Strengthening the Medical Examiner - Coroner System Program, FY 2019 | NIJ 2019 15523

Opportunity Information: Apply for NIJ 2019 15523

The Strengthening the Medical Examiner - Coroner System Program, FY 2019 (NIJ 2019 15523) is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), under CFDA 16.560 (science and technology and other research and development). The central problem it targets is the nationwide shortage of board-certified forensic pathologists, a gap highlighted prominently in the National Academies 2009 report on strengthening forensic science in the United States. The program frames this shortage as a public safety and justice issue because medical examiner and coroner offices play a direct role in death investigations, courtroom testimony, and the reliability of findings that can affect criminal cases, public health responses, and family outcomes.

The solicitation focuses on strengthening the medical examiner-coroner (ME/C) system through two main project areas. First, it supports efforts intended to increase both the number and the quality of board-certified forensic pathologists entering the field, particularly encouraging physicians who have completed an accredited pathology residency to pursue the forensic pathology subspecialty. In practical terms, this project area is meant to build the pipeline and improve professional readiness in a field where staffing shortfalls can create backlogs, delay death certifications, and reduce the capacity for timely, high-quality autopsies and medicolegal consultations.

Second, the program assists medical examiner and coroner offices in achieving formal accreditation through recognized accreditation bodies, with examples including NAME (National Association of Medical Examiners) and IACME (International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners). This part of the opportunity is aimed at helping offices meet the operational, quality management, and performance standards required for accreditation. By pushing toward accreditation, the program emphasizes consistent procedures, better documentation, and stronger quality controls, all of which can improve the credibility of findings and support more uniform data reporting and casework practices across jurisdictions.

NIJ links the program to the broader Office of Justice Programs (OJP) mission of increasing public safety and improving the fair administration of justice through innovative leadership and programming. The underlying rationale is that stronger ME/C services and adherence to accreditation requirements can produce more reliable forensic determinations, reduce errors, and improve the consistency of how deaths are investigated and reported. Better compliance with recognized standards is also presented as a way to strengthen service quality and the integrity of reporting systems, which can matter for criminal investigations, overdose surveillance, mortality statistics, and cross-agency coordination.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, the opportunity was released on April 11, 2019, with an original application deadline of June 12, 2019. NIJ anticipated making about 15 awards, with an award ceiling of $100,000 per grant. Eligibility was broad and included state, county, city or township, and special district governments; federally recognized tribal governments; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories as specified); private institutions of higher education; individuals; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other entities as further clarified in the solicitation’s eligibility notes. Overall, the program is structured to help jurisdictions and partners address staffing shortages in forensic pathology and raise the quality and consistency of medicolegal death investigation through accreditation-focused improvements.

• The Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening the Medical Examiner - Coroner System Program, FY 2019" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.560.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 12, 2019. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), 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, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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