FY25 Collaborative Reform Initiative Invitational | O COPS 2025 172394

FY25 Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) Invitational - FAQs

What is the FY25 Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) Invitational?

The FY25 Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) Invitational is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). It is offered as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 16.710.

Is this a competitive grant open to the public?

No. This opportunity is invitational. Only organizations that have received a direct invitation from the COPS Office are eligible to apply.

Who can apply for this funding opportunity?

Eligibility is restricted to invited applicants only. Even though the eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," the controlling requirement is a direct invitation from the COPS Office.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is O-COPS-2025-172394.

What is the application deadline?

The application closing date is June 24, 2025.

How much funding is available per award?

The award ceiling is $4,750,000.

How many awards does the COPS Office expect to make?

The COPS Office anticipates making one award.

What is the overall purpose of the CRI Invitational program?

The program is designed to support work that showcases and advances law enforcement best practices, strengthens how agencies protect the public, improves officer safety and wellness, builds agency capacity for ongoing self-improvement, and promotes community policing approaches nationwide.

Does the notice use any specific terminology for the policing approach?

Yes. The notice uses the terms "community policing" and "common sense policing" interchangeably.

What type of federal award is this?

This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement.

Can more than one organization be involved in a proposed project?

Yes. The COPS Office allows proposals where two or more entities will carry out the work, which supports potentially complex, multi-entity projects.

If multiple entities are involved, can there be more than one applicant?

No. Only one organization can be the formal applicant and must serve as the primary award recipient.

What responsibilities does the lead applicant (primary award recipient) have?

The lead applicant is responsible for administering and managing the entire project, overseeing performance, and monitoring compliance across all participating partners.

How should partner organizations that perform part of the programmatic work be handled in the application?

If other organizations will carry out part of the programmatic work, they must be identified as subrecipients in the application, and the award terms and conditions flow down to them.

What is the difference between a subaward and a contract under this program?

The notice emphasizes that subawards are financial assistance relationships used to carry out part of the federal project, while contracts are procurement relationships used to obtain goods and services. Applicants are directed to federal guidance at 2 C.F.R. 200.331 to correctly classify partner relationships.

What are the priority areas referenced in the notice description?

The notice states that awards will align with current Executive Orders and Attorney General guidance focused on "reestablishing law and order." Priority areas named include increased hiring and retention of state and local sworn officers; stronger collaboration between state/local agencies and federal task forces; enforcement actions addressing open use of illegal drugs; disrupting fentanyl and other dangerous drug distribution; crime prevention; nuisance abatement; countering human trafficking and child smuggling; and enhanced immigration enforcement and border security.

Are awards guaranteed once an application is submitted?

No. Like most federal grants, any award is contingent on the availability of appropriated funds and may be subject to additional legal requirements or changes imposed after the notice is issued.

Is there a specific legal compliance requirement for state and local governmental entities related to immigration status information sharing?

Yes. The notice includes a compliance requirement related to 8 U.S.C. 1373 for state and local governmental entities.

What does the 8 U.S.C. 1373 requirement say, as summarized in the notice?

The notice states that state and local government entities may not prohibit or restrict their officials or agencies from sending to, receiving from, maintaining, or exchanging information regarding an individual's citizenship or immigration status with the Department of Homeland Security or other federal, state, or local government entities.

Where does the notice direct applicants to find additional details about the 8 U.S.C. 1373 requirement?

Applicants are directed to additional details in the appendices of the FY25 Resource Guide for Community Policing Advancement (CPA) Programs.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity is listed under CFDA 16.710.

Does this opportunity specify an accountability model for multi-entity projects?

Yes. While multiple entities may participate, the notice emphasizes a clear accountability model in which one lead organization is the primary award recipient and is responsible for overall administration, performance oversight, and compliance monitoring for the entire project and its partners.