Tribal Justice Assistance
Active
- Assistance listing
- 16.596
- Agency
-
Office of Justice Programs
Department of Justice
- Grant awards
- 386 $298,229,332 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Block Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Formula Grant
- 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 tribal justice system development and public safety improvements through the Tribal Justice Assistance program (CFDA 16.596), with the most recent grant awards issued on October 1, 2025.
The program funds concrete tribal justice infrastructure, operations, and services across a wide spectrum of activities. Recent awards support healing to wellness courts addressing substance use and co-occurring disorders, tribal court capacity expansion through staffing and case management systems, construction and renovation of justice facilities (courthouses, police departments, multipurpose justice centers), law enforcement and investigative capabilities, reentry and diversion programs, victim services, prosecutorial capacity, probation supervision infrastructure, and specialized programming such as mental health treatment integration and medication-assisted treatment in detention facilities. Awards also fund strategic planning, data systems implementation, and training for tribal justice personnel.
The program is predominantly Project Grants (89 percent of awards), with smaller shares of Block Grants (6 percent), Formula Grants (2 percent), and Cooperative Agreements (2 percent). The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance dominates the program, providing 250 awards totaling $220.3 million in federal dollars obligated, with the broader Office of Justice Programs providing an additional 132 awards worth $76.5 million. Combined federal obligations across all 386 awards reach $298.2 million, with total obligations including cost-share at $300.6 million, indicating minimal matching requirement.
Recent awards range from $84,656 to $1.9 million, with typical awards in the $850 thousand to $1 million range. Representative recent awards include the Yurok Tribe enhancing its wellness court diversion program ($1 million), the Cowlitz Indian Tribe expanding tribal court capacity in response to a 300 percent increase in criminal cases ($882,481), the Fort Peck Tribal Courts constructing a modular building to house youth and family courts ($1.9 million), and the Craig Tribal Association establishing a comprehensive tribal court system addressing critical infrastructure gaps ($900,000). The program has issued 38 awards in 2025, 44 in 2024, and 55 in 2023, indicating sustained annual funding cadence.
The FY 2026 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (O-BJA-2026-172662) closed October 15, 2026. Only federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia are eligible. Awards are made through the JustGrants system with successful applicants notified within 45 days and required to accept or decline within an additional 45 days. Award periods extend up to 60 months, with no-cost extensions available if specified criteria are met. Records must be retained for three years from submission of the final expenditure report.
Objective and description
- Objective
Program goal(s) name: Strengthen tribal justice system capacity to reduce crime Program goal(s) description: Support critical needs of tribal justice systems to prevent crime and ensure tribal safety through the development, implementation, and enha
- Description
This program provides funding for a variety of activities to improve public safety in tribal communities.
Eligibility
- Beneficiary eligibility
Federally recognized Indian tribes may apply.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Funds for each fiscal year will be awarded for a period of up to 60 months.
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
Show all 19
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 386 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yurok Tribe | $6,176,464 | 2% |
| 2 | Quapaw Nation | $5,814,514 | 2% |
| 3 | Muscogee Creek Nation | $5,635,820 | 2% |
| 4 | Central Council Tlingit And Haida Indian Tribes Of Alaska | $5,053,966 | 2% |
| 5 | Leech Lake Band Of Ojibwe | $5,002,329 | 2% |
| 6 | Fox Valley Technical College | $4,350,000 | 1% |
| 7 | Red Cliff Band Of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians Of Wisconsin | $4,200,000 | 1% |
| 8 | Minnesota Chippewa Tribe - White Earth Band | $4,191,915 | 1% |
| 9 | Chickasaw Nation | $4,094,575 | 1% |
| 10 | NEZ Perce Tribe | $4,012,054 | 1% |
10 of 191 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $36,456,988 |
| FY2025 | $1,857,876 |
| FY2024 | $38,619,934 |
| FY2023 | $51,496,737 |
| FY2022 | $47,892,087 |
| FY2021 | $8,395,406 |
| FY2020 | -$34,173 |
| FY2019 | $7,609,394 |
| FY2018 | $7,527,741 |
| FY2017 | $4,651,063 |
| FY2016 | $7,310,950 |
| FY2015 | $6,748,704 |
| FY2014 | $5,893,355 |
| FY2013 | $8,985,983 |
| FY2012 | $8,392,283 |
| FY2011 | $8,229,838 |
| FY2010 | $8,801,702 |
| FY2009 | $6,981,395 |
| FY2008 | $8,984,799 |
| FY2006 | $164,909 |
| FY2004 | $1,547,000 |
| FY2002 | $25,372,516 |
Show all 22
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 16.596?
Assistance Listing 16.596 is Tribal Justice Assistance, a federal grant program run by Office of Justice Programs (Department of Justice).
What is the CFDA number for Tribal Justice Assistance?
Its CFDA number is 16.596: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 16.596 awarded?
386 grant awards under 16.596 have obligated $298,229,332 in federal funds to 191 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 16.596?
The recipients obligated the most under Tribal Justice Assistance are Yurok Tribe ($6,176,464), Quapaw Nation ($5,814,514) and Muscogee Creek Nation ($5,635,820).
How much did 16.596 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 16.596 obligated $1,857,876 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 16.596?
No opportunity listed under 16.596 is open now. The latest, U.S. Department of Justice FY26 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation Notice of Funding Opportunity, was posted on July 24, 2026.
On GovTribe
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