Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I learn about current funding opportunities from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)?
• What is the mailing address for the COPS Office?
• Our agency will not complete our grant before the award end date. How do we request an extension of the grant period?
• What is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number and title for COPS grants?
• How do I complete my COPS Federal Financial Report (SF-425)?
• How do I submit my COPS Federal Financial Report (SF-425)?
• I tried drawing down funds but PAPRS is telling me that I am delinquent on my SF-425. Can you tell me what I need to do?
• I tried drawing down funds but PAPRS is telling me that our agency has not returned the signed award document for this grant. Our department mailed that information. What should we do?
• How do I change our agency’s banking information?
• I am experiencing difficulty logging into my agency’s COPS account. The system states that my COPS Online user ID and password are invalid. How do I go about getting that information?
• I want to get on the COPS Online site to draw down funds, submit my Federal Financial Report (SF-425) , or apply for grants. The site, however, will not allow me access to those functions. What do I need to do?

Question How can I learn about current funding opportunities from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)?

Answer  There are several ways that agencies may learn about current funding opportunities from COPS:

• You may contact the COPS Office Response Center by email or by telephone at 800.421.6770. Response Center Technical Assistance Representatives can work with you to determine what funding opportunities meet your agency’s needs.
• You may visit the COPS funding page. This site posts new funding opportunities as they become available. We recommend that you visit the COPS site frequently to stay abreast of new information.
• You may monitor Grants.gov for future COPS Office funding opportunities. Grants.gov allows agencies to find and apply for competitive grant opportunities online. If you are interested in COPS funding opportunities, please use the Grants.gov search engine. To expedite your search, please enter the COPS Office CFDA number, 16.710.

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Question What is the mailing address for the COPS Office?

Answer The COPS mailing address is:

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services
145 N Street, NE
Washington, DC 20530

 Note: The COPS Office continues to experience delays in receiving mail sent via the U.S. Postal Service. We encourage grantees to send time-sensitive documents using an overnight courier service (e.g., Federal Express or UPS).

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Question Our agency will not complete our grant before the award end date. How do we request an extension of the grant period?

Answer Agencies requiring additional time to expend their grant funds may request a no-cost extension. You can call the COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770 to speak with your Grant Program Specialist.

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Question What is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number and title for COPS grants?

Answer The CFDA number and title of all COPS grants is:
             16.710 – Public Safety Partnerships and Community Policing Grants

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Question How do I complete my COPS Federal Financial Report (SF-425)?

Answer The COPS Office has developed the "Helpful Hints Guide for Completing the Federal Financial Report (SF-425)," which can be found on http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/ResourceDetail.aspx?RID=545 or by clicking on the hyperlink above. This guide offers a line by line description of the SF-425. This information can be found on the COPS Office website in the Grant Management Resources section.

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Question How do I submit my COPS Federal Financial Report (SF-425)?

Answer   The COPS SF-425 can be submitted using the COPS Office Online web-based 425 system, which can be found on https://www.cops.usdoj.gov/.

Grantees may populate, view, submit and print their SF-425 reports through a secure Internet connection. This web-based system is similar to the previously used web-based system for SF-269A; however, the Grantee will be required to submit cumulative information on the SF-425. Please see the Helpful Hints Guide for more information.

If unable to complete the SF-425 online, Grantees may fax submissions to 202.514.2852. Also, with the new form, quarterly reports will be due within 30 days of calendar quarter end.

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Question I tried drawing down funds but PAPRS is telling me that I am delinquent on my SF-425. Can you tell me what I need to do?

Answer   Grantees are required to submit a Federal Financial Report (SF-425) every quarter following receipt and acceptance of the grant award. If a Grantee does not submit an SF-425 within 30 days of the quarter end, they are considered delinquent. Once a Grantee is delinquent, a hold will be placed on their account, and the Grantee will not be able to draw down the funds. In order to become compliant, and draw down funds, a Grantee must report for every delinquent quarter, up to the most current reporting period. In special cases, the Financial Officer will allow Grantees to submit one cumulative report for all missed quarters.

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Question I tried drawing down funds but PAPRS is telling me that our agency has not returned the signed award document for this grant. Our department mailed that information. What should we do?

Answer Please contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770 and a Technical Assistance Representative will assist in resolving the issue. To help in this process, please have a copy of the signed award document available when you call.

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Question How do I change our agency’s banking information?

Answer   To change your organization’s banking information you must submit a new ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form to the Office of the Comptroller Customer Service Center. A bank representative or the ACH Coordinator of the financial institution should sign the completed form. We recommend that you use a courier service (e.g., Federal Express or UPS) for tracking purposes to ensure delivery to the Customer Service Center at the following address:

Office of Justice Programs
Office of the Comptroller
Attn: Customer Service Center
810 7^th Street, N.W.
5^th Floor, Room 5120
Washington, DC 20001 (for overnight delivery)

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Question I am experiencing difficulty logging into my agency’s COPS account. The system states that my COPS Online user ID and password are invalid. How do I go about getting that information?

Answer   If you lose or forget your user ID and password, contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800.421.6770 or via email. Please provide the following information:

• ORI
• Agency name
• Law enforcement executive name and email
• Contact person’s name and telephone number.

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Question I want to get on the COPS Online site to draw down funds, submit my Federal Financial Report (SF-425), or apply for grants. The site; however, will not allow me access to those functions. What do I need to do?

Answer   Three online modules are available at this point in the development of the COPS Online site:

1. Account Maintenance, which allows you to change your username or password.
2. Additional Account Maintenance, which allows you to add additional accounts for your agency.
3. Change of Information, which allows you to update your government and law enforcement executive information.

Grantees can submit Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) online using the web-based 425 system.

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