BJS FY 2026 Consolidated National Criminal History Improvement Program

Source-based overview

1) NCHIP ($59,000,000)- This program aims to improve the nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information; and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and non-criminal justice background check systems. 2) NCHIP SF BSCA ($40,000,000) - This program furthers the DOJ's mission to reduce violent crime and address gun violence by improving the accuracy, utility, and interstate accessibility of criminal-history and related records in support of national record systems and their use for name- and fingerprint-based criminal history background checks. This program was developed to implement Title III, Division B (3) - Appropriations outlined in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Pub. L. 117-159). 3) NARIP ($24,000,000)- This program provides grants to assist states, state court systems and tribal governments in updating the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) with certain mental health, protection and restraining order, domestic violence conviction, and other criminal history record information which may disqualify individuals from purchasing or possessing firearms. BJS coordinates its work on the NICS program with the efforts of the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) to ensure that funded state and state court system programs are complementary and consistent with the overall goal of improving the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of state and national criminal records. The official record contains the controlling eligibility, budget, attachment and submission requirements for opportunity O-BJS-2026-172688.

Eligibility

Eligible applicant types listed by the agency: State governments; Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification); Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized). Applicants must also satisfy every programme-specific condition in the official notice.

Funding and benefits

Award ceiling: USD 2,196,000

Expected number of awards: 56

Themes and supported activities

1) NCHIP ($59,000,000)- This program aims to improve the nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information; and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and non-criminal justice background check systems. 2) NCHIP SF BSCA ($40,000,000) - This program furthers the DOJ's mission to reduce violent crime and address gun violence by improving the accuracy, utility, and interstate accessibility of criminal-history and related records in support of national record systems and their use for name- and fingerprint-based criminal history background checks. This program was developed to implement Title III, Division B (3) - Appropriations outlined in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Pub. L. 117-159). 3) NARIP ($24,000,000)- This program provides grants to assist states, state court systems and tribal governments in updating the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) with certain mental health, protection and restraining order, domestic violence conviction, and other criminal history record information which may disqualify individuals from purchasing or possessing firearms. BJS coordinates its work on the NICS program with the efforts of the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) to ensure that funded state and state court system programs are complementary and consistent with the overall goal of improving the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of state and national criminal records.

Opportunity number: O-BJS-2026-172688

Deadline and timeline

Applications close 2026-09-28: Applications close 2026-09-28: Sep 28, 2026.

Applicants should confirm the exact deadline time, time zone, required documents, portal steps and any institutional approvals on the official call page before submitting.

How to apply

Open the official Grants.gov record, review the full notice and attachments, and use the application package or agency route stated there.

Before applying, check eligibility rules, budgets, attachments, page limits, partner requirements, cost-share conditions and whether the opportunity uses an expression of interest, full proposal, registration or nomination stage.