FY 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program—Local Formula
🏛 Bureau of Justice Assistance (USDOJ-OJP-BJA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 18, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for units of local government that qualify under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant formula allocation system. Check the FY26 JAG allocations list to confirm your jurisdiction is eligible for direct BJA funding before applying. Eligible applicants can use funds to support criminal justice or civil proceedings through hiring personnel, purchasing equipment and supplies, paying for contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems development. The grant supports any of eleven designated program areas focused on law enforcement, violent crime reduction, and public safety.
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Program description
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 is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program—Local Formula. This opportunity will provide formula funding to eligible units of local government to, in general, support hiring additional personnel and/or purchase equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings, including for any one or more of the eleven program areas. Applicants should check the FY26 JAG allocations to determine if they are eligible to receive direct JAG funding from BJA prior to starting an application: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/jag/allocations.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Verification of eligibility via FY26 JAG allocations list
- Project narrative describing planned criminal justice activities
- Detailed budget and budget narrative justification
- Organizational capacity documentation
- Strategic plan or needs assessment supporting the project
- Signed assurances and certifications (e.g., civil rights compliance)
Program contact
- 👤 Bureau of Justice Assistance
- 📧 OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
- 📞 202-514-9354
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.738 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$75,000,000
-
$75,000,000
-
$25,714,428
-
$21,274,503
-
$21,246,509
-
$19,663,951
-
$19,447,453
-
$18,234,257
-
$16,883,486
-
$16,611,430
Top States by Funding
- TX 8 awards $119.1M
- IL 7 awards $112.3M
- CA 6 awards $112.1M
- FL 7 awards $93.5M
- WI 1 awards $75.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.738). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $340,242,373 | |
| 2025 | $297,894,408 |
FAQ
Who can apply for JAG funding?
Units of local government that appear on the BJA FY26 JAG allocations list are eligible. Check the official list at bja.ojp.gov/program/jag/allocations before applying.
What can I use JAG funds for?
Funds support hiring personnel, purchasing equipment and supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings across eleven program areas.
What is the application deadline?
The fixed deadline is October 9, 2026. Applications submitted after this date will not be reviewed.
Are there restrictions on how much we can request?
No specific award range is published. Funding depends on your formula allocation. Review your jurisdiction's specific allocation amount from the BJA allocations list.
Can we apply if we didn't receive JAG funding in the past?
No. Only units listed on the current FY26 JAG allocations are eligible. New applications from unlisted jurisdictions cannot be considered for this formula program.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Verify your jurisdiction's eligibility and allocation amount on the FY26 JAG allocations list before investing time in the application.
- Clearly align your project narrative with at least one of the eleven program areas and explain how your activities support criminal justice or public safety goals.
- Include realistic, detailed budget justifications for personnel costs, equipment, and any contractual services. Reviewers scrutinize how funds will reduce crime or improve public safety.
- Document your jurisdiction's criminal justice needs and capacity gaps that JAG funds will address. Use local crime data and community input where possible.
- Submit well before the deadline and ensure all required documents are complete; late or incomplete applications are typically ineligible for BJA funding.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when jurisdictions apply without confirming eligibility on the JAG allocations list first. Applicants lose points by proposing activities outside the eleven program areas or failing to connect projects to measurable public safety outcomes. Weak budget narratives that lack justification for personnel or equipment purchases, or that exceed the jurisdiction's formula allocation, commonly result in rejection or reduced awards.
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