FY23 Supporting Law Enforcement Agencies in Seeking Accreditation -Community Policing Development Solicitation | O COPS 2023 171547

Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2023 171547

The FY23 Supporting Law Enforcement Agencies in Seeking Accreditation opportunity is a discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), under the Community Policing Development (CPD) solicitation. It is designed to help law enforcement agencies strengthen day-to-day policing operations by moving toward recognized accreditation standards that promote accountability, transparency, and consistent best-practice policies. The underlying premise is that community policing works best when agencies pair partnerships and problem-solving with strong internal systems, clear procedures, and fair, effective service delivery that builds public confidence and trust.

At the program level, CPD funding supports the broader community policing mission by building law enforcement capacity, spreading promising practices, and encouraging innovative approaches that prevent crime and support safe communities. The COPS Office emphasizes projects aligned with civil rights and racial equity, access to justice, support for crime victims and people impacted by the justice system, and efforts to strengthen community safety while responding to evolving public safety threats. The solicitation also highlights a preference for guidance and practices that are quality-driven, evidence-based, accessible to practitioners, and memorable enough to encourage real-world adoption rather than sitting on a shelf.

This specific funding category focuses on the practical costs an agency faces when pursuing initial accreditation through an existing state or national law enforcement accreditation entity. Accreditation is framed as a structured process in which an agency adopts, documents, and maintains operational standards set by the chosen accrediting body, with the number and type of standards varying depending on the entity. DOJ’s stated rationale is that accreditation helps ensure agencies are meeting high standards in policy and operations, which can improve service quality and strengthen community trust through clearer accountability and transparency.

Awards are expected to be made to multiple recipients, with funding caps of up to $250,000 for large agencies and up to $160,000 for small or rural agencies. The total funding available is $6,675,000, and at least $2,500,000 of that amount is set aside specifically for small and rural law enforcement agencies. The grant can cover a range of accreditation-related expenses such as civilian employee salaries, sworn officer overtime, contracted staff support, accreditation fees, policy management software, office supplies, and internal training costs tied directly to accreditation readiness and completion. However, while some agencies may need facility changes to meet standards, renovation and construction costs are explicitly unallowable under this program due to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) restrictions.

The solicitation is also clear about what it will not fund. Agencies that are already accredited or are applying only to renew an existing accreditation are not eligible under this opportunity. Applications that mainly seek to buy technology, software, or mobile apps without a broader accreditation effort are considered out of scope, as are requests for equipment that is not directly tied to the agency’s ability to achieve accreditation. The program is aimed at law enforcement agency accreditation specifically, so proposals seeking jail accreditation, communications accreditation, training academy accreditation, or other non-law-enforcement accreditation types will not be considered.

Applications are expected to include a focused project narrative (submitted through the required survey questions) that explains why financial support is needed to obtain accreditation, lays out a clear project plan and timeline for achieving accreditation (including naming the selected accrediting entity), and describes how the agency will sustain accreditation after the federal award period ends. In other words, the COPS Office is looking not just for intent, but for a realistic pathway to implementation and a plan to keep accreditation in place once grant dollars are gone.

The required deliverables are described in practical terms: tangible steps taken toward accreditation and successful attainment of accreditation during the award period. Applicants are encouraged to include letters of support when the work is site-specific, and they are expected to follow the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual for deliverables. The opportunity 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 (Title I, Part Q), and like most federal awards it is contingent on the availability of appropriated funds and any additional legal requirements that may apply.

Key administrative details included in the notice list the opportunity number as O-COPS-2023-171547, the CFDA number as 16.710, the awarding agency as DOJ COPS Office, and an original closing date of May 8, 2023 (with a creation date of March 15, 2023). The solicitation anticipates roughly 28 awards. For applicant support, the COPS Office Response Center is the primary program contact, available by phone at 800-421-6770 or by email at AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov during weekday business hours (Eastern Time), excluding federal holidays.

• The Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY23 Supporting Law Enforcement Agencies in Seeking Accreditation -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 Mar 15, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 08, 2023. (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 $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 28 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O COPS 2023 171547

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