Bureau of Justice Assistance · Department of Justice

BJA FY26 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement - Formula Grants Program

Open · Opportunity O-BJA-2026-172759 · Assistance Listing 16.742

Deadline: Due Oct 30, 2026 · 24 days left
Award size: Up to $23.8M
Cost share / match ?: Not required
Who can apply: State 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 24 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: 7

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

About this grant

Under the Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvements Grant Program, state administering agencies (SAAs) may be eligible and apply for both formula and competitive funds. This NOFO is ONLY for formula funds. An applicant seeking to apply for Coverdell competitive funds (consistent with 34 U.S.C. § 10563(a)(2)) that are available to eligible states and units of local government would need to apply separately under BJA’s FY 2026 Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement—Competitive Grants Program NOFO.

Who in Tennessee has won this program

7 awards to Tennessee recipients in 2 counties since federal FY2023. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee recipients
Recipient	Where	Amount	FY
Finance And Administration, Tennessee Department Of	Nashville, Davidson County	$452K	2024
Finance And Administration, Tennessee Department Of	Nashville, Davidson County	$432K	2025
Rutherford, County Of	Murfreesboro, Rutherford County	$428K	2026
Finance And Administration, Tennessee Department Of	Nashville, Davidson County	$426K	2023
Finance And Administration, Tennessee Department Of	Nashville, Davidson County	$347K	2021
Nashville & Davidson County, Metropolitan Government Of	Nashville, Davidson County	$250K	2022
Rutherford, County Of	Murfreesboro, Rutherford County	$152K	2021

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

About the program (16.742)

Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program — Coverdell Program

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