FY 2022 Collaborative Reform Initiative Program | O COPS 2022 171183

Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2022 171183

The FY 2022 Collaborative Reform Initiative Program is a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) funding opportunity run by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) to strengthen community policing and help law enforcement agencies improve performance, legitimacy, and relationships with the public. At its core, the initiative treats community policing as an organizational approach built on partnerships and problem-solving, with the intent to address the conditions that drive public safety concerns like violent crime, nonviolent crime, and community fear. The COPS Office frames this work as a practical continuum of technical assistance (TA) services meant to build trust between police and communities, improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, support officer safety and wellness, and spread evidence-based and innovative practices that agencies can actually use.

This solicitation specifically funds two parts of the Collaborative Reform Initiative continuum: Critical Response and Organizational Assessments. A third component, the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC), is mentioned for context but is already operating and is not being funded through this particular competition. CRI-TAC has been active since 2017 and provides short-term, customizable assistance across more than 60 topics using a "by the field, for the field" model, but applicants are not applying to fund CRI-TAC under this notice.

The Critical Response program is designed for agencies dealing with high-profile events, major incidents, or other sensitive situations where targeted, timely support is needed. The assistance is flexible and can be shaped to the agency and community circumstances, ranging from quick executive consultations to more structured support such as after-action reviews, peer-to-peer exchanges, facilitated discussions with subject matter experts, and targeted analysis that results in recommendations. Timelines vary depending on scope: an executive consultation can be as short as about two weeks, while deeper reviews of incidents or issues typically run six to nine months.

Organizational Assessments represent the most intensive form of assistance offered under this solicitation. These engagements focus on systemic issues that can undermine community trust and confidence and require deeper organizational examination and longer-term support. The typical engagement is intended to last about 12 months after intake is completed, with a maximum length of 18 months. While the program supports the mutual goal of meaningful reform, it also emphasizes that sustaining reforms over time must ultimately be owned by local agencies and the communities they serve.

Across both funded programs, the COPS Office expects deliverables and "knowledge products" that expand promising practices and align with federal good-guidance principles. In practical terms, that means products should be quality-driven and action-oriented (clear statements that can reduce performance variation), evidence-based (recommendations consistent with the strongest available evidence, ideally informed by systematic review), accessible (plain language and usable length for practitioners), and memorable (designed to prompt real-world action in complex policing environments). The broader policy priorities connected to this work include advancing civil rights and racial equity, improving access to justice, supporting crime victims and people affected by the justice system, strengthening community safety, and building trust between law enforcement and the public.

The opportunity is offered as an open competition and uses a cooperative agreement, signaling that the federal agency is likely to have substantial involvement during the project period (as opposed to a more hands-off grant). Applicants must clearly indicate whether they are applying for Critical Response or Organizational Assessments. Organizations may apply to both, but they must submit separate proposals for each, and the solicitation notes applicants are unlikely to be selected for both awards.

Key administrative details provided include: the opportunity number is O-COPS-2022-171183, the CFDA number is 16.710, and the awarding agency is DOJ COPS Office. The total award ceiling listed is $5,000,000, with an expectation of two awards. The posting date is May 5, 2022, with an original closing date of July 6, 2022. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional clarification to be found in the full eligibility section of the solicitation. Award recipients are expected to begin work immediately upon notification, and they must follow COPS Office requirements tied to curriculum standards and review processes, conference request approvals, and the COPS Office editorial and style manual for deliverables.

Finally, the statutory authority for the program comes from the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (as amended) and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (Title I, Part Q), codified at 34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq., and all awards remain subject to appropriations and any additional legal conditions. Program questions are routed through the COPS Office Response Center (800-421-6770) or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov during standard weekday business hours Eastern Time.

• The Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2022 Collaborative Reform Initiative Program" 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 Jul 06, 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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O COPS 2022 171183

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