Finding funding for public safety technology is still possible, but agencies need a broader strategy than they may have used a few years ago. In this webinar, SoundThinking experts Amanda Wood, a grant-funding consultant, and Jack Pontious, Regional Director of Sales, outlined where funding still exists, how leading agencies are stacking multiple sources, and what it takes to build a competitive grant application.
A clear theme ran through the session. Public safety leaders are still being asked to do more with less. Staffing pressures remain high, expectations around technology keep rising, and many departments are now working in the gap left behind by one-time pandemic-era funding. The presenters argued that this does not mean the money is gone. It means agencies need to know where to look and how to build a sustainable plan.
Why Law Enforcement Funding Strategy Matters Now
The webinar opened with a practical reality check. Agencies are still dealing with violent crime, recruitment and retention challenges, and the need for better investigative and patrol tools. At the same time, many police budgets remain heavily committed to personnel, leaving limited room for new technology investments. With post-pandemic funding gone, departments are often searching for alternatives after the expiration of large programs such as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Rather than treating funding as a one-time event, the presenters encouraged agencies to think in terms of a three- to five-year plan. That includes identifying core needs, matching those needs to available funding streams, and building a long-term approach that can support recurring subscriptions and technology expansion over time.
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Federal Funding is Still Active
One of the strongest messages from the webinar was that federal support for public agencies remains substantial. Wood noted that in a typical year, more than 1,000 federal grant programs provide more than $400 billion to public agencies. Not all of that is public safety funding, but the point was that agencies should not assume the opportunity has disappeared just because certain pandemic-era programs have ended.
Wood highlighted several recurring federal pathways, including Department of Justice grants, DHS preparedness grants, HUD funding streams, and, in some cases, Transportation and Treasury-related opportunities. She also emphasized that there is no penalty for pursuing multiple sources at once. In fact, once an agency secures funding and demonstrates it can manage those funds well, that success often helps it compete for future dollars.
Among the DOJ options discussed were Byrne JAG, Project Safe Neighborhoods, Strategies for Policing Innovation, community policing development grants, rural and remote grants, and the Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center grant. She also noted that the FY25 CJIC grant had just opened, with a basic paperwork deadline of March 30 and a full application deadline of April 6.
Earmarks and DHS Programs Remain Important
Congressional earmarks were highlighted as a direct way members of Congress can steer funding toward local or statewide projects. Wood stressed that earmark requests are typically submitted annually in the winter and said the process can move quickly once guidance is released. A practical advantage of earmarks is that agencies may get an early indication of whether a project is likely to receive support, allowing them to pursue earmarks and other grants on parallel tracks.
DHS preparedness grants were another major topic. SoundThinking’s solutions are on FEMA’s authorized equipment list, which opens the door to multiple homeland security funding opportunities. Those may include nonprofit security needs, port or border community use cases, urban area projects, tribal government needs, and state-distributed support for communities outside major urban areas. Wood also reviewed the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) timeline and noted that those funds can move on a relatively fast statutory schedule once the appropriations bill is passed.
Look For State-Administered Funding
For many agencies, practical opportunities are closer than they think. Both presenters emphasized the role of state administering agencies, or SAAs, which can manage large pools of funding that are later pushed down to local jurisdictions. They explained that half of a state’s Byrne JAG allocation must go to local projects, while 80 percent of State Homeland Security Grant Program allocations must be passed through to local projects.
The presenters also highlighted the significant growth in technology-related funding at the state level in recent years. Pontious urged attendees to identify the SAA in their own state, engage with their governor’s office and state public safety leaders, and monitor spring solicitations that may align with current technology priorities.
Local Funding Can Help Close the Gap
The presenters discussed the importance of local and blended funding strategies. Rather than waiting for one large award, the presenters described successful agencies as piecing together multiple sources. Pontious referred to this as “building the quilt,” meaning the project gets funded through a combination of federal, state, local, institutional, and sometimes private support.
Examples included unused salary lines in police budgets, asset forfeiture funds, support from district attorneys, private philanthropy, corporate contributions, healthcare partners, universities, referendums, and other community-based approaches. Hospitals and universities were described as especially relevant partners because they already invest in community wellbeing and may have a direct interest in reducing violence and improving local safety conditions. In practice, agencies are combining these sources with local match funding and federal programs to support projects through a layered approach.
One example of how agencies are “building the quilt” is through HUD Community Development Block Grant funding. Many agencies are surprised to learn that CDBG funds can support public safety through a community services set-aside. Wood described those funds as flexible, recurring, and useful for closing the final gap in a broader funding package. Later in the Q&A, Pontious gave Pittsburgh and Philadelphia as examples of jurisdictions where HUD-related support helped get ShotSpotter deployments started or expanded.
Watch the Grant Funding for Public Safety Webinar on Demand
What Makes a Grant Application Stronger
The presenters offered several practical recommendations for agencies looking to improve their chances of securing grant funding. First, a strong application starts with strategy, not a shopping list. Agencies should define the problem facing their community, explain the operational need, and show how the requested technology or service helps solve it. Wood reiterated that grants are about goals and outcomes, not simply listing products an agency wants to buy.
Second, agencies should build partnerships early. Letters of support from other government entities, nonprofit organizations, universities, research partners, hospitals, and other community stakeholders can strengthen an application. Wood recommended engaging members of Congress and senators early in the process because many qualified applications compete for limited funding, and congressional support can help raise a project’s visibility.
Third, administrative preparation matters. Wood warned agencies not to wait until the deadline to access and sort out SAM.gov, Grants.gov, or JustGrants logins. She described login and submission problems as among the most avoidable reasons an otherwise solid application can fail to be submitted.
Finally, both presenters encouraged agencies to document everything and use their own data well. They argued that public safety technologies can help agencies generate the data needed to support the initial grant application and later make the case for renewed or expanded funding.
The Larger Takeaway
The key takeaway is that successful funding is less about one grant program and more about mindset. Agencies should move beyond a yes-or-no approach and instead treat funding as a layered process. Federal grants, earmarks, state-administered dollars, local budget opportunities, institutional partners, and private support can all work together.
For law enforcement leaders, that implication is clear. The funding landscape is more complex than it was during the peak ARPA years, but it remains active. Agencies that start early, build partnerships, organize their documentation, and pursue multiple tracks at once may be in a much stronger position than they think.
Contact SoundThinking to see how we can help your agency through the grant funding process.
