BJA FY 2026 Intellectual Property Enforcement Program: Protecting Public Health, Safety, and the Economy from Counterfeit Goods and Product Piracy | O BJA 2026 172679

Intellectual Property Enforcement Program (FY 2026) - FAQs

What is this grant opportunity?

This is a discretionary grant opportunity from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) for fiscal year 2026 titled Intellectual Property Enforcement Program: Protecting Public Health, Safety, and the Economy from Counterfeit Goods and Product Piracy (Funding Opportunity Number O-BJA-2026-172679; CFDA 16.752).

What problem is the program designed to address?

The program is designed to strengthen law enforcement capacity to prevent, investigate, and prosecute intellectual property (IP) crimes, especially those involving counterfeit goods and product piracy. The focus reflects how counterfeit and pirated products can harm consumers, undermine legitimate businesses, and create broader public safety risks.

What is the central approach BJA is promoting through this funding?

The central approach is to help jurisdictions build or enhance organized, operational task force efforts dedicated to IP enforcement, rather than handling IP cases in an ad hoc or informal way.

Is this funding meant for new efforts, existing efforts, or both?

Both. The funding is intended to support either existing IP enforcement task forces or the creation of new task forces within law enforcement agencies.

What types of crimes and IP issues are within the program scope?

The program scope includes a wide range of IP matters, including crimes involving trademarks, copyrights, patents, trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property. It is oriented toward improving investigations and prosecutions for IP theft and related offenses.

Does the program focus only on counterfeit goods?

The emphasis is on counterfeit goods and product piracy, but the scope is broader and includes multiple forms of intellectual property and related offenses as described in the opportunity summary.

How does the program connect IP enforcement to public health and safety?

BJA frames IP enforcement as more than an economic issue. Counterfeit goods and product piracy can directly threaten public health and safety, such as through counterfeit pharmaceuticals, unsafe consumer products, or substandard components that increase risk to the public.

How does the program connect IP enforcement to economic impacts?

The opportunity description ties IP crime to economic harms including losses to legitimate businesses and consumers, as well as impacts on tax revenues. The broader goal is to disrupt networks that profit from counterfeit and pirated goods.

Are cross-border or international issues relevant to this program?

Yes. The scope recognizes that IP crime often crosses borders, so task force work may involve coordination that touches both domestic and international aspects of counterfeiting and piracy.

Does the program mention organized crime or violent crime connections?

Yes. The description notes that IP crime (including counterfeit trafficking) can be connected to organized criminal networks, and the program aims to help reduce violent crime that can be associated with IP cases and enforcement operations.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include a broad mix of governmental entities: state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments. The solicitation also includes eligibility for "Others" as defined in the opportunity.

What does "Others" mean for eligibility in this NOFO?

For this NOFO, "other" means other units of local government such as towns, boroughs, parishes, villages, or other general-purpose political subdivisions of a state.

Does the opportunity indicate support across different levels of government?

Yes. The eligibility structure is designed to support enforcement efforts at multiple levels (state, local, tribal), and to allow jurisdictions to apply based on how their law enforcement and prosecution functions are organized locally.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $375,000 per award.

How many awards does BJA expect to make?

The listing indicates expected awards, but the source information provided here does not include a numeric value. Applicants would need to consult the full NOFO for the anticipated number of awards.

What is the application deadline?

The original application closing date listed is 2026-09-23.

When was this opportunity created or posted?

The listing shows the opportunity was created on 2026-08-13.

How much time do applicants have to apply based on the listed dates?

Based on the creation date (2026-08-13) and the original closing date (2026-09-23), applicants have a relatively short window to assemble partnerships, define a task force model, and prepare an application narrative and budget.

Does the provided information specify the award period length?

No. The source information provided here does not state the expected award period. The full NOFO would be the place to confirm the award period and related requirements.

Does the provided information mention matching funds or cost sharing?

No. The summary provided here does not specify cost-sharing or match requirements. Applicants would need to consult the full NOFO to confirm whether a match is required.

Does the provided information explain how BJA will prioritize funding decisions?

No. The information provided indicates that applicants should consult the full NOFO to understand how funding decisions will be prioritized.

What kinds of outcomes is the program trying to achieve?

The intended outcome is a more coordinated and capable enforcement response at state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, improving case development from investigation through prosecution and disrupting the networks that profit from counterfeit and pirated goods.

Is this program limited to law enforcement activities only?

The description emphasizes strengthening law enforcement capacity and building task forces focused on prevention, investigation, and prosecution of IP crimes. No additional non-law-enforcement program areas are described in the provided information.

What should applicants review in the full NOFO that is not included in this summary?

Based on the information provided, applicants should consult the full NOFO for details such as the expected number of awards, the expected award period, any match/cost-sharing requirements, and how BJA will prioritize funding decisions.