About Coalition Funding

Founded in 2017, the Cold Case Coalition is a nonprofit that collaborates with both families and law enforcement across the country to resolve unsolved murders and missing persons cases. Through initiatives like Utah’s “Rosie’s Law,” the launch of the nation’s first nonprofit forensic DNA lab accredited in whole genome sequencing, and ongoing support from hundreds of volunteers, the Coalition continues to reopen cases, secure convictions, and fund advanced forensic testing to bring long-overdue answers to families.

CCC’s mission has always been to help families and law enforcement find resolutions to cold cases. Too many families and communities need answers.

Law enforcement agencies, innocence-based nonprofits with satisfactory credentials, Medical Examiner's Offices, DA Offices.

CCC decision makers will periodically review pending applications and decide what funds should be allocated, if any. The amount of funding will depend on the number of applications, availability of funding, whether the applicant has previously received funds, and other considerations. Because CCC is operated primarily by volunteers, meetings typically occur monthly but decisions might take longer. No funding is guaranteed for any application or applicant.

Funds can be used for Whole Genome Sequencing (including serology, extraction and bioinformatics), database uploads, and reference testing. For WGS and reference testing, funds will typically be paid directly to the laboratory via invoice. For database uploads, funds shall be paid directly to the uploader upon confirmation that the upload has occurred. Prior to payment, the applicant must verify that the expense has not been paid by other funds.

Yes, in rare instances. (CCC defines a “hot” case as less than 1 year old.) Urgent requests should be prominently noted in the application. We also suggest separate emails to info@coldcasehelp.com (opens in a new tab)

CCC will only consider requests from applicants who presently are authorized to arrange DNA testing on a case. CCC might consider conditional funding on cases of historical significance where a commitment for funding might be determinative of whether a project is undertaken.

Funding for targeted sequencing will be considered only in very rare circumstances, and only after Whole Genome Sequencing has been attempted. Funding might be considered for mitochondrial, YSTR, and microarray testing on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, CCC will take bids and arrange with the laboratory for services covered under CCC Funding.

• The lab must use Whole Genome Sequencing to generate profiles. IMF believes that Whole Genome Sequencing offers reliability and compatibility advantages over other forms of testing.
• For crime scene DNA cases only, the lab must be accredited.
• The lab must agree to share its FASTQ (raw file) or equivalent WGS raw sequencing data file with other accredited laboratories upon request of the applicant. If an alternative file is provided, it will be subject to CCC approval. This expectation is common in the industry and enables second looks using varying bioinformatic and analytical methods.

Yes. When applying for funds, applicants must certify that they will not upload, or allow to be uploaded, the profile to a private database that is not accessible by other FIGG genealogists to MyHeritage.com, 23andMe, Ancestry.com OR to any other database for which the upload would be a violation of Terms of Service. Any certification deemed by CCC to have been false or violated will disqualify the applicant, the uploading entity/person, and the agency (if any) from any future funding consideration.

No. Justice includes answers for families and communities in all UHR cases.

We welcome support of the public to aid in this work. Your tax deductible donation will go to a pool that will directly impact these cases. Visit our Donate (opens in a new tab) page to contribute.