FY25 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement Curriculum Integration for Law Enforcement Academies and State-Level Training Commissions

The FY25 Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training for Law Enforcement is a discretionary grant initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). This funding opportunity targets the enhancement and integration of de-escalation and crisis response training within law enforcement academies and state-level training commissions. The COPS Office, operating under the broader mission of community policing and public safety, seeks to support law enforcement bodies in modernizing their curricula to better respond to evolving societal challenges, including mental health crises and use-of-force incidents. This program emphasizes a collaborative implementation model, allowing multiple entities to contribute to the federal award. However, only one entity may serve as the primary applicant, responsible for project oversight, fund administration, and compliance monitoring. Subrecipients must be clearly identified and follow specific federal guidelines distinguishing between subawards and procurement contracts, as outlined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.331. The initiative supports federal priorities such as increasing local law enforcement staffing, enhancing coordination with federal agencies, combating drug-related offenses, curbing human trafficking, and strengthening border security. The total program funding available is $4,000,000, with individual awards capped at $500,000. Eight awards are expected to be distributed. There is no minimum funding floor, and cost-sharing or matching funds are not required. Applications must be submitted through both Grants.gov and the JustGrants system. Grants.gov handles technical issues related to the SF424 form, while JustGrants offers additional training and support for the full application process. Submission must be completed by June 24, 2025. Eligibility is restricted to law enforcement training academies or state regulatory bodies that have authority over training standards or curriculum mandates. Eligible state and local government applicants must comply with 8 U.S.C. §1373, which prevents prohibitions or restrictions on sharing immigration status information with federal or other government agencies. More eligibility information and legal requirements can be found in the FY25 Resource Guide for Community Policing Advancement (CPA) Programs. For application-related questions, applicants can contact Grants.gov at 800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov, and JustGrants Support at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833-872-5175. For program-specific inquiries, the COPS Office Response Center is available at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov. These contacts provide extensive assistance ranging from technical submissions to programmatic clarifications.

Clarify subrecipient vs contractor roles; consult 2 C.F.R. § 200.331; utilize JustGrants training resources.