Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2026 172640
The BJA FY 2026 Invited to Apply - Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants, also referred to as the Byrne Discretionary Grants Program, is a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) notice of funding opportunity issued under the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The overall purpose is to fund public safety and justice-related projects that align with DOJ and OJP priorities, including strengthening law enforcement and public safety capacity, addressing violent crime, supporting efforts connected to juvenile delinquency prevention, and improving services and system responses for crime victims. In practical terms, this program is meant to help communities and justice agencies carry out targeted improvements to how the criminal justice system functions, while also supporting initiatives that prevent crime and protect vulnerable populations.
This specific FY 2026 opportunity is an earmark-style program tied directly to the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-74, Division A, Title II). Funding is designated for specific projects identified by Congress and incorporated by reference through the Congressional Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations. The explanatory statement includes a table labeled "Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending" that lists the approved Byrne community projects and their specified funding amounts. The NOFO highlights that approximately $537,978,926 is set aside for these discretionary grants and that these funds are restricted to the designated purposes and cannot be transferred for other uses.
Eligibility is limited and invitation-based. BJA has already sent invitations to apply, and only the entities explicitly named as recipients in the Joint Explanatory Statement for FY 2026 DOJ appropriations are eligible to submit an application under this BJA-administered Byrne NOFO. A key compliance detail is that the applicant's legal name (or officially registered "doing business as" name) tied to its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the System for Award Management (SAM) must match the recipient name listed in the Joint Explanatory Statement. If an organization is unsure whether it is eligible, the NOFO directs prospective applicants to contact the agency before beginning or submitting an application, because the program is not open competition and is restricted to the congressional designees.
Program administration is also clearly divided within OJP. This NOFO covers only the OJP-Byrne projects administered by BJA. Separate funding opportunities and invitation processes will be issued for designated projects administered by other OJP components, including the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). That separation matters because applicants must respond to the correct administering office based on how their congressionally directed project is assigned.
From the published opportunity details, this is a grant funding instrument in the Law, Justice, and Legal Services category, with CFDA number 16.753. The opportunity is labeled as an earmark opportunity and indicates an expected 478 awards, with an award ceiling of up to $8,000,000 (noting that individual awards are ultimately governed by the amounts specified for each designated project in the congressional tables). The funding opportunity number is O-BJA-2026-172640. The posting reflects a creation date of June 17, 2026, and an original application closing date of July 29, 2026. Applicants should use the FY 2026 appropriations listing referenced in the NOFO to locate the designated project list and confirm that their entity, project title, and intended activities align with what Congress approved, since the program is structured to fund those specific projects rather than to solicit new proposals outside the designated scope.Apply for O BJA 2026 172640
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 2026 Invited to Apply -Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.753.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-17.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-29. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $8,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 478 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FAQs: BJA FY 2026 Invited to Apply - Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants
What is the BJA FY 2026 Invited to Apply - Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants opportunity?
This is a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) under the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP). It is also referred to as the Byrne Discretionary Grants Program and is intended to fund public safety and justice-related projects that align with DOJ and OJP priorities.
What is the overall purpose of this program?
The program is designed to fund projects that strengthen law enforcement and public safety capacity, address violent crime, support efforts connected to juvenile delinquency prevention, and improve services and system responses for crime victims. In practical terms, it supports targeted improvements to how the criminal justice system functions, while also supporting initiatives that prevent crime and protect vulnerable populations.
Is this an open competitive grant program?
No. This FY 2026 opportunity is invitation-based and tied to congressional designations. Only entities that have been identified by Congress in the relevant FY 2026 DOJ appropriations materials and that have been invited by BJA may apply.
What makes this an "earmark-style" or congressionally directed funding opportunity?
Funding is designated for specific projects identified by Congress and incorporated by reference through the Congressional Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations. The Joint Explanatory Statement includes a "Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending" table listing approved Byrne community projects and their specified funding amounts.
What law and appropriations source is this program tied to?
This opportunity is tied directly to the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2026 (Public Law 119-74, Division A, Title II).
How much total funding is set aside for these discretionary grants?
The NOFO indicates that approximately $537,978,926 is set aside for these discretionary grants.
Can funds be transferred to other uses or repurposed for different projects?
No. The NOFO states that the funds are restricted to the designated purposes and cannot be transferred for other uses.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to the entities explicitly named as recipients in the Joint Explanatory Statement for FY 2026 DOJ appropriations. BJA has already sent invitations to apply, and only those named recipients are eligible to submit an application under this BJA-administered Byrne NOFO.
Do applicants need to have received an invitation from BJA to apply?
Yes. This is an invited-to-apply opportunity, and only invited entities that are named congressional recipients for FY 2026 are eligible to submit an application.
What is the key naming and registration compliance requirement for eligibility?
The applicant's legal name (or officially registered "doing business as" name) tied to its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the System for Award Management (SAM) must match the recipient name listed in the Joint Explanatory Statement.
What should an organization do if it is unsure whether it is eligible?
The NOFO directs prospective applicants to contact the agency before beginning or submitting an application, because the program is not open competition and is restricted to the congressional designees.
Does this NOFO cover all congressionally directed justice projects within OJP?
No. This NOFO covers only the OJP-Byrne projects administered by BJA. Designated projects administered by other OJP components are handled through separate funding opportunities and invitation processes.
Which other OJP components may administer separate designated project opportunities?
The NOFO notes that separate funding opportunities and invitation processes will be issued for designated projects administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).
Why does it matter which OJP component administers the project?
Applicants must respond to the correct administering office based on how their congressionally directed project is assigned. This NOFO is specifically for BJA-administered Byrne projects, not projects assigned to NIJ, OJJDP, or OVC.
What category and CFDA number are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed in the Law, Justice, and Legal Services category, with CFDA number 16.753.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is O-BJA-2026-172640.
How many awards are expected?
The published opportunity details indicate an expected 478 awards.
What is the maximum possible award amount?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of up to $8,000,000. However, individual award amounts are ultimately governed by the amounts specified for each designated project in the congressional tables.
How do applicants confirm the correct project and funding amount?
Applicants should use the FY 2026 appropriations listing referenced in the NOFO to locate the designated project list and confirm that their entity, project title, and intended activities align with what Congress approved, including the specified funding amount.
Can applicants propose a new project that is not listed in the congressional tables?
No. The program is structured to fund the specific projects designated by Congress, rather than to solicit new proposals outside the designated scope.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posting reflects a creation date of June 17, 2026.
What is the application closing date?
The original application closing date shown is July 29, 2026.
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