FY25 Community Policing Development Invitational

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) has released the FY25 Community Policing Development (CPD) Invitational program under opportunity number O-COPS-2025-172408. This discretionary grant initiative is designed to advance the field of community policing, also referred to as common sense policing, by supporting the development and implementation of innovative strategies and evidence-based practices aimed at improving public safety. The COPS Office operates with the mission of promoting public safety through community engagement and law enforcement collaboration, and this funding opportunity serves as a conduit for operationalizing these goals. This program invites applications exclusively from organizations that have received a direct invitation from the COPS Office. Such a targeted approach underscores the specialized nature of the initiative, which seeks to partner with pre-identified stakeholders in advancing strategic priorities. The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, indicating substantial involvement by the federal agency in project implementation. The grant supports multifaceted activities, including developing guidance on best practices, testing new approaches to crime prevention, and enhancing the operational capacity of law enforcement agencies. The FY25 CPD Invitational program is aligned with the Administration’s broader public safety goals. These include increasing the hiring and retention of state and local law enforcement officers, enhancing collaboration with federal task forces, addressing the illegal drug trade including fentanyl, mitigating human trafficking, promoting nuisance abatement, and enforcing immigration laws and border security. All funded projects must conform to these priority areas and adhere to the terms and conditions set forth by the DOJ, including relevant federal regulations such as 2 C.F.R. § 200.331. Applications are to be submitted through both Grants.gov and the Justice Grants System (JustGrants). Technical support for Grants.gov is available at 800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov, while assistance with JustGrants can be sought via JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833-872-5175. Program-specific inquiries can be directed to the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov. The application window opened on May 16, 2025, and all submissions must be received by June 24, 2025. This grant does not require matching funds and only one award, with a maximum value of $1.5 million, will be distributed. In terms of project structure, the COPS Office allows for cooperative efforts among multiple entities, though a single organization must serve as the primary applicant responsible for overall project execution, fund administration, and compliance monitoring. Any additional partners must be clearly identified as subrecipients. Differentiation between subawards and procurement contracts is emphasized, and applicants are encouraged to review relevant federal guidance to make appropriate determinations.

Applicants should distinguish between subrecipients and contractors per federal guidance, and ensure all partners are appropriately categorized and disclosed.