FY23 COPS School Violence Prevention Program | O COPS 2023 171588

Opportunity Information: Apply for O COPS 2023 171588

The FY23 COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a competitive, discretionary federal grant offered by the U.S. Department of Justice through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). Its core purpose is to help jurisdictions improve safety and security at elementary and secondary schools and on school grounds by supporting evidence-based school safety strategies, with a strong emphasis on coordination with law enforcement and the thoughtful use of security technology and deterrent measures. The program sits under the broader mission of the COPS Office, which focuses on strengthening community policing practices nationwide by providing grants and practical resources to law enforcement and their partners.

SVPP is authorized by the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018 (34 U.S.C. 10551 et seq.). Under this authority, COPS SVPP funds are geared toward a specific set of allowable “purpose areas.” These include: improving coordination with local law enforcement; training local law enforcement officers specifically to prevent student violence against others and self-harm; purchasing and installing deterrent measures such as metal detectors, locks, lighting, and similar physical security items; acquiring and installing technology that speeds up emergency notifications to law enforcement; and other measures that the COPS Office Director determines will significantly improve school security. In practice, many projects blend several of these elements, such as pairing upgraded door locks and communications systems with updated procedures and training for responders.

The program’s goal is not simply to buy equipment, but to measurably improve how schools and law enforcement prevent, identify, and respond to threats while maintaining a supportive learning environment. The solicitation highlights anticipated outcomes like stronger information sharing with law enforcement, better day-to-day communication between school officials and police, faster notification to law enforcement during emergencies, improved response times, and more accurate identification of risks followed by appropriate follow-up. It also emphasizes building longer-term sustainability through planning, and increasing the use of community policing principles in school safety work. Importantly, SVPP stresses that these outcomes must be pursued without relying on discriminatory stereotypes and without violating student privacy, reflecting DOJ’s broader commitments to civil rights, racial equity, access to justice, and community trust.

A key condition of receiving SVPP funds is that awardees must conduct comprehensive school safety assessments during the grant period for every school involved in the project. These assessments are meant to drive decision-making, so that security improvements are tailored to actual risks and needs rather than assumptions or one-size-fits-all approaches. The assessments must help shape measures that improve safety while still supporting a positive, non-discriminatory school environment and protecting student privacy. This requirement ties the program to a planning-first approach where technology and physical upgrades are justified through documented vulnerabilities and aligned with emergency preparedness and school climate goals.

Eligibility is broad and includes state governments, counties, cities or townships, independent school districts, and federally recognized tribal governments, along with certain public agencies in those jurisdictions. The assistance is provided through a grant funding instrument under CFDA 16.710 (law, justice, and legal services). For FY23, the posted award ceiling is $500,000, with an anticipated 235 awards. The opportunity was published March 15, 2023, with an original application deadline of May 10, 2023. Applicants are limited to one COPS SVPP application per applicant entity, meaning only a single submission will be reviewed from each applicant.

The solicitation also draws a clear boundary around what COPS SVPP will not fund, which matters because the STOP School Violence Act is implemented through multiple DOJ components. While SVPP focuses on law enforcement coordination, law enforcement training, and certain physical security and notification technologies, other STOP-funded programs administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) cover different school violence prevention activities. Specifically, items described as out of scope for COPS SVPP include training school personnel and educating students on preventing violence, operating anonymous reporting systems (apps, hotlines, websites), creating and operating threat assessment and intervention teams, and specialized training for school officials responding to mental health crises. Those activities may be eligible through BJA’s STOP School Violence Program or OJJDP’s related youth violence capacity-building solicitations. Applicants can apply to multiple agencies, but cannot submit duplicative proposals; each application must support distinct projects and purchases that match the rules of the specific solicitation.

Beyond the funding mechanics, the notice provides extensive guidance on what effective school safety looks like, emphasizing that security improvements work best when they are part of broader safety planning rather than standalone purchases. It encourages schools and communities to involve the full school community (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and law enforcement) and to prioritize approaches that support a positive school climate instead of making schools feel punitive or “prison-like.” It also calls for trauma-informed implementation, recognizing that some security measures can heighten fear or retraumatize students, particularly those already affected by unsafe environments.

The program points applicants toward widely used federal planning resources and frameworks, including maintaining ongoing cross-agency partnerships and accountability; conducting site and risk assessments; developing coordinated emergency operations plans with first responders, mental health partners, and community stakeholders; improving school climate through evidence-informed strategies; running routine training and drills to ensure plans function in real conditions; and regularly reviewing and updating plans. It also summarizes key considerations from school safety technology research (including NIJ-supported work), such as the limits of technology when building design is weak, the importance of training and culture so tools are used correctly, the need to plan for maintenance and replacement, and the importance of selecting technology to solve a clearly defined problem rather than buying tools without a plan.

Overall, FY23 COPS SVPP is designed to help jurisdictions make practical, assessment-driven improvements to school security by strengthening law enforcement coordination and investing in specific security equipment and emergency notification capabilities, while keeping civil rights, privacy, and a healthy school climate at the center of implementation.

• 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 School Violence Prevention 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 15, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 235 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification), Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for O COPS 2023 171588

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