Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2023 171633
The FY23 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a discretionary federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), designed to help law enforcement agencies expand their capacity for community policing by hiring and rehiring sworn career law enforcement officers. The COPS Office is the DOJ entity focused on advancing community policing nationwide through both grantmaking and widely used informational resources. Community policing, as framed in this opportunity, is an agency-wide approach that relies on partnerships and problem-solving to address the underlying conditions contributing to crime, violence, disorder, and community fear, with an emphasis on building trust and improving public safety outcomes.
At its core, CHP provides direct funding to add officer positions that support a clearly described community policing strategy. Applicants are expected to explain how additional officers will be used to strengthen community partnerships, carry out problem analysis and assessment, implement operational or management changes that support community policing, and increase overall community policing activity. Funding is explicitly intended to reorient or enhance an agency mission toward community policing, not simply to backfill routine staffing without a related strategy.
The program’s financial structure is straightforward but strict. For each approved position, FY 2023 CHP will fund up to 75 percent of the entry-level salary and fringe benefits for a three-year period, using the applicant agency’s current entry-level pay levels for full-time officers. There is a minimum 25 percent local cash match requirement (cost share) unless the agency receives an approved waiver. In addition, the maximum federal share is capped at $125,000 per officer for the entire three-year period (not per year), unless a waiver is approved. This cap can effectively increase the local share beyond 25 percent in higher-cost jurisdictions. For example, if an entry-level officer’s salary plus fringe totals $190,000 over three years, the federal award would still cap at $125,000, leaving the agency responsible for the remaining $65,000 (about 34 percent) unless a waiver is granted. Any costs above entry-level compensation, such as paying higher step salaries, also remain the agency’s responsibility.
CHP awards support three years of officer or deputy salaries within a five-year period of performance, which is meant to give agencies enough time to recruit, hire, and onboard. Just as important, the program includes a retention obligation: agencies must retain each CHP-funded position for at least 12 months after the three years of federal funding ends. The positions are expected to become part of the agency’s ongoing staffing plan and budget, supported with state and/or local funds in addition to what the agency would have funded without the grant. The program explicitly states that meeting the retention requirement through attrition (for example, letting other locally funded positions go unfilled and treating the CHP-funded roles as replacements) does not satisfy the intent of the award.
CHP funding can be used in three main hiring categories, and applicants can request one or more categories in the same application. First, agencies may hire new officers, including filling existing vacancies that are no longer funded in the agency budget, but only if the requested CHP positions are truly in addition to the agency’s current budgeted (funded) sworn staffing level and the hiring occurs on or after the official award start date. Second, agencies may rehire officers who were laid off due to state, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs budget reductions, again with rehiring on or after the award start date and with documentation showing when positions were laid off and rehired. Third, agencies may rehire officers who are scheduled for future layoffs at the time of application because of those same types of budget reductions. In that scenario, the agency must continue to fund the positions locally until the scheduled layoff date, clearly identify the layoff dates and number of positions affected in the application, and then rehire using CHP on or immediately after the layoff date. The program emphasizes documentation and credibility for scheduled layoffs, including proof that layoffs are driven by local economic conditions rather than the availability of CHP funds, with examples such as council meeting minutes, budget documents ordering reductions, internal memoranda, or notices to affected officers.
Once an award is made, the notice of award will specify how many positions are approved under each hiring category, and agencies are not allowed to move positions between categories without written prior approval from the COPS Office. The opportunity also reinforces a statutory non-supplanting requirement: an agency cannot reduce its current fiscal year budget for sworn officers in order to rely on CHP funds. Any staffing or budget reductions must be demonstrably unrelated to receiving CHP funding.
From an administrative and competitive standpoint, the COPS Office states it will fund as many positions as possible for successful applicants, but it may reduce the number of positions requested based on available funding and other program considerations. For FY23, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $6,250,000, an expectation of roughly 225 awards, and identifies the funding activity area as law, justice, and legal services under CFDA 16.710. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and certain other entities as clarified in the full eligibility guidance. The opportunity was created March 8, 2023, with an original application closing date of May 4, 2023.
Finally, the program situates CHP within broader DOJ priorities, explicitly linking the work to advancing civil rights and racial equity, expanding access to justice, supporting victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, addressing evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This framing signals that applicants should not only justify staffing needs, but also connect proposed hiring to concrete community policing practices and outcomes aligned with these public-interest goals.Apply for O COPS 2023 171633
- The Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY23 COPS Hiring Program" 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 Mar 08, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 04, 2023. (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 $6,250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 225 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FY23 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) - Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the FY23 COPS Hiring Program (CHP)?
The FY23 COPS Hiring Program (CHP) is a discretionary federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). It is designed to help law enforcement agencies expand their capacity for community policing by hiring and rehiring sworn career law enforcement officers.
2) What is the main goal of CHP funding?
CHP funding is meant to add officer positions that support a clearly described community policing strategy. The emphasis is on strengthening partnerships and problem-solving approaches that address conditions contributing to crime, violence, disorder, and community fear, while building trust and improving public safety outcomes.
3) What does "community policing" mean in this opportunity?
In this opportunity, community policing is described as an agency-wide approach that relies on partnerships and problem-solving to address underlying conditions driving crime and disorder. It includes efforts to build trust and improve public safety outcomes through collaboration and targeted problem analysis.
4) Is CHP meant to cover routine staffing needs?
No. The funding is explicitly intended to reorient or enhance an agency mission toward community policing. It is not intended to simply backfill routine staffing without a related community policing strategy.
5) What types of positions can be funded?
CHP is intended to support the hiring and rehiring of sworn career law enforcement officers (including officers or deputies) whose work will advance the agency's community policing strategy.
6) How much of an officer's cost will CHP cover?
For each approved position, FY23 CHP will fund up to 75 percent of the entry-level salary and fringe benefits for a three-year period, based on the applicant agency's current entry-level pay levels for full-time officers.
7) Is there a required local match?
Yes. There is a minimum 25 percent local cash match (cost share) requirement unless the agency receives an approved waiver.
8) Is there a cap on the federal funding per officer?
Yes. The maximum federal share is capped at $125,000 per officer for the entire three-year period (not per year), unless a waiver is approved.
9) How can the $125,000 cap affect the local share?
In higher-cost jurisdictions, the cap can effectively increase the portion the agency must pay. For example, if an entry-level officer's salary plus fringe totals $190,000 over three years, the federal award would still cap at $125,000, leaving the agency responsible for the remaining $65,000 (about 34 percent) unless a waiver is granted.
10) Can CHP funds be used to pay above entry-level compensation?
CHP funding is based on entry-level salary and fringe benefits. Any costs above entry-level compensation (such as paying higher step salaries) remain the agency's responsibility.
11) How long does the program fund officer salaries?
CHP awards support three years of officer or deputy salaries within a five-year period of performance, which is intended to give agencies sufficient time to recruit, hire, and onboard.
12) Is there a retention requirement after the federal funding ends?
Yes. Agencies must retain each CHP-funded position for at least 12 months after the three years of federal funding ends.
13) What does the retention requirement imply for agency budgeting?
The positions are expected to become part of the agency's ongoing staffing plan and budget, supported with state and/or local funds in addition to what the agency would have funded without the grant.
14) Can an agency meet the retention requirement through attrition?
No. The program explicitly states that meeting the retention requirement through attrition (for example, letting other locally funded positions go unfilled and treating the CHP-funded roles as replacements) does not satisfy the intent of the award.
15) What hiring categories are available under CHP?
CHP funding can be used in three main hiring categories: (1) hiring new officers, (2) rehiring officers laid off due to budget reductions, and (3) rehiring officers scheduled for future layoffs due to budget reductions. Applicants can request one or more categories in the same application.
16) What does CHP mean by "hire new officers"?
This category includes hiring new officers and may include filling existing vacancies that are no longer funded in the agency budget, but only if the requested CHP positions are truly in addition to the agency's current budgeted (funded) sworn staffing level. Hiring must occur on or after the official award start date.
17) What does CHP mean by "rehire officers who were laid off"?
This category supports rehiring officers who were laid off due to state, local, or Bureau of Indian Affairs budget reductions. Rehiring must occur on or after the award start date, and agencies must provide documentation showing when positions were laid off and rehired.
18) What does CHP mean by "rehire officers scheduled for future layoffs"?
This category applies when an agency has officers scheduled for future layoffs at the time of application due to qualifying budget reductions. The agency must continue to fund the positions locally until the scheduled layoff date, identify the layoff dates and number of positions affected in the application, and then rehire using CHP on or immediately after the layoff date.
19) What documentation is emphasized for scheduled layoffs?
The program emphasizes documentation and credibility for scheduled layoffs, including proof that layoffs are driven by local economic conditions rather than the availability of CHP funds. Examples mentioned include council meeting minutes, budget documents ordering reductions, internal memoranda, or notices to affected officers.
20) Can an agency change hiring categories after receiving an award?
No. Once an award is made, the notice of award will specify how many positions are approved under each hiring category, and agencies are not allowed to move positions between categories without written prior approval from the COPS Office.
21) What is the non-supplanting requirement?
The opportunity reinforces a statutory non-supplanting requirement: an agency cannot reduce its current fiscal year budget for sworn officers in order to rely on CHP funds.
22) If an agency has staffing or budget reductions, how must it relate to CHP?
Any staffing or budget reductions must be demonstrably unrelated to receiving CHP funding.
23) Will the COPS Office always fund the full number of positions requested?
Not necessarily. The COPS Office states it will fund as many positions as possible for successful applicants, but it may reduce the number of positions requested based on available funding and other program considerations.
24) What is the FY23 award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $6,250,000.
25) About how many awards were expected for FY23?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of roughly 225 awards.
26) What is the CFDA number and funding activity area?
The funding activity area is law, justice, and legal services, under CFDA 16.710.
27) Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and certain other entities as clarified in full eligibility guidance.
28) What is the program office administering CHP?
The program is administered by the DOJ Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), which is the DOJ entity focused on advancing community policing nationwide through grants and widely used informational resources.
29) What are applicants expected to explain in their applications?
Applicants are expected to explain how additional officers will be used to strengthen community partnerships, carry out problem analysis and assessment, implement operational or management changes that support community policing, and increase overall community policing activity.
30) When must hiring or rehiring occur relative to the award?
For the categories described, hiring and rehiring are expected to occur on or after the official award start date. For scheduled future layoffs, agencies must use CHP to rehire on or immediately after the layoff date.
31) What is the opportunity's creation date and the original closing date?
The opportunity was created March 8, 2023, with an original application closing date of May 4, 2023.
32) How does CHP connect to broader DOJ priorities?
The opportunity links CHP to DOJ priorities such as advancing civil rights and racial equity, expanding access to justice, supporting victims and people impacted by the justice system, strengthening community safety, addressing evolving threats, and building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
33) What should agencies keep in mind about long-term staffing?
Because CHP includes a post-award retention requirement and emphasizes that positions should become part of ongoing staffing, agencies should be prepared to sustain the positions with state and/or local funds after federal support ends.
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| BJA FY 23 Invited to Apply- Administrative Funding Adjustments to BJA Previously Funded Awards 3 Apply for O BJA 2023 171651 Funding Number: O BJA 2023 171651 Agency: Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $7,517,121 |
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| FY23 Enhancing Existing Law Enforcement Accreditation Entities -Community Policing Development Solicitation Apply for O COPS 2023 171552 Funding Number: O COPS 2023 171552 Agency: Department of Justice, Community Oriented Policing Services Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $300,000 |
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| Anti-Doping Activities 2023 Apply for ADA ADA 23 001 Funding Number: ADA ADA 23 001 Agency: Office of National Drug Control Policy Category: Law, Justice and Legal Services Funding Amount: $15,250,000 |
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