The Model Cities Initiative funds cities to implement comprehensive and innovative strategies to reduce crime, restore law and order, and serve as a nationwide example. Recognizing that keeping cities safe requires a whole-of-community approach, MCI will provide funding to help cities build forensic and prosecutorial capacity, support victims, reduce recidivism, and address substance use and mental health challenges tied to public safety outcomes.

Eligible entities receiving funding through this Initiative will be able to incur the following allowable costs. While allowable uses of funds must be tied to one or more of the eight areas of activities, we encourage applicants to be innovative in their proposals to include, but not be limited by, the examples listed below.

1. Hiring and Retaining Personnel
2. Equipment and Technology
3. Training and Professional Development
4. Facility Costs
5. Mental Health and Substance Use Services
6. Reentry, Transitional Support, and Recidivism Reduction Services
7. Victim Services
8. Youth Crime Prevention and Intervention Services

DOJ expects to award a total of approximately $300 million through MCI in Fiscal Year 2026, and the Department will select 2–4 cities after a competitive application process.

For further details, please see the full Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Eligibility

DOJ is soliciting applications from local government entities serving a population of at least 100,000. An applicant may be a government entity or a collective entity acting as a single governmental unit representing a jurisdiction or contiguous region and must have the legal authority to receive and administer a federal award.

For further details regarding eligibility, please see the full Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Cost Sharing

Cost sharing (match) has been waived and/or is not required.

Webinar

There will be a pre-application webinar on June 23, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET. Details about this webinar will be provided at a later date. Please check the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for updates on this webinar.

How to Apply

Phase 1 applications must be submitted by email to MCIapplications@usdoj.gov by 11:59 p.m. EST on September 1, 2026. For the full list of application contents required, please see page 11 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Contact

Questions should be emailed to MCIapplications@usdoj.gov

Deadline

All applications must be submitted by email to MCIapplications@usdoj.gov by 11:59 p.m. EST on September 1, 2026.