COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2020 | COPS CAMP APPLICATION 2020

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2020 grant opportunity?

COPS-CAMP-APPLICATION-2020 is a discretionary grant competition administered by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). The program is designed to strengthen state-level efforts to investigate and enforce laws related to illicit methamphetamine activity.

What is the main goal of this program?

The core purpose is to expand and improve investigations and enforcement efforts targeting methamphetamine production and trafficking. This includes work against precursor chemical diversion, clandestine laboratories, meth distribution networks, and related investigative and enforcement activities that can have statewide or multijurisdictional impact.

Who is eligible to apply?

The opportunity is aimed specifically at state law enforcement agencies that are legally authorized to conduct or oversee anti-methamphetamine investigative work. Eligibility can be based on direct legal authority or authority provided through a state agency mandate.

Is this a competitive grant?

Yes. The solicitation describes the program as highly competitive due to limited funding. Applications are expected to be strongest when they clearly demonstrate statewide or multijurisdictional impact rather than isolated, single-area activity.

What types of activities does the program support?

The program supports investigations and enforcement efforts focused on methamphetamine production and trafficking. Examples specifically emphasized include targeting precursor chemical diversion, clandestine meth labs, and distribution networks, along with enforcement actions intended to increase seizures and disrupt operations.

What outcomes is the program trying to achieve?

Intended outcomes include increased seizures of precursor chemicals and finished methamphetamine, as well as increased interdiction of meth labs and lab dump sites. Task forces are described as the operational backbone for coordinating intelligence, investigations, and enforcement across multiple jurisdictions to drive these outcomes.

Does the solicitation prioritize task forces?

Yes. A major emphasis is on building or enhancing multijurisdictional and interdisciplinary task forces. This refers to coordinated teams that cross city, county, and sometimes regional boundaries, and that include partners from different disciplines or agencies.

What does "multijurisdictional" mean in this context?

In this solicitation, "multijurisdictional" refers to efforts that extend across multiple cities, counties, and/or regions rather than focusing on a single local area. The program signals a clear preference for initiatives that can coordinate investigations and enforcement across many jurisdictions.

What does "interdisciplinary" mean for a task force under this program?

"Interdisciplinary" indicates participation from different disciplines or agencies, such as coordination among various law enforcement entities and other relevant partners. The solicitation frames interdisciplinary staffing as a key element of credible and effective statewide or broad-reach task force operations.

Is community policing required, or is it optional?

Community policing is described as a required strategy. It is not treated as an optional add-on. Proposals are encouraged to show how community policing approaches (problem solving, partnerships, and organizational change) will be used to reduce meth manufacture, distribution, and use.

How should community policing be connected to enforcement activities?

The solicitation expects applicants to connect investigative and task force work to broader community safety strategies. This includes showing how enforcement is coordinated with prevention and intervention efforts and demonstrating that the program will work with relevant partners rather than operating in a silo.

What kinds of collaboration does the COPS Office expect to see?

Collaboration is a central theme. Strong proposals are expected to show active coordination with federal, state, local, and/or tribal partners. Collaboration is not limited to enforcement; it also includes prevention, intervention and treatment connections, and work related to drug-endangered children.

What does the solicitation say about drug-endangered children?

The solicitation highlights drug-endangered children as part of the collaboration scope, including elements such as identification protocols and coordination with child welfare or related services.

Do applicants need to already be part of an anti-meth task force?

The solicitation indicates a competitive preference toward applicants already participating in anti-meth task forces. It also supports applicants proposing credible plans to create or substantially strengthen such task forces with broad reach and interdisciplinary staffing.

What makes an application strong according to the solicitation?

Based on the information provided, strong applications tend to (1) show statewide or multijurisdictional impact, (2) demonstrate real coordination with key partners across agencies and disciplines, (3) incorporate community policing as a core strategy, and (4) use evidence to justify need and demonstrate likely impact.

What evidence is specifically mentioned as important for the application?

The solicitation specifically notes that strong applications should include multi-year, state-level methamphetamine seizure data. This data is intended to support the need for the proposal, show trends and hotspots, and establish a baseline for measuring outcomes.

How is success expected to be measured?

While the solicitation emphasizes enforcement outcomes, it also points to measurement through baseline and trend data. It highlights seizures of precursor chemicals and finished methamphetamine, interdiction of meth labs, and identification of lab dump sites as key outcome areas tied to task force operations.

What is the funding instrument and classification information for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a grant under CFDA 16.710. It is categorized under Law, Justice, and Legal Services.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The listed award ceiling is $2,000,000.

How many awards might be made per state?

The COPS Office states it reserves the right to limit awards to one per state at the time awards are announced. This suggests statewide coordination may matter and that there could be competition within a state.

Why does statewide coordination matter for this program?

The opportunity emphasizes statewide or multijurisdictional impact and notes the possibility of limiting awards to one per state. Together, these factors raise the stakes for proposals that demonstrate broad reach, coordination across jurisdictions, and an approach that addresses statewide needs rather than isolated activity.

When was this opportunity created and when did it close?

The opportunity was created on February 4, 2020, and it closed on April 22, 2020.

What types of meth-related threats are explicitly included in the program focus?

The program explicitly includes methamphetamine production and trafficking, precursor chemical diversion, clandestine laboratories, distribution networks, and related lab dump sites as areas of emphasis for investigative and enforcement action.

Does the solicitation encourage coordination beyond law enforcement?

Yes. The collaboration scope described includes prevention efforts, intervention and treatment connections, and coordination related to drug-endangered children, which implies working with partners beyond traditional enforcement-only structures.