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Anti-Trafficking Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainability (ATLIS) Project

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The Anti-Trafficking Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainability (ATLIS) Project is an opportunity for the Office on Trafficking in Persons' (OTIP) National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC) to provide specialized training and technical assistance (T/TA) and capacity-building support to survivor-led anti-trafficking organizations, collaborations, and community groups to increase their impact in their respective communities. The ATLIS Project’s goal is to alleviate barriers by providing stipends for innovative projects, access to capacity-building resources, and opportunities for connection. This initiative will also facilitate supportive relationships and rapport across the anti-trafficking field.

We invite eligible organizations, collaborations, and community groups to submit a project application that introduces a new activity for or approach to preventing human trafficking or protecting or serving individuals with lived experience in or increased risk for trafficking. The proposed project must align with OTIP’s mission and directly contribute to anti-trafficking efforts. Within the range of approaches and activities supported by the ATLIS project, OTIP is particularly interested in approaches that:

  • advance equity by reducing structural barriers that prevent economic and social well-being;
  • take a preventative, proactive approach to ensuring child, youth, family, and individual well-being;
  • enhance community education, awareness, and outreach to prevent human trafficking or create a multidisciplinary response to trafficking;
  • identify and engage with those affected by trafficking in an equitable, person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive way;
  • recognize the intersections of labor and sex trafficking and address human trafficking holistically; or
  • enhance digital literacy and increase protective factors to mitigate internet- or social media-based exploitation.

OTIP also invites applications whose approaches align with the priorities in any of the following:

Each selected entity will receive up to $25,000 to implement their proposed project.

Applications are now closed for the 2025 ATLIS Project period.  

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If selected, you will be required to:

  • ensure that your project is directly related to advancing anti-trafficking efforts as detailed in your submitted application;
  • attend all scheduled meetings;
  • adhere to documentation submission schedules; and
  • engage fully in the project’s activities throughout its duration.

At the project’s completion, you must submit a final report summarizing your activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.

 

Applications were limited to one submission per organization, collaboration, or community group.

group applying together on laptop

Information Session for Applicants

NHTTAC hosted a webinar on the ATLIS Project’s timeline, requirements, expected outcomes, and eligibility criteria. Prospective applicants had the opportunity to ask questions about the project and the application and selection processes.

To access the webinar recording, use the following link: ATLIS Informational Session.

Additional Details

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The ATLIS Project was created to respond to ongoing feedback from the anti-trafficking field,” says NHTTAC Deputy Director Crystal Bennett. “Leaders with lived experience have been communicating a desire to have more resources allocated to increase capacity, network with others in the field, and expand reach to prevent trafficking and serve those impacted by trafficking."

  • Application opened: September 10, 2024
  • Application closed: November 8, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern
  • Participant Orientation: January 15, 2025
  • Participant Onboarding: January 6  – February 28, 2025
  • Project period: March 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026
  • Final report deadline: Early 2026

  • Survivor-Led Organizations: A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that has one or more individuals in a leadership position with lived experience in human trafficking. Leadership positions can include the executive director or another senior leader. An individual with lived experience and decision-making authority must directly oversee the proposed project.
  • Survivor-Led Collaborations: A formal alliance of two or more organizations, groups, or agencies coming together to engage in anti-trafficking work. The collaboration must have at least one individual with lived experience in human trafficking in a leadership position or comprise a majority of individuals with lived experience in trafficking. At least one individual with lived experience must directly oversee the proposed project.
  • Survivor-Led Community Group: An active, established group of three or more individuals who discuss and make decisions about anti-trafficking in the community’s interest. The group must have at least one individual with lived experience in human trafficking in a leadership position or comprise a majority of individuals with lived experience in trafficking. At least one individual with lived experience must directly oversee the proposed project.

The project must be led by one or more individuals with lived experience, and the entity must demonstrate in its project proposal how its mission, goals, or work is survivor informed.

ATLIS can support and offer capacity-building technical assistance to a number of activities or projects, including:

  • Anti-trafficking efforts
  • Public awareness and outreach campaigns on human trafficking
  • Training on human trafficking for professionals working with individuals who are at-risk or experiencing human trafficking
  • Collaborations between community partners and allied organizations, or work with diverse, unconventional partners on effective anti-trafficking strategies, such as:
    • Fostering out-of-the-box thinking
    • Enhancing impact and innovation
  • Multidisciplinary teams working to build a community response to human trafficking

You must submit a completed application specific to the ATLIS Project. Include all required sections:

  • project description;
  • entity information; and
  • any other mandatory fields.

We will not consider applications that are incomplete or submitted after the deadline. Applications should be limited to four pages. We will not consider any information provided in your application beyond the four-page limit.

The following projects are not eligible for ATLIS Project funding and capacity-building support:

Stipends may not be used for the following:

  • fundraising;
  • financial campaigns;
  • endowment drives;
  • solicitation of gifts and bequests;
  • similar expenses directly incurred to raise capital or obtain contributions;
  • equipment purchases, as defined by CFR §200.33 (“Equipment means tangible personal property…”);
  • construction;
  • real estate property;
  • land acquisition;
  • projects unrelated to human trafficking;
  • projects focused primarily outside the 50 U.S. states or territories; or
  • compensation for federal full-time-equivalent employees.

Furthermore, travel is restricted to the 50 U.S. states and requires pre-approval; you may not use the stipend to pay for travel internationally. You must align all travel plans with the project’s objectives.

A panel of experts in anti-trafficking, program management, and related areas will evaluate all ATLIS Project applications. The panel members:

  • will be fair and impartial;
  • will not have a personal or financial interest in — or be an employee, officer, director, or agent of — any entity that is an ATLIS Project applicant; and
  • will not have a familial or financial relationship with an individual who is an ATLIS Project applicant. 

The panel will use a point-based scoring system to assess each application to ensure a fair, transparent evaluation process. The panel will evaluate applications on a scale of 1–5 using the following criteria:

  • Alignment with OTIP’s mission and strategic priorities: How well do the activities or expected outcomes align with both OTIP’s mission and strategic priorities? How does the project implement trauma-informed, survivor-informed strategies? Does the project demonstrate equity-focused principles?
  • Justification and responsiveness to (unmet) community needs: How well does the project address the specific (unmet) needs of the community the entity intends to serve? Does the entity clearly outline how it used data to identify need? How does the entity elicit input from the community?
  • Innovation: How unique and creative is the proposed project? (The activity cannot duplicate or replace existing efforts in your local area that receive similar funding or resources; the ATLIS Project is focused on ensuring a diverse, complementary range of initiatives within each community).
  • Scalability, sustainability, and replicability: Does the entity describe how it will collect and use data to demonstrate the degree to which it meets its goals? Could this project be expanded, replicated, or adapted to broaden its impact? Would significant adaptations be needed to scale and replicate? Does the entity describe skills, expertise, and resources for sustainability beyond the project year? 
  • Budget and capacity building: How viable is the project based on the proposed budget? Has the applicant submitted a comprehensive budget outlining all costs associated with the project, indicating the portion covered by the stipend? (Note: Allocating 100% of the stipend to the project costs is acceptable and should be clearly documented.) How clearly does the entity outline its strengths, needs, and realistic expectations of the T/TA to strengthen the entity’s capacity to increase its impact?

We will prioritize emerging anti-trafficking entities that have been operating less than 3 years. We will also prioritize entities that demonstrate a fresh approach to anti-trafficking initiatives, including those that may have experience in other sectors but are new to the anti-trafficking field. We recognize the value of diverse expertise and the potential for innovative solutions from entities expanding their focus.

We may consider additional factors, such as the diversity of the proposed projects, when evaluating applications.

If selected, what will your entity be required to do?

Your entity will be required to attend orientation on January 15, 2025, and onboarding January–February 2025. Then, in addition to the stipend, you will receive 56 hours of one-on-one T/TA provided by a NHTTAC consultant. The consultant’s role is to act as a coach and thought partner who can provide tools and resources to support your project. You will also be required to participate in monthly group coaching sessions, referred to as peer learning communities. This community is designed to:

  • promote collaboration;
  • facilitate the exchange of expertise and lessons learned; and
  • establish or strengthen a supportive network.

Your entity is expected to commit to regularly participating in both the one-on-one coaching sessions and peer learning communities to maximize the benefits of the ATLIS Project support.

During the project period (March 1, 2025–February 28, 2026), you will be required to:

  • ensure that your project’s implementation is directly related to advancing anti-trafficking efforts as detailed in your submitted application;
  • attend all scheduled meetings, including one-on-one coaching, peer learning community meetings, and check-ins with the NHTTAC point of contact;
  • adhere to documentation submission schedules; and
  • engage fully in the project’s activities to progress toward completing milestones and deliverables. 

At the project’s completion, you must submit a final written report summarizing your activities, outcomes, and lessons learned.

NHTTAC program staff published a frequently asked questions document. Responses to frequently asked questions regarding the 2025 ATLIS Project can be found herePDF.

Twelve survivor-led initiatives were selected in 2024 after a national call for innovative ideas. The Anti-Trafficking Leadership, Innovation, and Sustainability (ATLIS) Project helped to build the capacity of survivor-led organizations, collaborations, and community groups.

The 2024 ATLIS participants included:

  • Araminta Freedom Initiative, Baltimore, MD
  • Boston HEAT (Human Exploitation and Trafficking), Boston, MA
  • Eden's Farm, Pittsburgh, PA
  • Ernestine's Daughter, Chicago, IL
  • Meet Me at the Well Foundation, Wilmington, DE
  • North Texas Human Trafficking Survivor Council, Burleson, TX
  • Project Starship, Orlando, FL
  • PurpLE Health Foundation, New York, NY
  • Rise Above Defeat, Corona, CA
  • Rising Worldwide, Santa Cruz, CA
  • Survivors for Trauma-Informed Ethical Standards in Human Trafficking Journalism, Seattle, WA
  • You Are More Than, Inc., Marlton, NJ

Qualtrics is the platform hosting the application for the ATLIS Project. Below are helpful tips to troubleshoot common issues when working in Qualtrics. 

  • Although you can work in Qualtrics, we highly recommend downloading the PDF of the application and writing out your responses outside of Qualtrics. When ready, copy and paste your answers into the Qualtrics form to submit your application.
  • If working directly in Qualtrics, you can save your responses and return to them later. Your work will be saved once you close out of the application. You can then re-access saved work using the link in the email sent to you with the subject line: “Link to your ATLIS Application.” 
  • You may share your application link with others at your organization if you want to work collaboratively, but please ensure only one person is in the application at a time. The system will not save responses that are open within the same link at the same time. To ensure your work saves, please close out of the application when you are not actively working on it.
  • After submitting your application, you will receive an email confirmation of the submission to the email address provided in the “Application Submitter” form. If you do not receive this confirmation, please check your spam or quarantine inboxes before contacting NHTTAC.