Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 16.044
- Agency
-
Bureau of Justice Assistance
Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice
- Grant awards
- 41 $27,956,905 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Forensics TTA
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Treasury account
-
- 15-0404-0-1-754
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance funds forensic science research, technology evaluation, training, and technical assistance under the Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program (CFDA 16.044), with the most recent grant awards made on January 1, 2025.
The program operates through a Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) that strengthens forensic science quality and practice by supporting research and development, testing and evaluation, technology adoption, and transition activities across all forensic disciplines. Recent awards fund applied research in forensic biology (DNA quantification using droplet digital PCR, age estimation from hair DNA, hand microbiome profiling for investigative leads), forensic anthropology (saw mark analysis reliability, blunt-force skeletal trauma, age estimation using dental cementum and AI), toxicology (methamphetamine enantiomer analysis, cocaine hair testing protocols, cannabis breathalyzer development), trace evidence (glass and tape analysis using modern micro-X-ray fluorescence), fire debris analysis, gunshot residue recovery and interpretation, fingerprint conclusion scales calibration, and species identification from processed fur using proteomics. The program also funds medical examiner and coroner office accreditation efforts, forensic pathology fellowship training, unidentified human remains case resolution, and missing persons investigations.
Awards are predominantly Project Grants (95 percent of 41 total awards) with a smaller share of Cooperative Agreements (5 percent). The National Institute of Justice leads funding by award count with 22 awards totaling $16.6 million in federal dollars obligated, while the Bureau of Justice Assistance accounts for 19 awards totaling $11.4 million, covering $28 million in combined federal obligations. Recent award magnitudes range from $70,727 to $1.565 million, with several awards in the $400–$800 thousand range. Representative recent awards include $823,669 for optimizing bone sample collection procedures to improve forensic biomolecule recovery (awarded January 2025), $1.565 million for methamphetamine enantiomer analysis and pharmacokinetics across biological matrices (awarded January 2024), and $6.5 million for an RTI International cooperative agreement providing training and technical assistance to forensic grantees nationwide (awarded October 2022). Award periods are 36 months.
The FY 2025 BJA Invited to Apply—Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program (Solicitation O-BJA-2025-172621), posted May 27, 2026, with a June 10, 2026 due date, seeks Cooperative Agreement applicants to support state and local forensic science grant recipients under nine forensic programs through training, technical assistance, and capacity enhancement. Award activity has remained steady at 6–15 awards annually over the past four years, with no decline signaling program contraction.
Objective and description
- Objective
Program goal(s) name: Establish a FTCOE. Program goal(s) description: Strengthen the quality and practice of forensic science through training and technical assistance, research and development, testing and evaluation, technology adoption, and infor
- Description
Establish and operate a Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCOE) to support research, development, testing, and evaluation process and technology transition activities in all areas of forensic science.
Eligibility
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Award periods for Office of Justice programs generally range from 12 to 36 months. For specifics pertaining to this program, please see the current fiscal year's program NOFO available at the Office of Justice Programs web site (https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities). For additional information, see the Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide section on "Period of Availability of Funds" at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/iii-postaward-requirements. Period of Performance Duration (Months) = 36
How to apply
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Criteria for selecting proposals is determined as part of the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO).
- Award procedure
All final award decisions will be made by the Assistant Attorney General, unless a statute explicitly authorizes award decisions by another official or there is written delegation of authority to another official. For successful applicants, JustGrants will send a system-generated email to the Application Submitter, Authorized Representative, and Entity Administrator with information on accessing their official award package in JustGrants. The award package will include key information (such as funding amount and period of performance) as well as award conditions that must be followed. The Authorized Representative for the entity should accept or decline the award within 45 days of the notification.
- Time to approval or disapproval
The review procedure for applications is specified in the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) and generally includes eligibility and responsiveness, merit, programmatic, budget, and risk reviews.
- Renewals
In some cases, award periods may be extended if specific criteria are met. For details, please review the discussion of no-cost extensions in the Criteria for Award Extension section of the Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide available at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/overview
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| BJA FY25 Invited to Apply- Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (FTTA) Program | Closed | ||
| BJA FY 23 Invited to Apply Solicitation for Law Enforcement Operations | Closed | ||
| BJA FY 22 Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 41 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Research Triangle Institute | $13,092,098 | 47% |
| 2 | University Of Wisconsin System | $1,565,409 | 6% |
| 3 | University Of New Mexico | $999,558 | 4% |
| 4 | West Virginia University Research Corporation | $951,483 | 3% |
| 5 | Kentucky Department Of State Police | $832,443 | 3% |
| 6 | SAM Houston State University | $823,669 | 3% |
| 7 | The Ohio State University | $818,054 | 3% |
| 8 | North Carolina Department Of Public Safety | $714,232 | 3% |
| 9 | University Of California Santa Cruz | $640,358 | 2% |
| 10 | Trustees Of Indiana University | $609,185 | 2% |
10 of 35 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $1,472,561 |
| FY2025 | -$76,025 |
| FY2024 | $4,059,824 |
| FY2023 | $13,025,800 |
| FY2022 | $3,367,685 |
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 16.044?
Assistance Listing 16.044 is Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Justice Assistance (Office of Justice Programs).
What is the CFDA number for Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program?
Its CFDA number is 16.044: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 16.044 awarded?
41 grant awards under 16.044 have obligated $27,956,905 in federal funds to 35 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 16.044?
The recipients obligated the most under Forensics Training and Technical Assistance Program are Research Triangle Institute ($13,092,098), University Of Wisconsin System ($1,565,409) and University Of New Mexico ($999,558).
How much did 16.044 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 16.044 obligated -$76,025 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 16.044?
No opportunity listed under 16.044 is open now. The latest, BJA FY25 Invited to Apply- Forensics Training and Technical Assistance (FTTA) Program, was posted on May 27, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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