DNA Backlog Reduction Program
Active
- Assistance listing
- 16.741
- Agency
-
Bureau of Justice Assistance
Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice
- Grant awards
- 2,337 $1,371,319,560 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- CEBR
- Assistance types
-
- Formula Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Block 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 forensic DNA and DNA database processing and analysis at publicly funded laboratories through the DNA Backlog Reduction Program (CFDA 16.741), with the most recent grant awards issued on January 1, 2024.
The program assists eligible states and units of local government to process, record, screen, and analyze forensic DNA and DNA database samples in order to increase laboratory capacity and reduce the number of samples awaiting analysis in both casework and database sections. Recent awards span two distinct funding models. Formula grants support personnel costs (analyst and technician positions), supplies and reagents, equipment purchases, outsourcing of backlogged cases, laboratory information management system (LIMS) implementation, and continuing education to maintain accreditation. Competitive project grants fund cold case investigations and prosecutions using forensic genetic genealogy (FGG), forensic DNA methods research and development, and investigative genetic genealogy best practices. Research projects awarded January 2024 include developmental validation of multianalyte recovery methods from trace biological samples ($494,268), nuclear DNA profiling from hair shafts using targeted enrichment and massively parallel sequencing ($413,504), body mass prediction from microRNA markers in blood and saliva ($408,987), genealogical searching accuracy for degraded DNA ($266,406), and genotype imputation methods for kinship estimation in forensic casework ($759,008).
The program is heavily dominated by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, which obligated $993.3 million across 1,631 awards, followed by the National Institute of Justice with $186.6 million across 327 awards. Combined federal dollars obligated total $1.37 billion across 2,337 awards since 2001. The assistance-type portfolio is predominantly Formula Grants (47 percent, 1,097 awards), with substantial Cooperative Agreements (29 percent, 689 awards) and Project Grants (23 percent, 548 awards). Award activity has declined sharply: annual disbursements dropped from 243 awards in 2020 to just 7 in 2024, with the most recent awards dated January 1, 2024 (nearly three years ago).
Recent formula grants exemplify typical scope: Lake County Crime Laboratory ($250 thousand) retained qualified DNA analysts and hired additional analysts to manage touch DNA caseload growth; Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab ($724,647) funded five forensic scientists to reduce casework backlog and maintain database processing; Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences ($1.142 million) funded overtime, supplies, and staff training to increase CODIS eligible samples analyzed; Florida Department of Law Enforcement ($3.538 million) funded overtime, temporary technicians for case management, and consumables across six laboratories. Recent competitive project grants include Indian River County Sheriff's Office ($533,200) for cold case DNA prosecution using genetic genealogy and phenotypic analysis, and Colorado Bureau of Investigation's multi-disciplinary cold case team ($533,200) serving rural jurisdictions with 69 identified unresolved homicides.
Two solicitations closed on April 19, 2023: O-BJA-2023-171625 (Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction) and O-BJA-2023-171623 (Competitive DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction). Both targeted states and units of local government with existing accredited crime laboratories, with eligible applicant types including state governments, county governments, and city/township governments. No open grant opportunities are currently posted in the source material; the most recent solicitations are from February 2023, now over three years closed.
Objective and description
- Objective
Program goal(s) name: Increase DNA processing capacity. Program goal(s) description: Assist eligible States and units of local government to increase laboratory capacity and reduce the number of samples awaiting analysis in both the casework and data
- Description
This program assists eligible States and units of local government to process, record, screen, and analyze forensic DNA and/or DNA database samples to increase the capacity of public forensic DNA and DNA database laboratories to process more DNA samples, thereby helping to reduce the number of forensic DNA and DNA database samples awaiting analysis.
Eligibility
- Beneficiary eligibility
Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant eligibility. See the current fiscal year's NOFO available at www.bja.gov
- Length and time phasing of assistance
See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: See the current fiscal year's NOFO available at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities, and the DOJ Grants Financial Guide, available at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/financialguidedoj/overview.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Note: An environmental impact assessment is not required at the time of application (or pre application), but is necessary for removing a withholding of funds special condition after an award is made; see current fiscal year's solicitation available at www.bja.gov for requirements.
- 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 15
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 2,337 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida Department Of Law Enforcement | $50,602,153 | 4% |
| 2 | Texas Department Of Public Safety | $42,708,500 | 3% |
| 3 | Illinois State Police | $39,938,896 | 3% |
| 4 | Georgia Bureau Of Investigation | $38,212,296 | 3% |
| 5 | Department Of State Police Michigan | $38,138,758 | 3% |
| 6 | The University Of North Texas Health Science Center At Fort Worth | $36,789,000 | 3% |
| 7 | Department Of Justice California | $34,950,107 | 3% |
| 8 | Washington State Patrol | $24,376,007 | 2% |
| 9 | Tennessee Bureau Of Investigation | $23,148,749 | 2% |
| 10 | Department Of State Police Pennsylvania | $21,373,390 | 2% |
10 of 249 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$2,770,582 |
| FY2025 | -$2,602,208 |
| FY2024 | -$2,023,663 |
| FY2023 | $116,255,011 |
| FY2022 | $196,233,869 |
| FY2021 | $72,894,918 |
| FY2020 | -$1,657,409 |
| FY2019 | $82,583,990 |
| FY2018 | $90,101,885 |
| FY2017 | $72,912,925 |
| FY2016 | $67,569,273 |
| FY2015 | $75,451,171 |
| FY2014 | $71,869,734 |
| FY2013 | $73,996,436 |
| FY2012 | $73,746,068 |
| FY2011 | $98,512,392 |
| FY2010 | $68,050,421 |
| FY2009 | $65,788,917 |
| FY2008 | $61,507,450 |
| FY2007 | $44,239,199 |
| FY2006 | $38,084,942 |
Show all 21
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 16.741?
Assistance Listing 16.741 is DNA Backlog Reduction Program, a federal grant program run by Bureau of Justice Assistance (Office of Justice Programs).
What is the CFDA number for DNA Backlog Reduction Program?
Its CFDA number is 16.741: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 16.741 awarded?
2,337 grant awards under 16.741 have obligated $1,371,319,560 in federal funds to 249 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 16.741?
The recipients obligated the most under DNA Backlog Reduction Program are Florida Department Of Law Enforcement ($50,602,153), Texas Department Of Public Safety ($42,708,500) and Illinois State Police ($39,938,896).
How much did 16.741 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 16.741 obligated -$2,602,208 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 16.741?
No opportunity listed under 16.741 is open now. The latest, BJA FY 23 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program, was posted on February 24, 2023.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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