FY 2022 Collaborative Reform Initiative Program - Invitational Solicitation | O COPS 2022 171184

Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2022 171184

The FY 2022 Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) Program - Invitational Solicitation is a U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) funding opportunity meant to strengthen community policing by helping law enforcement agencies and communities work through operational challenges, high-profile incidents, and deeper organizational reforms. The overall thrust of the program is to improve public safety outcomes while building trust, increasing fairness and effectiveness in policing, supporting officer safety and wellness, and spreading practices that have evidence behind them. Unlike open competitions, this solicitation is invitational, meaning only organizations specifically invited by the COPS Office may apply.

At its core, the opportunity funds a continuum of technical assistance and reform support that is grounded in the community policing philosophy: using partnerships and problem-solving approaches to address the underlying conditions that contribute to crime, nonviolent disorder, and fear of crime. The CRI framework emphasizes practical, field-informed assistance that agencies can actually use, not just reports that sit on shelves. The work is designed to help agencies improve internal operations and community relationships at the same time, with a strong focus on civil rights, racial equity, access to justice, victim support, and strengthening community safety against both traditional crime and evolving threats.

The solicitation highlights three main service tracks that together cover a range of agency needs. First is the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC), operating since 2017, which offers agency-driven, short-term, customizable support across more than 60 topics using a "by the field, for the field" model. This is intended for agencies looking for targeted help that can be scoped and delivered relatively quickly. Second is the Critical Response program, which is built for agencies facing major incidents, sensitive issues, or high-profile events. This assistance can take multiple forms, such as after-action reviews, peer-to-peer exchanges, facilitated discussions with subject matter experts, and more in-depth analysis with recommendations. Timelines vary based on need, ranging from roughly two-week executive consultations to six-to-nine-month deeper reviews. Third is the Organizational Assessments track, which is the most intensive option and focuses on systemic issues that may be undermining community trust or overall performance. These engagements are designed to run about 12 months after intake, with an outside maximum of 18 months, and they place emphasis on implementing sustainable reforms that ultimately remain the responsibility of the local agency and community.

A major expectation of projects supported under this solicitation is the development and dissemination of "knowledge products" and guidance that meet specific quality standards. The COPS Office stresses that deliverables should be quality-driven and action-oriented, aiming to reduce variation in performance by making recommendations clear and usable. They must be evidence-based, aligning recommendations with the strongest available research identified through systematic review. They should also be accessible, meaning written in clear language at manageable lengths for law enforcement practitioners, and memorable, so the guidance can be applied quickly in complex real-world situations. In practice, this signals a strong preference for products like practical toolkits, training materials, implementation guides, and other resources that can be directly adopted by agencies.

Administratively, awards are made as cooperative agreements, which typically indicates substantial federal involvement in shaping or overseeing the work compared with a standard grant. The posting lists one expected award with an award ceiling of $2,000,000. The program sits within the Law, Justice and Legal Services activity category, under CFDA number 16.710. The opportunity was created May 5, 2022, with an original closing date of June 21, 2022. Eligibility is noted as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full solicitation, but the key practical point is that this specific announcement is invitational only.

The COPS Office sets clear implementation expectations for any recipient. Awardees should be prepared to begin work immediately upon selection and award notification. Deliverables must comply with the COPS Office Curriculum Standards and Review Process Guides (referenced at https://cops.usdoj.gov/training), and any conferences or convenings tied to the project must follow the COPS Office conference request approval process. Publications and written materials are expected to align with the COPS Office Editorial and Style Manual, reinforcing the emphasis on consistent, field-ready products. For questions, the solicitation directs applicants to the COPS Office Response Center (800-421-6770) and AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov during standard weekday business hours.

Finally, the solicitation grounds the program in longstanding federal statutory authority, including 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 (34 U.S.C. 10381 et seq.). As with most federal awards, funding is subject to appropriations and any additional legal requirements imposed after the fact. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as targeted federal support for practical, evidence-informed police reform and performance improvement efforts, delivered through technical assistance models that range from quick-response support to long-term organizational change.

• The Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2022 Collaborative Reform Initiative Program - Invitational 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 May 05, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 21, 2022. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for O COPS 2022 171184

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