RFAs: FY 2026 Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative (United States)

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is offering a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative (Funding Opportunity Number O-BJA-2026-172761). This discretionary grant opportunity supports local law enforcement in rural jurisdictions to prevent, respond to, and reduce violent crime. The application deadline is 30 October 2026. Opportunity at a Glance

- Provider: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)

- Opportunity Type: Discretionary grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant)

- Funding Opportunity Number: O-BJA-2026-172761

- Document Type: Grants Notice (NOFO synopsis)

- Assistance Listing: 16.039 — Rural Violent Crime Initiative

- Estimated Total Program Funding: Not specified in the source

- Award Ceiling: $2,637,041

- Award Floor: $0

- Cost Sharing/Matching Requirement: No

- Expected Number of Awards: Not specified in the source

- Posted Date: 21 September 2026

- Last Updated Date: 21 September 2026

- Application Deadline (Closing Date): 30 October 2026

- Duration: Not specified in the source

About the Opportunity

This NOFO supports local law enforcement in rural jurisdictions to implement a violent crime reduction strategy that addresses a specific violent crime challenge. Funded strategies are intended to help agencies prevent, respond to, and reduce violent crime. The initiative is designed to equip rural law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices with resources to implement one or more approaches aligned with DOJ priorities and capable of producing a significant reduction in violent crime rates. Funding and Benefits

- Grant funding type: Grant (discretionary)

- Maximum award amount: Up to $2,637,041 (award ceiling)

- Minimum award amount: $0 (award floor)

- Cost sharing/matching: No (no matching requirement)

- Other benefits: The NOFO description focuses on providing resources for violent crime reduction strategies, including personnel, technology, training, and data-driven intelligence capabilities.

Note: The source does not specify the estimated total program funding or the number of awards.

Who Is Eligible? Eligible applicants include the following (as listed in the NOFO synopsis): - Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) - Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments) - State governments - County governments - City or township governments - Special district governments - Others (see “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) Additional eligibility clarification provided in the source: - For purposes of this NOFO, “other units of local government” include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general purpose political subdivisions of a state. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas The initiative supports violent crime reduction strategies using one or more of the following approaches: - Personnel, Tactics, Training, and Equipment to Reduce Violent Crime - Updated technology and tools, such as records management systems, vehicles, vests, and firearms - Hiring additional personnel (examples in the source include a prosecutor or criminologist) to address persistent crimes, early case management, and increased police training - Technological Enhancements to Reduce Violent Crime - Hardware, software, communications systems, intelligence centers, and equipment - Technology systems intended to support actionable intelligence, officer safety, efficient operations, shorter case filing timelines, and risk management - Data Analytics and Intelligence - Enhancing crime analysis capabilities through personnel, training, and software enhancements - Examples include identifying crime hotspots, predicting high-risk times and locations, and allocating resources to prevent violent incidents before they occur - Other approaches - Approaches that align with Department of Justice priorities and that provide a significant reduction in violent crime rates Why This Opportunity Matters Rural jurisdictions often face challenges such as limited staffing, constrained technology infrastructure, and difficulties using timely data to target violent crime. This opportunity is structured to help rural law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices build capacity through personnel and training, operational and safety equipment, technology enhancements, and data-driven intelligence to address specific violent crime problems. How to Apply The provided source is a Grants.gov “View Grant Opportunity” page that includes the NOFO synopsis details, but it does not include the full application instructions, submission method, required documents, or the official application link. - Locate the full NOFO announcement using the official BJA Website link referenced in the source (labeled “Link to Additional Information: BJA Website”). - Review eligibility and application requirements in the full NOFO, including any required forms, attachments, and submission steps. - Submit your application by 30 October 2026 (closing date shown in the source). - If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, contact the grantor using the information below.

Grantor contact (from the source):

- OJP Response Center: [contact details removed]

Application Tips or Common Mistakes - Confirm eligibility in the full NOFO: The synopsis lists eligible applicant types, but the source does not include all eligibility conditions that may appear in the complete announcement. - Align your proposal to the listed approaches: The NOFO synopsis emphasizes personnel/tactics/training/equipment, technological enhancements, and data analytics/intelligence—ensure your strategy clearly fits one or more of these approaches. - Use the correct submission requirements: The synopsis page does not provide submission steps or document lists, so applicants should follow the full NOFO instructions exactly. Frequently Asked Questions What is the BJA FY 20