FY25 Collaborative Reform Initiative Invitational | O COPS 2025 172394

Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2025 172394

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), offered as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 16.710. 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 (noting the notice uses "community policing" and "common sense policing" interchangeably). This opportunity is invitational, meaning only applicants that have received a direct invitation from the COPS Office are eligible to apply.

Funding is structured for potentially complex, multi-entity projects, but with a clear accountability model. The COPS Office allows proposals where two or more entities will carry out the work; however, only one organization can be the formal applicant and must serve as the primary award recipient. That lead applicant is responsible for administering and managing the entire project, overseeing performance, and monitoring compliance across all participating partners. 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. The notice also emphasizes the important compliance distinction between subawards (financial assistance relationships to carry out part of the federal project) and contracts (procurement relationships for goods and services), pointing applicants to the federal guidance at 2 C.F.R. 200.331 to correctly classify partner relationships.

The notice highlights that awards made under this program will align with current Executive Orders and Attorney General guidance focused on "reestablishing law and order." Priority areas named in the description 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. 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.

There is also a specific legal compliance requirement for state and local governmental entities related to 8 U.S.C. 1373. 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. Applicants are directed to additional details in the appendices of the FY25 Resource Guide for Community Policing Advancement (CPA) Programs.

Key logistics included in the source data are: the funding opportunity number is O-COPS-2025-172394; the application closing date is June 24, 2025; the award ceiling is $4,750,000; and COPS anticipates making one award. The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," but the practical eligibility is restricted to invited applicants only, so an invitation from the COPS Office is the controlling factor for whether an organization can apply.

• The Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY25 Collaborative Reform Initiative Invitational" 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 2025-05-16.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-06-24. (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 $4,750,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for O COPS 2025 172394

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