BJA FY 2026 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance
This cooperative agreement funds legal assistance, indigent defense, and specialized tribal justice training/technical assistance for eligible tribal communities and tribal justice systems in rural and remote areas.
RESTRICTED TO: NONPROFITS
⚑ Eligible applicants are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofits providing legal assistance to Indian tribes/members/tribal justice systems, or to national/regional membership organizations/associations of tribal justice personnel. · Public universities are not listed as eligible applicants. · Program includes TTA plus direct legal aid/indigent defense; the award is not primarily research. · Award ceiling is $600,000.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 5 none | no commercialization signal |
Description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the BJA FY 2026 Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Program. This opportunity will support legal assistance to eligible tribal members, federally recognized Indian tribes, and tribal justice systems that provide legal aid and indigent defense services to tribal communities located in rural and remote regions throughout the United States where legal services are sparse. This NOFO will also support specialized training and technical assistance (TTA) to grantees for the development, enrichment, and enhancement of tribal courts and justice system operations. This includes tribal and state joint jurisdiction; veterans’ clinics and legal assistance for Native American veterans; Missing Murdered and Indigenous People; Violence Against Women Act; Tribal Law and Order Act; and Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction.
Eligibility
Categories 1 and 2: Non-profit entities, as defined under section 501(c)(3) of title 26, which provide legal assistance services for Indian tribes, members of Indian tribes, or tribal justice systems pursuant to federal poverty guidelines.; Category 3: national or regional membership organizations and associations whose membership consists of judicial system personnel within tribal justice systems.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Bureau of Justice Assistance <OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov>
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