COPS School Violence Prevention Program
🏛 Community Oriented Policing Services (USDOJ-OJP-COPS)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 27, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for state governments, local government units, Indian tribes, and their public agencies to improve school safety through evidence-based programs.
Eligible applicants include states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and local government entities like towns, boroughs, parishes, and villages.
All law enforcement agencies must be certified by an approved independent credentialing body or have started the certification process. The project must focus on school security improvements and evidence-based school safety programs.
A 25% local cost share in cash is required unless a waiver is approved. Projects run for 36 months starting October 1, 2026.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing and the Administration’s priority of Making America Safe Again by supporting the nation’s state, local, territorial and Tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources.
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the FY26 School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP). This funding opportunity seeks to provide competitive funding directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and their public agencies to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the recipient’s jurisdiction through evidence-based school safety programs. The COPS Office anticipates that up to $73,000,000 will be available for up to $500,000 per award, with approximately 200 awards anticipated. A local cost share (matching funds) of at least 25 percent in the form of cash is required unless a match waiver is requested and approved, and the period of performance duration will be 36 months, with a period of performance start date of 10/1/26.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Law enforcement agency certification documentation
- Cost share commitment letters
- Organizational capacity/capability statement
Program contact
- 👤 Community Oriented Policing Services
- 📧 AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov
- 📞 800-421-6770
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.071 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
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$500,000
Top States by Funding
- AZ 13 awards $6.4M
- CA 9 awards $4.2M
- KY 8 awards $3.7M
- IL 7 awards $3.5M
- NM 6 awards $3.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.071). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $73,022,696 | |
| 2025 est. | $73,000,000 | |
| 2026 est. | $73,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
States, local government units, Indian tribes, and their public agencies can apply. All law enforcement agencies must be certified or in the certification process.
What is the funding amount?
Up to $500,000 per award. About $73 million is available total with approximately 200 awards anticipated.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes, a minimum 25% local cost share in cash is required unless you request and receive a waiver.
What must the project accomplish?
Projects must improve school safety through evidence-based school safety programs and security improvements at schools and school grounds.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is August 4, 2026, with a project start date of October 1, 2026. The project duration is 36 months.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Ensure your law enforcement agency has completed the required independent credentialing certification before applying. This is a mandatory requirement.
- Focus your proposal on evidence-based school safety programs with demonstrated effectiveness. Generic security improvements without research backing are less competitive.
- Plan your 25% cost share carefully. Document in-kind contributions and cash commitments from your community to strengthen this section.
- Start building relationships with partner agencies now. Strong partnerships between police, schools, and community organizations significantly improve competitiveness.
- Timeline matters: your 36-month project must be realistic and achievable within this fixed period. Build in implementation time, evaluation, and reporting.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack documentation that law enforcement meets the certification requirement. Proposals focus on equipment purchases rather than evidence-based safety programs. Cost share is underestimated or not adequately documented with signed commitments.
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