National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative

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The National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) provides funding to reduce violent crime and support law enforcement officers and prosecutors by:

• Providing jurisdictions with resources to address unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs) (including partially tested kits) in their custody that have not been submitted to a forensic laboratory for testing with Combined DNA Index System (CODIS)-eligible DNA methodologies
• Improving investigations and prosecutions in connection with evidence and cases resulting from the SAK testing process, as well as other violent cold case crimes
• Providing sites with resources to collect DNA samples from qualifying individuals who should have a sample in CODIS but from whom a sample has never been collected or submitted to a laboratory for testing

There are 6 purpose areas under the program.

1. Comprehensive approach to unsubmitted sexual assault kits
2. SAKI for small agencies
3. Collection of lawfully owned DNA
4. Investigation and prosecution of cold case sexually motivated crimes
5. Developing and implementing a sustainability plan
6. National cold case initiative

Eligibility, based on purpose area, includes:

• Federally recognized native American tribal governments (all purpose areas)
• State law enforcement agencies (purpose areas 1 and 3)
• Units of local government (purpose areas 1 and 3)
• Governmental non-law enforcement agencies acting as fiscal agents (purpose areas 1 and 3)
• Prosecutor's offices (purpose areas 1 and 3)
• Small law enforcement agencies or consortia of small law enforcement agencies (purpose area 2)
• Jurisdictions that have addressed their unsubmitted kits and have clearly demonstrated they have also addressed the downstream case activities for at least 75% of the associated cases under the jurisdiction's control and/or authority (purpose areas 3, 4, and 6)
• Existing and/or previous SAKI grantees that have addressed their unsubmitted kits and have clearly demonstrated they have also addressed the downstream case activities for at least 75% of the associated cases under the jurisdiction's control and/or authority (purpose area 5)

Purpose Area 1:

• Award ceiling: $2,500,000
• Estimated number of awards: 8

Purpose Area 2:

• Award ceiling: $1,000,000
• Estimated number of awards: 2

Purpose Area 3:

• Award ceiling: $1,500,000
• Estimated number of awards: 4

Purpose Area 4:

• Award ceiling: $1,500,000
• Estimated number of awards: 8

Purpose Area 5:

• Award ceiling: $1,000,000
• Estimated number of awards: 1

Purpose Area 6:

• Award ceiling: $2,500,000
• Estimated number of awards: 6

The project period is 3 years.

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

Applicants should submit an SF-424 and an SF-LLL in grants.gov by July 29, 2024.

Submit the full application, including attachments, in the JustGrants grants management system by August 5, 2024.