The purpose of this announcement is to solicit applications for projects that promote public safety, reduce crime, and improve the criminal justice system.

Federal Funds are authorized under 34 U.S.C. §10152 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG). JAG funds are made available through a Congressional appropriation to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated federal funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

Applications may be submitted by state agencies, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, Native American tribes, councils of governments, non-profit corporations (including hospitals and faith-based organizations), and units of local government, which are defined as a non-statewide governmental body with the authority to establish a budget and impose taxes.

All applications submitted by local law enforcement agencies/offices must be submitted by a unit of government affiliated with the agency, including an authorizing resolution from that unit of government. For example, police departments must apply under their municipal government, and community supervision and corrections departments, district attorneys, and judicial districts must apply through their affiliated county government (or one of the counties, in the case of agencies that serve more than one county).

Applicants must access the PSO’s eGrants grant management website at https://eGrants.gov.texas.gov to register and apply for funding. 

1. For eligible local and regional projects: 
   1. Applicants must contact their applicable regional council of governments (COG) regarding their application.
   2. Each of Texas’ 24 COGs holds its own application planning workshops, workgroups, and/or subcommittees and facilitates application prioritization for certain programs within its region. Failure to comply with regional requirements imposed by the COG may render an application ineligible.
2. State agencies, and other organizations proposing projects with a statewide impact, may submit applications directly to PSO.

Projects must begin on or after 10/01/2023 and may not exceed a 12-month project period.

Minimum: $10,000

Maximum: None

Match Requirement: None

Grantees must comply with standards applicable to this fund source cited in the Texas Grant Management Standards (TxGMS), Federal Uniform Grant Guidance, and all statutes, requirements, and guidelines applicable to this funding.

Funding may be used to provide additional personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice purposes, including for any

one or more of the following:

1. Law enforcement – Includes championing a supportive, professional, respected law enforcement system with specialized resources that are adaptive and flexible to ever-changing crimes and situations.

State Priority Areas include:

•  Intelligence-based Investigations (Violent Crime, Border Crime, Gangs)
• Community Policing Programs
• Specialized Officer Training
• Officer Wellness Programs

2. Prosecution and Courts – Includes fostering an informed, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary system that ensures appropriate penalties offenders and services for the community and victims.

State Priority Areas include:

• Pre-trial Diversion Programs
• Reduce Evidence Testing Backlog
• Courtroom Personnel Training

3. Crime Prevention and Education – Includes cultivating an individualized, understanding-based system that takes a multi-pronged approach, infused with basic life skills and alternative tracks to crime prevention.

State Priority Areas include:

• Life-skills Training Programs
• Community-based Prevention Programs

4. Corrections and Community Corrections – Includes promoting an assessment-driven, treatment-focused system that targets an individual’s risk and needs appropriately. 

State Priority Areas Include:

• Probation/Parole Officer Training
• Risk/Needs Assessment for Diversion Programs
• Jail/Prison-based Co-occurring Treatment

5. Reentry Programs; and

6. Assessment and Evaluation Programs.

Note: “Criminal Justice Purposes” is defined as activities pertaining to crime prevention, control, or reduction, or the enforcement of the criminal law, including, but not limited to, police efforts to prevent, control, or reduce crime or to apprehend criminals (including juveniles), activities of courts having criminal jurisdiction, and related agencies (including but not limited to prosecutorial and defender services, juvenile delinquency agencies and pretrial service or release agencies), activities of corrections, probation, or parole authorities and related agencies assisting in the rehabilitation, supervision, and care of criminal offenders, and programs relating to the prevention, control, or reduction of narcotic addiction and juvenile delinquency.

1. Local units of governments must comply with the Cybersecurity Training requirements described in Section 772.012 and Section 2054.5191 of the Texas Government Code. Local governments determined to not be in compliance with the cybersecurity requirements required by Section 2054.5191 of the Texas Government Code are ineligible for OOG grant funds until the second anniversary of the date the local government is determined ineligible. Government entities must annually certify their compliance with the training requirements using the Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments. A copy of the Training Certification must be uploaded to your eGrants application. For more information or to access available training programs, visit the Texas Department of Information Resources Statewide Cybersecurity Awareness Training page.

2. Entities receiving funds from PSO must be located in a county that has an average of 90% or above on both adult and juvenile dispositions entered into the computerized criminal history database maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) as directed in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 66. The disposition completeness percentage is defined as the percentage of arrest charges a county reports to DPS for which a disposition has been subsequently reported and entered into the computerized criminal history system.

Counties applying for grant awards from the Office of the Governor must commit that the county will report at least 90 percent of convictions within five business days to the Criminal Justice Information System at the Department of Public Safety.

3. Eligible applicants operating a law enforcement agency must be current on reporting complete UCR data and the Texas specific reporting mandated by 411.042 TGC, to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for inclusion in the annual Crime in Texas (CIT) publication. To be considered eligible for funding, applicants must have submitted a full twelve months of accurate data to DPS for the most recent calendar year by the deadline(s) established by DPS. Due to the importance of timely reporting, applicants are required to submit complete and accurate UCR data, as well as the Texas-mandated reporting, on a no less than monthly basis and respond promptly to requests from DPS related to the data submitted.

4. Local units of government, including cities, counties and other general purpose political subdivisions, as appropriate, and institutions of higher education that operate a law enforcement agency, must comply with all aspects of the programs and procedures utilized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to: (1) notify DHS of all information requested by DHS related to illegal aliens in Agency’s custody; and (2) detain such illegal aliens in accordance with requests by DHS. Additionally, counties and municipalities may NOT have in effect, purport to have in effect, or make themselves subject to or bound by, any law, rule, policy, or practice (written or unwritten) that would: (1) require or authorize the public disclosure of federal law enforcement information in order to conceal, harbor, or shield from detection fugitives from justice or aliens illegally in the United States; or (2) impede federal officers from exercising authority under 8 U.S.C. § 1226(a), § 1226(c), § 1231(a), § 1357(a), § 1366(1), or § 1366(3). Lastly, eligible applicants must comply with all provisions, policies, and penalties found in Chapter 752, Subchapter C of the Texas Government Code.

Each local unit of government, and institution of higher education that operates a law enforcement agency, must download, complete and then upload into eGrants the CEO/Law Enforcement Certifications and Assurances Form certifying compliance with federal and state immigration enforcement requirements. This Form is required for each application submitted to OOG and is active until August 31, 2024 or the end of the grant period, whichever is later.

5. In accordance with Texas Government Code, Section 420.034, any facility or entity that collects evidence for sexual assault or other sex offenses or investigates or prosecutes a sexual assault or other sex offense for which evidence has been collected, must participate in the statewide electronic tracking system developed and implemented by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Visit DPS’s Sexual Assault Evidence Tracking Program website for more information or to set up an account to begin participating.\

6. Eligible applicants must be registered in the federal System for Award Management (SAM) database and have an UEI (Unique Entity ID) number assigned to its agency (to get registered in the SAM database and request an UEI number, go to https://sam.gov/).

Failure to comply with program eligibility requirements may cause funds to be withheld and/or suspension or termination of grant funds.

Grant funds may not be used to support the unallowable costs listed in the Guide to Grants or any of the following unallowable costs:

1. Construction, renovation, or remodeling;
2. Medical services;
3. Security enhancements or equipment for non-governmental entities not engaged in criminal justice or public safety;
4. Non-law enforcement vehicles or equipment for government agencies that are for general agency use;
5. Equipment, supplies, and other direct costs associated with processing DNA evidence;
6. Activities or costs in support of Operation Border Star (agencies seeking such funding should apply under the PSO Local Border Security funding announcement).
7. Law enforcement equipment that is standard department issue (including weapons and less lethal weapons such as tasers, non-lethal rounds, etc.; excluding equipment used exclusively for specialized training activities);
8. Transportation, lodging, per diem or any related costs for participants, when grant funds are used to develop and conduct training for outside participants;
9. Items listed on the Byrne JAG Prohibited Expenditure Category A and B List;
10. Rifle-resistant body armor (NIJ Compliant Type IIIA and below is eligible); and
11. Any other prohibition imposed by federal, state or local law or regulation.

PSO will screen all applications to ensure that they meet the requirements included in the funding announcement.

1. For eligible local and regional projects:
   1. Applications will be forwarded by PSO to the appropriate regional council of governments (COG)
   2. The COG’s criminal justice advisory committee will prioritize all eligible applications based on State priorities, identified community priorities, cost and program effectiveness.
   3. PSO will accept priority listings that are approved by the COG’s executive committee.
   4. PSO will make all final funding decisions based upon eligibility, approved COG priorities, reasonableness of the project, availability of funding, and cost-effectiveness.
2. For state discretionary projects, applications will be reviewed by PSO staff members or a review group selected by the executive director. PSO will make all final funding decisions based on eligibility, reasonableness, availability of funding, and cost-effectiveness.

For more information, contact the eGrants help desk at eGrants@gov.texas.gov or (512) 463-1919.