Trump Administration Launches $300 Million DOJ Model Cities Initiative to Transform Public Safety
GovOneStop News Staff | June 3, 2026
WASHINGTON -- The Department of Justice announced Tuesday a sweeping new competitive grant program that will direct approximately $300 million to two to four American cities as part of the FY 2026 Model Cities Initiative, a coordinated federal effort designed to serve as a nationwide model for reducing violent crime and restoring public safety.
The initiative, officially designated the Department of Justice Model Cities Initiative (MCI), was announced by the Trump administration alongside a formal solicitation calling on local governments to submit comprehensive public safety plans for consideration. President Trump unveiled the program in a White House address published June 3, 2026.
"This administration is leveraging every authority to ensure the safety of all Americans. The Model Cities Initiative will supercharge our law enforcement partners and restore the rule of law to America's neighborhoods, towns, and cities."
-- Senior Justice Department Official, June 3, 2026
President Trump announces the DOJ Model Cities Initiative for Public Safety.
Program Structure and Funding
The MCI will award cooperative agreements -- rather than standard grants -- to between two and four selected cities, reflecting the Justice Department's commitment to substantial, hands-on involvement in each city's implementation. Award periods will run 36 months, and cost-sharing or matching funds are not required of applicants.
Cities applying must serve a population of at least 100,000 residents and must submit a unified, whole-of-city application endorsed by senior local officials, including the mayor, city manager, local prosecutor, sheriff, health and human services director, and community supervision executive. That collaborative requirement is intended to ensure that public safety improvements span multiple government agencies rather than relying solely on law enforcement.
The program is jointly administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) -- a combination that signals the initiative's broad scope.
What Cities Can Fund
The official MCI solicitation document outlines a wide range of allowable uses for program funds. Cities may hire and retain sworn officers and civilian personnel dedicated to violent crime reduction. Technology investments are explicitly encouraged, including real-time crime centers, body-worn cameras, license plate readers, artificial intelligence systems, forensic DNA tools, and small unmanned aircraft systems.
Beyond law enforcement hardware and staffing, the initiative funds training in intelligence-led policing and crisis response, mental health and substance use services, reentry and transitional support programs, victim services including emergency assistance and legal advocacy, and youth crime prevention and gang intervention programs.
Activities that would violate federal immigration law or federal civil rights statutes are expressly prohibited under the solicitation's terms.
Application Timeline
Phase 1 written applications are due September 1, 2026, and must be submitted to [email protected]. Cities selected as finalists will be invited to make in-person presentations in a Phase 2 review. Initial award decisions are anticipated in late 2026.
Questions regarding the solicitation may be directed to [email protected]. Additional information is available at www.justice.gov/grants.
A National Model for Replication
The Justice Department framed the initiative as a proof-of-concept effort designed to generate practices and data that can be replicated in cities across the country. Selected cities are expected to demonstrate measurable reductions in crime and to make their methods available for broader adoption.
The announcement reflects a broader policy direction in the Trump administration toward direct federal engagement with local public safety systems, pairing significant funding with cooperative agreement structures that give DOJ ongoing oversight of implementation decisions.
The full solicitation document is publicly available on the Justice Department website. Local government leaders interested in applying are encouraged to review the eligibility and application requirements in detail before the September deadline.
For additional federal funding announcements and public safety resources, visit GovOneStop.com/news and GovOneStop.com/active-alerts.
More Information
- Official DOJ Press Release: Making America Safe Again -- DOJ to Award $300 Million for Model Cities Dedicated to Restoring Law and Order
- DOJ Model Cities Initiative FY 2026 Solicitation Document (justice.gov)
- White House Video: President Trump Announces DOJ Model Cities Initiative for Public Safety (YouTube)
- DOJ Grants Information (justice.gov/grants)