FACT SHEET

What is the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS)?

In Fiscal Year 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) 

initiative, which combined most of the Department's available Tribal government-specific grant programs under one solicitation. 

Through CTAS, the Department has awarded over 2,000 grants totaling more than $940 million to hundreds of American Indian 

and Alaska Native communities. The Tribes are using 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, serve sexual assault and elder victims, and support other efforts to address crime. Note: CTAS is not a 

program but an overarching structure under which tribes can apply to ten separate grant programs, from five program 

offices, through a single application.

How does it work?

CTAS is managed by the DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and the 

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), who manage awards by program, subject to available funding. Each Tribal 

government–specific grant program is referred to as a “Purpose Area.” Applicants select the Purpose Area(s) that best 

address their individual public safety, criminal and juvenile justice and victimization needs. 

The solicitation is open from Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, until 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019. Applications submitted 

after this deadline will not be considered for funding. Grant funds for CTAS are subject to available funding. Tribes or Tribal 

consortia may be eligible for other, non-Tribal specific DOJ grant funding and are encouraged to apply. More information on 

those opportunities is available on the Department of Justice website, www.justice.gov/tribal.

What are the advantages for submitting grant applications in this manner?

• Tribal government-specific funding across many DOJ components is available and described at one time, so that Tribes can

see many funding opportunities, and based on specific needs, request funding that is best aligned with such needs.

• CTAS provides the opportunity for Tribes and Tribal Consortia to engage in comprehensive planning, and be strategic in 

their request for funding. The application process provides the opportunity for Tribes to identify their needs and gaps in 

services that CTAS can address. In reviewing the application, DOJ will have a better understanding of the Tribal 

government’s overall public safety and related needs.

• Only one budget worksheet and narrative form is required.

• One system for submitting grants electronically is used.

• One Response Center to call or e-mail for programmatic questions is available.

• Only one complete and comprehensive application needs to be submitted.

• Enhanced consistency in the DOJ application peer review system across all 

DOJ components.

• DOJ is better able to make award decisions to address Tribes’ needs on amore 

comprehensive basis.

Why is this necessary?

American Indians and Alaska Natives experience disproportionate rates of violence and victimization and often encounter 

significant obstacles to identifying and accessing culturally relevant services. Tribal grants funded through the CTAS process 

help tribes to develop and strengthen tribal justice systems’ response to crime, while significantly increasing programs and 

services available to them.

Eligibility:

Only federally recognized Indian Tribal Governments, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, may apply. This includes 

Alaska Native villages and Tribal Consortia consisting of two or more federally recognized Indian tribes. Tribal designees are 

eligible participants only for certain activities related to the DOJ’s OVW and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Additional 

eligibility criteria and exceptions by Purpose Area are available in the FY 2019 CTAS Solicitation.

Tribal Community & Justice Profile:

Before applying for funding, applicants should review their community, public safety and justice systems to identify gaps in 

services that grant programs can fill. The Tribal Narrative Profile portion of the application should show specific characteristics 

of a Tribe, including community strengths, resources, challenges and needs. Applicants should identify problem(s) the Tribe 

will address, a strategy for addressing the problem(s), and the purposes area(s) funding will be requested.

Department of Justice Fiscal Year 2019

Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation
Projected CTAS Funding for FY 2019

Purpose Area

Estimated 

Amount Of

Funding Available

Estimated Number Of Awards 

To Be Made;

Estimated Award Amounts

Length 

Of

Award

1.Public Safety And Community Policing (Office 

of Community Oriented Policing Services)

$20 million Approximately 50 awards 3 years

2.Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems 

Strategic Planning (Bureau of Justice 

Assistance)

$750,000 Approximately 5 awards; up to a maximum of 

$150,000 per award

3 years

3.Tribal Justice Systems (Bureau of Justice 

Assistance)

$16.8 million Approximately 20–30 awards; approximately

$250,000–750,000 per award

3 years

4.Tribal Justice System Infrastructure 

Program (Bureau of Justice Assistance)

$7.5 million Approximately 3-6 awards; approximately $1-

$4 million per award

3 years

5.Office on Violence Against Women Tribal 

Governments Program (Office on Violence 

Against Women)

$34 million Approximately 55 awards 3 years

6.Children’s Justice Act Partnerships For

Indian Communities (Office for Victims of Crime)

$2.7 million Approximately 6 awards; up to a maximum of

$450,000 per award

3 years

7. Tribal Victim Services

Program (Office for Victims of Crime)

TBD Several award to be made up to a maximum 

of $500,000 per award

3 years

8. Juvenile Tribal Healing To Wellness Courts

(Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention)

$1.75 million Approximately 5 awards; up to a maximum of 

$350,000 per award

3 years

9.Tribal Youth Program (Office of Juvenile Justice 

and Delinquency Prevention)

$7.8 million Approximately 19 awards; up to a maximum 

of $400,000 per award

3 years

10. Addressing Violent Crime in Tribal Communities 

(Bureau of Justice Assistance)

$2 million Approximately 4 awards; up to a maximum of 

$500,000 per award

3 years

For each purpose area listed above, all awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and to any modifications or 

additional requirements that may be imposed by law. Additional information for Estimated Number of Awards and Amounts can 

be found within the FY 2019 CTAS Solicitation.

Changes to CTAS from FY 2018:

DOJ incorporated feedback from the tribal meetings and 

consultations, as well as the assessment tool, to make the following 

changes to the CTAS for FY 2019:

• OVC’s Purpose Area # 7 is now entitled the Tribal Victim Services 

Program. This may be funded through a tribal victim services set-aside, if 

enacted as part of an appropriations act or other statutory authority.

• BJA has added a new purpose area, Purpose Area #10 Addressing Violent 

Crime in Tribal Communities. 

• The question-and-answer templates have been further coordinated and 

refined across purpose areas to ensure greater clarity and reduce 

duplication. 

• The demographic form, as it relates to Purpose Area #1 (COPS Office), 

and its submission requirements have been updated. The demographic 

form applies only to applicants applying for Purpose Area #1 (COPS 

Office). 

• The budget detail worksheet has been updated in order to be more userfriendly. 

• The solicitation has been updated to be more streamlined and userfriendly, by reducing page limit requirements for both the Tribal Community 

and Justice Profile and the Purpose Area narratives and integrating the 

timeline into the Purpose Area narratives.

FY 2019 CTAS Application Resource Guide:

The CTAS Committee has streamlined the FY 2019 Solicitation and created 

a separate tool to help guide applicants through the application process. The 

FY 2019 CTAS Application Resource Guide will serve as the primary 

reference manual to assist CTAS applicants in preparing and submitting 

applications for funding. For details on CTAS purpose area statutory 

authorities, what an application should look like, budget details and 

restrictions, DOJ’s policy on late submissions, as well as a host of other 

frequently asked questions, please refer to the online DOJ FY19 CTAS 

Application Resource Guide. 

Registration & Application:

To register and apply:

1) Register in GMS

2) Complete and submit the application 

in GMS.

All applications are submitted through 

DOJ’s online Grants Management 

System (GMS) at:

https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov/gmsexternal/

DOJ Response Center

For programmatic and general 

assistance with the solicitation 

requirements, contact the

Response Center at 800-421-6770 or 

via e-mail at tribalgrants@usdoj.gov. 

The Response Center’s hours of 

operation are Monday–Friday from 9 

a.m. to 5 p.m.

GMS Help Desk

For technical assistance with submitting 

an application, contact the GMS Help 

Desk at 1-888-549-9901 and dial 3 

when prompted or email the GMS Help 

Desk at gms.helpdesk@usdoj.gov.

Attention! Applicants should begin the registration process immediately to meet the GMS registration deadline, 

especially if this is the first time using the system. It is strongly recommended that applicants register early (we 

recommend no later than Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019) in order to resolve difficulties ahead of the application deadline.