Legislation Details

File #: 26-2282    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Grant Status: Passed
File created: 4/1/2026 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 4/16/2026 Final action: 4/16/2026
Title: Request by the District Attorney for approval to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Bureau of Justice Assistance for grant funds in the amount of $3,000,000, with no required match, for the FY25 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program.

Primary Department: District Attorney

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Sean Teare, District Attorney

 

Secondary Department: N/A

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Grant - Application

 

Project ID (if applicable):

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): U. S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Bureau of Justice Assistance

 

MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):

MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):

Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal:  N/A - Goal not applicable to request

 

Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): 5%

Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Rate is not 0% and is listed above.

 

Request Summary (Agenda Caption):

title

Request by the District Attorney for approval to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Justice/Office of Justice Programs/Bureau of Justice Assistance for grant funds in the amount of $3,000,000, with no required match, for the FY25 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Program.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

Office of Justice Program is committed to advancing work that furthers DOJ’s mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges.

 

This NOFO will support state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, prosecution agencies,

and their partners in identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes. Funding

may be used to provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the

criminal investigation or prosecution of such crimes and can also be used to address serial

violent hate crime offenses by the same person(s). The Harris County District Attorney’s Office seeks the  federal grant funds in the amount of $3,000,000 for the grant year beginning June 1, 2026 and ending May 31, 2029.

 

Expected Impact:

This grant supports state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, prosecution agencies, and their partners in identifying, investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes. Funding may be used to provide technical, forensic, prosecutorial, or any other form of assistance in the criminal investigation or prosecution of such crimes and can also be used to address serial violent hate crime offenses by the same person(s). This grant will fund the Hate Crimes Project of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

 

Alternative Options:

Without approval the Hate Crimes Project of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office would go unfunded.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  1. Make Harris County safer and more just.

County Strategic Plan Objective: A: Reduce violent crime across the County.

Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):  A4: Improve safety through targeted pursuit of violent crime suspects.

Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):  Choose an item.

Economy Initiative (Goal 3): Choose an item.

Health Initiative (Goal 4): Choose an item.

Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): Choose an item.

Housing Initiative (Goal 6): Choose an item.

 

Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:

 

Prior Court Action (if any):

Date

Agenda Item #

Action Taken

 

 

 

 

Location:

Address (if applicable):

Precinct(s): Choose an item.

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

HCDAO Hate Crimes Project

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

Recurring Expenses

Funding Sources

 

Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Existing Budget

$

$

$

$

Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Choose an item.

$

$

$

$

Total Additional Budget Request

$

$

$

$

Total Funding Sources

$

$

$

$

Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only)

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

No. of Grant Years

Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item.

$

$

$

3

Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item.

$

$

$

 

Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

$3,000,000

$

$3,000,000.00

 

Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s)

 

Current Position Count for Service

-

-

-

-

Additional Positions Request

-

-

-

-

Total Personnel

-

-

-

-

 

County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only)

CAO Reviewer Name and Title

 

CAO Review Completion Date

Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Anticipated Court Date: 4/16/2026

 

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): 10/1/2026

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Kevin Le, Finance Assistant Director, District Attorney’s Office

 

Attachments (if applicable): Notice of Funding Opportunity, Appendix 1, Standard Assurance & Lobbying Forms