BJA FY 2026 John R. Justice (JRJ) Formula Grant Program

Under the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvements Grant Program, state administering agencies (SAAs) may be eligible and apply for both formula and competitive funds. This NOFO is ONLY for formula funds. An applicant seeking to apply for Coverdell competitive funds (consistent with 34 U.S.C. § 10563(a)(2)) that are available to eligible states and units of local government would need to apply separately under BJA’s FY 2026 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement—Competitive Grants Program NOFO.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) — Competitive Grants Program. This opportunity will increase capacity of states and units of local government with existing crime laboratories to process DNA samples for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). The purpose of the CEBR Competitive Program is to maximize the effective utilization of DNA technology to strengthen evidence-based criminal justice responses. The priorities of the CEBR Competitive Program are (1) to use DNA technology to increase the capacity and/or efficiency of publicly funded forensic DNA laboratories to conduct analysis of DNA samples for entry into CODIS and (2) implementing Rapid DNA in the booking station(s) in eligible jurisdictions. The program is designed to fairly and efficiently prioritize jurisdictions facing operational challenges by considering key performance measures reported by publicly funded forensic DNA laboratories. This program is for Competitive funding only. The BJA FY 2026 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) — Formula Grants Program for formula funding will post at a later date. Eligible agencies may apply for both Competitive and Formula CEBR Funding.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY2026 Veterans Treatment Court Program. This opportunity supports the implementation and enhancement of veterans’ treatment court (VTC) operations to reduce the use of opioids, stimulants, and other substances, including alcohol, by high-risk/high-need veterans in the criminal justice system. VTCs effectively integrate substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health disorder (MHD) treatment, mandatory drug testing, incentives and sanctions, and transitional services in judicially supervised court settings that have jurisdiction over veterans in the criminal justice system who have SUD and/or co-occurring mental health disorders (MHSUD), including those with a history of violence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY2026 Adult Treatment Court Program. This opportunity supports the implementation and enhancement of Adult Treatment Court (ATC) operations to prevent overdoses and reduce the use of opioids, stimulants, and other substances by high-risk/high-need adults in the criminal justice system. Adult Treatment Courts (ATCs) combine judicial supervision, substance use disorder treatment, mandatory and random drug testing, case management, sanctions and incentives, and recovery support services to improve participant outcomes and public safety.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative. This opportunity supports local law enforcement in rural jurisdictions to prevent, respond to, and reduce violent crime. The goal is to equip rural law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices with the resources necessary to implement a violent crime reduction strategy to solve a specific violent crime challenge utilizing one or more of the following approaches: • Personnel, Tactics, Training, and Equipment to Reduce Violent Crime. This includes updated technology and tools, including records management systems, vehicles, vests, and firearms that assist agencies in responding to and preventing violent crime. This also includes hiring additional personnel such as a prosecutor or criminologist to strategically address persistent crimes, early case management, and increased police training. • Technological Enhancements to Reduce Violent Crime. Technology takes the form of hardware, software, communications systems, intelligence centers, and equipment. Technology systems can create the infrastructure for actionable intelligence, enhance officer safety, support efficient operations, shorten case filing timelines, and manage risk. • Data Analytics and Intelligence. Enhance crime analysis capabilities through personnel, training, and software enhancements to identify crime hotspots, predict high-risk times and locations, and allocate resources more effectively to prevent violent incidents before they occur. • Other approaches that align with the Department’s priorities and provide a significant reduction in violent crime rates.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR)—Formula Grants Program. This opportunity will support states and units of local government with existing crime laboratories that conduct DNA analysis to process, and/or to increase the capacity to process, more DNA samples for entry into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), thereby helping to reduce the number of forensic DNA and DNA database samples awaiting analysis and/or to prevent a backlog of forensic and database DNA samples.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY26 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement—Competitive Grants Program. This opportunity funds improvements to forensic science and medical examiner/coroner services, including services provided by laboratories operated by states and units of local government.

This initiative seeks to protect American citizens from being victimized, harmed, or killed by criminal illegal aliens, and ensure that no additional families endure the trauma and life altering devastation experienced by our Angel Families. This funding opportunity will support state, local, and tribal government’s activities to identify, disrupt, and prevent violent crime committed by criminal illegal aliens and enhance public safety through coordinated, intelligence-led law enforcement operations. Awards from this program should be used to support significant participation in and support of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ efforts to combat gangs, cartels, and other violent crime. Within the context described above, examples of permissible activities include but are not limited to the following: • Sworn and Non-Sworn Law Enforcement Personnel—Funding can be used to hire or rehire full-time sworn career law enforcement officers/deputies and civilian/non-sworn personnel as outlined below: o Hire new full-time officers/deputies and full-time civilian/non-sworn personnel, including by filling existing officer/deputy vacancies that are no longer funded in your agency’s budget. o Rehire full-time officers/deputies and full-time civilian/non-sworn personnel who have been laid off by any jurisdiction as a result of state, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) budget reductions. o Rehire full-time officers/deputies and full-time civilian/non-sworn personnel who are (at the time of application) currently scheduled to be laid off by your jurisdiction on a specific future date as a result of state, local, or BIA budget reductions. • Non-Law Enforcement Personnel—Funding can be used for the hiring, retention, and training of critical personnel for the purposes cited above. Examples of personnel could include but need not be limited to the following: forensic, investigative, analytical; prosecution and legal support. Funding may not be used for co-responders, interpreters, or translators. Funding will support salaries for up to three years of eligible positions to be expended within a five-year period of performance to accommodate time needed for recruitment and hiring. • Technology and Equipment—Funding can be used to purchase and support multi-year implementation, ongoing subscriptions, training, and maintenance of equipment and advanced technology to address critical resource gaps and enhance capacity to support criminal justice operations related to the purposes cited above. Examples of technology and equipment could include but need not be limited to the following o Surveillance, Intelligence, and Investigative Technology o Forensic and Analytical Equipment o Officer Safety and Tactical Equipment

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 National Center for Veterans Justice. This opportunity will establish a national center to provide specialized support to state, local, and tribal criminal justice agencies; treatment and service providers; courts; corrections systems; and community supervision agencies to effectively support and respond to the needs of veterans across the justice system, improve outcomes, and strengthen public safety. The Center will serve as a one stop shop to address critical gaps in veteran identification, cross-system coordination, and implementation of evidence-based interventions by providing criminal justice professionals with specialized tools, training, and technical assistance on military culture, combat trauma, military sexual trauma (MST), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and other veteran-specific considerations. Providing resources and specialized technical assistance through a centralized location and entity is essential to effectively supporting veterans whose needs require coordination across multiple systems, including criminal justice, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), behavioral health, and social service systems that operate under distinct legal frameworks and institutional priorities.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the Comprehensive Opioid Stimulant and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA). This opportunity will provide training and technical assistance to BJA COSSUP grantees to address technical operational challenges to improve responses to overdose deaths, illicit opioids, stimulants, and other substances.