Pinellas County announced on March 11 that it is accepting applications for funding through the federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Countywide (JAG-C).
The grant aims to support programs in Pinellas County that have a strong chance of preventing and controlling crime or improving the criminal justice system. The funding is provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement through the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Eligible applicants include local units of government, political or law enforcement agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. Projects must serve one of several federally approved areas, such as law enforcement, prosecution and court programs, prevention and education, corrections, drug treatment and enforcement, planning and technology improvement, crime victim and witness services, or mental health programs.
The grant will fund projects performed between October 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027. Pinellas County typically funds multiple projects with an average budget of about $25,000 each. While the county expects to be allocated $270,837 for this round of funding, the final amount will be determined once the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announces the official award total. Final recommendations are expected from the Substance Abuse Advisory Board in spring 2026 before approval by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners ahead of summer.
Applications must be submitted by April 8 at 2 p.m. Interested organizations can find full details and application instructions at https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/pinellascountyfl/participant. An informational webinar will be held on March 25 at 9 a.m., and questions may be sent to Amanda Craft at acraft@pinellas.gov by March 25. All responses will be posted online on April 1.
