Opportunity Information: Apply for O BJA 2026 172778

  • The Bureau of Justice Assistance in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DOJ FY 2026 Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws (ANGEL) Grant 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 2026-09-24.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-20. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
  • Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Others.
Apply for O BJA 2026 172778

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Opportunity Summary:

The DOJ FY 2026 Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws (ANGEL) Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under CFDA 16.076. The stated purpose of the program is to enhance public safety by helping jurisdictions identify, disrupt, and prevent violent crime attributed to criminal illegal aliens, with an emphasis on preventing future victimization and the kinds of severe harms referenced as affecting "Angel Families." In practical terms, the program is designed to strengthen coordinated, intelligence-led law enforcement operations and to deepen participation in joint enforcement efforts, particularly Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ-aligned initiatives focused on combating gangs, cartels, and related violent crime.

Funding under ANGEL is positioned to support operational capacity in three main areas: personnel, specialized support roles, and technology/equipment. First, funds may be used for sworn and non-sworn law enforcement personnel, including hiring new full-time sworn officers or deputies as well as full-time civilian/non-sworn staff. This includes filling existing vacancies that are no longer supported in an agency budget, which can be important for agencies that have had positions frozen or cut. The program also explicitly allows rehiring full-time personnel who have already been laid off due to state, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) budget reductions, as well as rehiring individuals who are scheduled for layoffs on a specific future date because of similar budget pressures. The overall intent here is to prevent loss of critical staffing and to rebuild enforcement capacity tied to the program's public safety mission.

Second, the program allows funding for non-law enforcement personnel who are still considered critical to the investigative and prosecutorial pipeline supporting these enforcement objectives. Examples listed include forensic, investigative, analytical, prosecution, and legal support functions. The notice also draws clear boundaries: grant funds may not be used for co-responders, interpreters, or translators. For eligible non-law enforcement positions, the program can support salaries for up to three years, and those salary costs can be spread over a five-year period of performance to allow time for recruitment, onboarding, and retention in hard-to-fill roles.

Third, ANGEL funds can be used for technology and equipment purchases and the longer-term costs that often come with them, including multi-year implementation, ongoing subscriptions, training, and maintenance. The focus is on filling critical resource gaps and expanding a jurisdiction's ability to conduct criminal justice operations aligned with the program's goals. The types of allowable technology and equipment are described broadly, including surveillance, intelligence, and investigative technologies; forensic and analytical equipment; and officer safety and tactical equipment. This structure suggests the program is intended not only to buy hardware, but also to support the supporting ecosystem (software licensing, training, upkeep) that makes technology usable over time.

Eligible applicants include a wide range of government entities: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The opportunity also recognizes "other units of local government," clarifying that this can include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general-purpose political subdivisions of a state. The award ceiling listed is $500,000. The opportunity was created on September 24, 2026, and the original closing date is October 20, 2026.

DOJ FY 2026 ANGEL Grant Program FAQs

What is the DOJ FY 2026 Assisting Neighborhoods and Governments with Enforcement of Laws (ANGEL) Grant Program?

The ANGEL Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under CFDA 16.076. It is designed to enhance public safety by helping jurisdictions identify, disrupt, and prevent violent crime attributed to criminal illegal aliens, with an emphasis on preventing future victimization and severe harms referenced as affecting "Angel Families."

What is the main purpose of the ANGEL program?

The stated purpose is to enhance public safety by strengthening coordinated, intelligence-led law enforcement operations and deepening participation in joint enforcement efforts. The program particularly emphasizes Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ-aligned initiatives focused on combating gangs, cartels, and related violent crime.

Which federal agency administers this grant?

This program is administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).

Is ANGEL a discretionary or formula grant?

ANGEL is described as a discretionary grant opportunity.

What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 16.076.

What kinds of activities is the program intended to support in practice?

In practical terms, ANGEL is intended to support coordinated, intelligence-led enforcement operations and increased participation in joint enforcement efforts, especially Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ-aligned efforts aimed at gangs, cartels, and related violent crime.

What are the main categories of costs that ANGEL funding is positioned to support?

The opportunity describes three main areas: (1) personnel, (2) specialized support roles, and (3) technology and equipment (including related longer-term costs like subscriptions, training, and maintenance).

Can ANGEL funds be used to hire new sworn officers or deputies?

Yes. Funds may be used for sworn law enforcement personnel, including hiring new full-time sworn officers or deputies.

Can ANGEL funds support non-sworn or civilian staff positions within law enforcement agencies?

Yes. The program allows funding for full-time civilian/non-sworn staff.

Can agencies use ANGEL funds to fill existing vacancies?

Yes. The program includes filling existing vacancies that are no longer supported in an agency budget, which may help agencies with frozen or cut positions.

Can ANGEL funds be used to rehire staff who were previously laid off?

Yes. The program explicitly allows rehiring full-time personnel who have already been laid off due to state, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) budget reductions.

Can ANGEL funds be used to prevent planned future layoffs?

Yes. The program also allows rehiring individuals scheduled for layoffs on a specific future date due to state, local, or BIA budget pressures.

What is the staffing-related intent of the program?

The staffing-related intent described is to prevent the loss of critical staffing and rebuild enforcement capacity tied to the program's public safety mission.

Are non-law enforcement roles eligible for funding under ANGEL?

Yes. The program allows funding for non-law enforcement personnel who are considered critical to the investigative and prosecutorial pipeline supporting the program's objectives.

What are examples of eligible non-law enforcement roles mentioned in the opportunity?

Examples listed include forensic, investigative, analytical, prosecution, and legal support functions.

Are co-responders eligible under this program?

No. The notice states that grant funds may not be used for co-responders.

Are interpreters or translators eligible positions under ANGEL?

No. The notice states that grant funds may not be used for interpreters or translators.

How long can ANGEL support salaries for eligible non-law enforcement positions?

For eligible non-law enforcement positions, the program can support salaries for up to three years.

How does the period of performance relate to the timing of salary costs for eligible non-law enforcement positions?

The opportunity states that salary costs for eligible non-law enforcement positions can be spread over a five-year period of performance to allow time for recruitment, onboarding, and retention in hard-to-fill roles.

Can ANGEL funds be used to purchase technology and equipment?

Yes. ANGEL funds can be used for technology and equipment purchases.

Can ANGEL funds cover costs beyond the initial purchase of technology and equipment?

Yes. The opportunity indicates funds can support longer-term costs that often come with technology and equipment, including multi-year implementation, ongoing subscriptions, training, and maintenance.

What is the focus of the technology and equipment funding?

The focus described is on filling critical resource gaps and expanding a jurisdiction's ability to conduct criminal justice operations aligned with the program's goals.

What types of technology and equipment are described as allowable?

The opportunity describes allowable technology and equipment broadly, including surveillance, intelligence, and investigative technologies; forensic and analytical equipment; and officer safety and tactical equipment.

Does the opportunity suggest funding is limited to hardware purchases only?

No. The structure suggests the program is intended not only to buy hardware, but also to support the supporting ecosystem (such as software licensing, training, and upkeep) that makes technology usable over time.

Who is eligible to apply for the ANGEL grant?

Eligible applicants include state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments.

What does the opportunity mean by "other units of local government"?

The opportunity clarifies that "other units of local government" can include towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general-purpose political subdivisions of a state.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed is $500,000.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on September 24, 2026.

What is the application closing date?

The original closing date is October 20, 2026.

What joint enforcement efforts are particularly emphasized by this program?

The program particularly emphasizes Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) activities and other DOJ-aligned initiatives focused on combating gangs, cartels, and related violent crime.

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