$4.2M Collaborative Reform Initiative Funding Opportunity

The COPS Office has opened $4.2 million in FY2026 funding through the Collaborative Reform Initiative.

The initiative provides voluntary technical assistance to state, local, campus, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies. Its purpose is to improve agency effectiveness, enhance officer safety and wellness, strengthen organizational capacity, and advance community-policing practices.

This year’s competitive opportunity includes two funding paths: the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center and the Critical Response program.

Grant Breakdown

FY2026 Collaborative Reform Initiative Program

The Collaborative Reform Initiative provides specialized support to law enforcement agencies based on their operational needs, organizational challenges, and responses to major incidents.

The broader initiative includes technical assistance, critical response, organizational assessments, and enhanced training. However, the FY2026 competitive funding opportunity is focused on the CRI Technical Assistance Center and Critical Response components.

Funding Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

Total Funding Available: $4.2 million

Funding Categories

Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center

The CRI Technical Assistance Center provides customized, short-term assistance to law enforcement agencies across more than 60 topics.

The program uses a “by the field, for the field” model that connects requesting agencies with experienced subject-matter experts and practitioners.

Funding Available: $3.45 million

Eligible Applicants: Law enforcement stakeholder associations and membership organizations

Critical Response

The Critical Response program provides technical assistance to law enforcement agencies dealing with high-profile events, major incidents, or other sensitive and complex challenges.

Funding Available: $750,000

Eligible applicants include:

• For-profit organizations

• Nonprofit organizations

• Institutions of higher education

Program Objectives

The Collaborative Reform Initiative is intended to:

• Improve law enforcement agency effectiveness and efficiency

• Enhance officer safety and wellness

• Build agencies’ capacity for organizational learning and self-improvement

• Provide customized technical assistance

• Support agencies responding to major incidents and high-profile events

• Promote community-policing practices nationwide

• Connect agencies with experienced law enforcement practitioners and subject-matter experts

Application Deadlines

Grants.gov deadline: August 24, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET

JustGrants deadline: August 31, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET

This opportunity is not funding for an organization to operate its own local community-policing program. The selected providers will be responsible for delivering credible technical assistance to law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions and circumstances.

Competitive applicants will need more than general consulting experience. They should demonstrate trusted law enforcement relationships, specialized technical expertise, systems for deploying qualified practitioners, and the operational capacity to respond to complex and time-sensitive agency needs.

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