How Funding Is Allocated

NIJ expects to award a total of up to $56,355,383 under the FY 2008 Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction Program. In general, the aggregate amount of FY 2008 funds allocated to eligible applicants from a particular State will be based on: 

  1. The number of UCR, Part 1 Violent Crimes reported to the FBI for 2006 (the most current year for which such data are available), and
  2. The amount of any awards under the FY 2005–FY 2006 Forensic Casework DNA Backlog Reduction Programs that remained entirely unobligated as of March 17, 2008 ("unobligated FY 2005–FY 2006 Backlog Reduction awards").[1]
  3. The number of qualifying State and local applicants also may affect award amounts.

For FY 2008, a minimum has been set for the aggregate amount available to eligible applicants from a State. If the aggregate amount that would otherwise have been made available for FY 2008 to applicants from a State (including units of local government in the State) would have been less than $100,000, that aggregate amount has been increased to $100,000.[2] See "Appendix 1: Estimated Allocation of Funds—FY 2008" for a chart of estimated aggregate amounts available for awards, by State.

Units of local government must specify in their applications the proportion of the State's total number of UCR, Part 1 Violent Crimes they reported to the FBI for 2006. In general, funds will be allocated among the eligible applicants within a particular State on the basis of UCR, Part 1 Violent Crimes and the amount(s) of unobligated FY 2005–FY 2006 Backlog Reduction awards, if applicable.[3]

To avoid delay in the processing of applications and release of award funds, all eligible applicants within each State (including units of local government) that seek FY 2008 Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction Program funds are encouraged to coordinate to ensure that the total amount of funds sought by the applicants does not exceed the total aggregate amount available to that State as shown in the chart in appendix 1 of the FY 2008 solicitation (pdf, 19 pages).

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.

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Notes

1 NIJ anticipates that it will be adjusting unobligated FY 2006 Backlog Reduction awards to authorize award funds to be used for purposes and cases similar to those permissible under this FY 2008 Forensic DNA Backlog Reduction Program solicitation. Back to text.

2 This minimum aggregate amount is intended, among other things, to provide funds for purchase of items such as expert systems, laboratory information management systems, or robotic workstations (should eligible applicants have needs for such items). Back to text.

3 States and units of local government with unobligated FY 2005–FY 2006 Backlog Reduction awards are not eligible to apply for FY 2008 funding unless the applicant's proportionate share of the FY 2008 funds—based on UCR, Part 1 Violent Crimes reported to the FBI for 2006—exceeds the total amount of the applicant's unobligated FY 2005–FY 2006 Backlog Reduction award(s). In this instance, applicants may apply for the difference between the two figures. Please contact the NIJ Program Office in advance for additional information. Back to text.