BJA FY 23 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative | O BJA 2023 171565

Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2023 171565

The BJA FY 23 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) is a discretionary grant program run by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under CFDA 16.833, focused on helping jurisdictions take concrete, victim-centered steps to address sexual assault kits (SAKs) that have not moved forward in the testing and investigative process. The opportunity is framed within DOJ and OJP priorities that emphasize civil rights and racial equity, increased access to justice, stronger support for victims and people impacted by the justice system, improved community safety, and stronger trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. In practical terms, the program is designed to help agencies and multidisciplinary partners convert previously stalled sexual assault evidence into actionable investigative leads, stronger prosecutions when appropriate, and improved long-term system practices around sexual assault response.

A central purpose of SAKI is to provide resources to jurisdictions, including rural and tribal communities, to identify and address sexual assault kits in their custody that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing using CODIS-eligible DNA methodologies. The emphasis here is on kits that are sitting unsubmitted rather than kits already in a crime lab queue. SAKI funding supports the work needed to get those unsubmitted kits properly processed, tracked, and sent for testing so that DNA profiles, when developed, can be uploaded and searched through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to generate hits that may connect a suspect to a case, link multiple cases to the same perpetrator, or exclude individuals and clarify investigative direction.

Beyond testing, the program also targets the downstream work that must happen for testing to matter. It supports improvements in investigations and prosecutions connected to evidence and cases resulting from the SAK testing process, and it also allows work on other violent crime cold cases that may benefit from strengthened investigative capacity and coordination. This recognizes that testing alone does not resolve cases; agencies often need additional resources for follow-up interviews, case review, victim notification and engagement practices, detective and prosecutor time, and coordinated strategies that can move older cases forward in a way that is trauma-informed and consistent with due process.

Another priority area is helping sites collect DNA samples from qualifying individuals who, under applicable state law and based on the type and timing of the offense, should already have a DNA sample in CODIS but do not because a sample was never collected or never submitted for testing. This component aims to close gaps in required offender DNA collection and submission processes, which can directly affect CODIS effectiveness. When qualifying samples are missing, opportunities to generate investigative leads from crime scene evidence can be lost. SAKI funding can therefore support the operational work of identifying those qualifying individuals, collecting samples consistent with legal requirements, and ensuring the samples are properly submitted for analysis and entry where authorized.

Importantly, SAKI is not meant to fund routine crime lab backlogs for kits that have already been submitted to a forensic laboratory but are delayed longer than 30 days due to capacity constraints. The solicitation makes a clear distinction between unsubmitted kits (and certain other categories of untested evidence) versus laboratory capacity problems after submission. DOJ notes that a separate program exists to address lab backlogs and capacity, and it points applicants to BJA forensic science program resources for additional context.

In addition to unsubmitted SAKs, SAKI also covers partially tested SAKs (as defined by the program) and untested evidence associated with sexually motivated homicides. This broader scope reflects the reality that some kits may have undergone limited testing that did not include modern CODIS-eligible methods or did not fully develop the probative potential of the evidence. Similarly, evidence connected to sexually motivated homicides may benefit from the same structured approach to testing, investigation, and coordinated case review.

From an administrative and funding perspective, this is a grant opportunity with an award ceiling of $2,500,000, with BJA expecting to make about 33 awards. The opportunity number is O-BJA-2023-171565. The solicitation was created on February 6, 2023, with an original closing date of April 4, 2023. Eligible applicants include federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with other entities as described in the solicitation's additional eligibility information. Overall, the program is structured to help jurisdictions build or strengthen a comprehensive response that moves untested sexual assault evidence into appropriate forensic testing, turns results into investigative and prosecutorial action when warranted, improves systems and coordination, and does so in a way that aligns with DOJ commitments to equity, victim support, and public trust.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 23 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.833.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 06, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 04, 2023. (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 $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 33 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O BJA 2023 171565

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