Criminal Justice Grant Program FY2026
Program owner: Texas Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office (PSO)
Summary: Texas-administered federal Byrne JAG funding for law-enforcement and broader criminal-justice projects, including investigations, community policing, officer training and wellness, prosecution, courts, corrections, reentry, crime prevention, and evaluation. Local law-enforcement offices must apply through an affiliated unit of government.
The Texas Office of the Governor’s Public Safety Office administered federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding for projects that promote public safety, reduce crime, and improve the criminal-justice system. Eligible costs included personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal-justice purposes.
Police departments and other local criminal-justice offices were expressly contemplated, but applications from those offices had to be submitted by an affiliated unit of government with an authorizing resolution. Local and regional applicants also had to comply with applicable council-of-governments requirements. The final application deadline was February 13, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. CST, so this opportunity is closed.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: Texas state agencies; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; Native American tribes; councils of governments; nonprofit corporations, including hospitals and faith-based organizations; and units of local government.
Applicants must satisfy the stated Texas organizational and compliance requirements. Local law-enforcement agencies and offices may participate, but an application must be submitted by an affiliated unit of government with an authorizing resolution. Police departments apply through their municipal government; community supervision and corrections departments, district attorneys, and judicial districts apply through an affiliated county government. Additional conditions cover cybersecurity certification, criminal-history disposition reporting, UCR and other Texas reporting, immigration-enforcement certifications, sexual-assault evidence tracking and submission, and federal SAM registration with a UEI.
What can the funding be used for?
Additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal-justice purposes. Supported areas include intelligence-based investigations involving violent crime, border crime, and gangs; community policing; specialized officer training; officer wellness; prosecution and courts; evidence-testing backlog reduction; crime prevention and education; corrections and community corrections; probation or parole officer training; risk and needs assessments; jail- or prison-based co-occurring treatment; reentry; and assessment and evaluation.
Restrictions
Construction, renovation, or remodeling; medical services; security enhancements or equipment for nongovernmental entities not engaged in criminal justice or public safety; general-use, non-law-enforcement vehicles or equipment for government agencies; equipment, supplies, and other direct costs associated with processing DNA evidence; activities or costs supporting Operation Border Star; standard-issue law-enforcement equipment, including weapons, weapon accessories, Tasers, and other less-lethal weapons, except equipment used exclusively for specialized training; transportation, lodging, per diem, or related participant costs when grant funds are used to conduct training for outside participants; unmanned aircraft systems and accessories; items on the Byrne JAG Prohibited Expenditure Category A and B List; rifle-resistant body armor, although NIJ-compliant Type IIIA and below is eligible; and any other costs prohibited by applicable law, regulation, or the Guide to Grants.
How to apply
Applicants must register and apply through the PSO eGrants system. Applicants proposing eligible local or regional projects must contact their applicable regional council of governments and comply with its workshops, workgroups, subcommittees, and prioritization requirements. PSO screens applications for eligibility. The applicable COG prioritizes regional applications before PSO makes final funding decisions; PSO directly prioritizes eligible statewide projects.
Required materials
An authorizing resolution from the affiliated unit of government is required for a local law-enforcement application. Local governments must upload the Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments. Each local unit of government and institution of higher education operating a law-enforcement agency must upload the CEO/Law Enforcement Certifications and Assurances Form. SAM registration and an assigned UEI are eligibility prerequisites.
Program contact
eGrants Help Desk
[email protected]
512-463-1919
Official sources
- Texas Office of the Governor eGrants checked September 15, 2026
Grant details can change. Confirm all requirements on the official source before applying.