FY22 Emerging Issues Forums -Community Policing Development Solicitation | O COPS 2022 171177

Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2022 171177

The FY22 Emerging Issues Forums - Community Policing Development (CPD) Solicitation is a discretionary federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). It is designed to strengthen community policing by helping law enforcement agencies and their partners develop, test, and spread practical strategies that address the real-world conditions driving public safety problems, including violent crime, nonviolent crime, and the fear of crime. The core idea behind the opportunity is that community policing works best when agencies pair strong local partnerships with structured problem-solving, then turn what they learn into guidance and tools other agencies can actually use.

This solicitation funds CPD work that builds law enforcement capacity through innovation and knowledge-building rather than routine operations. Projects are expected to identify and expand promising practices, evaluate or document what works, and produce "knowledge products" such as frameworks, guidance documents, training materials, or other deliverables that can be shared broadly across the field. The COPS Office emphasizes that these products should not just be informational; they should be written and designed to drive action in the field and help reduce performance gaps between agencies by giving clear, usable recommendations.

The COPS Office also frames this funding around several agency-wide priorities. Applicants are expected to consider how their proposed work advances civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports victims of crime and people impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety, addresses evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. In practice, that means competitive applications will typically show how the project will improve policing outcomes while also improving legitimacy, fairness, transparency, and community confidence.

From a legal and administrative standpoint, the program is authorized under the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (as amended) and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Awards are contingent on the availability of appropriated funds and may include additional conditions based on legal requirements. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which generally signals that the COPS Office expects to be meaningfully involved during the project period through oversight, collaboration, or review of key deliverables rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back.

The competition is open, and applicants are allowed to submit multiple applications as long as each proposed project is submitted separately. The solicitation warns that an application that does not clearly identify the correct solicitation may fail an initial screening step, so labeling and compliance details matter. While the eligible applicant category is listed broadly as "Others" with additional eligibility clarification referenced elsewhere, the intent of CPD programming typically centers on entities capable of producing field-facing policing guidance and convening practitioners, such as nonprofit organizations, higher education institutions, and similar organizations working with law enforcement and community partners.

Several practical requirements are highlighted for anyone planning to apply. Award recipients are expected to begin work quickly after selection and notification, so proposals should be ready to move from planning to execution without a long ramp-up. If the project involves training or curriculum-related deliverables, the applicant must follow the COPS Office Curriculum Standards and Review Process Guides available through the COPS Office training site. If the project includes convenings, forums, or events, deliverables must comply with the COPS Office conference request approval process. Written products should align with the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual, which signals an emphasis on consistency, clarity, and usability across COPS-funded publications. For projects involving site-specific work with particular law enforcement agencies or jurisdictions, letters of support from those agencies are strongly encouraged to show buy-in and feasibility.

A notable feature of the solicitation is how it defines the qualities of the guidance and products it wants to fund. The COPS Office calls for materials that are quality-driven, meaning they focus on actionable statements that practitioners can implement and that help reduce variation in performance. It requires an evidence-based approach, meaning recommendations should reflect the best available research and, where appropriate, systematic review rather than anecdotes or trends. It also prioritizes accessibility, meaning plain language and manageable length aimed at the law enforcement field, and memorability, meaning the final outputs should be easy to recall and apply in complex, high-stakes situations.

Key administrative details included in the opportunity record are that it was posted May 5, 2022, with an original closing date of June 21, 2022. The program is listed under CFDA 16.710. It anticipates a single award, with an award ceiling of $200,000, indicating a relatively targeted, focused project scope rather than a large multi-site implementation program. Finally, applicants with questions are directed to the COPS Office Response Center (800-421-6770) or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov during standard weekday business hours Eastern Time, which is the primary channel for solicitation and programmatic clarification.

• The Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY22 Emerging Issues Forums -Community Policing Development Solicitation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.710.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 05, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 21, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O COPS 2022 171177

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