BJA FY 19 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) | BJA 2019 15228

Opportunity Information: Apply for BJA 2019 15228

The BJA FY 19 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) is a competitive discretionary grant program run by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Its central purpose is to help jurisdictions address the problem of previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs) by funding coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts that move kits from storage to testing, convert testing results into actionable investigations and prosecutions, and strengthen the victim-centered systems needed to do that work responsibly. In practice, the program is designed to support a community response approach, where laboratories, law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service providers work together under shared protocols rather than operating in separate silos.

A major focus of the opportunity is building or strengthening multidisciplinary community response teams that can carry out the full lifecycle of a SAKI effort. That includes taking a clear inventory of unsubmitted kits, establishing or improving tracking systems so evidence can be monitored from collection through testing and case outcomes, and funding the testing of previously unsubmitted kits. Beyond the kits themselves, the program also supports collecting and testing DNA that is lawfully owed from offenders or arrestees, which can improve the effectiveness of comparisons in CODIS (the Combined DNA Index System) and increase the likelihood that tested evidence will generate investigative leads.

The grant also emphasizes system improvement, not just one-time testing. Applicants are expected to develop, update, or formalize protocols and policies that improve collaboration among key partners such as forensic laboratories, police agencies, prosecutors, and victim service providers. The idea is to reduce future backlogs and prevent the same issues from recurring by clarifying roles, standardizing workflows, and ensuring evidence handling and case review practices are consistent and defensible. This policy and protocol work is meant to support both operational efficiency and better outcomes for survivors, including consistent approaches to decision-making when new evidence emerges in older cases.

Another core component is resourcing the investigative and prosecutorial workload that follows once kits are tested. Testing often results in CODIS hits or other evidentiary developments that can reopen cases, identify suspects, connect serial offenses, or strengthen existing prosecutions. SAKI funds can be used to help agencies manage the downstream impact: additional detective work, follow-up interviews, suspect location and arrest, case preparation, and prosecution support. The program recognizes that testing without the capacity to investigate and prosecute can leave communities with results they are not equipped to act on, so it supports a more end-to-end strategy.

Victim notification and services are treated as essential rather than optional. The opportunity specifically calls for optimizing victim notification protocols and services, reflecting the reality that survivors may be contacted years after an assault when a kit is finally tested or when a CODIS hit occurs. This requires trauma-informed planning, coordination with victim advocates, and clear procedures for contacting survivors in a way that prioritizes safety, privacy, choice, and access to support. The intent is to ensure that progress in evidence processing does not come at the expense of survivor well-being, and that victims are offered meaningful information and services as cases move forward.

From an administrative standpoint, this FY 2019 opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number BJA-2019-15228; CFDA 16.833) offered awards up to $2,500,000, with an anticipated total of 28 awards. Eligible applicants included state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The opportunity was posted on February 7, 2019, with an original closing date of April 9, 2019. Overall, SAKI is structured to help jurisdictions not only process previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits and related DNA obligations, but also build durable, collaborative practices that improve sexual assault case outcomes and strengthen victim-centered responses over time.

• The Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance in the humanities (see cultural affairs in cfda), law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJA FY 19 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.833.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 07, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 09, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 28 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

Apply for BJA 2019 15228

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