BJS FY25 Consolidated National Criminal History Improvement Program | O BJS 2025 172527

Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJS 2025 172527

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) FY25 Consolidated National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) is a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity designed to strengthen the quality and usability of criminal history information nationwide. The core intent is to make criminal history records more accurate, complete, timely, and easier to access across jurisdictions so that both criminal justice and authorized non-criminal justice background checks can be carried out reliably. In practice, this means helping states, courts, and tribal governments modernize the systems and processes that create, update, and share records that feed into national repositories and background check systems.

The opportunity is structured around three related funding tracks. First, NCHIP (total funding noted as $70,000,000) focuses broadly on improving national safety and security by enhancing criminal history record information and supporting nationwide implementation of background check systems. This track is typically associated with projects that address gaps in record completeness, improve the linkage between arrests and final dispositions, support automation and system integration, and increase the overall accessibility and consistency of records used for decision-making across the justice system and for permitted non-criminal justice purposes.

Second, NCHIP SF BSCA (total funding noted as $40,000,000) is a set-aside aligned with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Public Law 117-159). This portion emphasizes DOJ priorities tied to reducing violent crime and addressing gun violence by improving the accuracy, usefulness, and interstate accessibility of criminal history and related records. The key idea is to strengthen the national record systems and the quality of the data they rely on so that name-based and fingerprint-based background checks perform better, especially when records must be shared and interpreted across state lines. This track reflects the additional appropriations and policy focus established under Title III, Division B(3) of the Act.

Third, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP), with $25,000,000 described in the notice, supports targeted work to ensure that disqualifying records are properly available to the FBI’s NICS. Funding is aimed at helping states, state court systems, and tribal governments improve the reporting of specific categories of records that can affect firearms eligibility, including certain mental health adjudications/commitments (as applicable under law), protection and restraining orders, domestic violence convictions, and other relevant criminal history information. The notice emphasizes that BJS coordinates NARIP work with NCHIP so that state and court system efforts are complementary and aligned with the broader goal of improving the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of state and national criminal records.

Eligible applicants include state governments and federally recognized Native American tribal governments, along with other eligible entities as permitted under the program, and the notice specifically references courts by noting that the eligible court applicant is the state central administrative office (or a similar entity) designated by statute or regulation to administer federal grant funds on behalf of the jurisdiction’s court system. This is important because much of the data needed for complete criminal histories (particularly dispositions and certain orders) originates in courts, and the program is designed to support end-to-end record improvement from initial events through final outcomes.

Administratively, the opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics under a cooperative agreement mechanism, indicating that recipients should expect more substantial federal involvement than a standard grant (for example, collaboration, guidance, or shared responsibilities tied to national systems and standards). The funding activity category is listed as Information and Statistics, reflecting the program’s focus on improving the underlying data infrastructure that supports public safety decisions and background check processes. The opportunity lists CFDA numbers 16.554 and 16.813, an expected 56 awards, and an award ceiling of $2,410,714. The original application closing date provided is February 24, 2026, and the opportunity number is O-BJS-2025-172527.

• The Bureau of Justice Statistics in the information and statistics sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BJS FY25 Consolidated National Criminal History Improvement Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.554, 16.813.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2026-01-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-02-24. (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 $2,410,714.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 56 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others.

Apply for O BJS 2025 172527

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