FY26 Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS)

The Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS) Program is administered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the U.S. Department of Justice. The COPS Office is responsible for advancing community policing practices and enhancing public safety nationwide through funding, training, and technical assistance. This funding opportunity aligns with federal priorities focused on improving preparedness for active shooter incidents and acts of terrorism. The program emphasizes strengthening coordination among law enforcement and multidisciplinary response teams to improve outcomes during critical incidents. The primary purpose of the PASS Program is to support the development and delivery of nationally recognized, scenario-based training programs that prepare law enforcement officers, first responders, and mental health and social service providers to respond effectively to active shooter threats. The program seeks to improve both immediate response capabilities and long-term community resilience. Training funded under this opportunity must address integrated response strategies and include coordination across multiple disciplines, such as police, fire services, emergency medical services, dispatch personnel, and facility security professionals. Funding under this program is provided through a cooperative agreement, with a total available funding amount of 10,350,000 dollars and an anticipated single award. The funding supports large-scale training initiatives that must reach a broad audience, including a requirement to train more than 20,000 first responders annually. Eligible activities include scenario-based training, development of response and recovery plans, tactical medical training, leadership training for command staff, dispatcher communication training, and resiliency and post-event wellness training. The program also prioritizes training for school environments, including primary, secondary, and higher education institutions, with at least ten percent of training directed toward school-based response audiences. Eligibility for this funding opportunity is broad and includes state, local, territorial, and tribal governments; institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations; small businesses; and community and faith-based organizations. However, for-profit entities must agree to forgo any profit or management fees associated with the award. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to deliver nationwide training and meet program requirements, including the scale and scope of training delivery. The application process involves a two-step submission. Applicants must first complete and submit the SF-424 form through Grants.gov by August 4, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Following this, the full application must be submitted through the JustGrants system by August 11, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Required application components include a proposal narrative, budget detail worksheet, budget narrative, project timeline, resumes of key personnel, and other supporting documentation. The proposal narrative must address program requirements, implementation strategy, project impact, organizational capacity, and evaluation methods. Applications are evaluated based on responsiveness to program goals, quality and feasibility of the proposed training approach, organizational experience and capacity, and the ability to achieve measurable outcomes. Priority consideration may be given to applicants serving rural communities, cooperating with federal law enforcement, and participating in national reporting systems or task forces. The anticipated award period is 12 months beginning on or after October 1, 2026, with notification expected around that time. For assistance, applicants may contact the COPS Office Response Center via phone or email for programmatic questions, or reach out to Grants.gov and JustGrants support services for technical issues. The program represents a significant federal investment in improving national preparedness for active shooter incidents through coordinated, large-scale training initiatives.

Ensure demonstrated capacity to train over 20000 responders; align training with multidisciplinary requirements; emphasize scalability and national reach; include detailed implementation timeline and measurable outcomes