BJA FY 2026 Capital Case Litigation Initiative: Improving the Quality of Legal Representation in State Capital Cases
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- O-BJA-2026-172715
- Agency
-
Bureau of Justice Assistance
Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice
- Applications due
- Award size
- Up to $450,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
-
- Law, Justice and Legal Services
- Eligible applicants
-
- Other
- Points of contact
-
- OJP Response Center ojp.responsecenter@usdoj.gov (800) 851-3420
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications to enhance prosecutors' effectiveness in state capital cases and improve legal representation quality for defense attorneys representing indigent defendants in capital cases, with applications due October 29, 2026. Eligible applicants are state government entities in states that authorize capital punishment and conduct or will conduct prosecutions in which capital punishment is sought. States must allocate funding equally between capital prosecution and capital representation activities.
Approximately $3.7 million will be distributed across 8 anticipated awards of up to $450,000 each over a 36-month period beginning January 1, 2027. No cost share is required. Applications require a 10-page proposal narrative addressing description of need, project goals and objectives, project design and implementation, and capabilities and competencies, together with a detailed budget demonstrating equal allocation between capital prosecution and capital representation, memoranda of understanding with project partners, and a State Certification of Capital Punishment Authorization. Applicants must initiate SAM.gov registration by September 21, 2026, and complete it by September 30, 2026. Two-step submission is required: SF-424 form in Grants.gov by October 29, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET, and complete application in JustGrants by November 5, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. ET. Only one application per applicant is permitted.
Evaluation weighting is project design and implementation (35%), capabilities and competencies (30%), project goals and objectives (15%), budget (15%), and description of need (5%). Unallowable uses include funding representation in specific capital cases, activities violating federal immigration law or civil rights law, and legal services to removable aliens. Award recipients must submit annual reports detailing capital prosecution qualifications and assessments and capital representation appointment, training, and monitoring of qualified counsel for indigent defendants. The program operates under CFDA 16.746.
Synopsis
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Capital Case Litigation Initiative: Improving the Quality of Legal Representation in State Capital Cases. This opportunity will enhance the ability of prosecutors to effectively represent the public in state capital cases and to improve the quality of legal representation for defense attorneys who represent indigent defendants in state capital cases. States must allocate funding equally among capital prosecution and capital representation.
Eligibility
For purposes of this NOFO, "State government entities" means any state agency in states that authorize capital punishment and that conduct or will conduct prosecutions in which capital punishment is sought.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| PKG00294171.pdf |
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