Description of the program

The State of Minnesota has designated grant funds to increase the capacity of local law enforcement to conduct sex trafficking investigations. $1.95 million has been designated for grants with local, state and tribal governments to support sex trafficking investigations. The grants are for new or existing multijurisdictional entities to investigate sex trafficking cases. 

A Sex Trafficking Investigations Task Force (STITF) is a multi-jurisdictional entity, comprised of state, county, city and/or tribal agencies working together to identify and investigate sex trafficking crimes in their jurisdictional area. STITFs include local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies and victim services providers partnered with tribal, state and federal investigative, enforcement, and regulatory agencies. The Office for Victims of Crime’s Training and Technical Assistance Center reports “This multidisciplinary task force response model (i.e., of agencies from various disciplines working together) is encouraged by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and is considered a best practice in the worldwide response to human trafficking.”

The investigation of sex trafficking cases is a complex undertaking, having a STITF allows for a coordinated effort to identify victims and traffickers through proactive investigations as well as a centralized source of expertise for reactive investigations. A task force provides the opportunity for information sharing and leveraging of resources across partner agencies for a more efficient and effective response to sex trafficking investigations. 

 

Who is eligible to apply

State and local units of government including cities, counties, townships; and Tribal Nations are eligible to apply. Agencies working together need to identify one agency as applicant and official grant recipient; budgets can include contracts with partner agencies.

 

Next funding opportunity, next grant period

The Request for Proposals for the next grant period is expected to be released in Mid-Summer of 2025. Funding for these grants will span approximately January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2027.

 

Past RFPs

• 2025 Grants – Fall 2024 RFP
• 2022-2023 Grants – Fall 2021 RFP 

 

Contact

Claire Cambridge, Grant Program and e-Grants Administrator, claire.cambridge@state.mn.us

 

Current grantees, current grant period

Current Grant Period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025 

Grantee

Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)

Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Police Department

Stearns County Attorney's Office

Washington County Sheriff's Department