More about this funding opportunity.

Goal: Increase the use of community policing principles to address public safety problems facing communities and law enforcement agencies through innovative strategies and projects.

• Objective 1: Fund law enforcement agencies to develop and implement innovative projects that use common sense policing strategies in addressing public safety issues.

• Objective 2: Increase awareness of innovative projects and promising practices among the broader law enforcement field.

CPD Microgrants program funds are used to fund novel or innovative approaches to problem solving by local, state, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies that help develop law enforcement’s community policing capacity through the implementation of common sense policing strategies. When properly applied, community policing improves the identification and prioritization of community problems; builds trust and relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve; and enables an agency to build a culture toward accountability, transparency, open communication, and mutual trust.

Applicants are invited to propose demonstration or pilot projects to be implemented in their agency offering creative ideas that advance crime fighting, community engagement, problem solving, or organizational changes in support of community policing in one of seven engagement areas: (1) uplifting the image of the law enforcement profession, (2) officer recruitment, hiring and retention, (3) violent crime prevention (to include street gangs, gun violence and the enforcement of gun laws, federal task force engagement, child trafficking or other violent crime issues, (4) immigration and border security, (5) opioids and drug market interruption, (6) homelessness and squatting, (7) open for innovative projects not fitting in any other category. The COPS Office encourages law enforcement agencies to partner with community groups, institutions of higher education, and other stakeholders to implement the proposed project so that they may collaborate to develop shared goals that will enhance the collective safety of the community. The COPS Office also encourages agencies to propose partnerships with other law enforcement entities through taskforces and other formal operational arrangements to address the chosen area of focus.

The COPS Office also encourages agencies to consider including evaluation components based on the type of activities undertaken through the grant. Applicants should explain in their application how their approach is novel or innovative.

The role of law enforcement has never been more vital in fostering safe and thriving communities. The dynamic between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve has been a longstanding and complex issue and is often challenged by high-profile incidents and evolving societal expectations. In recent years, the proliferation of smartphone technology and social media has amplified public scrutiny and tend to primarily highlight negative images and perceptions of police. These dynamics have highlighted the importance of addressing police image and reputation, particularly in the context of declining recruitment and rising officer attrition.

Under this subtopic area, the COPS Office seeks law enforcement agencies to develop or implement innovative and collaborative projects aimed at uplifting law enforcement as a profession and promote the importance and nobility of those who take on these heroic roles. 9 of 41 Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies that take an innovative approach to address the complexities surrounding public perception of law enforcement and a focus on demonstrating the positive impacts policing can make on their communities across the nation. Such projects could focus on publicizing stories that highlight positive law enforcement engagement with their communities, developing local marketing campaigns to target applicants whose values are in harmony with the agency’s mission and values, or establishing pipeline programs (such as cadet and explorer programs) to encourage young people to consider law enforcement careers while simultaneously promoting police officers as positive role models and demonstrating the human side of policing, breaking down negative stereotypes and fostering goodwill. Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies and explain why they believe this approach will be successful. A variety of objectives can be proposed to achieve the project goal(s) and may involve agency personnel and resources as well as community partners.

The National Crime Victimization Survey, which the Justice Department conducts annually, shows a 43% increase in violent crime between the 2020 survey and the 2022 survey, the most recent available. Under this subcategory, the COPS Office is seeking projects for local law enforcement agencies to partner with community organizations to address and reduce violent crime within their communities. These projects aim to combat pressing issues such as street gang violence, gun violence, enforcement of gun laws, federal law enforcement engagement, child trafficking, and other serious criminal activities. Successful proposals will demonstrate innovative, data-driven approaches and a commitment to community-based solutions to improve public safety and reduce violent crime rates. The COPS Office also encourages agencies to propose partnerships with other law enforcement entities through taskforces and other formal operational arrangements to address the chosen area of focus.

The COPS Office seeks demonstration or pilot projects with creative methods for combatting violent crime that include quantitative measures of success. Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies and explain why they believe this approach will be successful. A variety of objectives can be proposed to achieve the project goal(s) and may involve agency personnel and resources as well as community partners

Recruitment and hiring are essential functions of law enforcement agencies to attract and retain the best law enforcement candidates who represent a variety of backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences. This topic is of special interest to the COPS Office not only because much of our funding is geared towards the hiring of officers and deputies but also because the recruitment, selection, and retention of officers and deputies are among the most important elements to advancing community policing within an agency. In addition to reflecting the communities they serve, new officers and deputies must have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, good communication skills, adaptability, an understanding of agency policies and procedures, and training.

The COPS Office seeks projects with novel or creative methods for recruitment and retention in law enforcement that include quantitative measures of success. Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies that take an innovative approach to recruiting and hiring of law enforcement officers, such as ways of reaching new talent pools or engaging with candidates who may not have previously considered working in law enforcement. Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies and explain why they believe this approach will be successful. A variety of objectives can be proposed to achieve the project goal(s) and may involve agency personnel and resources as well as community partners.

Federal law enforcement enforces our nation’s laws every day, including our immigration laws. State, and local law enforcement play a critical role in coordinating with federal law enforcement, particularly in ensuring that the illegal immigrants they encounter who are engaged in violent behavior are removed from the streets of this nation. Increasing coordination between local and federal law enforcement in the areas of immigration enforcement and border security is critical to this work. This subtopic seeks to fund projects that gather insights and best practices from local law enforcement agencies to identify successful models of collaboration with federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Specific focus on the following areas is encouraged.

The purpose of this work is to provide assistance in implementing or advancing innovative programs and documenting the experiences and success stories so that other agencies can learn from these efforts.

• Interagency Collaboration: Successful examples of local law enforcement working alongside federal agencies on immigration-related cases, border security operations, and public safety initiatives.

• Data Sharing & Information Networks: Exploring the role of technology and secure information sharing between local and federal law enforcement agencies in tracking and managing immigration enforcement efforts.

• Training & Resources: Effective training programs for local law enforcement officers to address immigration enforcement while ensuring due process and protecting civil liberties.

• Challenges and Barriers: Identifying challenges faced by local law enforcement in coordinating with federal agencies, such as jurisdictional issues, resource constraints, or political concerns.

• Innovative Solutions and Best Practices: New approaches or methodologies that have improved the outcomes of local-federal partnerships in border security and immigration enforcement.

Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies and explain why they believe this approach will be successful. A variety of objectives can be proposed to achieve the project goal(s) and may involve agency personnel and resources as well as community partners.

The opioid epidemic and expanding drug markets continue to present significant challenges to public safety across the nation. Empowering law enforcement with the resources necessary to address the opioid crisis and the impact drug markets, particularly “open-air” drug markets, have on public safety is critical to the safety of our communities. In response to this issue, the subtopic seeks to fund initiatives that will enhance law enforcement capacity to interrupt opioid distribution networks, dismantle drug trafficking organizations, employ effective enforcement strategies, promote interagency and crossjurisdictional collaboration, promote intelligence sharing, community engagement, and innovative methods for opioid-related crime prevention and intervention. Specific focus on the following areas is encouraged.

The purpose of this work is to provide assistance in implementing or advancing innovative programs and documenting the experiences and success stories such that other agencies can learn from these efforts.

• Targeted Operations: Projects focused on investigating and dismantling drug trafficking organizations responsible for distributing opioids.

• Advanced Technology Integration: Projects focused on the use of technology for monitoring, data analysis, and intelligence sharing between agencies to identify drug hotspots and trafficking patterns.

• Community-Led Prevention and Education: Initiatives that engage communities, schools, and local organizations in drug prevention and harm reduction programs.

• Cross-Jurisdictional Task Forces: Collaborative projects between multiple jurisdictions to address regional drug markets and cross-border trafficking operations.

• Comprehensive Treatment and Diversion Programs: Programs that include alternative approaches, such as diversion for individuals with substance use disorders, as part of law enforcement strategies.

Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies and explain why they believe this approach will be successful. A variety of objectives can be proposed to achieve the project goal(s) and may involve agency personnel and resources as well as community partners.

Homelessness and squatting present significant challenges to public safety. As these issues continue to grow, law enforcement agencies are increasingly tasked with addressing the intersection of homelessness, illegal squatting, and public safety concerns. To address these concerns, this subtopic seeks to fund innovative and collaborative programs that will enable law enforcement agencies to address the negative impacts of homelessness and squatting, with an emphasis on enforcement, prevention, and community collaboration. Specific focus on the following areas is encouraged.

The purpose of this work is to provide assistance in implementing or advancing innovative programs and documenting the experiences and success stories so that other agencies can learn from these efforts.

• Law Enforcement Training on Homelessness Response: Initiatives that provide law enforcement officers with training on best practices for addressing homelessness and squatting, focusing on alternatives to arrests and criminalization.

• Interagency Coordination and Outreach: Projects that create or expand collaborative efforts between law enforcement and social service providers to respond to homelessness, including street outreach and connecting individuals with housing resources.

• Squatter Prevention & Eviction Programs: Projects that work collaboratively with property owners, local governments, and community partners to prevent the illegal occupation of vacant properties while offering supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Applicants should identify a list of activities and strategies and explain why they believe this approach will be successful. A variety of objectives can be proposed to achieve the project goal(s) and may involve agency personnel and resources as well as community partners.

Law enforcement agencies are invited to propose projects that offer highly innovative solutions to address complex, locally identified community issues. Proposed project objectives and findings should prove useful to other law enforcement agencies nationally facing similar challenges. Proposed projects should NOT fit within other identified microgrant categories, nor should they be projects eligible for funding under other COPS Office grant programs (such as, but not exclusively, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) or Safer Outcomes programs). Successful projects should be replicable by peer agencies, and as such should include a toolkit, training, or other deliverable that assists with replication of the grantee’s efforts. Applicants are also encouraged to incorporate an evaluation and report component that can assist other law enforcement agencies in implementing similar programs.

• Applicants that are not state, local, tribal, or territorial law enforcement agencies will not be considered.

• Applicants that do not have primary law enforcement authority for their jurisdiction will not be considered.

• Projects to fund the salaries and benefits of new local law enforcement officers and deputies will not be considered. If you are seeking this type of funding, please visit the COPS Office website for updates on the COPS Hiring Program (CHP).

• Projects that exclusively seek to purchase technology, software or mobile applications, or equipment without offering broader training, programming, or services to support those tools will not be considered.

• Projects that budget the majority of their funding for generally unallowable costs such as vehicles, food, exercise and recreational equipment, and promotional items such as gifts and souvenirs, as outlined in this solicitation, will not be considered.