BJA FY25 Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Initiative

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, has announced a funding opportunity under the Preventing Violence Against Law Enforcement Officers and Ensuring Officer Resilience and Survivability (VALOR) Initiative. This grant aims to support state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies by improving officer safety, wellness, and resilience. The VALOR Initiative, a flagship program of the BJA, serves as a national effort to provide critical training, tools, and resources to law enforcement professionals. It encompasses two categories of support: the VALOR Officer Safety and Wellness Program and the National Suicide Awareness for Law Enforcement Officers (SAFLEO) Program. The VALOR Program (Category 1) focuses on comprehensive officer safety and wellness training. This includes both in-person and virtual delivery of resources, with courses ranging from two to sixteen hours, and self-paced online training. The selected awardee will be responsible for delivering nationwide training and developing actionable, long-term resources tailored to address both emerging threats and persistent wellness challenges faced by officers. The program also emphasizes organizational change within agencies, encouraging the adoption of a robust safety and wellness culture. Through assessments, direct support, and continual updates, the program provider must demonstrate the capacity to train and support law enforcement agencies across diverse jurisdictions. The SAFLEO Program (Category 2) targets the mental and emotional well-being of law enforcement officers by addressing issues such as stress, suicide prevention, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and the impact of both personal and professional stressors. It calls for coordinated efforts involving mental health experts and multi-disciplinary professionals to craft interventions, recommendations, and educational content. Awardees must demonstrate the ability to deliver tailored training both virtually and in-person, manage concurrent activities in multiple locations, and update program content regularly. This category also encourages developing materials for families, clergy, and medical professionals who support law enforcement officers. Both programs require strong national capacity, as applicants must show they can simultaneously operate across multiple sites and provide immediate, scalable assistance. In addition to training and technical assistance, the programs will involve creating robust online portals to house materials, managing training delivery databases, conducting evaluations, and producing regular performance and financial reports. Other deliverables include individualized work plans for participating agencies, interactive tools, and outreach initiatives to promote participation and visibility of DOJ-sponsored resources. Applications are submitted via a two-step process. First, applicants must submit the SF-424 form through Grants.gov by February 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Following this, the complete application package must be submitted via the JustGrants platform by February 12, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. ET. No pre-application or LOI is required. Entities must register in SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) before applying. Required application components include a proposal narrative (max 15 pages), budget detail form, training delivery chart, resumes of key personnel, timeline, and supporting documentation of prior training delivery experience. Organizations must also address standard DOJ assurances and disclosures. Eligible applicants include nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including small businesses, with the capacity to deliver national training and technical assistance. No cost-sharing or match is required for this grant. The anticipated total funding across both categories is $10,992,511, with up to $6,000,000 allocated to Category 1 and up to $4,992,511 for Category 2. The performance period is expected to start on October 1, 2025, and last 18 to 24 months. Awards will be issued as cooperative agreements, giving BJA significant involvement in project oversight and implementation. This initiative is recurring and expected to continue annually, with future funding contingent upon appropriations and program performance.

Submit early; Ensure national training delivery capacity; Customize technical assistance plans; Provide detailed budget justifications