FY 2026 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program
🏛 Bureau of Justice Assistance (USDOJ-OJP-BJA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 7, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for wrongful conviction review entities and criminal justice partners working to identify and manage post-conviction innocence claims.
Eligible applicants include local government units (towns, boroughs, parishes, villages), counties, and states with in-house post-conviction representation programs. Applicants must demonstrate experience and competence in litigating post-conviction claims of innocence.
The program supports activities that enhance wrongful conviction review capacity, strengthen assessment procedures, and identify actual perpetrators. Funded projects also aim to prevent future errors and deliver justice to victims.
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Program description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Upholding the Rule of Law and Preventing Wrongful Convictions Program. This opportunity strengthens the capacity of wrongful conviction review (WCR) entities and their criminal justice and victims’ services partners to more effectively and efficiently identify, assess, and manage post-conviction claims of innocence. Additionally, it aims to enhance public safety by preventing future errors, identifying actual perpetrators of crimes, and delivering justice to victims.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Background/Capability statement
- Letters of Support from criminal justice and victims' services partners
Program contact
- 👤 Bureau of Justice Assistance
- 📧 OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
- 📞 202-514-9354
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.746 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$2,552,675
-
$2,552,675
-
$2,450,000
-
$1,900,000
-
$1,624,363
-
$1,396,971
-
$600,000
-
$600,000
-
$600,000
-
$600,000
Top States by Funding
- PA 6 awards $7.0M
- DC 4 awards $6.1M
- CA 6 awards $3.1M
- MI 4 awards $2.1M
- TX 4 awards $2.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.746). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $7,680,458 | |
| 2025 | $2,627,073 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Local government units, counties, and states with established post-conviction representation programs. Your organization must demonstrate experience litigating post-conviction innocence claims.
What activities does this grant fund?
Strengthening wrongful conviction review capacity, assessing post-conviction claims, identifying perpetrators, preventing future errors, and supporting victims' services.
What is the funding amount?
Awards reach up to $600,000, though the exact amount varies by project scope and quality.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is November 2, 2026. This is a fixed deadline with no rolling applications.
What makes applications competitive?
Strong proposals show clear wrongful conviction expertise, partnerships with criminal justice agencies, realistic timelines, and measurable outcomes for innocence assessments.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Partner with experienced criminal justice and victims' services organizations. Collaboration strengthens your application and project outcomes.
- Clearly document your organization's track record with post-conviction claims. Provide specific cases or statistics showing competence in innocence work.
- Design metrics to track claim assessments and case outcomes. Reviewers want to see how you'll measure effectiveness and prevent future errors.
- Build in sustainability planning beyond the grant period. Show how your wrongful conviction capacity will continue after funding ends.
- Address how your work benefits victims and prevents future wrongful convictions. Reviewers prioritize projects that improve overall criminal justice accuracy.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to demonstrate prior experience with post-conviction innocence claims or litigating such cases. Proposing ambitious scope without adequate staff, partnerships, or budget justification. Neglecting to address victim services or how the project prevents future wrongful convictions.
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