OMB No. 1103-0098 

Approval Expires 4/30/2024 

U.S. Department of Justice 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services 

FY23 COPS Blue Alert Program 

Assistance Listing Number # 16.710 

Grants.gov Opportunity Number: O-COPS-2023-171720 

Solicitation Release Date: April 12, 2023 3:00 PM ET 

Application Grants.gov Deadline: June 14, 2023 4:59 PM ET 

Application JustGrants Deadline: June 21, 2023 4:59 PM ET 

Overview 

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office, https://cops.usdoj.gov) is 

pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for funding for the COPS FY23 Blue Alert Program. 

In 2015, Congress passed the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act, named in honor of two New York City 

police officers killed in an ambush attack on December 20, 2014. 

The act directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a voluntary nationwide system to give authorities an early warning 

of threats against law enforcement and to aid in the apprehension of suspects who have killed or seriously injured an officer or 

deputy. In 2016, the COPS Office was given the honor of implementing the act and established the National Blue Alert Network. 

The primary objectives of the cooperative agreement to be funded under this solicitation are to raise awareness of the Blue Alert 

system through the production of an educational video, and to research, gather, and compile accurate and timely information, 

from credible sources, about all reported incidents where on duty law enforcement throughout the United States, territories, and 

tribal lands are shot in the line of duty. 

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be 

imposed by law. 

Eligible Applicants: 

Other 

Other 

This solicitation is open to all public governmental agencies, for-profit (commercial) organizations, nonprofit organizations, 

institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations. For-profit organizations (as well as other 

recipients) must forgo any profit or management fee. 

To advance Executive Order 13929 Safe Policing for Safe Communities, as of October 28, 2020, the Attorney General 

determined that all state, local, and university or college law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved 

independent credentialing body or have started the certification process to be allocated FY 2023 DOJ discretionary grant 

funding, either as a recipient or a subrecipient. For detailed information on this new certification requirement, please visit 

https://cops.usdoj.gov/SafePolicingEO. 

Contact Information 

Applications must be submitted through both Grants.gov and the JustGrants system. For technical assistance with Grants.gov, 

call the Grants.gov customer service hotline at 800-518-4726, send questions via email to support@Grants.gov, or consult the 

Grants.gov Organization Applicant User Guide at https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm. 

For technical support with JustGrants, please contact JustGrants Support via e-mail at: JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or by 

phone 833–872–5175. 

For programmatic assistance with the requirements of this program, please call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-

6770 or send questions via email to AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov. 

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Submission Information 

Registration: To submit an application, all applicants must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and register online 

with the System for Award Management (SAM) and Grants.gov. 

Submission: Completing an application is a two-step process: 

Applicants are first required to register via https://www.grants.gov, complete the SF-424 form and the SF-LLL, and submit it 

through the Grants.gov website. 

Once the SF-424 and SF-LLL have been submitted via Grants.gov, the applicant will complete the full application including 

survey questions in JustGrants. 

An application is not considered submitted until both of these steps are completed. For more information about registration and 

submission, see the “How to Apply” section of this solicitation. 

All guidance and the complete application package for this program is contained in this Solicitation and can also be found at 

https://cops.usdoj.gov/. In addition to this Solicitation, the COPS Office “How to Apply” web page provides additional 

resources to help guide applicants through the process. 

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Contents 

Overview .......................................................................................................................................................................

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1 

Contact Information 1 

Program Description 4 

Federal Award Information 5 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 5 

Federal Award Information 5 

Cost Share (local match) 5 

Eligibility Information ............................................................................................................................................................

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5 

Application and Submission Information 5 

Content and Form of Application 5 

Completing the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) in 

Grants.gov 6 

Standard Applicant Information 6 

Data Requested with Application 7 

Proposal Narrative 7 

Budget and Associated Documentation 7 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) 7 

Civilian/non-sworn positions: 8 

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Other Supportive Documents 10 

Disclosure and Assurances 10 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 10 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 10 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free 

Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and Community Policing 10 

How to Apply 10 

Submission Dates and Time 11 

Application Review Information 12 

Review Process 12 

Federal Award Administration Information .........................................................................................................................

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13 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 15 

COPS Other Information 15 

Public Reporting Burden-Paper Work Reduction Act Notice 15 

Performance Measures 15 

Application Checklist 15 

Survey Questions 16 

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Program Description 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice 

responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement 

agencies through information and grant resources. The COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance 

community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the 

hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers. COPS Office information resources, covering a wide range of community 

policing topics such as school and campus safety, violent crime, and officer safety and wellness, can be downloaded via the 

COPS Office’s home page, www.cops.usdoj.gov. 

The National Blue Alert Network seeks to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert plans throughout the United States. Blue 

Alerts provide for rapid dissemination of information to law enforcement agencies, media, and the public to aid in the 

apprehension of offenders who have killed or seriously injured or pose an imminent and credible threat to law enforcement. Blue 

Alerts can also be issued when an officer is missing in the line of duty. Blue Alerts can be transmitted via wireless devices and 

through the Emergency Alert System (EAS) in the same manner as AMBER Alerts. 

The COPS Office administers the National Blue Alert Network. As part of its work to support the National Blue Alert Network, the 

COPS Office tracks shootings of officers (both fatal and non- fatal) on a monthly basis and prepares annual reports for public 

dissemination. The goal is to better understand the nature and frequency of incidents that could give rise to the issuance of a 

Blue Alert. These types of felonious shooting attacks account for nearly all situations where a Blue Alert would most likely be 

used. 

The COPS Office also coordinates regular meetings of the Blue Alert Advisory Group. In FY23, the COPS Office plans to expand 

awareness of the Blue Alert network through the production of a public service announcement video. 

Statutory Authority 

This program 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, Public Law 103-322, 34 U.S.C. § 10381 et seq. 

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be 

imposed by law. 

Program Goals 

Under this solicitation, the COPS Office seeks applications for a project to support the COPS Office coordination efforts through: 

• Production of a short educational video to raise public awareness of the National Blue Alert Network; 

• Collection of information on officers shot in the line of duty; 

• Preparation of the annual report and other materials for the advisory group and for public dissemination. 

Objectives and Activities 

The proposal narrative and budget should address the following objectives and activities: 

1. Write, film, and produce a three-to four-minute Public Service Announcement (PSA) showcasing the Blue Alert 

program, to be used on broadcast, internet, and live event platforms. A social media edited version (less than two 

minutes) will also be produced. The PSA(s) will use pre-existing video footage and graphics as well as video footage 

from new interviews and updated/new graphics. The intended audience is the law enforcement community, law 

enforcement stakeholders, non-Blue Alert states, and alert coordinators. 

2. Develop or acquire a tracking tool to assist in developing and employing targeted queries for use with publicly available 

news sources and news search engines to identify all reported incidents where law enforcement personnel are shot in 

the line of duty. 

3. Use publicly available sources and databases to identify all reported incidents where on- duty law enforcement 

personnel are shot in the line of duty. 

4. Collect data on reported shootings of law enforcement officers nationwide and provide the data to the COPS Office in a 

monthly dataset. The data will include as much information as available, including at a minimum date and time of 

incident, city and state of incident, name of affected law enforcement agency, number of law enforcement shot and 

extent of injuries when available, nature of incident leading to shooting, officer and suspect demographics when 

available, and suspect disposition (fled, captured, killed, etc.). Where applicable, the recipient will collect data and 

clearly identify circumstances where an officer was shot/attacked by an assailant when they were not on duty but were 

recognized as a law enforcement officer. 

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5. On a monthly basis, provide the collected data (see Objective 4) in a dataset of all reported shooting incidents and 

elements to the COPS Office. The recipient will work with the program manager to determine the appropriate method 

for providing this data. 

6. Produce two annual aggregated reports (twice throughout the award period) based on all available information, to 

identify trends and develop policing strategies and training to reduce the number of officers who are shot in the line of 

duty. The reports will be professional in appearance, follow the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual, and are 

suitable for internal use and public dissemination. 

7. Provide monthly project updates to the COPS Office via email and/or conference call. 

This is a competitive, discretionary program. 

Federal Award Information 

Awards, Amounts and Durations 

Anticipated Number of Awards 

1 

Anticipated Maximum Dollar Amount of Awards 

$130,000 

Period ofPerformance Start Date

10/1/23 

Anticipated Total Amount to be Awarded Under Solicitation 

Period of Performance Duration (Months) 

24 

$130,000 

Federal Award Information 

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be 

imposed by law. This solicitation is expected to be very competitive. The COPS Office may elect to fund applications submitted 

under this solicitation in future fiscal years, dependent on, among other considerations, the merit of the applications and on the 

availability of funding. 

Length of Award 

This cooperative agreement will have a period of performance of 24 months. 

Type of Award 

The COPS Office will make this award in the form of a cooperative agreement, which is the funding instrument used when the 

COPS Office anticipates ongoing substantial involvement in award activities. The cooperative agreement recipient will be 

responsible for day-to-day project management but should expect direct oversight and collaboration by the COPS Office in 

implementing the award. Substantial federal involvement expected under this award includes kick-off meetings, coordination 

throughout the award, and providing feedback on deliverables before production or publication. 

Cost Share (local match) 

There is no requirement for cost sharing or a local match for this award. 

Eligibility Information 

This solicitation is open to all public governmental agencies, for-profit (commercial) organizations, nonprofit organizations, 

institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations. For-profit organizations (as well as other 

recipients) must forgo any profit or management fee. 

Application and Submission Information 

Content and Form of Application 

The complete application package (this solicitation, including links to additional documents) is available on Grants.gov and on 

the COPS website https://cops.usdoj.gov/. 

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Completing an application under this program is a two-step process. Applicants must first register via www.grants.gov and 

complete an SF-424, the government wide standard application form for federal assistance and the SF-LLL Lobbying Disclosure 

Form. The remainder of the application will be completed through the JustGrants System at https://justicegrants.usdoj.gov/. 

This section describes in detail what an application must include. An applicant should anticipate that failure to submit an 

application that contains all of the specified elements may negatively affect the review of its application; and, should a decision 

be made to make an award, such failure may result in the inclusion of award conditions that prevent the recipient from accessing 

or using award funds until the recipient satisfies the special conditions and the COPS Office makes the funds available. 

Proposal Narrative: This document should be submitted as an attachment under the “Proposal Narrative” section of the 

application. Maximum of 10 pages. The proposal narrative must include the following: 

• project description; 

• discussion of project reach and impact, including how the project will address a specific public safety need; 

• long-term strategy and detailed implementation plan that reflects consultation with community groups and appropriate 

private and public agencies, and identifies related governmental and community initiatives which complement or will be 

coordinated with the proposal; 

• data review and collection plan with proposed sources of applicable project data to be used; 

• timeline of key activities and milestones, and who will complete the activities; 

• performance measures and how those will be tracked, including how funding will be used to enhance involvement in or 

commitment to community-oriented policing; 

• description of past performance demonstrating applicant’s ability to perform the activities. 

Budget: A detailed budget worksheet will be completed in JustGrants using the web-based form. Each cost in the budget must 

be accompanied by a narrative justification within the worksheet. No separate budget narrative is required. 

Application Questions: A series of questions to be completed in the survey set located in the Data Requested with Application 

section. The questions are available for review at the end of this solicitation document. 

Completing the Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

(SF-LLL) in Grants.gov 

The applicant’s SF-424 must be submitted online via www.grants.gov using the information provided on that site. 

Note: Intergovernmental Review (SF-424 Question 19): This solicitation is subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. 

Applicants must check the Office of Management and Budget’s website for the names and addresses of Single Points of Contact 

(SPOC) under Intergovernmental Review: https:// www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf. If 

the applicant’s state appears on the SPOC list, the applicant must contact the state SPOC to find out about, and comply with, 

the state’s process under E.O. 12372. In completing the SF-424, such applicant is to make the appropriate selection in response 

to question 19 once the applicant has complied with its state E.O. 12372 process. An applicant whose state does not appear on 

the SPOC list should answer question 19 by selecting the following response: “Program is subject to E.O. 12372 but has not 

been selected by the state for review.” 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

All applicants must complete and submit the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) form in Grants.gov. Applicants that do 

not expend any funds for lobbying activities should enter “N/A” in the required highlighted fields. Applicants that expend any 

funds for lobbying activities must provide the information requested on the SF-LLL. 

Standard Applicant Information 

Applicants must complete this web-based form in JustGrants, which is pre-populated with the SF-424 data submitted in 

Grants.gov. Applicants are required to confirm the two Authorized Representatives, verify the legal name and address, and enter 

the ZIP code(s) for the areas affected by the project. 

In order for applicant to complete this section, the two Authorized Representatives must have established accounts in 

JustGrants after the Grants.gov portion of the application is submitted. 

The Authorized Representatives are officials who have ultimate and final responsibility for all programmatic and financial 

decisions regarding this COPS Office application as representatives of your agency, as the legal recipient. 

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For guidance on who should be assigned as Authorized Representatives, please see below: 

For law enforcement agencies, COPS Office awards require that both the top law enforcement executive (e.g., chief of police, 

sheriff, or equivalent) and the top government executive (e.g., mayor, board chairman, or equivalent) sign the application, and (if 

awarded funding) accept the award package. Both the top law enforcement executive and the top government executive must 

be assigned the role of Authorized Representative in Just Grants. 

For non–law enforcement agencies (institutions of higher education, school districts, private organizations, etc.), COPS Office 

awards require that both the programmatic official (e.g., executive director, chief executive officer, or equivalent) and financial 

official (e.g., chief financial officer, treasurer, or equivalent) sign the application, and (if awarded funding) accept the award 

package. These two officials must have the ultimate signatory authority to sign contracts on behalf of your organization. Both the 

programmatic official and the financial official must be assigned the role of Authorized Representative in Just Grants. 

Please note that nonexecutive positions (e.g., clerks, trustees) are not acceptable Authorized Representatives. 

Data Requested with Application 

Applicants will be required to respond to the questions at the end of the solicitation. 

Please refer to the steps below to help guide you through initiating, completing, modifying, and obtaining the status of solicitation 

surveys in the JustGrants system: 

1. To initiate a survey, please click on the survey title to open. 

2. When you have completed the survey, please click the “Finish” button on the lower right corner of the screen. The 

system will direct you to a review screen displaying your survey responses. 

3. To go back to the main application screen, go to the “Actions” menu at the top right corner of the screen and select 

"Close” to exit the survey review screen. 

4. The survey you just completed will still display an “Open” status. To confirm the completed status of your survey, go 

back to the “Actions” menu and select “Refresh". The status of your completed survey will change to “ResolvedCompleted.” 

5. If you would like to verify the survey responses of a completed survey, you may click the survey title to reopen the 

selected survey and view your saved responses. 

6. If you would like to change and/or update the survey responses of a completed survey, you may click the “Reopen” 

option to update your saved responses. 

Proposal Narrative 

See Content and Form of Application Section for Proposal Narrative Instructions 

Budget and Associated Documentation 

Applicants must complete the web-based budget worksheet form in JustGrants along with narrative entries to describe each 

proposed cost. The budget narrative for each cost category must (1) describe each requested or group of similar items 

requested; and (2) describe how each item is necessary to the implementation of the proposed project. All items will be reviewed 

on a case-by-case basis to determine reasonableness and allowability in the context of the allowable and unallowable costs of 

the program’s purpose areas. 

Applicants are required to disclose whether they have pending applications for federally funded assistance or active federal 

awards that support the same or similar activities or services for which award funding is being requested under this application. 

As a general rule, COPS Office award funding may not be used for the same item or service funded through another funding 

source. However, leveraging multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement comprehensive programs or 

projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate. 

To aid the COPS Office in the prevention of awarding potentially duplicative funding, you will need to indicate in the application 

question survey whether your agency has a pending application and/or an active award with any other federal funding source 

(e.g., direct federal funding or indirect federal funding through state sub awarded federal funds) that supports the same or similar 

activities or services as being proposed in this COPS Office application. For each potentially duplicative program, you will be 

asked to provide the name of federal awarding agency, or state agency for sub awarded federal funding, award or application 

number, program name, award start and end dates, award or requested amount, items requested, and description of how this 

project differs from the application for COPS office funding. 

Budget Worksheet and Budget Narrative (Web-based Form) 

The COPS Office reserves the right to deny funding for items not considered reasonable, allocable, and allowable, even if not 

specified on the funding restriction lists below. 

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Applicants must submit reasonable budgets based on the resources needed to implement their proposed projects. The budget 

should display a clear link between the specific project activities and the proposed budget items. All items should be described in 

the narrative boxes of the web- based form. The narratives should explain how the applicant estimated and calculated all costs 

and how those costs are necessary to the completion of the proposed project. The budget should describe costs by year and 

should cover the full project period of two years. 

Allowable Costs 

Personnel: 

Civilian/non-sworn positions: 

Funded personnel must be hired on or after the award start date and must perform a role directly related to the project. 

Salaries should be comparable to industry standards and the type of work being performed, and consistent in amount 

and percentage with organizational policy. 

Fringe benefits: 

Fringe benefits typically covered the applicant organization, as specified in the personnel and salary policies of that organization 

or any contractual agreements, and allowable under 2 CFR 200, will be covered. Examples of allowable fringe benefits include 

Social Security, Medicare, insurance (life, health, dental, etc.), shift differential, retirement plans, and holiday pay. 

Severance pay, hazard pay, and training and equipment fringe benefits are not allowed. Certain overtime costs are allowable, 

see Unallowable Costs, but must be included in the “other” budget category. 

Completing civilian base salary and fringe benefits 

If you are not requesting any civilian base salary and fringe benefits, move to the next section. For each civilian personnel 

request, applicants must complete the web-based form. If the individual will be working more than one year of the project, 

applicants will have the option to copy a year within the budget form. 

The “additional narrative” section should be used to describe the employee’s roles, responsibilities, and activities related to the 

work to be completed on the project. If the salary increases from one budget year to another because of cost-of-living increases, 

be sure to detail these increases in the budget description. Applicants will need to provide the appropriate percentage for each 

fringe benefit that the individual is allocated per the employee benefits. 

Note, the system will not allow more than 6.2% for Social Security and 1.45% for Medicare. 

Equipment and Technology: 

Necessary equipment must be specifically purchased to implement or enhance the proposed project. Equipment is tangible 

personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit 

acquisition cost that equals or exceeds $5,000. Applicants should analyze the cost benefits of purchasing versus leasing 

equipment, especially high-cost items and those subject to rapid technical advances. Rented or leased equipment costs should 

be listed in “Procurement Contracts.” 

Completing Equipment 

If you are not requesting any equipment or technology, move to the next section. For each equipment request, applicants must 

complete the web-based form. 

The “additional narrative” section should be used to describe the type of equipment with a description and justification explaining 

why the equipment is necessary for the success of the project. 

Supplies 

Supplies include any materials that are expended or consumed during the SVPP project. Such costs may include training 

manuals, paper, printer ink, pens, postage, etc. 

Completing Supplies 

If you are not requesting any supplies, move to the next section. For each supply request, applicants must complete the webbased form. The cost should be broken down to the lowest form; therefore, if you are requesting $30 per month for office 

supplies, the calculation should be 12 x $30 and not 1 x $360. 

The “additional narrative” section should be used to describe and justify why the supplies are necessary for the success of the 

project. Provide any additional calculations that make up the base cost. 

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Travel, Training, and Conferences 

Travel/training costs include grant-related travel costs for the recipient to visit other jurisdictions engaged in similar programs or 

to attend conferences or trainings directly related to the goals of the project. Expenses for transportation, lodging, meals, and 

incidental expenses (if travel is more than 50 miles from the program location) will be reviewed in accordance with applicable 

regulations and guidelines as part of the application process. 

If a recipient does not have a written travel policy, it must adhere to the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR). For information on the 

FTR and U.S. Government General Service Administration (GSA) per diem rates by geographic area, please visit 

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates. For all applicants (with or without a written travel policy), airfare travel 

costs must be one of the following: the lowest discount commercial airfare, standard coach airfare, or the Federal Government 

contract airfare (if authorized and available). 

If you are not requesting any travel, training, or conferences, move to the next section. For each travel request, applicants must 

complete the web-based form. Each trip should be entered as an individual entry rather than a group of trips. 

The “additional narrative” section should be used to describe the purpose of the trip, proposed destination, trip duration by 

day/night, and list of individuals traveling as well as a detailed cost breakdown for each travel category (lodging, per diem, etc.). 

The cost breakdown should include 

• mode of transportation and proposed fare per trip (airfare, train, etc.) broken down by day; 

• mileage allowances if private vehicle will be used 

• per diem rates for the destination per day (including full per diem and travel day per diem); 

• lodging costs per night; 

• transportation fees per day; 

• parking fees per day. 

Procurement Contracts: 

Contract and consultant expenses include goods or services that directly contribute to the implementation or enhancement of the 

project. The use of a consultant should be more economical than direct employment. 

Compensation for individual consultant services procured under a COPS Office award must be reasonable and allocable in 

accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E—Cost Principles and consistent with that paid for similar services in the 

marketplace. 

Unless otherwise approved by the COPS Office, consultant rates will be based on the salary a consultant receives from his or 

her primary employer, as applicable, up to $650 per day. For consultant or contractor rates that exceed $650 per day, the COPS 

Office requires written justification, and recipients must receive COPS Office approval of those rates before drawing down award 

funds. Determinations will be made on a case-by-case basis. 

Any recipient of an award will be responsible for monitoring subawards and contracts in accordance with all applicable statutes, 

regulations, and guidelines. Primary recipients will be responsible for oversight of subrecipient/partner spending and monitoring 

specific performance measures and outcomes attributable to the use of COPS Office funds. 

All sole-source procurements of goods and services (those not awarded competitively) in excess of $250,000 require prior 

approval from the COPS Office. 

Completing Procurement Contracts 

If you are not requesting any procurement contract costs move to the next section. For each procurement contract request, 

applicants must complete the web-based form. 

The “additional narrative” section should be used to describe and justify the product or services to be procured by including the 

nature and scope of goods purchased, price proposals, and length of contract. 

Procurement contract travel requests should follow the same guidance as the “travel” section. Provide any additional 

calculations that make up the base cost. 

Other costs 

Items not included in the previous categories but that have a direct correlation to the overall success of a recipient’s project 

objectives and are necessary for the project to reach full implementation will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the 

COPS Office. 

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Completing Other Costs 

If you are not requesting any other costs, move to the next section. For each request, applicants must complete the web-based 

form. The cost should be broken down to the lowest form. 

The “additional narrative” section should be used to describe and justify why the item is necessary for the success of the project. 

Provide any additional calculations that make up the base cost. 

Unallowable Costs: Requests will not be funded 

Indirect Costs will not be funded. 

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Other Supportive Documents 

As applicable, applicants will attach the any memoranda of understanding or partner agreements in this section. 

Disclosure and Assurances 

The applicant must review, complete, and submit all disclosures, assurances, and certifications as described below. The full text 

of the Certifications is available in the Application Resource Guide. An application may not be funded or, if awarded, a hold may 

be placed on this application if it is deemed that the applicant is not in compliance with federal civil rights laws, is not cooperating 

with an ongoing federal civil rights investigation, or is not cooperating with a U.S. Department of Justice award review or audit. 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 

Important – all applicants must complete the SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities in Grants.gov prior to beginning the 

application process in JustGrants. Applicants that do not expend any funds for lobbying activities should enter “N/A” in the 

required highlighted fields. 

DOJ Certified Standard Assurances 

Applicants must read and acknowledge the DOJ Certified Standard Assurances in JustGrants. Full text of the Certified Standard 

Assurances is available in the Application Resource Guide. 

DOJ Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; 

Drug-Free Workplace Requirements; Law Enforcement and Community Policing 

Applicants must read and acknowledge these DOJ certifications in JustGrants. Full text of the DOJ certifications is available in 

the Application Resource Guide. 

How to Apply 

Applications must be submitted electronically through JustGrants following the submission of the SF-424 and SF_LLL via 

Grants.gov. See Submission Dates and Times below for a list of steps for registering with all required systems and deadlines for 

completing each step. 

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) 

Federal regulations require that an applicant for federal funding: (1) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (2) 

provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (3) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current 

information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal 

awarding agency. The COPS Office may not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable 

unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the time the 

COPS Office is ready to make an award, then the COPS office may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an 

award. See 2 C.F.R. §§ 25.200, 25.205 and the Award Terms and Conditions for further information. 

The Unique Entity ID (SAM) is a 12-character alpha-numeric value and once issued, will not change. Entities that are currently 

registered in SAM.gov already have a Unique Entity ID (SAM) which can be viewed in SAM.gov. 

SAM centralizes information about grant recipients and provides a central location for grant recipients to change organizational 

information. Grants.gov uses SAM to establish roles and IDs for electronic submission of grant applications. 

If the applicant already has an Employer Identification Number (EIN), the SAM registration will take up to two weeks to process. 

If the applicant does not have an EIN, then the applicant should allow two to five weeks for obtaining an EIN from the Internal 

Revenue Service. There is no fee associated with these processes. These processes cannot be expedited. 

The COPS Office strongly discourages applicants from paying a third party to apply or register on their behalf in an attempt to 

expedite these processes. 

To ensure all applicants are able to apply by the deadline for this solicitation, applicants must have registered online with the 

SAM and with Grants.gov well in advance of the JustGrants deadline. 

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Submission Dates and Time 

Submission Dates and Time 

All completed applications must be submitted by the deadline. 

The completed SF-424 and SF-LLL must be submitted in Grants.gov by June 14, 2023 and applications in JustGrants by June 

21, 2023. 

After applicants register with SAM, or confirm their active registration in SAM they can begin the Grants.gov registration process. 

The applying organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process prior to beginning an application for a federal 

grant. The E- Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) must register the applicant organization with Grants.gov. The E-Biz POC 

oversees the applicant’s Grants.gov transactions and assigns the Authorized Representative. The Authorized Organization 

Representative (AOR) submits the application to Grants.gov and must also register with Grants.gov. In some cases, the E-Biz 

POC is also the AOR for the applicant. Complete instructions can be found at www.Grants.gov. 

In JustGrants, each applying entity will have an assigned Entity Administrator who is responsible for managing entity-level 

information and assigning roles in the system. The Entity Administrator is also the E-Biz POC designated in SAM.gov. For more 

information on registering with JustGrants, see https://justicegrants.usdoj.gov/. 

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete and submitted by the deadline. Failure to meet the 

submission deadline will result in an application not being considered for funding. Applicants should refer to the list below to 

ensure that all required steps and deadlines are met. 

Applicant Actions with Required Dates/Deadline 

1. Register with SAM or confirm applicant’s active registration with SAM Access the SAM online registration through the 

SAM homepage at https://www.sam.gov/SAM and follow the online instructions for new SAM users. If the applicant 

already has the necessary information on hand, the online registration takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, 

depending upon the size and complexity of the business or organization. Organizations must update or renew their 

SAM registration at least once a year to maintain an active status. 

2. Register with Grants.gov. Once the SAM registration is active, the applicant will be able to complete the Grants.gov 

registration. 

3. Download the updated version of Adobe Acrobat before the Grants.gov deadline. Applicants are responsible for 

ensuring that the most up-to-date version of Adobe Acrobat is installed on all computers that may be used to download 

the solicitation and to submit the SF-424 and SF-LLL on Grants.gov. To verify that the Adobe software version is 

compatible with Grants.gov, please visit the following link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobesoftware-compatibility.html. 

4. Begin application submission process in Grants.gov as early as possible, but no later than 24-48 hours prior to the 

Grants.gov deadline. Applicants may find this funding opportunity on Grants.gov by using the assistance listing 

number, Grants.gov opportunity number, or the title of this solicitation, all of which can be found on the cover page. 

Applicants will submit two forms in Grants.gov (SF-424 and SF-LLL). 

5. The Grants.gov Workspace Status will change from “In Progress” to “Submitted” once the SF-424 and SF-LLL have 

been successfully submitted in Grants.gov. Within 48 hours after submitting the SF-424 in Grants.gov, the applicant 

should receive four (4) notifications from Grants.gov (i.e., submission receipt, validation receipt, grantor agency 

retrieval receipt, and agency tracking number assignment). (Note: It is possible to first receive a message indicating 

that the application is received, and then receive a rejection notice a few minutes or hours later.) 

6. Within 24 hours AFTER receiving a confirmation email from Grants.gov, the Application Submitter will receive an email 

from JustGrants with instructions to complete the rest of the application in JustGrants. If the applicant is a new user in 

JustGrants, the email will include instructions on registering with JustGrants. 

7. Upon receipt of this email, register with JustGrants (if necessary), invite additional users including Authorized 

Representatives, and begin to develop the application. Some of the application components will be entered directly into 

JustGrants, and others will require uploading attached documents. Therefore, applicants will need to allow ample time 

before the JustGrants deadline to prepare each component and to submit the complete application package at least 

24-48 hours prior to the deadline. Applicants may save their progress in the system and revise the application as 

needed prior to hitting the Submit button at the end of the application in JustGrants. 

8. IMPORTANT: In addition to the Application Submitter, the Entity Administrator and the two Authorized Representatives 

should be standing by to assist with application submission. The Entity Administrator will create accounts in JustGrants 

for the two Authorized Representatives, who must log in to JustGrants to review the application prior to submission. 

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9. Confirm application receipt: Applicants should closely monitor their email and JustGrants accounts for any 

notifications from Grants.gov or JustGrants about a possible failed submission. The user who is authorized to submit 

applications on behalf of the organization is the one who will receive these notifications. The COPS Office does not 

send out these notifications, nor does the COPS Office receive a copy of these notifications. It is the applicant’s 

responsibility to notify the COPS Office of any problems with the application submission process. Submitting the 

application components at least 48 hours prior to the deadline will enable the applicant to receive notice of a failed 

submission and provide an opportunity to correct the error before the applicable deadline. 

Late Submissions: The COPS Office will review on a case-by-case basis requests for late submission due to unforeseen 

technical issues or extraordinary events such as extreme weather emergencies or mass casualty events. Requests for an 

extension of the Grants.gov deadline must be received prior to the close of the solicitation in Grants.gov. Requests for an 

extension of the JustGrants deadline must be made prior to the close of the solicitation in JustGrants. No late submission 

requests will be considered once the solicitation closes. 

Extension of deadlines is rare and not guaranteed. 

To be considered for an extension, applicants must contact the COPS Office Response Center via email to 

AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov detailing the technical/extraordinary issues that impact application submission. This must be 

submitted prior to the deadline for which the applicant is requesting an extension. The applicant’s email must include the 

following information: UEI number, organization name, point of contact name and information, application ID, and the nature of 

the issue/disaster and how it affected the applicant’s ability to submit an application on time. The email subject line should read 

“[Insert Program] Extraordinary Circumstances: UEI number, Agency Name, Application ID”; with your UEI number and 

organization name included in the subject line. 

The COPS Office will respond to each applicant as soon as possible with either an approval and instructions for submission, or a 

rejection. If the technical issues you reported cannot be validated, the application will be rejected. 

The following conditions are not valid reasons to request an extension: (1) failure to begin the registration process in sufficient 

time; (2) failure to follow instructions on Grants.gov or JustGrants; (3) failure of the two assigned authorized representatives, with 

the proper authority, to activate accounts in JustGrants prior to application submission; (4) failure to follow all of the instructions 

in the solicitation; (5) failure to register or update information on the SAM website; and/or (6) failure to register or complete SF424 or SF-LLL in grants.gov. 

Application Review Information 

The COPS Office is committed to ensuring a fair and open merit review process. Applications that meet eligibility and basic 

minimum requirements will be subject to a merit review and ranking process. The merit review will consist of both a 

programmatic and financial review and will be conducted by COPS Office staff or in collaboration with other subject matter 

experts. The review will also assess whether costs are reasonable, necessary, allowable, and allocable under applicable federal 

cost principles, agency regulations, and the program. 

Prior to award, applications for potential awards will receive a financial integrity review to evaluate the fiscal integrity and 

financial capability of applicants and to examine proposed costs and the extent to which the budget detail worksheet supports 

and explains project costs. This review will also assess whether costs are reasonable, necessary, and allocable under applicable 

federal cost principles and agency regulations. This financial review will be conducted by the COPS Office staff. 

In addition, prior to making an award greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (currently set at $250,000), any information 

about applicants that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM will be reviewed and 

considered. Applicants may review and comment on any information about them in SAM that a Federal awarding agency 

previously entered in the designated integrity and performance system, and such applicant comments will also be reviewed and 

considered. 

Past performance on previous awards may be in an indicator in this review process. Financial and programmatic performance 

factors may be included in the past performance review. 

Review Process 

Applications will undergo a standard review and selection process, which includes a review of basic minimum requirements, 

recommendation panel ratings, administrative compliance review and director’s selection. 

Once the solicitation closes, COPS Office staff screen applications for compliance with basic minimum requirements. 

Applications should be written with clarity, organization, and soundness in the proposed work, with all mandatory attachments. 

Applications from entities that are ineligible to apply, do not include all required documents, or are not responsive to the 

solicitation will be disqualified at this stage and will not be scored by review panels. 

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Review panels made up of COPS Office federal employees will evaluate, score, and rank applications on the following merit 

criteria, which the applicant addresses in their application, proposal narrative, budget template and narrative descriptions, and 

other attachments. A leadership review panel of senior-ranking federal employees will review all advancing applications and 

make recommendations for funding based on scores, administrative compliance review, past performance, project scope, and 

budget. The senior leadership review panel will submit formal recommendations for funding to the COPS Office Director. 

Director’s selection 

Absent explicit statutory authorization or written delegation of authority to the contrary, all final award decisions will be made by 

the Director of the COPS Office, who may also give consideration to factors including prior funding history, current award 

balances, underserved populations, population served, geographic diversity, strategic priorities, past performance, significant 

concerns regarding ability of the applicant to administer federal funds, and available funding when making awards. 

All award decisions are final and not subject to appeal. 

Review criteria 

Project Description and Project Impact (10 percent): 

• Provides a comprehensive description and rationale of the activities the applicant will implement under this project; 

• Clearly identifies how the project fulfills a specific public safety need and advances the goals and requirements of the 

program; 

Management and Implementation (50 percent) 

• Includes a detailed project/work plan that is aligned to solicitation goals and requirements; 

• Includes a timeline of project milestones, deliverables, activities and who will complete the activities in their application; 

• Identifies key team members and stakeholder partners (community groups, private and/or public agencies) who will support 

the proposed initiative, or whose initiatives complement the proposed project; 

• Project includes a plan to track or measure the success of the program. 

Capacity and Experience (30 percent) 

• Demonstrated experience and capacity to carry out the proposed activities (e.g., the ability to conduct a substantive 

programmatic meeting, produce practitioner friendly reports, facilitate meetings or forums of varying sizes with law 

enforcement professionals, and produce relevant materials); 

• Project staff, contractors, or consultants have relevant subject matter expertise, knowledge, and skills to achieve project 

goals and produce proposed deliverables; 

• Demonstrated capacity to effectively implement projects and communicate results to the intended audience; 

• Demonstrated history of success in achieving similar outcomes working with the COPS Office or other federal and 

nonfederal funding. 

Budget (10 percent) 

• Provides a detailed budget with costs that are appropriate and reasonable relative to the level of effort; 

• Provides justification for each amount requested detailing how costs were estimated and how these costs are critical to the 

completion of the project 

Federal Award Administration Information 

Federal Award Notices 

Award notification will be sent electronically from JustGrants. This award notification will include instruction on enrolling in 

Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) and accepting the award. Recipients will be required to log into 

JustGrants to review, sign, and accept the award. The notice of award will contain details about the award including start and 

end dates, funding amounts, and the award conditions. The Authorized Representatives must acknowledge having read and 

understood all sections of the award instrument and submit the required declaration and certification to accept the award; these 

steps will be completed electronically in JustGrants before you will be able to draw down funds or begin implementing the 

program. By accepting the award and the COPS Office funding, your agency acknowledges that it will comply with these 

conditions and, if applicable, additional special conditions specific to your agency. 

In limited circumstances, your award may be subject to special conditions that prevent your agency from drawing down or 

accessing award funds until the special conditions are satisfied as determined by the COPS Office. Any special conditions will 

be included with your award. 

All applicants should anticipate notification of funding decisions by September 30, 2023. 

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Administrative and National Policy Requirements 

If selected for funding, in addition to implementing the funded project consistent with the approved project proposal and budget, 

the recipient must comply with the award terms and conditions, and other legal requirements including, but not limited to, OMB, 

DOJ, or other federal regulations that will be included in the award or incorporated into the award by reference or are otherwise 

applicable to the award. 

The COPS Office strongly encourages applicants to review applicable requirements and terms and conditions prior to submitting 

an application. 

Terms and conditions for COPS Office awards are available on the COPS website in the Application Resource Guide. Terms 

and conditions are subject to change before the award is issued. The Application Resource Guide also contains additional 

requirements which apply to this application and award, including audit requirements, suspension, and termination requirements. 

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Requirements 

Federal law requires that law enforcement agencies receiving federal funding from the COPS Office be monitored to ensure 

compliance with their award conditions and other applicable statutory regulations. The COPS Office is also interested in tracking 

the progress of our programs and the advancement of community policing. Both aspects of award implementation—compliance 

and programmatic benefits—are part of the monitoring process coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Awarded agencies will be responsible for submitting Performance Reports and Federal Financial Reports. In addition, awarded 

agencies will be responsible for the timely submission of a final Closeout Report and any other required final reports. All COPS 

Office recipients will be required to participate in such award monitoring activities of the U.S. Department of Justice, including but 

not limited to the COPS Office, the Office of the Inspector General, or any entity designated by the COPS Office. 

Please note that the COPS Office may take a number of monitoring approaches, such as site visits, enhanced office- based 

award reviews, alleged noncompliance reviews, and periodic surveys to gather information and to ensure compliance. The 

COPS Office may seek information including, but not limited to, your organization’s compliance with no supplanting and both 

programmatic and financial requirements of the award, and your organization’s progress toward achieving your community 

policing strategy. 

If awarded funds, you agree to cooperate with and respond to any requests for information pertaining to your award in 

preparation for any of the above-referenced award monitoring activities. 

Please feel free to contact your COPS Office Program Manager at 800-421-6770 to discuss any questions or concerns you may 

have regarding the monitoring, reporting, and evaluation requirements. 

Evaluation: 

Though a formal assessment is not a requirement, awarded agencies are strongly encouraged to conduct an independent 

assessment of their respective award-funded projects. Project evaluations have proven to be valuable tools in helping 

departments identify areas in need of improvement, providing data of successful processes and reducing vulnerabilities. 

Selected award recipients shall be evaluated on the local level or as part of a national evaluation, pursuant to guidelines 

established by the Attorney General. Such evaluations may include assessments of individual program implementations. In 

selected jurisdictions that are able to support outcome evaluations, the effectiveness of funded programs, projects, and activities 

may be required. Outcome measures may include crime and victimization indicators, quality of life measures, community 

perceptions, and police perceptions of their own work. 

Reporting Requirements: If awarded, recipients will be required to submit quarterly financial and semi-annual performance 

reports. 

• Financial reporting: Recipients will be required to electronically submit a quarterly Federal Financial Report (FFR) using the 

SF-425 form by the 30th day following the end of each calendar quarter, and a final report is due 120 days following the 

award end date. Recipients who do not submit SF-425 reports by the due date will be unable to drawdown funds. 

• Performance reporting: Recipients will be required to electronically submit semi-annual performance reports, and a final 

performance report will be due 120 days following the award end date. 

Administrative actions and legal remedies related to federal awards 

Please be advised that an application may not be funded or, if awarded, a hold may be placed on this application if it is deemed 

that the applicant is not in compliance with federal civil rights laws, is not cooperating with an ongoing federal civil rights 

investigation, or is not cooperating with a U.S. Department of Justice award review or audit. 

Misuse of COPS Office funds or failure to comply with all COPS Office award requirements may result in legal sanctions 

including suspension and termination of award funds, the repayment of expended funds, ineligibility to receive additional COPS 

Office funding, and other remedies available by law. 

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Under the False Claims Act, any credible evidence that a person has submitted a false claim or has committed a criminal or civil 

violation of laws pertaining to fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, gratuity, or similar misconduct involving COPS Office funds may 

be referred to the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG may be contacted at oig.hotline@usdoj.gov, https:// 

oig.justice.gov/hotline/index.htm, or 800-869-4499. 

Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 

For technical assistance with Grants.gov, call the Grants.gov customer service hotline at 800-518-4726, send questions via 

email to support@Grants.gov, or consult the Grants.gov Organization Applicant User Guide at 

https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm. 

For technical support with JustGrants, contact JustGrants Support at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or 833–872–5175. 

For programmatic assistance with the requirements of this program please call the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-

6770 or send questions via email to AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov. 

COPS Other Information 

Public Reporting Burden-Paper Work Reduction Act Notice 

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to be up to 11.3 hours per response, depending upon 

the COPS Office program being applied for, which includes time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this 

burden estimate or any other aspects of the collection of this information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice, 145 N Street NE, Washington, DC 20530; and to 

the Public Use Reports Project, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, 

DC 20503. 

You are not required to respond to this collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control 

number for this application is 1103-0098, and the expiration date is 4/30/2024. 

Performance Measures 

To assist in fulfilling the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) responsibilities under the Government Performance and Results 

Modernization Act (GPRAMA) of 2010, P.L. 111-352, recipients who receive funding from the Federal Government must 

measure the results of work that funding supports. GPRAMA specifically requires the COPS Office and other federal agencies to 

set program goals, measure performance against those goals, and publicly report progress in the form of funding spent, 

resources used, activities performed, services delivered, and results achieved. 

Performance measures for this program are as shown in table 1. 

Table 1. Performance measures 

Objective Performance Measures Data Recipient Provides 

Increase the capacity of law 

enforcement agencies to implement 

community policing strategies that 

strengthen partnerships for safer 

communities and enhance law 

enforcement’s capacity to prevent, 

solve, and control crime through 

funding for personnel, technology, 

equipment, and training. 

(1) Extent to which COPS Office award 

funding (technology and equipment, 

training, etc.) has increased your 

agency’s community policing capacity? 

(2) Extent to which COPS Office 

knowledge resources (e.g., 

publications, podcasts, training, etc.) 

have increased your agency’s 

community policing capacity? 

Data will be collected on a periodic 

basis through recipient performance 

reports. 

COPS Office awards target increasing recipient capacity to implement community policing strategies within the three primary 

elements of community policing: (1) problem solving; (2) partnerships; and (3) organizational transformation. The COPS Office 

requires all applicants to describe how the personnel, technology, equipment, supplies, travel, or training requested will assist 

the applicant in implementing community policing strategies. 

As part of the programmatic performance reports, all recipients will be required to report on their progress toward implementing 

community policing strategies. Based on the data collected from recipients, the COPS Office may make improvements to the 

program to better meet the program’s objective and law enforcement agency needs. 

Application Checklist 

Please refer to the JustGrants DOJ Application Submission Checklist. 

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Survey Questions 

FY23 CPA Solicitation Ques 

Research and Development 

Instructions: For the purposes of this solicitation, R&D as defined by 2 C.F.R. §200.87 means all research activities, both basic 

and applied, and all development activities that are performed by nonfederal entities. The term “research” also includes activities 

involving the training of individuals in research techniques where such activities use the same facilities as other research and 

development activities and where such activities are not included in the instruction function. “Research” is defined as a 

systematic study directed toward fuller scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied. “Development” is the 

systematic use of knowledge and understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, 

devices, systems, or methods, including design and development of prototypes and processes. 

Please select “yes” if any part of your project could be considered R&D or “no” if no portion of your project would support R&D. 

Could any portion of your project be considered research and development (R&D) as defined by 2 C.F.R. §200.87? 

Youth-Centered Project 

Instructions: For the purposes of this solicitation, please select “yes” if a purpose of some or all of the activities to be carried out 

under (whether by the recipient, or a subrecipient at any tier) is to benefit a set of individuals under 18 years of age. NOTE: An 

award condition will apply to all youth-centered awards. This condition will require recipients and subrecipients to make 

determinations of suitability before certain covered individuals interact with participating minors under the age of 18 years old in 

the course of activities funded under the award. 

Could any activities under your project benefit a set of individuals under 18 years of age? 

Training 

Instructions: The COPS Office defines training as the teaching and learning activities carried out for the primary purpose of 

helping members of an organization other than your own acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes needed 

by a particular job or organization. Training is driven by specific goals and objectives? it is not a single event but rather an 

ongoing process that requires continuous self-reflection and evaluation. Guides, webinars, articles, conference presentations, 

toolkits, podcasts, videos, blogs, and news feeds (to provide a few examples) can serve as support material in trainings or as 

standalone materials to increase knowledge, but on their own they are not defined as training by the COPS Office. Please select 

“yes” if any part of your project fits within the definition of training or “no” if no portion of your project fits within the definition of 

training. 

Could any portion of your project be considered training? 

U.S. Attorney's District Office 

Please select your U.S. Attorney’s District Office from the below drop-down options. 

Executive/Contact Information 

Please provide the name and contact information for the highest ranking Law Enforcement or Program Official and Government 

Executive or Financial Official for your agency or organization, please see instructions below. 

LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVE/PROGRAM OFFICIAL 

This position will ultimately be responsible for the programmatic management of the award. 

Instructions for Law Enforcement Agencies: 

For law enforcement agencies, the Law Enforcement Executive is the highest ranking official in the jurisdiction (Chief of Police, 

Sheriff, or equivalent). Before this application can be submitted, the Entity Administrator in JustGrants must invite this individual 

to apply for a JustGrants account with the role of Authorized Representative, and this individual must log in to JustGrants to 

review the application. 

Instructions for Non-Law Enforcement Agencies: 

For non-law enforcement agencies (e.g., institutions of higher education, school districts, private organizations, etc.), the 

Program Official is the highest-ranking official in the jurisdiction (e.g., executive director, chief executive officer, or equivalent). 

Please note that information for non-executive positions (e.g., clerks, trustees) is not acceptable. Before this application can be 

submitted, the Entity Administrator in JustGrants must invite this individual to apply for a JustGrants account with the role of 

Authorized Representative, and this individual must log in to JustGrants to review the application. 

Title: 

First name: 

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Last name: 

Phone: 

Email address: 

GOVERNMENT EXECUTIVE/FINANCIAL OFFICIAL 

This position will ultimately be responsible for the financial management of the award. Please note that information for 

non-executive positions (e.g., clerks, trustees) is not acceptable. 

Instructions for Law Enforcement Agencies: 

For law enforcement agencies, this is the highest ranking government official within your jurisdiction (e.g., Superintendent, 

Mayor, City Administrator, or equivalent). Before this application can be submitted, the Entity Administrator in JustGrants must 

invite this individual to apply for a JustGrants account with the role of Authorized Representative, and this individual must log in 

to JustGrants to review the application. 

Instructions for Non-Law Enforcement Agencies and Non-Government Agencies: 

For non-law enforcement agencies and non-government agencies, this is the financial official who has the authority to apply for 

this award on behalf of the applicant agency (e.g., Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, or equivalent). Please note that information 

for non-executive positions (e.g., clerks, trustees) is not acceptable. Before this application can be submitted, the Entity 

Administrator in JustGrants must invite this individual to apply for a JustGrants account with the role of Authorized 

Representative, and this individual must log in to JustGrants to review the application. 

Title: 

First name: 

Last name: 

Phone: 

Email address: 

Instructions for Application Submitter Contact: 

Enter the application point of contact's name and contact information. 

Title: 

First name: 

Last name: 

Phone: 

Email address: 

Law Enforcement and Community Policing Strategy 

Instructions: The following is the COPS Office definition of community policing that emphasizes the primary components of 

community partnerships, organizational transformation, and problem solving: Community policing is a philosophy that promotes 

organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem solving techniques to proactively address 

the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. Please refer to 

the COPS Office website (https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P157) for further information regarding 

this definition and its sub-elements. 

Please answer the following questions regarding your community support and impact on the jurisdiction. 

To what extent is there community support in your jurisdiction for implementing the proposed award activities? 

If awarded, to what extent will the award activities impact the other components of the criminal justice system in your 

jurisdiction? 

Explanation of Need for Financial Assistance 

All applicants are required to explain their inability to address the need for this award without federal assistance. Please do so in 

the space below. 

[Please limit your response to a maximum of 250 word count.] 

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Continuation of Support After Federal Funding Ends 

Instructions: The questions in this section will be used for programs without a retention requirement to report any plans to 

continue the program or activity after the conclusion of federal funding. 

Does your agency or organization plan to obtain necessary support and continue the program, project, or activity following the 

conclusion of federal support? 

Please identify the source(s) of funding that your agency plans to utilize to continue the program, project, or activity following the 

conclusion of federal support: 

General funds 

Issue bonds or raise taxes 

Private sources and donations 

Non-federal asset forfeiture funds (subject to approval from the state or local oversight agency) 

State, local, or other non-federal grant funding Fundraising efforts 

Other 

If “other” is selected in the above question, please provide a brief description of the source(s) of funding. 

FY23 CPA Information 

Type of Agency Organization 

Type of Agency (select one) 

From the list below, please select the type of agency which best describes the applicant. From the list below, please select the 

type of agency which best describes the applicant. 

Duplication of Funding 

Instructions: 

Applicants are required to disclose whether they have pending applications for federally funded assistance or active federal 

awards that support the same or similar activities or services for which funding is being requested under this application. 

Be advised that as a general rule, COPS Office funding may not be used for the same item or service funded through another 

funding source. However, leveraging multiple funding sources in a complementary manner to implement comprehensive 

programs or projects is encouraged and is not seen as inappropriate. To aid the COPS Office in the prevention of awarding 

potentially duplicative funding, please indicate whether your agency has a pending application or an active award with any other 

federal funding source (e.g., direct federal funding or indirect federal funding through state sub-awarded federal funds) which 

supports the same or similar activities or services as being proposed in this COPS Office application. 

Do you have any current, active non-COPS Office award with any other federal funding source (e.g., direct federal funding or 

indirect federal funding through state subawarded federal funds) that supports the same or similar activities or services as being 

proposed in this COPS Office application? 

If Yes, for each potentially duplicative non-COPS Office award, provide the following detailed information: name of federal 

awarding agency, or state agency for subawarded federal funding; award number; program name; award start and end dates; 

award amount; and description of how this project differs from the application for COPS office funding. 

Do you have any pending non-COPS Office grant applications with any other federal funding source (e.g., direct federal funding 

or indirect federal funding through state subawarded federal funds)that support the same or similar activities or services as being 

proposed in this COPS Office application? 

If Yes, for each potentially duplicative non-COPS Office grant application, provide the following detailed information: application 

number (if known); program name; project length; total requested amount; items requested; and describe how this project differs 

from the application for COPS Office funding. 

Certification of Review of 28 CFR Part 23/Criminal Intelligence 

REVIEWS AND CERTIFICATIONS 

Certification of Review of 28 C.F.R. Part 23/Criminal Intelligence Systems: 

If your agency is requesting COPS Office funding for equipment or technology that will be used to operate an interjurisdictional 

criminal intelligence system that receives, stores, analyzes, exchanges, or disseminates data regarding ongoing criminal 

activities, you must agree to comply with the operating principles at 28 C.F.R Part 23. 

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If you are requesting COPS Office funds to operate a single agency database (or other unrelated forms of technology) and will 

not share criminal intelligence data with other jurisdictions, 28 C.F.R. Part 23 does not apply. 

Please review the FY23 CPA Programs Reference Guide for additional information. 

Please check one of the following, as applicable to your agency’s intended use of COPS Office funds. 

CERTIFICATION OF REVIEW AND REPRESENTATION OF COMPLIANCE 

By checking the box, the applicant indicates he or she understands that the signatures of the Law Enforcement Executive 

/Program Official, Government Executive / Financial Official, and the Person Submitting this Application on the Reviews and 

Certifications represent to the COPS Office that: 1. the applicant will comply with all legal, administrative, and programmatic 

requirements that govern the applicant for acceptance and use of federal funds as outlined in the applicable COPS Office 

Solicitation and Reference Guides, the COPS Office award owner's manual, the DOJ Grants Financial Guide, Assurances, 

Certifications and all other applicable program regulations, laws, orders, and circulars; 2. the applicant understands that as a 

general rule COPS Office funding may not be used for the same item or service funded through another funding source? and 3. 

the applicant and any required or identified official partner(s) listed in this application mutually agreed to this partnership prior to 

submission. 

Acknowledgement of Electronic Signatures 

By checking the box, the applicant indicates that he or she understands that “clicking to agree” in this application and the 

required forms, including the Assurances, Certifications, and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form are just as legally 

enforceable as physical signatures. 

I understand. 

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