BJA FY25 Forensic Ballistics and Higher Education Program
Opportunity number: O-BJA-2025-172672
Program owner: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance
Summary: Supports eligible institutions of higher education that partner with local law enforcement and ATF to provide hands-on education in forensic ballistics, NIBIN operations, crime gun intelligence, firearms-evidence processing, and related investigative methods.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance expects to fund one eligible institution of higher education to develop or expand specialized forensic-ballistics and crime-gun-intelligence curricula in partnership with local law enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supported training covers firearms-evidence processing, ballistic analysis using NIBIN, crime-gun-intelligence generation, and investigative methodologies supporting criminal apprehension and conviction.
Private, public, and state-controlled institutions of higher education with qualifying academic programs are eligible. Law-enforcement agencies are identified as partners and workforce beneficiaries, not as direct applicants.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: Educational organizations; the Grants.gov applicant-type code is “Others,” subject to the detailed eligibility text.
Private, public, and state-controlled institutions of higher education with established academic programs in criminal justice, forensic science, or a related field. Local law-enforcement agencies and ATF are described as partners, not direct eligible applicants.
What can the funding be used for?
Developing or expanding specialized curricula and providing hands-on student training in forensic ballistics, firearms-evidence processing, NIBIN operations and ballistic analysis, crime-gun-intelligence generation, and investigative methodologies supporting criminal apprehension and conviction; building sustainable partnerships between higher education and law-enforcement agencies.
How to apply
Electronic submission is required. Consult the BJA funding-opportunity page and the Grants.gov opportunity package for complete application requirements.
Program contact
OJP Response Center
[email protected]
202-514-9354
Official sources
- Grants.gov Public API checked August 31, 2026
Grant details can change. Confirm all requirements on the official source before applying.