Federal grant programs / Department of Justice

Capital Case Litigation Initiative (16.746)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$35.0 million
• Grant awards64
• Typical award$499,980
• Awarded in FY 2025$1.9 million
• Size rank1,140 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• It is the 1140th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 66% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 26 states and territories.

What the program funds

Program goal(s) name: Improve the quality of legal representation in state capital cases and strengthen the capacity of CIUs and WCRs. Program goal(s) description: Improve the quality of legal representation in state capital cases, strengthen the capacity of CIUs and WCR entities and their criminal justice and victims’ services partners to more effectively and efficiently identify, assess, and manage post-conviction claims of innocence, and prevent future wrongful convictions. Program objective(s) name: Improve standards, training, and other resources for prosecutors and defense council that aligns with state requirements and needs and improve strategic reviews of post-conviction and appeals claims of innocence to identify and apprehend actual perpetrators of crime and prevent wrongful convictions. Program objective description: Set baseline standards, qualifications, and training for prosecutors that are aligned with state and local needs; Support strategies which may include legal reforms, case review, forensic testing, victim services, and are aligned with state and local priorities; Establish a qualification framework for defense counsel that is consistent with state requirements, which may include maintaining a roster of attorneys who meet these standards; Expand training, support, and resources for defense counsel consistent with the states needs and available resources; Strategically review cases of post-conviction and appeals claims of innocence with a focus on those at greatest risk for error; Identify and apprehend, whenever possible, the actual perpetrator of the crime when convictions are overturned; Establish or enhance partnerships, where appropriate, among law enforcement, WCR entities and CIUs, and other criminal justice organizations to apply a strategic review of individual post-conviction claims of innocence and appeals and, where relevant, to use this information to inform efforts to prevent wrongful convictions; Evaluate systemic issues or patterns that may compromise the rule of law and implement practices to mitigate and prevent future wrongful convictions.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

See the current fiscal year’s solicitation available at Office of Justice Programs funding opportunities https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities and/or https://bja.ojp.gov/program/ccli/funding.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Nonprofits received 62% of the money, colleges and universities 23% and state and local governments 15%.

By state

12 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.