Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2026 172587
The OJP FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), designed to help state, local, Tribal, and territorial prosecuting agencies add dedicated prosecutorial capacity focused on complex cases that overlap with federal priorities. The central idea is to fund prosecutors who will work full time in cross-designated roles either as Special Attorneys detailed to the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division, or as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) embedded within a U.S. Attorney's Office. By placing state and local prosecutors into these federally aligned positions, the program aims to close coordination gaps between jurisdictions and improve the speed and effectiveness of investigations and prosecutions that involve multi-agency evidence, interstate activity, or federal charging options.
Program-funded prosecutors are expected to investigate and prosecute fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States (referred to in the solicitation language as "criminal aliens"), as well as crimes involving drug trafficking or human trafficking occurring within the United States. In practice, this means the supported attorneys would be positioned to pursue matters that often require joint task force work, coordinated charging decisions, and consistent information sharing between local prosecutors and federal partners. The grant emphasizes strengthening investigative and prosecutorial capacity, expanding intergovernmental coordination, and increasing the availability of cross-designated personnel who can work in tandem with federal authorities to enforce applicable criminal laws. The cross-designation aspect is a key feature, because it enables prosecutors to operate effectively in environments where federal jurisdiction, federal investigative resources, and federal court prosecution pathways may be critical to the overall case strategy.
Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. The opportunity is offered under CFDA number 16.076 and will be administered through a cooperative agreement, which typically signals that DOJ expects substantial involvement in the funded work (such as coordination expectations, federal partner integration, reporting requirements, and adherence to programmatic guidance). The funding opportunity number is O-BJA-2026-172587. The solicitation was created on April 21, 2026, and the original application closing date is May 15, 2026. The listed award ceiling is $1,000,000 per award. The source information does not specify the expected number of awards.
Overall, this solicitation is built for prosecuting agencies that can realistically staff a full-time attorney into a collaborative federal-facing role and that have casework aligned with fraud offenses and other crimes committed by noncitizens in the United States, along with domestic drug and human trafficking investigations and prosecutions. The program is structured to produce practical operational benefits: more specialized prosecutors available to handle complex matters, tighter working relationships with U.S. Attorney's Offices and DOJ divisions, and a more consistent pipeline for joint investigations and prosecutions that may be difficult for a single jurisdiction to handle alone.Apply for O BJA 2026 172587
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJP FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.076.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-15. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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FAQs: OJP FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program (BJA)
What is the OJP FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program?
The OJP FY 2026 Special Attorneys Program is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). It is designed to help prosecuting agencies add dedicated, full-time prosecutorial capacity for complex cases that overlap with federal priorities and often require close coordination across jurisdictions.
What is the main goal of this program?
The program aims to close coordination gaps between jurisdictions and improve the speed and effectiveness of investigations and prosecutions that involve multi-agency evidence, interstate activity, or situations where federal charging options may be important. The approach is to place state and local prosecutors into federally aligned roles so they can work directly with federal partners.
What types of positions does the grant support?
The program funds prosecutors who will serve full time in cross-designated roles, either:
- As Special Attorneys detailed to the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division, or
- As Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) embedded within a U.S. Attorney's Office.
What does "cross-designated" mean in this program?
In this solicitation, cross-designation refers to arrangements that enable state or local prosecutors to function in federally aligned roles (such as working as a SAUSA within a U.S. Attorney's Office or being detailed as a Special Attorney to DOJ components). This feature is emphasized as key to operating effectively in cases where federal jurisdiction, federal investigative resources, or federal court pathways may be central to the case strategy.
What kinds of cases are funded prosecutors expected to work on?
Program-funded prosecutors are expected to investigate and prosecute:
- Fraud and other crimes committed by aliens within the United States (referred to in the solicitation as "criminal aliens"),
- Crimes involving drug trafficking occurring within the United States, and
- Crimes involving human trafficking occurring within the United States.
Why does the program focus on these case types?
The program is structured around matters that commonly require joint task force work, coordinated charging decisions, and consistent information sharing between local prosecutors and federal partners. These are often complex cases that are difficult for a single jurisdiction to handle alone.
What operational benefits is the program intended to produce?
The solicitation describes practical operational outcomes, including:
- More specialized prosecutors available to handle complex matters,
- Tighter working relationships with U.S. Attorney's Offices and other DOJ components, and
- A more consistent pipeline for joint investigations and prosecutions across jurisdictions.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
Is this a discretionary or formula funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity, meaning awards are made through a competitive or selection-based process rather than by a predetermined formula.
What type of award mechanism will be used?
The program will be administered through a cooperative agreement. This typically signals substantial involvement by DOJ in the funded work, such as coordination expectations, integration with federal partners, reporting requirements, and adherence to program guidance.
What is the award ceiling?
The listed award ceiling is $1,000,000 per award.
How many awards will be made?
The source information provided does not specify the expected number of awards.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is O-BJA-2026-172587.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The opportunity is offered under CFDA number 16.076.
When was the solicitation created?
The solicitation was created on April 21, 2026.
What is the application closing date?
The original application closing date is May 15, 2026.
What kinds of agencies is this solicitation best suited for?
This opportunity is built for prosecuting agencies that can realistically staff a full-time attorney into a collaborative, federal-facing role and that have casework aligned with fraud offenses and other crimes committed by noncitizens in the United States, as well as domestic drug and human trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
Where will the funded prosecutor be placed or embedded?
Depending on the role, the prosecutor may be embedded within a U.S. Attorney's Office as a SAUSA, or detailed in a Special Attorney capacity to the National Fraud Enforcement Division or the Criminal Division.
How does this program improve coordination across jurisdictions?
By placing state and local prosecutors into federally aligned roles, the program is intended to improve day-to-day coordination, speed decision-making on charging strategy, strengthen information sharing, and help teams handle investigations that involve multiple agencies, interstate conduct, or federal court options.
Does the solicitation emphasize working with federal partners?
Yes. The central design of the program is to integrate funded prosecutors with federal authorities and priorities through cross-designated roles and direct collaboration with DOJ components and/or U.S. Attorney's Offices.
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