Sexual Assault Evidence Testing Grant Program, FY2026
Program owner: Texas Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office
Summary: Texas funding for local governments operating law-enforcement agencies to screen, process, and test sexual-assault evidence collection kits and enter eligible resulting DNA profiles into CODIS.
This Texas grant supports forensic analysis of sexual-assault evidence collection kits. Allowable costs include personnel, contractual laboratory services, supplies, and equipment used to screen or process the kits.
Applications must be submitted by an eligible local unit of government that operates a law-enforcement agency. Laboratories used for funded testing must satisfy Texas Forensic Science Commission accreditation requirements, and eligible DNA profiles resulting from testing must be uploaded to CODIS by a government DNA laboratory with CODIS access.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: Texas local units of government that operate a law-enforcement agency
Local units of government operating a law-enforcement agency. A law-enforcement application had to be submitted by the unit of government affiliated with the agency and include an authorizing resolution. Applicants were also subject to cybersecurity training certification, criminal-history disposition reporting, UCR reporting, sexual-assault evidence tracking, immigration-enforcement certification, SAM registration, and UEI requirements.
What can the funding be used for?
Screening, processing, and testing sexual-assault evidence collection kits and entering relevant information into CODIS; overtime or temporary or contract workers who screen or process kits; contractual services for screening or processing kits; supplies and equipment used for screening or processing kits; and salaries and benefits for workers who screen or process kits. Eligible DNA profiles resulting from funded testing must be uploaded to CODIS by a government DNA laboratory with CODIS access.
Restrictions
Construction, renovation, or remodeling; medical services; participant transportation, lodging, per diem, or related costs when grant funds are used to develop and conduct training; indirect costs; forensic analysis of physical evidence unrelated to sexual assault or other sex offenses; and any costs prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation.
How to apply
Applicants had to register and apply through the Texas Office of the Governor's eGrants system and submit and certify the application online by February 13, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. CST. PSO screened applications for compliance and reviewed them for eligibility, reasonableness, availability of funding, and cost-effectiveness. PSO could decline to fund an application, make a partial award, or revise a project to a more limited scope.
Required materials
An authorizing resolution from the affiliated unit of government, the Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments, and the CEO/Law Enforcement Certifications and Assurances Form. The applicant also had to be registered in SAM and possess a Unique Entity ID.
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.