Strengthening the Medical Examiner - Coroner System

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance funds forensic pathology fellowships and medical examiner-coroner office accreditation initiatives under CFDA 16.037, with the FY25 opportunity (O-BJA-2025-172448) due October 6, 2025. The program strengthens the Medical Examiner-Coroner system by increasing the supply of board-certified forensic pathologists and enhancing the quality of medicolegal death investigations nationwide, addressing capacity constraints from autopsy caps, opioid-related fatality spikes, and COVID pandemic impacts.

Awards have remained steady and recent. The program issued 13 grants in 2025 and 17 in 2024, following a slower 2022 (1 award) and 2021 (4 awards) after a robust 2020 launch (10 awards). Most recent awards closed on October 1, 2025. Combined federal dollars obligated across 45 awards total $7.3 million, with BJA as the sole funder.

The funded activities split into two purpose areas. Purpose Area 1 supports forensic pathology fellowships at institutions with ACGME-accredited programs to train fellows to board-eligible status, addressing the nationwide shortage where roughly 750 board-certified forensic pathologists exist when approximately 1,500 are needed. Recent fellowship awards include Connecticut's training of two fellows ($300,000), Virginia's one-fellow program ($149,999), Arkansas's establishment of a new ACGME-accredited fellowship in partnership with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences ($150,000), and Maricopa County's support for at least one fellow annually in an office handling over 7,800 death investigations yearly ($150,000). Purpose Area 2 funds resources for ME/C offices to achieve or maintain accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) or the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME), including equipment purchases, policy development, staff training, facility improvements, and accreditation fees. Recent Purpose Area 2 awards include New Hampshire's acquisition of updated autopsy imagery technology to reduce turnaround times in opioid-death investigations ($100,000), Butler County's equipment purchase for a new coroner facility ($40,000), and New Mexico's engagement of locum tenens forensic pathologists to reduce workload and maintain NAME compliance ($100,000).

The portfolio consists predominantly of Project Grants (84%, 38 awards) with a smaller share of Block Grants (16%, 7 awards). Award sizes in recent cycles typically range from $26,460 to $150,000, though two outlier cases exist: Prince George's County's unidentified-remains investigation project ($500,000 in 2024) and Wisconsin's unidentified-remains DNA analysis work ($846,460 in 2024). Standard 36-month award periods run through September 30, 2027 or 2028, with no-cost extension available where criteria are met.

The FY25 NOFO accepts applications from state governments, county governments, city and township governments, tribal governments (federally and non-federally recognized), special district governments, higher education institutions (public and private), 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and other entities. The program requires submission via JustGrants; award decisions are made by the Assistant Attorney General, with authorized representatives having 45 days to accept or decline notification.