Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to Support Law Enforcement Agencies

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance has released the FY 2025 Body-Worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program to Support Law Enforcement Agencies. This funding program, authorized under the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2025, is designed to help publicly funded law enforcement and correctional agencies establish or expand body-worn camera initiatives and improve the management and integration of digital evidence. The Bureau of Justice Assistance oversees this effort as part of its mission to provide federal leadership, resources, and funding to strengthen law enforcement, combat violent crime, and protect civil rights across the United States. The program has three categories of funding. Category 1 supports publicly funded state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies seeking to establish or expand body-worn camera programs. Category 2 funds publicly funded correctional agencies seeking to deploy or expand camera use within correctional facilities or in community supervision contexts. Category 3 supports demonstration projects focused on digital evidence management, integration, and sharing in agencies with existing body-worn camera programs, allowing them to strengthen prosecutorial efficiency and streamline case workflows. Each funding category comes with its own requirements and limitations, including rules about allowable costs and equipment purchasing. Applicants are required to follow specific cost-sharing rules depending on the category. Categories 1 and 2 mandate a 50 percent match requirement, which may be met through cash or in-kind contributions such as staff time, supplies, or equipment. Category 3 does not require any match. Applicants must provide detailed budgets explaining how federal funds and any matching funds will be used, and awards cannot exceed the anticipated ceilings of $2,000,000 for Categories 1 and 2 and $1,000,000 for Category 3. The anticipated total available funding for this opportunity is $22,820,940, and the expected period of performance for all awards is 36 months starting October 1, 2025. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, township, and special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, publicly funded law enforcement agencies, and publicly funded correctional agencies. In addition, regional or state-level authorities such as State Administering Agencies are eligible. Certain applicants, specifically state or local government entities, must submit a certification by the Chief Executive Officer or senior official of the applicant government using the provided template. Applicants are permitted to submit multiple applications if they are for different categories and distinct projects, but only one entity can serve as the lead applicant on any proposal, with others participating as subrecipients. The application process involves a two-step submission. First, applicants must file the SF-424 form through Grants.gov by October 27, 2025. Then, the full application, including the proposal narrative, budget detail form, certifications, disclosures, and supporting attachments, must be submitted through JustGrants by November 3, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to submit early and are required to register or renew their registration with SAM.gov prior to submission. If technical issues prevent timely submission, applicants must contact the OJP Response Center within 24 hours of the deadline to request a waiver. Late submissions without documented technical justification will not be accepted. Applications will be reviewed first for basic minimum requirements, including eligibility, compliance with submission instructions, and adherence to funding ceilings. Eligible proposals will then undergo merit review by peer reviewers who will score them based on problem statement, goals and objectives, project design, capacity, and budget. The Department of Justice will also consider additional factors such as geographic distribution, priority alignment, and applicant risk assessments before making final award decisions. Selected applicants will be notified through JustGrants and must accept or decline awards within 45 days. Awardees will be required to provide quarterly financial reports, semiannual performance reports, and final closeout reports. Program-specific deliverables include finalized body-worn camera policies for Categories 1 and 2 and internal policy documentation for Category 3 projects. For assistance, applicants can contact the OJP Response Center at 800-851-3420 or 202-353-5556, or by email at OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov. Grants.gov technical support is available through its help desk at 800-518-4726, and JustGrants assistance is available at 833-872-5175 or JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov. Additional resources, including pre-application webinars and guidance documents, will be made available through the Bureau of Justice Assistance website. This opportunity opens September 17, 2025, and all interested applicants should carefully review eligibility, match requirements, and application deadlines before preparing submissions.