BJA FY 20 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA | BJA 2020 18432

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2020 18432

The BJA FY 20 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA grant (Funding Opportunity Number BJA 2020 18432) is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), created on April 17, 2020, with an original application deadline of June 16, 2020. It is structured as a grant program intended to help jurisdictions move violent crime cold cases from the backlog into active prosecution, specifically in situations where DNA evidence has already identified a suspect profile. The program is focused on practical case advancement: turning existing DNA leads into filed cases and completed prosecutions, while reducing the number of violent cold cases that are effectively stalled while awaiting prosecutorial action.

At its core, the solicitation funds two connected goals: (1) supporting the prosecution of violent crime cold cases and (2) decreasing the number of violent crime cold cases awaiting prosecution. A key eligibility condition embedded in the program description is that DNA attributed to a suspect must already have been identified, and that suspect may be known or unknown. In other words, the program is designed for cases where DNA has produced a meaningful suspect-associated result, but additional work is needed to fully investigate, analyze evidence, and assemble a prosecutable case. The intent is to help prosecutors and their partners close the gap between identifying a suspect through DNA and successfully bringing the case forward in court.

The grant allows funding to support prosecution-focused efforts as well as associated investigative and forensic needs that directly contribute to prosecution readiness. That includes investigative activities and crime and forensic analyses that could lead to prosecuting violent crime cold cases. In practical terms, this can cover the kinds of steps often required in older cases to meet modern evidentiary standards and courtroom expectations, such as additional follow-up investigation, coordination between investigators and prosecutors, and targeted forensic work that strengthens the case narrative and supports charges. The overall emphasis is not general cold case work, but cold case prosecution work where DNA has already pointed to a suspect and the remaining barrier is the additional investigation, analysis, and preparation needed to bring the case to court.

Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with other entities as described in the solicitation's additional eligibility details. The opportunity is listed under activity categories tied to law, justice, and legal services, as well as information and statistics and related areas (CFDA 16.036). BJA anticipated making about 10 awards under this solicitation, with an award ceiling of $470,000 per award, reflecting a program scale meant to fund focused, case-driven prosecution support rather than broad, statewide system overhauls.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a tool for jurisdictions that already have DNA-identified suspect information in violent cold cases and need resources to finish the work required to prosecute. It targets the common problem where cases remain unresolved not because there is no lead, but because converting a DNA lead into a courtroom-ready prosecution often requires specialized investigative time, forensic support, and coordinated prosecution planning that many agencies cannot absorb within existing budgets.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), information and statistics, law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 20 Prosecuting Cold Cases Using DNA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.036.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 17, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 16, 2020. (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 $470,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for BJA 2020 18432

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