FY 2026 Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Strengthening State and Local Operations to Reduce Crime and Recidivism
🏛 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 state, local, and tribal government entities seeking to reduce waste and inefficiency in justice system operations. Eligible applicants include state agencies, counties, municipalities, towns, villages, and tribal governments. The grant supports projects addressing law enforcement, prosecution, sentencing, corrections, probation, and parole challenges. Activities must focus on redirecting resources to evidence-based strategies that reduce crime and recidivism.
Applicants must use existing data to identify specific justice system challenges. Projects should propose concrete strategies for resource reallocation. Successful applications will demonstrate how changes reduce wasteful spending while improving public safety outcomes.
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Program description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Strengthening State and Local Operations to Reduce Crime and Recidivism. This opportunity will support state, local, and tribal government efforts to reduce wasteful spending and inefficient uses of funds across justice system operations and redirect that funding to target crime and other public safety and/or justice system challenges. Applicants should propose projects that address one or more urgent local justice system challenge. Applicants should use existing data and information to identify the specific challenges they will focus on and how they will refocus resources on the strategies and populations most likely to reduce crime. Jurisdictions may consider addressing challenges across the judicial system, including those related to law enforcement, prosecution, sentencing, jails and prisons, probation, and parole.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative/Statement of Need
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Management Plan
- Evaluation Plan
- Letters of Support from Justice System Partners
- Data Analysis or Criminology Assessment
Program contact
- 👤 Bureau of Justice Assistance
- 📧 OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
- 📞 202-514-9354
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.827 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$15,600,000
-
$12,450,000
-
$12,047,620
-
$11,000,000
-
$10,450,000
-
$8,699,808
-
$7,500,000
-
$7,500,000
-
$4,500,000
-
$4,414,700
Top States by Funding
- KY 7 awards $65.1M
- MA 6 awards $33.1M
- VA 4 awards $8.0M
- MD 3 awards $7.0M
- NE 6 awards $4.3M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.827). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $10,094,078 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
State agencies, local governments, counties, municipalities, and tribal nations can apply. Special districts and other units of local government are also eligible.
What justice system areas can I address?
You can focus on law enforcement, prosecution, sentencing, corrections, probation, parole, and jails. Projects addressing multiple areas are welcome.
What should my application include?
Use existing data to identify your justice system challenge. Explain how you'll redirect resources and which strategies will reduce crime and recidivism.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant. All eligible project costs can be federally funded.
When is the deadline?
The application deadline is November 20, 2026. Check the official BJA website for submission instructions.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Use local data to justify why your challenge is urgent. Show crime rates, spending patterns, and outcomes from your jurisdiction.
- Focus on evidence-based strategies. Cite research demonstrating that your proposed approaches reduce crime and recidivism effectively.
- Explain resource redirection clearly. Show specifically how you'll shift money from inefficient programs to high-impact solutions.
- Involve justice system partners early. Include law enforcement, courts, corrections, and community stakeholders in planning.
- Address implementation barriers upfront. Discuss staffing, budget coordination, and timeline for rolling out your changes.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to use data to justify your identified challenge. Applications need local crime statistics, system spending analysis, and outcomes to demonstrate urgency.
Proposing vague resource reallocation without concrete numbers. Specify exactly which programs lose funding and which gain it, with estimated dollar amounts.
Ignoring evidence-based practice standards. Reviewers expect projects built on proven strategies, not untested approaches.
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