Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS)

Overview of CTAS

What is CTAS?

The Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation is a grant program launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Fiscal Year 2010 in direct response to concerns raised by tribal leaders about the Department’s grant process that did not provide the flexibility tribes needed to address their criminal justice and public safety needs.Through CTAS, federally recognized tribes and Tribal consortia were able, for the first time ever, to submit a single application for most of DOJ’s Tribal grant programs. DOJ designed this comprehensive approach to save time and resources and allow tribes and DOJ to gain a better understanding of the tribes’ overall public safety needs. CTAS is not a program but is the overarching structure, under which seven separate grant program applications are collected. CTAS is currently operated through collaborative efforts across many department components, bureaus, and offices, including:

You can use these funds to enhance law enforcement, combat domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sex trafficking, bolster justice systems, prevent and control juvenile delinquency, strengthen the juvenile justice system, support sexual assault and Elder victims, and support other efforts to address crime.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 CTAS refers to the DOJ’s tribal government-specific competitive grant programs as purpose areas (PA). Applicants may select the PA(s) that best address their tribe’s concerns related to public safety, criminal and juvenile justice, and the needs of victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

Each tribe, tribal consortium, or tribal designee may only submit one application. A tribe may apply as part of a consortium and also submit its own independent application provided that the independent application is for funding of activities that are different from those activities for which the tribal consortium has applied.

Following are the eight PAs and their DOJ components:

  • PA #1: Public Safety and Community Policing [Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)]
  • PA #2: Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning [Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), COPS, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)]
  • PA #3: Tribal Justice Systems Program (BJA)
  • PA #4: Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program (BJA)
  • PA #5: Adult Tribal Treatment Courts (BJA)
  • PA #6: Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities (OVC)
  • PA #8: Youth Healing to Wellness Courts (OJJDP)
  • PA #9: Tribal Youth Program (OJJDP)

Note that, in FY 2025, PA 5 is now included in CTAS.

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 1: Public Safety and Community Policing

Under CTAS, the COPS Office offers funding through Purpose Area #1: Public Safety and Community Policing. Purpose Area #1 is designed to expand the implementation of community policing and meet the most serious needs of law enforcement in Tribal Nations through a broadened comprehensive program. The funding can be used to hire or re-hire full-time career law enforcement officers, village/tribal police officers, village public safety officers, school resource officers, as well as procure basic equipment, technology and training to assist in the initiation or enhancement of Tribal community policing efforts.

Purpose Area #1 hiring grants are for a 60-month implementation period. If your tribe is awarded a hiring grant, it will receive funding to cover the entry-level salary and approved benefits of full-time awarded officer positions incurred during the 60 months following the grant award start date, unless an extension for additional time is granted. 

Purpose Area #1 equipment and training grants are for a 36 month implementation period. If your tribe is awarded an equipment and training grant, it will receive funding to cover the one-time purchases for allowable costs incurred during the 36 months following the grant award start date, unless an extension for additional time is granted.
If awarded civilian full time methamphetamine and or anti-opioid coordinator positions, these positions fall under the 36 month implementation period (three years).

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 2: Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning

The Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning program was designed to allow tribes to engage in comprehensive justice system-wide strategic planning to improve tribal justice and safety including improving community wellness, increasing capacity to prevent crime and addressing violent crime, activities outlined in the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA), such as strategic planning and the development of a Tribal Action Plan (TAP). This planning process will be guided and supported by a training and technical assistance (TTA) provider provided by DOJ.

Purpose Area 2 is administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Office of Justice Programs on behalf of all CTAS participating DOJ Components. Award amounts are up to $150,000 for up to 5 years, although most grantees complete the strategic planning process within 2-3 years.

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 3: Tribal Justice Systems

Under CTAS, the BJA offers funding through Purpose Area #3: Tribal Justice Systems. BJA has structured Purpose Area 3 to be as broad and flexible as possible to support a variety of Tribal justice programs.

The overall purpose of Purpose Area #3 is to provide key funding to Tribal justice systems to develop, support, and enhance adult and juvenile Tribal justice systems and the prevention of violent crime and crime related to opioid, alcohol, and other substance abuse. This funding supports a broad range of needs in the adult tribal justice system, from law enforcement to courts to corrections.

Programs can include but are not limited to the following: Tribal courts, alternative justice courts, risk and needs assessment, diversion and alternatives to incarceration, prevention, treatment, corrections including community corrections, re-entry, law enforcement, and strategic planning.

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 4: Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program

The overall goal of BJA’s Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program (TJSIP) is to strengthen tribal justice system capacity by addressing physical infrastructure needs. TJSIP provides site-based funding to federally recognized tribes to renovate or expand existing tribal justice-related facilities or build new tribal justice-related facilities (prefabricated, permanent modular, stick-built, or pre-engineered steel building options only). The facility types supported by this program include police departments, courts, detention centers, multipurpose justice centers (including police departments, courts, and/or corrections), transitional living facilities (halfway houses), correctional alternative or treatment facilities, and domestic violence shelters/safe homes/transitional living facilities/advocacy programs.

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 6: Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities

The mission of the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is to enhance the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and to provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices in ways that will promote justice and healing for all victims. OVC is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, within the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Children’s Justice and Assistance Act (CJA) of 1986 provided states funding to establish programs to effectively handle child abuse cases. In 1988, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act amended the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984, authorizing the use of a portion of the state CJA funds to help Tribal communities develop and establish programs to improve the investigation, prosecution, and case management of child sexual abuse cases. Since 1989, OVC has worked to enhance the capacity of Tribal communities to address the needs of child abuse victims by providing funding through the CJA Partnerships for Indian Communities Program (CJA Program). The CJA Program was integrated into the CTAS as Purpose Area 6 in 2012. Since that time, OVC has awarded over 60 CJA Program grant awards to Tribes, totaling over $26 million.

The goal of the Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities (CJA) program is to provide funding to help American Indian and Alaska Native communities develop, establish, and operate programs designed to improve the investigation, prosecution, and handling of cases of criminal child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse cases, in a manner which lessens trauma for child victims.

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 8: Youth Healing to Wellness Courts

The Youth Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts program was incorporated into the CTAS in Fiscal Year 2015 as Purpose Area 8, the first time that an OJJDP CTAS Purpose Area included a specific court focus. This program aims to develop and enhance the capacity of Tribal court to respond to the alcohol and substance use related issues of youth under the age of 21. This includes the development of a new youth healing to wellness court. The principal objectives of this program include: identifying the relevant data that is being collected with regard to Tribal underage alcohol possession and consumption, and its related issues; inventorying policies, procedures, assessment tools, and services that address youth under age 21 who possess or consume alcohol and suffer from alcohol-related issues; determining gaps in such policies, procedures, assessment tools and services; and developing or enhancing the same. Gaps to be addressed by grantees may include culturally appropriate provisions for right to counsel for persons under age 21 who have substance and/or alcohol-related issues; and judicial policies that work appropriately in Tribal justice systems to allow for delinquent charges/records to be expunged after completion of court-ordered action or programming.

Under this program, grantees can direct funding to develop or enhance an existing youth healing to wellness court in accordance with the OJJDP Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Guidelines and the Tribal Healing to Wellness Court 10 Key Components.

Overview of CTAS Purpose Area 9: Tribal Youth Program

OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Program (TYP) is Purpose Area 9 under the CTAS. OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Program (TYP) seeks to support and enhance Tribal efforts to prevent and reduce juvenile delinquency and strengthen a fair and beneficial juvenile justice system response for American Indian/Alaska Native Youth. OJJDP understands that Tribal nations have widely varying circumstances, strengths, and needs that may challenge their ability to prevent juvenile delinquency or to intervene and treat Tribal youth when necessary. The funding in this purpose area is made available to enable tribes to create, expand, or strengthen approaches along the juvenile justice continuum that can range from prevention to intervention and treatment. This program helps tribes develop and sustain effective and equitable services and programs that contribute to the reduction of Tribal youth involved in juvenile justice systems and that create safer communities and empower youth to lead healthy and productive lives.

FY25 U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation 

This Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) funding opportunity seeks to provide funding to improve public safety and victim services in tribal communities. CTAS provides federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia an opportunity to apply for funding to aid in developing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety. Many of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) existing tribal government-specific programs are included in and available through this single coordinated funding opportunity. 

Grants.gov Deadline: March 18, 2025, 11:59 pm Eastern; JustGrants Deadline: March 25, 2025, 8:59 pm Eastern.

FY 2025

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) FY 2025 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation provides federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia an opportunity to apply for funding to aid in developing a comprehensive and coordinated approach to public safety and victimization. The majority of DOJ’s existing tribal government-specific programs are included in and available through this single Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation.

Disclaimer: Please see the solicitation for additional opportunity and eligibility details, as well as directions on how to apply, eligibility, and requirements. Samples may need to be updated to reflect changes in the solicitation. Also visit the Department of Justice site for templates, legal documents, and more about the FY 2025 CTAS opportunity.

FY 2025 CTAS Webinar Schedule

About Open Office Hours
Join CTAS Purpose Area representatives, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and JustGrants for an open question and answer sessions as you prepare your final CTAS grant submission documents. Drop-in discussions are encouraged and one-on-one conversations in a virtual breakout room will be available upon request.
Open office hours will not have formal presentations and will not be recorded.

Open Office Hours Schedule

Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Eastern Time
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtc-mtrj0sGtwtRWfykKezmaiWzbtegHU1

Thursday, February 27, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Eastern Time
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvdu-uqz8vHNGUJrVh0ERT_EtNZImLySvA


Helpful Resources

Accessing Grants Workshop
Recorded September 30-October 1, 2024
Recorded workshop can be viewed at: www.ncjtc.org/ctasresources

FY 2025 Solicitation Webinars
Recorded/Scheduled
Webinar links: www.ncjtc.org/ctasresources

CTAS provided by the U.S. Department of Justice

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