHS ST 21 108 FR02

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