National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (16.833)
National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (Assistance Listing 16.833) is run by the Office of Justice Programs, part of the Department of Justice. It awarded $210 million in 138 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $1.5 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $1.5 million. Half of the 138 awards fell between $1.0 million and $2.3 million, and they ranged from $60,890 to $5.0 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$210 million
- Grant awards138
- Typical award$1.5 million
- Awarded in FY 2025$42.9 million
- Size rank597 of 1824
- Type of assistanceCooperative agreements
Key findings
- Annual funding rose from $35.2 million in fiscal 2021 to $42.9 million in fiscal 2025.
- It is the 597th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 51% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 38 states and territories.
What the program funds
Program goal(s) name: Improve forensic testing and justice system responses to sexual assaults Program goal(s) description: Reduce sexual assault and violent crime, hold violent offenders accountable, and deliver support and justice for victims resulting from significant backlogs of unsubmitted and partially tested sexual assault kits (SAKs). Program objective(s) name: Provide resources and support to criminal justice agencies in their efforts to improve their jurisdictional response to sexually motivated crimes. Program objective(s) description: Eliminate sexual assault kit and cold case evidence backlogs by addressing challenges associated with the forensic laboratory testing of unsubmitted and partially tested kits, as well as evidence related to other violent cold case crimes; Enhance the investigation and prosecution of cold case sexual assaults and sexually motivated homicides, as well as other violent cold case crimes; and Support law enforcement-led efforts to increase community engagement and enhance accountability and transparency in violent cold case investigations, particularly those involving sexual violence.
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 NOFO guidelines posted on the Office of Justice Programs web site at https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (16.833) awarded$210 million across 138 grant awards, an average of $1.5 million per award.
Who usually wins
State and local governments received 92% of the money, nonprofits 3.8% and colleges and universities 1.9%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| State and local governments | 132 | $194 million | 92% |
| Nonprofits | 2 | $7.9 million | 3.8% |
| Other | 3 | $4.0 million | 1.9% |
| Colleges and universities | 1 | $4.0 million | 1.9% |
By state
35 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 10 | $18.8 million |
| California | 9 | $18.1 million |
| North Carolina | 10 | $16.8 million |
| Georgia | 6 | $13.4 million |
| Ohio | 7 | $9.9 million |
| Oklahoma | 4 | $9.5 million |
| New Jersey | 6 | $8.7 million |
| Arizona | 4 | $7.8 million |
| Minnesota | 6 | $7.4 million |
| Louisiana | 4 | $7.3 million |
| Tennessee | 5 | $6.9 million |
| Kentucky | 4 | $6.8 million |
| New Mexico | 6 | $6.7 million |
| Michigan | 5 | $6.6 million |
| Florida | 8 | $6.4 million |
| Massachusetts | 3 | $5.5 million |
| Idaho | 3 | $5.2 million |
| Alabama | 3 | $5.2 million |
| Missouri | 2 | $4.5 million |
| Washington | 4 | $3.9 million |
| Maryland | 3 | $3.6 million |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $3.5 million |
| Oregon | 2 | $3.4 million |
| Virginia | 2 | $3.1 million |
| Connecticut | 2 | $3.0 million |
| Utah | 2 | $2.8 million |
| Montana | 2 | $2.7 million |
| Indiana | 1 | $2.5 million |
| Maine | 1 | $2.5 million |
| New York | 1 | $1.5 million |
| Arkansas | 2 | $1.5 million |
| District of Columbia | 1 | $1.3 million |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $1.2 million |
| Mississippi | 1 | $1.2 million |
| Illinois | 1 | $1.0 million |
| Nebraska | 1 | $723,671 |
| Colorado | 1 | $500,000 |
| Nevada | 1 | $252,496 |