FY 2026 Community Policing Development – Accreditation Program
Opportunity number: O-COPS-2026-172562
Program owner: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
Summary: Federal funding to establish new or support existing state- or territory-level law-enforcement accreditation bodies. Projects must expand accreditation capacity, increase participation, or help law-enforcement agencies overcome financial barriers. Law-enforcement agencies applying only to obtain their own accreditation are ineligible.
The FY 2026 Community Policing Development – Accreditation Program supports new and existing state- or territory-level bodies that accredit law-enforcement agencies. Activities may include providing technical assistance, defraying or underwriting accreditation costs, improving customer service and marketing, conducting outreach, and developing user-friendly policy templates.
Projects must produce measurable enhancements, such as increasing the number of accredited law-enforcement agencies or agencies seeking accreditation. Up to $2.5 million is available program-wide, with awards of up to $350,000 for 24-month periods. No cost sharing or local match is required.
Law-enforcement agencies seeking funding only to obtain their own accreditation are not eligible. National-level accreditation bodies and projects focused on corrections, communications, training-academy, or other non-law-enforcement accreditation are outside the program's scope.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: State, county, city or township, special district, and Tribal governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations, including small businesses; faith-based organizations; and community groups.
Eligible applicants must propose to establish a new or support an existing state- or territory-level law-enforcement accreditation body. Eligible organization types include governmental entities, Tribal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, and community groups. Under the NOFO, organizations awarded COPS Office accreditation funding in FY2024 or FY2025 will not be considered. A law-enforcement agency applying only to obtain its own accreditation is ineligible.
What can the funding be used for?
Establishing or expanding state- or territory-level law-enforcement accreditation bodies; providing technical assistance to agencies; defraying or underwriting accreditation costs; improving customer service and marketing; developing user-friendly policy templates; conducting outreach, particularly to small and rural agencies; and implementing measurable capacity enhancements that increase accreditation participation.
Restrictions
Continuing standard operations without plans to enhance procedures or increase accreditation participation; enhancing corrections, communications, training-academy, or other non-law-enforcement accreditation; obtaining accreditation for the applicant law-enforcement agency itself; and supporting national-level accreditation bodies. The program resource guide identifies additional unallowable activities and costs.
How to apply
Apply through a mandatory two-step process: submit the SF-424 in Grants.gov by August 27, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET, then submit the full application and attachments in JustGrants by September 3, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET. Applicants should follow the DOJ Grant Application Submission Checklist and the FY26 CPD Accreditation Application Resource Guide.
Required materials
Step 1 requires the SF-424 through Grants.gov. Step 2 requires Standard Applicant Information, a proposal abstract, FY26 CPD Accreditation application questions and other requested data, a budget, budget narrative, project timeline, and applicable disclosures and assurances through JustGrants. Other materials may include curricula vitae or résumés, an indirect cost rate agreement, consultant-rate documentation, a noncompetitive justification, or a memorandum of understanding, as applicable. Letters of support are recommended for multijurisdictional or multi-agency projects.
Program contact
COPS Office Response Center
[email protected]
800-421-6770
Official sources
- COPS Office checked September 2, 2026
Grant details can change. Confirm all requirements on the official source before applying.