Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2021 75010
The Community Policing Development (CPD) Accreditation Solicitation is a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) funding opportunity run through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) that focuses on strengthening law enforcement agencies ability to carry out community policing through accreditation-related projects. At its core, the solicitation treats community policing as an agency-wide approach built on partnerships and problem solving, aimed at addressing the conditions that drive public safety concerns like violent crime, nonviolent crime, and fear of crime. Rather than funding routine operations, CPD funds are meant to build capacity by developing, testing, and spreading innovative strategies, and by producing practical guidance that law enforcement can apply in the field to prevent crime and support safer communities.
A major emphasis of this solicitation is the creation and sharing of "knowledge products" and other deliverables that reflect what the COPS Office calls principles of good guidance. In practice, that means projects should be quality-driven and action-oriented (clear steps agencies can actually take), evidence-based (recommendations aligned with the best available research identified through systematic review), accessible (plain language and manageable length so the material is usable by practitioners), and memorable (designed so officers and leaders can readily recall and apply guidance under real-world pressure). The solicitation also sits within DOJ priorities that include advancing civil rights, increasing access to justice, supporting crime victims, protecting the public from evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and communities. Applicants are expected to connect their proposed work to those broader priorities where relevant and to show how the project advances community policing in a practical, on-the-ground way.
For FY 2021, the CPD Accreditation program is organized around four project subcategories. These include: addressing gaps in state accreditation (helping states close coverage or capability gaps in accreditation support), enhancing existing law enforcement accreditation entities (improving or expanding the capacity of organizations that already provide accreditation services or infrastructure), supporting tribal agency accreditation (helping tribal law enforcement agencies pursue or build pathways to accreditation), and supporting law enforcement agencies in seeking accreditation (direct assistance and supports that help agencies move through the accreditation process). The solicitation is an open competition, but applicants must choose the most appropriate subcategory when they apply. If an applicant wants to propose more than one distinct project, they can submit multiple applications, but each project requires its own separate application. The application also needs to clearly identify the solicitation and the correct subcategory on the cover page of the project narrative; selecting the wrong subcategory or failing to clearly label the application can cause it to fail basic screening.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning the COPS Office typically expects substantial involvement or collaboration during the project period, not just a hands-off grant award. The listed award ceiling is $150,000, with an expectation of 46 awards. The funding opportunity number is O-COPS-2021-75010, and it is associated with CFDA 16.710. The solicitation was created June 3, 2021, with an original closing date of July 21, 2021. While the eligible applicant category is listed broadly as "Others" (with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the full announcement), the design of the subcategories signals that applicants may include accreditation bodies, organizations supporting accreditation, and other entities positioned to deliver training, technical assistance, and implementation support tied to accreditation outcomes.
The solicitation also spells out practical compliance expectations for recipients. Awardees are expected to start work immediately once selected and notified. If the project includes training or curriculum deliverables, those materials must follow the COPS Office Curriculum Standards and Review Process Guides (available on the COPS Office training site). If conferences or convenings are part of the deliverables, recipients must follow the COPS Office conference request approval process. Written products are expected to align with the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual, reinforcing the program goal of producing clear, consistent, practitioner-friendly guidance. For site-specific projects where work is aimed at particular agencies, letters of support from the targeted agencies are strongly encouraged, which helps show readiness, buy-in, and feasibility. The program is authorized under federal law, including the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (as amended) and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and all awards depend on available appropriations and any legal requirements that may apply.
For applicant support, the solicitation directs programmatic questions to the COPS Office Response Center (800-421-6770) or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov, available weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays. Overall, the CPD Accreditation Solicitation is best understood as a targeted investment in accreditation as a tool to professionalize and standardize community policing practices, expand the reach and effectiveness of accreditation systems (including in tribal contexts), and produce field-ready guidance that helps agencies deliver safer, fairer, and more trusted policing services.Apply for O COPS 2021 75010
- The Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Policing Development (CPD) Accreditation 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 Jun 03, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 21, 2021. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 46 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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CPD Accreditation Solicitation (FY 2021) FAQs
What is the CPD Accreditation Solicitation?
The Community Policing Development (CPD) Accreditation Solicitation is a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) funding opportunity administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office). It focuses on strengthening law enforcement agencies' ability to carry out community policing through accreditation-related projects.
What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to build law enforcement capacity through accreditation-focused work that supports community policing. Rather than paying for routine operations, CPD funds are intended to develop, test, and spread innovative strategies and produce practical, field-ready guidance that agencies can use to prevent crime and support safer communities.
How does this solicitation define community policing?
Community policing is described as an agency-wide approach built on partnerships and problem solving. It is aimed at addressing conditions that drive public safety concerns such as violent crime, nonviolent crime, and fear of crime.
Does this program fund routine law enforcement operations?
No. The solicitation emphasizes that CPD funding is not meant for routine operations. It is intended to build capacity by supporting projects that develop and share innovative strategies and practical guidance.
What are "knowledge products" and why are they emphasized?
Knowledge products are deliverables (such as written guidance and other practical resources) meant to help law enforcement apply community policing and accreditation-related improvements in the field. A major emphasis of the solicitation is creating and sharing these products in line with the COPS Office principles of good guidance.
What are the COPS Office "principles of good guidance" mentioned in the solicitation?
Projects and deliverables are expected to be quality-driven and action-oriented (clear steps agencies can take), evidence-based (aligned with the best available research identified through systematic review), accessible (plain language and manageable length), and memorable (designed so officers and leaders can recall and apply the guidance under real-world pressure).
How should applicants connect their projects to DOJ priorities?
Applicants are expected to connect proposed work to relevant DOJ priorities where applicable. The solicitation references priorities including advancing civil rights, increasing access to justice, supporting crime victims, protecting the public from evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and communities.
What project subcategories are available under the FY 2021 CPD Accreditation program?
The solicitation lists four subcategories: addressing gaps in state accreditation; enhancing existing law enforcement accreditation entities; supporting tribal agency accreditation; and supporting law enforcement agencies in seeking accreditation.
What does "addressing gaps in state accreditation" mean in this solicitation?
It refers to projects that help states close coverage or capability gaps in accreditation support.
What does "enhancing existing law enforcement accreditation entities" mean?
It refers to improving or expanding the capacity of organizations that already provide accreditation services or accreditation-related infrastructure.
What does "supporting tribal agency accreditation" mean?
It refers to helping tribal law enforcement agencies pursue accreditation or build pathways to accreditation.
What does "supporting law enforcement agencies in seeking accreditation" mean?
It refers to direct assistance and supports that help agencies move through the accreditation process.
Is this solicitation an open competition?
Yes. The solicitation is described as an open competition. Applicants must choose the most appropriate subcategory when applying.
Can an applicant submit more than one application?
Yes. If an applicant wants to propose more than one distinct project, they can submit multiple applications, but each project requires its own separate application.
How important is selecting and labeling the correct subcategory?
It is critical. The application must clearly identify the solicitation and the correct subcategory on the cover page of the project narrative. Selecting the wrong subcategory or failing to clearly label the application can cause the application to fail basic screening.
What type of award is this (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement. The solicitation notes that the COPS Office typically expects substantial involvement or collaboration during the project period, rather than a hands-off award.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $150,000.
How many awards does the solicitation expect to make?
The solicitation states an expectation of 46 awards.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number?
The funding opportunity number is O-COPS-2021-75010, and it is associated with CFDA 16.710.
When was the solicitation created and what was the original closing date?
The solicitation was created on June 3, 2021, and the original closing date was July 21, 2021.
Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is listed broadly as "Others," with additional eligibility details referenced elsewhere in the full announcement. The subcategories indicate that applicants may include accreditation bodies, organizations that support accreditation, and other entities positioned to deliver training, technical assistance, and implementation support tied to accreditation outcomes.
What does it mean that awardees are expected to start work immediately?
The solicitation states that recipients are expected to begin work immediately once they are selected and notified.
Are there specific requirements for training or curriculum deliverables?
Yes. If the project includes training or curriculum deliverables, those materials must follow the COPS Office Curriculum Standards and Review Process Guides available on the COPS Office training site.
Are there specific requirements if the project includes conferences or convenings?
Yes. If conferences or convenings are part of the deliverables, recipients must follow the COPS Office conference request approval process.
Are there style or editorial standards for written products?
Yes. Written products are expected to align with the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual, supporting the goal of producing clear, consistent, practitioner-friendly guidance.
Are letters of support required for site-specific projects?
The solicitation strongly encourages letters of support from targeted agencies for site-specific work. These letters help demonstrate readiness, buy-in, and feasibility.
What laws authorize this program?
The solicitation cites authorization under federal law including the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (as amended) and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994.
Is funding guaranteed once an application is submitted?
No. The solicitation notes that all awards depend on available appropriations and any legal requirements that may apply.
Where can applicants send programmatic questions?
Programmatic questions can be directed to the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov.
What are the Response Center hours of availability?
The COPS Office Response Center is available weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
What kinds of outcomes is this solicitation ultimately trying to support?
Based on the solicitation description, it is a targeted investment in accreditation as a tool to professionalize and standardize community policing practices, expand accreditation systems (including in tribal contexts), and produce field-ready guidance that helps agencies deliver safer, fairer, and more trusted policing services.
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