FY26 Community Policing Development: Law Enforcement Products and Resources

The Community Policing Development Law Enforcement Products and Resources program is administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the U.S. Department of Justice. This office is responsible for advancing community policing practices nationwide and supporting law enforcement agencies through funding, research, and technical assistance. The program is aligned with federal priorities focused on enhancing public safety, strengthening law enforcement capabilities, and promoting collaborative approaches to crime prevention and community trust. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the development of products and resources that provide guidance on promising practices, test innovative strategies, and build knowledge around effective law enforcement methods. The program emphasizes creating tools and materials that can be distributed nationally and used by agencies to improve crime prevention, investigative outcomes, and community relations. Projects must align with specific priority topic areas such as human trafficking, gang violence, cyber crime, domestic terrorism, drug markets, and officer recruitment and retention, among others. Funding is offered under two categories. The first category supports the development of national-level resources such as training programs, guidebooks, toolkits, and evaluations that advance community policing practices. These deliverables must be broadly applicable across jurisdictions and not limited to local or regional benefit. The second category supports the operation and expansion of the COPS Training Portal, including maintaining a learning management system, increasing user engagement, deploying training courses, and marketing the platform. Both categories require deliverables that demonstrate innovation, scalability, and measurable impact on law enforcement practices. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities such as state, local, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, institutions of higher education, community groups, and faith-based organizations. Additional eligibility requirements apply for applicants proposing to manage the training portal, including demonstrated experience with eLearning platforms, marketing programs, and course development. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this funding opportunity, which lowers the financial barrier to entry for applicants. The application process involves a two-step submission. Applicants must first complete and submit the SF-424 form through Grants.gov, followed by submission of the full application through the JustGrants system. Required components include a proposal abstract, narrative, budget, budget narrative, applicant information forms, and supporting documentation such as resumes and project timelines. Applications are evaluated based on responsiveness to program priorities, quality of the proposed approach, and the applicant’s capacity to deliver the required outcomes. Key deadlines include submission of the initial application through Grants.gov by August 24, 2026, and completion of the full application in JustGrants by August 31, 2026. Awards are anticipated to begin on October 1, 2026, with a performance period of 24 months. Applicants can contact the COPS Office Response Center for assistance, and multiple help desks are available for technical support related to submission systems. This program does not explicitly state recurrence, but it follows an annual funding cycle typical of federal grant programs.

Ensure proposals align with one priority topic area and demonstrate national applicability; avoid duplicating existing DOJ resources; emphasize innovation and measurable outcomes