Alternatives to BJA FY 2026 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA

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.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is committed to advancing work that furthers the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) mission to keep our country safe and secure and uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of American citizens. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis. This NOFO, as authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, will provide funding for the creation or enhancement of state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives, including extreme risk protection order (ERPO) programs, as well as mental health courts, drug courts, and veterans treatment courts.

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the FY26 Technology and Equipment Program (TEP). This noncompetitive, invitational, funding opportunity provides funding to state, territorial, local, Tribal, and other entities designated under the heading “Community Oriented Policing Services, Technology and Equipment Community Projects / COPS Law Enforcement Technology and Equipment” in the Congressional Joint Explanatory Statement – Division C, which is incorporated by reference into Public Law 119-74, to develop and acquire effective law enforcement equipment, technologies and interoperable communications that assist in responding to and preventing crime and expand the implementation of community policing. Equipment funded under this program should meet any applicable requirements of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Office of Law Enforcement Standards.

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 OJJDP FY 2026 Multistate Mentoring Programs. This opportunity supports the implementation and delivery of mentoring services to youth populations that are at risk or high risk for delinquency, victimization, and going into the juvenile justice system. Mentoring services can be one-on-one, group, peer, or a combination of these types.

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 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 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 FY26 Students, Teachers, and Officers Prevention (STOP) School Violence Program. This opportunity supports programs to prevent and reduce school violence by implementing training, developing school threat assessment teams and/or intervention teams to identify violence risks, introducing technologies like anonymous reporting tools, or applying other school safety strategies that assist in preventing violence. The Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act) describes the following allowable uses of funding for school safety projects: • Training to prevent student violence against others and self, including training for local law enforcement officers, school personnel, and students. • The development and operation of technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems for threats of school violence, including mobile telephone applications, hotlines, and internet websites. • The development and deployment of: o School threat assessment and intervention teams that include coordination with law enforcement agencies and school personnel or o Specialized training for school officials in responding to mental health crises. BJA’s STOP School Violence Program improves school safety and security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence. Activities that go beyond the allowable uses of funding as described above will not be funded.

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 OJP FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program. This program will support state, local, Tribal, and territorial prosecuting agencies to assign or hire qualified prosecutors to serve full-time or part-time (on a case-by-case basis) as Special Attorneys under the direction of the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division, or to serve as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) within a United States Attorney’s Office. Funds under this program can also be used to hire criminal investigators, as well as analysts, forensic accountants, and other staff who help with collection or analysis of law enforcement investigative information, to provide further investigative support. These “cross-designated” prosecutors, criminal investigators, and other investigative support staff will remain employees of their home agencies but will investigate and prosecute assigned fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States (hereafter referred to as “criminal aliens”) for the duration of their appointment under this program. Cross-designated prosecutors, criminal investigators, and other investigative support staff may also be assigned cases involving drug or human trafficking committed within the United States. The National Fraud Enforcement Division, Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices will coordinate with selected prosecutor offices on a case-by-case basis to address logistics and any unique local circumstances. This grant program, authorized under Public Law 119-21, Title X, Subtitle A, Part II, Section 100055 (codified at 34 U.S.C. § 61101), is intended to improve the collection and analysis of law enforcement investigative information, strengthen investigative and prosecutorial capacity, expand intergovernmental coordination, and enhance the ability of jurisdictions to counter gang or other criminal activity, investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States, as well as investigate and prosecute drug and human trafficking crimes. The program is also intended to increase the availability of cross-designated prosecutorial personnel who can pursue these matters in coordination with federal authorities and contribute to the effective enforcement of applicable criminal laws.