Paul Coverdell Forensic Sciences Improvement Grant Program, FY2026
Program owner: Texas Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office (PSO)
Summary: Texas anticipated making approximately $2 million in federal Coverdell funds available for projects improving accredited forensic crime-laboratory and medical examiner or coroner services, reducing forensic evidence backlogs, addressing emerging forensic science, and supporting opioid-related forensic work. Awards were subject to the availability of appropriated federal funds.
This Texas-administered grant opportunity supported state agencies and units of local government operating accredited crime laboratories or medical examiner or coroner offices in Texas. Eligible projects could improve the quality and timeliness of forensic services, reduce forensic evidence backlogs, train or employ forensic personnel, implement emerging forensic technologies and processes, and strengthen medicolegal death-investigation systems.
Approximately $2 million in total program funding was anticipated, with 56% allocated to opioid-related projects. Applications were submitted through the Texas Office of the Governor's eGrants system.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: Texas state agencies and units of local government
Texas state agencies and units of local government that operate an accredited crime laboratory or medical examiner/coroner's office. Accredited crime laboratories must apply through an affiliated unit of government and include an authorizing resolution. Community supervision and corrections departments, district attorneys, and judicial districts must apply through an affiliated county government when seeking funding under the program's qualifying institutional requirements.
What can the funding be used for?
Improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science or medical examiner/coroner services; eliminate forensic evidence backlogs involving firearms examination, latent prints, impression evidence, toxicology, digital evidence, fire evidence, controlled substances, forensic pathology, questioned documents, or trace evidence; train, assist, or employ forensic laboratory personnel and medicolegal death investigators; address emerging forensic science issues and implement emerging technologies; educate and train forensic pathologists; and support accreditation of medical examiner and coroner offices and certification of medicolegal death investigators.
Restrictions
Construction, renovation, or remodeling; medical services; standard-issue law-enforcement equipment; participant transportation, lodging, per diem, or related costs when grant funds are used to develop and conduct training; processing DNA evidence from sexual-assault evidence kits; research or statistical projects, except implementation of new forensic technologies and processes in public laboratories; vehicle purchases or leases; unmanned aircraft systems and accessories; general law-enforcement functions; non-forensic investigative functions; and other costs prohibited by applicable law, regulation, or the Guide to Grants.
How to apply
Applicants were required to register and apply through the Texas Office of the Governor's eGrants website and submit and certify the application by 5:00 p.m. CST on February 13, 2025. PSO screened applications for compliance and reviewed them based on eligibility, reasonableness, funding availability, and cost-effectiveness.
Required materials
As applicable, an authorizing resolution from the governmental unit affiliated with an accredited crime laboratory; the laboratory's certificate and scope of accreditation; a Bureau of Justice Assistance NEPA checklist; Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments; the CEO/Law Enforcement Certifications and Assurances Form for covered applicants; NamUS certification; and a budget identifying line items as opioid-related or non-opioid-related. Applicants must also be registered in SAM and have a UEI.
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.