The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) seeks to reduce sexual assault and violent crime, hold violent offenders accountable, and deliver support and justice for victims resulting from significant backlogs of unsubmitted and partially tested sexual assault kits (SAKs).
Donor Name: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
State: All States
County: All Counties
U.S Territory: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/27/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
Goals and Objectives
Goal 1: Eliminate sexual assault kit and violent cold case backlogs by addressing challenges associated with the forensic laboratory testing of unsubmitted and partially tested kits, as well as evidence related to other violent cold case crimes.
- Objective 1.1: Provide jurisdictions with the financial resources to address unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs in their custody that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing with CODIS-eligible DNA methodologies.
- Objective 1.2: Provide jurisdictions with the financial resources to address the forensic testing associated with other violent cold case crimes.
- Objective 1.3: Provide jurisdictions with the financial resources to address secondary evidence and/or for the utilization of advanced DNA technologies to advance the resolution of violent cold case crimes, particularly those which are sexually motivated.
- Objective 1.4: Reduce the accumulation of unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs across the U.S. through investment of sustainable SAK processing improvements.
Goal 2: Enhance the investigation and prosecution of cold case sexual assaults and sexually motivated homicides, as well as other violent cold case crimes.
- Objective 2.1: Allocate funding for specialized personnel to staff cold case units in law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies to support violent cold case crime investigations, prosecutions, or other case resolutions.
- Objective 2.2: Support victims, including through the development of comprehensive victim engagement and notification policies centering the voices of victims and survivors and the implementation of practices that feature multi-disciplinary teams working cohesively.
- Objective 2.3: Support improvements within criminal justice agencies to ensure that SAKs are handled appropriately, submitted for testing without unnecessary delays, and that timely and appropriate follow-up is afforded to forensic investigative leads.
- Objective 2.4: Provide jurisdictions the financial resources to address the issue of Lawfully Owed DNA and implement policies and practices to halt the further accumulation of missed samples.
Goal 3: Support law enforcement-led efforts to increase community engagement and enhance accountability and transparency in violent cold case investigations, particularly those involving sexual violence.
- Objective 3.1: Promote collaboration with victim/survivor advocacy groups and/or provide funding for specific personnel to provide resources and support for survivors and their families throughout the criminal justice process.
- Objective 3.2: Establish multidisciplinary teams to review the progress of cold case investigations, ensuring adherence to best practices.
- Objective 3.3: Develop SAK and/or cold case automated tracking systems which track forensic testing processes and outcomes, investigative outcomes, CODIS hit delivery and follow up, along with the capability of providing updates to survivors, their families, and the public.
- Objective 3.4: Foster partnerships with stakeholders to develop sustainable practices and training standards to ensure the jurisdiction’s response to violent crime involves victims and responds to their needs.
Categories
- Category 1: Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits
- Award recipients under Category 1 will implement a comprehensive approach to unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs that includes all three elements of the BJA SAKI Model. Activities will be primarily related to the inventory and testing of unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs as well as the downstream activities associated with the testing of inventoried SAKs such as crime analysis, investigations, victim notification, CODIS-hit follow-up and prosecutions. Category 1 may also include activities related to the implementation of sustainable practices and improvements to a jurisdiction’s overall response to sexual assault and sexual assault victims.
- Category 2: SAKI for Small Agencies
- Award recipients under Category 2 are small agencies as defined by this NOFO that do not require extensive funding to support the three elements of the BJA SAKI Model. Award recipients will implement a sexual assault response program plan that includes all three elements of the BJA SAKI Model, with adaptations for small agency size, as needed. Activities should be primarily related to the inventory and testing of unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs as well as the downstream activities associated with the testing of inventoried SAKs such as crime analysis, investigations, victim notification, CODIS-hit follow-up and prosecutions. Category 2 recipients may also include activities related to the implementation of sustainable practices and improvements to a jurisdiction’s overall response to sexual assault and sexual assault victims.
- Category 3: Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA
- In accordance with applicable state laws, Category 3 award recipients will address the issue of Lawfully Owed DNA (LODNA) from offenders and arrestees who should have samples in CODIS but from whom samples have never been collected or submitted to a lab for testing. Activities include conducting a census, verifying eligibility, collecting samples, testing and entry of profiles to CODIS, and tracking related outcomes such as CODIS hits and investigations. Category 3 recipients may also include activities related to sustainable practices and improvements to halt the further accumulation of LODNA in the recipient’s jurisdiction.
- Category 4: Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexually Motivated Crimes
- Award recipients under Category 4 will be engaged in the advanced forensic and laborintensive investigative and prosecutorial work associated with sexually motivated crimes. Activities will be primarily related to the downstream activities resulting from the testing of large numbers of unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs or other cold case sexually motivated crimes. Downstream activities may include additional DNA analysis, crime analysis, investigations, victim notification, CODIS hit follow up and prosecutions. Category 4 recipients may also include activities related to the implementation of sustainable practices and improvements to a jurisdiction’s overall response to sexual assault and sexual assault victims.
- Category 5: Developing and Implementing a Sustainability Plan
- Award recipients under Category 5 will focus on sustainability of their efforts. Activities will be primarily related to the creation and enhancement of comprehensive policies and procedures governing the handling of SAKs and related investigations.
- Category 6: National Cold Case Initiative (NCCI)
- Award recipients under Category 6 will undertake efforts targeting violent cold case crimes that are not sexually motivated. Recipients will apply the BJA SAKI Model to support the inventory, forensic testing, victim and family advocacy, crime and behavioral analysis, investigative, and prosecutorial activities related to these other violent cold case crimes. These efforts aim to resolve more cases, apprehend offenders, and prevent further violent crime in communities in support of a comprehensive response to sexual assault.
Funding Information
- Total Amount To Be Awarded Under This Funding Opportunity: $38,459,239
- Category 1: Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits
- Anticipated Award Ceiling: up to $2,500,000
- Category 2: SAKI for Small Agencies
- Anticipated Award Ceiling: up to $1,000,000
- Category 3: Collection of Lawfully Owed DNA
- Anticipated Award Ceiling: up to $1,500,000
- Category 4: Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexually Motivated Crimes
- Anticipated Award Ceiling: up to $1,500,000
- Category 5: Developing and Implementing a Sustainability Plan
- Anticipated Award Ceiling: up to $1,000,000
- Category 6: National Cold Case Initiative
- Anticipated Award Ceiling: up to $2,500,000
- Period of Performance Duration: 36 months
Eligibility Criteria
The types of entities that are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity are listed below:
Government Entities
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Native American Tribal governments (federally recognized)
- Native American Tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
Other
- The following entities are eligible to apply for Categories 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6:
- State law enforcement agencies
- Units of local government
- Governmental nonlaw enforcement agencies acting as their fiscal agents
- Prosecutor’s offices
- The following entities are eligible to apply for Category 2:
- Small law enforcement agencies or consortia of small law enforcement agencies. For the purposes of this NOFO, “small law enforcement agencies” are defined as agencies that have fewer than 250 sworn officers.
- The following entities are eligible to apply for Categories 3, 4, and 6:
- Jurisdictions that have addressed their unsubmitted and partially tested SAKs and have clearly demonstrated they have also addressed the downstream case activities (e.g., crime analysis, investigation, victim notification, CODIS hit follow up, and prosecutions) for at least 75 percent of the associated cases under the jurisdiction’s control and/or authority.
- The following entities are eligible to apply for Category 5:
- Existing or previous SAKI grantees that have addressed their unsubmitted and partially tested kits and have clearly demonstrated they have also addressed the downstream case activities under SAKI (crime analysis/investigation/victim notification/CODIS hit follow up/prosecutions) for at least 75 percent of the associated cases under the jurisdiction’s control and/or authority.
State Government Entities: For the purposes of this NOFO, “state” means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
