New York State DCJS Impact Grant
Grants for Public Safety: A Comprehensive Guide (2026 Update)
You’re looking to strengthen your public safety strategy with proven technologies like acoustic gunshot detection, license plate recognition, and investigative data platforms — but the budget isn’t there this year. The good news: funding sources for these investments are more plentiful than ever, and you have more options than you think.
SoundThinking has helped scores of cities, counties, Tribal Nations, and other jurisdictions identify and secure the funding they need. This guide breaks down those sources and shows you how to get our team’s help finding the right fit for your jurisdiction.
Jurisdictional Options
Metaphorically, look between the sofa cushions!
Believe it or not, there are often substantial funds within your city or county that are worth exploring. Sometimes these are within the law enforcement budget, and sometimes in different budgets altogether. For example, perhaps your police budget had space for 20 new recruits this year, but you’ve only hired 12. That leftover money could be repurposed for public safety initiatives such as ShotSpotter®, CrimeTracer™, or PlateRanger™.
You could also explore leveraging funds from asset forfeiture, the process by which the government confiscates money and/or property connected to a crime. We’ve worked with clients who have successfully accessed these types of funding sources.
Local Partnerships
Local or Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) can also be a promising funding option. In a PPP, a private organization in your community, such as a hospital, university, or other business, can provide funding for public safety projects. Many of these organizations have a vested interest in the safety of their neighborhoods and are often willing to contribute a portion of their budgets to public safety technologies, either as part of their 501(c)(3) status or as a general investment in the health and well-being of their employees, patients, students, and customers. Examples include Bloomberg Philanthropies, CSX Railroad, local police foundations, local casinos, community and business foundations, and school district superintendents.
State and Countywide Grant Funding Programs
A series of state-wide grant programs operates through the USDOJ and FEMA State Administering Agencies (SAAs). Every SAA goes by a different name, but the programs tend to be similar: the agencies work with the governor’s office to direct state and federal pass-through money—including Byrne Justice Assistance Grant and State Homeland Security Grant funds—to local projects, many of which are related to public safety. We can help you identify SAAs in your area and proactively lay the groundwork to advocate for the use of state funds for ShotSpotter, CrimeTracer, Field Agent, or other SoundThinking SafetySmart™ technologies.
Examples of state programs include:
Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Program Grant
Tennessee Violent Crime Intervention Fund (VCIF)
Pennsylvania Gun Violence Investigation & Prosecution Program
Wisconsin Act 58 data-sharing grants for law enforcement
Rural and Small Department Violent Crime Reduction Program (MO, IN)
Download The Securing Grant Funding for Public Safety Technology eBook
Federal Funding Via Grants and Congressionally-directed Funding
State and community resources can often cover a significant portion of your public safety funding needs, but if more money is still needed, federal resources can help get you the rest of the way there. In a typical year, federal agencies offer more than 1,000 grant programs, providing over $400 billion in funding to public agencies like yours.
The largest recurring homeland security opportunity is FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). For FY2026, FEMA published the NOFO (Notice of Funding Opportunity) on June 24, 2026, making $1.064 billion available, with applications due July 24, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET.
- Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) — $584.25 million for high-threat, high-density urban areas.
- State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) — $394.25 million, with at least 80 percent passed through to local jurisdictions.
- Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) — $85.5 million for border security cooperation among federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement.
Many of these funding opportunities require working with your state administering agency (SAA), or Urban Area Security Initiative working group, which may have different timelines for submitting your grant application. Reach out to your SAA as soon as possible to understand the timelines and due dates for your grant application.
For FY2026, DHS national priorities include improving coordination among law enforcement agencies, strengthening cybersecurity of critical infrastructure, protecting election integrity, supporting border security efforts, and enhancing the protection of crowded spaces. Aligning your project narrative with these priorities strengthens your application.
Examples of federal grants used to fund ShotSpotter and other SafetySmart technologies:
USDOJ Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) Grant
USDOJ Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Grant
USDOJ Community Policing Development Microgrant
USDOJ Strategies for Policing Innovation (SPI)
DHS Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Program
HUD Emergency Safety and Security Grant
HUD Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG)
HUD Public Housing Capital Fund (PHCF)
Congressionally-directed funding (earmarks)
Funding for Tribal Nations
Tribal law enforcement agencies have dedicated federal funding streams in addition to the pass-through programs above:
- Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) — FEMA’s FY2026 NOFO makes more than $14 million available directly to Tribal Nations to prevent, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism.
DOJ Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) — a single application covering multiple DOJ purpose areas. Purpose Area 1 (Tribal Resources Grant Program) funds officer hiring, plus equipment and technology; in FY2025, the COPS Office awarded $34.9 million to 61 Tribal Nations, including $20.3 million for equipment and training.
Operation Stonegarden — Tribal agencies along land and water borders are eligible alongside state and local partners.
SHSP pass-through — Tribal governments are eligible subrecipients of state homeland security allocations through their SAA.
Mix and Match
Funding a large-scale public safety initiative often requires weaving together multiple funding sources, each with different application processes, timelines, and drawdown speeds. Some funding, like money from an unused police budget, can be available immediately. Money from asset forfeiture and PPPs can be available within days. Money from the state and federal levels often takes months to become available.
Two examples of SoundThinking customers that leveraged funding from a combination of sources:
The City of Greenville, NC — funding from East Carolina University, the Superintendent of Schools, the Greenville Housing Authority, and a GPD budget match.
The City of Bridgeport, CT — funding from the Superintendent of Schools, HUD CDBG, and HUD PHCF.
If garnering funding from these and other sources is important to you, perhaps we can help.
Schedule a meeting to see how SoundThinking can help your agency with the grant funding process
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