Grants for a DNA extraction robot

Programs that can pay for it

• Coverdell

  Can pay for it

  Equipment for any forensic discipline or medical examiner service. Administrative costs are capped at 10%.

  Directly or through your state

• CEBR

  With limits

  DNA work only. Equipment must be approved for use with the National DNA Index System (NDIS).

  Apply directly · 18 past awards named it

• JAG

  With limits

  Any project in one of JAG’s purpose areas, subject to BJA’s prohibited-expenditures list. Local awards are often small.

  Directly or through your state

• MUHR

  With limits

  Only for missing persons and unidentified remains work.

  Apply directly

• NIJ Forensic R&D

  With limits

  A research grant: equipment only when the research needs it. Proposals built mainly around buying equipment aren’t eligible.

  Apply directly

• SAKI

  With limits

  Lab equipment only for DNA-based kit screening such as Y-screening. General lab capacity equipment isn’t allowed.

  Apply directly

• Postconviction DNA

  Ruled out

  The notice bars lab equipment and software such as genetic analyzers, extraction robotics and probabilistic genotyping software.

  Apply directly

From each program’s funding notice. Programs for other kinds of work aren’t listed, and “ruled out” only appears where the notice says so. Check the current notice before you apply: the rules can change each year.

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• JAG: Local Formula

  BJABureau of Justice Assistance · FY2026

  Your city or county can get this money straight from BJA if it is on this year's JAG allocations list, so check that first. It can pay for staff, equipment, supplies, training and information systems for criminal justice work, and it doesn't go through your state.

  JAG / ByrneDNADigital Forensics+1
  Fixed by formula8 days · Oct 9

• Coverdell: Competitive

  BJABureau of Justice Assistance · FY2026

  Money to improve forensic science and medical examiner or coroner services. Local government labs apply directly to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, state labs apply through their state administering agency, and applications are scored against each other.

  CoverdellDNAToxicology+4
  Up to $500K28 days · Oct 29

• CEBR: Formula

  BJABureau of Justice Assistance · FY2026

  Your lab can get federal funding to process more DNA samples and reduce your backlog by entering samples into CODIS, the national DNA database system. You apply directly to the federal government on grants.gov, with no state agency required.

  CEBRDNA
  Up to $3.5M28 days · Oct 29

• Coverdell: Formula

  BJABureau of Justice Assistance · FY2026

  Your state's administering agency applies for formula funds that flow down to your lab through your state's own process. Contact your state forensic science improvement coordinator early, since state deadlines typically come before the federal deadline. This is different from competitive funds, which labs apply for directly to the federal government.

  CoverdellDNAToxicology+4
  Fixed by formula29 days · Oct 30

• CEBR: Competitive

  BJABureau of Justice Assistance · FY2026

  Your lab can get money to process more DNA samples and enter them into the national CODIS database, or to set up rapid DNA testing at booking stations. You apply directly to the federal government through grants.gov, without going through your state.

  CEBRDNA
  Up to $4.9M33 days · Nov 3

Agencies that planned to buy it

18 awards to 18 recipients in 15 states named it in their own description. The median award was $600K, for the whole project, not just this item.

• “…will also address bottlenecks in data analysis with the purchase of a metasystems metafer imaging system (with maintenance contract) for sperm screening, qiacube connect (with installation and training, custom protocol), hid veritipro thermal cycler (with 1 year ab rc support plus and rapid exchange)…”

  GEORGIA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION · CEBR · FY2024 · $2.8M

• “Project activities to increase sample processing include purchasing of supplies and validating a new liquid handling instrument to automate the process of sexual assault samples.”

  CITY OF LOS ANGELES · CEBR · FY2024 · $2M

• “…the purchase of maintenance agreements for the DNA analysis instrumentation and the strmix DNA mixture interpretation software, and the purchase of four qiacube connect instruments and thirteen veritipro thermal cyclers.”

  ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF FORENSIC SCIENCES · CEBR · FY2024 · $1.4M

• “The plan includes an optimization of liquid handling robots that will automate a recently validated method to extract DNA from samples collected as part of all case types to include carjacking…”

  PUBLIC SAFETY, MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF · CEBR · FY2024 · $1M

Planned uses from each award’s filed description, not a record of what was bought. Open a row to read the full description. Sources: USAspending.gov and DOJ’s own award list, last three fiscal years and this one. Award Explorer →

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