Bureau of Justice Assistance · Department of Justice

BJA FY 2026 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA

Open · Opportunity O-BJA-2026-172708 · Assistance Listing 16.036

Deadline: Due Oct 29, 2026 · 23 days left
Award size: Up to $750K
Cost share / match ?: Not required
Who can apply: City or town government, Special district (utility, fire, etc.), Other (see eligibility), Tribal government, Tribal organization, State government, County government
Where: Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee

Before you apply: federal grants require an active SAM.gov registration (Unique Entity ID) and a Grants.gov account. The deadline is in 23 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Grant-ready checklist

How this fits you

Available in Tennessee (nationwide program)
No cost share required
Tennessee recipients since 2023: 3

Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.

About this grant

This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA (COLD) Program. This opportunity supports prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of violent cold case crimes where a DNA profile from a suspect is already developed. This initiative aims to enhance public safety, hold violent offenders accountable, and further case resolution for victims and their families. Law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies may utilize this funding for investigative and prosecutorial activities, as well as crime and forensic analysis that could increase the rate of successful prosecutions and/or other appropriate resolution of cases.

Eligibility (from the notice)

For the purposes of this NOFO, eligible applicants are state and local prosecuting agencies or law enforcement agencies with an engaged prosecutorial entity. For the purposes of this NOFO, “other units of local government” include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

3 awards to Tennessee recipients in 1 county since federal FY2023. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
Recipient	Where	Amount	FY
Tennessee Bureau Of Investigation	Nashville, Davidson County	$2M	2025
Tennessee Bureau Of Investigation	Nashville, Davidson County	$470K	2021
Nashville & Davidson County, Metropolitan Government Of	Nashville, Davidson County	$244K	2025

Source: USAspending.gov. Past awards show who this program funds; they don't guarantee future awards.

About the program (16.036)

Comprehensive Forensic DNA Analysis Grant Program — Cold Cases

How applications are judged

Criteria for selecting proposals is determined as part of the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Examples of funded projects

Not Applicable.

Program listing on SAM.gov

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Key facts