ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS · GRANT
BJA FY26 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR)—Competitive Grants Program
Bureau of Justice Assistance · Law, Justice and Legal Services
- Deadline
- Nov 3, 2026 (10 days left)
- Who can apply
- Others
- Award range
- $0 to $4.9 million
- Expected awards
- Not stated
- Total program funding
- Not stated
- Your own money required
- No cost sharing or matching required
- Opportunity number
- O-BJA-2026-172680
- Posted
- Sep 23, 2026
- Assistance listing
- 16.036
More on who can apply
Other units of local government: For the purposes of this notice of funding opportunity, other units of local government include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state.
What it funds
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.
Open the official notice on Grants.gov ↗What to do next
- Open the official notice on Grants.gov and download the full announcement (the NOFO) and any attachments.
- Check you can apply: the eligible applicants above, and any detail in the notice's eligibility section.
- Register your organization in SAM.gov (choose "all awards") and create a Grants.gov account; allow several weeks the first time.
- Apply through Grants.gov exactly as the notice says, before Nov 3, 2026. Late applications are usually not accepted.
New to this? Applying for a federal grant, step by step · Register to apply · How to read the notice · Write the narrative · Build the budget · Agency contact: OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
From Grants.gov's official daily extract of Oct 25, 2026. The notice on Grants.gov and its attachments are what count. UX Contract is independent and not a government website.