FY26 Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants | O COPS 2026 172559

FY26 Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants Program FAQs

1) What is the FY26 CPD Microgrants program?

The FY26 Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants program is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). It funds small-scale demonstration or pilot projects to strengthen an agency's ability to carry out community policing (referred to in the NOFO as "common sense policing").

2) What is the main purpose of these microgrants?

The program is intended to be practical and implementation-focused. Agencies are expected to test innovative or evidence-based approaches that can improve officer safety, enhance public safety, increase organizational effectiveness, and support more effective crime fighting.

3) Are awards guaranteed?

No. Awards are subject to the availability of appropriated federal funds and any legal or policy requirements that may apply.

4) What kinds of projects are these grants meant to support?

Funding supports projects that are clearly tied to a specific, documented public safety need or a gap in services within the applicant's jurisdiction. Projects should go beyond routine operations and show how the agency will try something new, adapt a proven strategy to local conditions, or build capacity in a way that can be replicated or expanded.

5) Do projects need to be tied to a documented local need?

Yes. The opportunity emphasizes that supported projects should be clearly tied to a specific, documented public safety need or a gap in services in the applicant's jurisdiction.

6) Does the COPS Office encourage partnerships?

Yes. The COPS Office signals that strong applications will often include partnerships, such as task forces or other formal collaborative arrangements with other law enforcement agencies, and may also involve relevant community or stakeholder partners when appropriate.

7) Is an evaluation component required?

Applicants are encouraged to include an evaluation component that fits the project type, including a reasonable plan to measure results, document implementation, and capture lessons learned.

8) How many focus areas are available, and do applicants have to pick one?

Applicants must choose one of eleven focus areas for their pilot or demonstration project. Category selection matters during review.

9) What are the eleven focus areas?

• Preventing and investigating domestic terrorism
• Violent crime enforcement and investigations
• Gang violence enforcement and investigations
• Detecting and investigating human trafficking
• Investigating and interrupting child exploitation
• Vagrancy and squatting
• Immigration and border security
• Investigating and interrupting opioid and drug markets
• Officer recruitment, hiring, and retention
• Unmanned aerial systems
• Investigating and interrupting cybercrime

10) Why does the focus area selection matter?

The NOFO warns that choosing the wrong category can prevent an application from meeting basic minimum requirements, and category selection is considered during review.

11) Can an agency submit more than one application?

Yes. Agencies may submit more than one application, but each proposed project requires its own separate application package.

12) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized tribal governments, and other Native American tribal organizations, as well as other eligible entities identified in the NOFO.

13) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 16.710.

14) What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is O-COPS-2026-172559.

15) What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling is $200,000 per award.

16) How many awards does the program expect to make?

The opportunity indicates an expected total of 34 awards.

17) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on July 2, 2026.

18) What is the original application deadline?

The original application closing date is August 17, 2026.

19) How do applicants submit an application?

Applications are submitted through the federal grant application process, which involves Grants.gov (including the SF-424) and DOJ's Justice Grants System (JustGrants).

20) What is the SF-424 and where is it submitted?

The SF-424 is part of the submission process through Grants.gov.

21) Where can applicants get technical help with Grants.gov?

Technical help for Grants.gov is available through the Grants.gov support hotline at (800) 518-4726 and by email at support@grants.gov.

22) Where can applicants get technical help with JustGrants?

JustGrants technical support is available at JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov or by phone at 833-872-5175. Operating hours and training resources are available through the JustGrants training portal.

23) Who should applicants contact for program-specific questions (requirements and fit)?

For program-specific questions about requirements and fit, applicants can contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov.

24) Can applicants provide feedback on the NOFO and the submission and review process?

Yes. The COPS Office invites feedback on the NOFO and the submission and review process through AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov, using the specified subject line format described by the COPS Office.