Grants up to $3,000,000
Grant Deadline: Mar. 2, 2017
Test Untested Sexual Assault Kits & Prevent Sexual Assaults
The purpose of this grant program is to provide funding to test untested sexual assault kits, prevent sexual assaults, and improve the criminal justice system’s response to sexual assaults.
What this grant does for your agency
The National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), provides funding through a competitive grant program to support
multidisciplinary community response teams engaged in the comprehensive reform of jurisdictions’ approaches to sexual assault cases resulting from evidence found in previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs). The focus of this solicitation is on those “unsubmitted kits” which are defined as SAKs that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing with CODIS-eligible DNA methodologies. This includes partially tested SAKs as defined below. This program is not directed at untested kits that have been submitted to forensic labs for testing with CODIS-eligible DNA methodologies but are delayed for testing for longer than 30 days, e.g., as a result of a backlog of work in the laboratory. These are separate and distinct issues.
The goal of the SAKI is the creation of a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to these cases, whenever possible, through a victim-centered approach, as well as to build jurisdictions’ capacity to prevent the development of conditions that lead to high numbers of unsubmitted SAKs in the future. This holistic program provides jurisdictions with resources to address their unsubmitted SAK issue, including support to inventory, test, and track SAKs; create and report performance metrics; access necessary training to increase effectiveness in addressing the complex issues associated with these cases and engage in multidisciplinary policy development, implementation, and coordination; and improve practices related to investigation, prosecution, and victim engagement and support in connection with evidence and cases resulting from the testing process. In FY 2015, 20 SAKI-site based grants were awarded to jurisdictions across the country for a total of $30,196,409. In FY 2016, 19 SAKI site-based grants were awarded for a total of $24,744,114, along with 7 supplemental awards to FY 2015 sites totaling $6,649,617.
Agencies awarded the BJA FY2017 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) receive a grant of up to $3,000,000.
Only a limited number of grants will be awarded. With estimated total program funding of $4,100,000, 57 awards are expected.
Grant Eligibility
For full eligibility details, see the Grant Guidelines:
- Eligible applicants for Purpose Areas 1 and 3 are law enforcement agencies of states, units of local government, and federally recognized Indian tribal governments (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior), prosecutor’s offices, or a governmental non-law enforcement agency acting as fiscal agent for one of the previously listed types of eligible applicants.
- Eligible applicants for Purpose Area 2 are limited to Small Law Enforcement Agencies with less than 250 sworn officers OR consortia of small law enforcement agencies.
- State governments
- City or township governments
- County governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
About the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
BJA’s mission is to provide leadership and services in grant administration and criminal justice policy development to support local, state, and tribal justice strategies to achieve safer communities. BJA supports programs and initiatives in the areas of law enforcement, justice information sharing, countering terrorism, managing offenders, combating drug crime and abuse, adjudication, advancing tribal justice, crime prevention, protecting vulnerable populations, and capacity building. More
Grant Deadline
Grant applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m. EST, Thurs., Mar. 2, 2017.
Apply
Funding Opportunity Number: BJA-2017-11548. Apply for the BJA FY2017 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)