COPS-AHTF-APPLICATION-2018 | COPS AHTF APPLICATION 2018

Opportunity Information: Apply for COPS AHTF APPLICATION 2018

The COPS-AHTF-APPLICATION-2018 grant opportunity is a discretionary funding program from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), designed to strengthen statewide law enforcement investigations focused on heroin and other opioids. It is structured as an open competition, but it is specifically aimed at state-level law enforcement agencies that are legally authorized (either directly by statute or through a state agency designation) to conduct or supervise anti-heroin and opioid investigative work. Because the funding pool is limited and the solicitation is expected to draw strong interest, the program is described as highly competitive, with clear signals about what a compelling application should look like.

At its core, the program’s purpose is to increase investigative capacity and coordination against illicit drug activity tied to the distribution of heroin and the unlawful distribution of prescription opioids. This includes pursuing investigations of trafficking organizations and individuals involved in heroin and prescription opioid diversion and illegal sales. A major emphasis is placed on statewide collaboration, meaning proposals are expected to show how the applicant will work across jurisdictions and partners rather than operating in a single city, county, or isolated region. The COPS Office is looking for efforts that connect agencies, intelligence, and operations at scale, with the intent of disrupting supply networks through coordinated enforcement and investigative strategies.

Competitive applications are expected to demonstrate a multijurisdictional footprint and active participation in interdisciplinary task force structures. In practice, this means proposals are stronger when they show real operational partnerships across multiple localities and include teams that combine different types of expertise and stakeholders (for example, investigators, analysts, prosecutors, and other relevant partners typically found in task force models). The solicitation explicitly notes that additional consideration will be given to agencies that participate in anti-heroin and other opioid task forces that already have broad jurisdictional reach and interdisciplinary composition, reinforcing that the program prioritizes organized, collaborative enforcement frameworks over stand-alone efforts.

Another notable requirement for a strong proposal is the use of evidence and data to justify the need and shape the approach. The solicitation highlights multi-year, state-level primary treatment admissions data for heroin and other opioids as an important supporting element. In other words, applicants are expected to ground their proposal in statewide indicators of opioid impact and trends, using several years of treatment admission data to demonstrate the scope of the problem, identify patterns, and support the rationale for the proposed investigative strategy. This focus on longitudinal data suggests reviewers are looking for proposals that reflect sustained need and a thoughtful, data-informed plan rather than a short-term or anecdotal justification.

Key administrative details include that the funding instrument is a grant, categorized under law, justice, and legal services, with CFDA number 16.710. The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $3,000,000, indicating the maximum potential award amount per recipient under this solicitation. The original closing date for applications was June 27, 2018, and the opportunity was created on April 27, 2018. A particularly important constraint is that the COPS Office reserves the right to limit awards to one per state at the time awards are announced, which raises the competitive stakes within each state and signals a preference for a single, clearly leading statewide applicant and plan rather than multiple smaller state-based awards.

Eligibility is narrowly defined: only state law enforcement agencies with the legal authority to engage in or supervise anti-heroin and opioid investigations can apply. While the listing’s eligible applicants field shows "Others," the narrative eligibility language makes it clear that this is not aimed at local police departments, nonprofits, or academic institutions applying independently. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted investment in statewide, task force-oriented investigative efforts against heroin and prescription opioid trafficking, with selection favoring proposals that demonstrate broad jurisdictional collaboration, interdisciplinary operational structures, and strong statewide data to support the proposed strategy.

• The Community Oriented Policing Services in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "COPS-AHTF-APPLICATION-2018" 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 2018-04-27.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-27. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for COPS AHTF APPLICATION 2018

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