Maximizing Funding Opportunities With Security Grants: Insights From the 2026 SIA GovSummit
Experts from Axis Communications, EM Designs and Grants Office shared expertise on key security grant offerings, application tips and more.
Security industry manufacturers and integrators are trusted advisors in many ways to security practitioners. But some may not have a full understanding of the additional value they can provide by guiding clients through the process of applying to and securing grants to fund their security projects. Federal and state governments allocate millions of dollars annually in grant funding for physical security solutions across multiple sectors—including school security systems, law enforcement technology upgrades, drone detection and mitigation solutions and critical infrastructure protection.
At SIA’s 2026 GovSummit conference, in a session moderated by Dave McCarthy, program manager of government relations at Axis Communications, Elisa Mula, founder of EM designs, and Shannon Day, senior grants development consultant at Grants Office, discussed how security businesses can work with clients to identify the right grants and craft competitive applications for security grants across sectors—including school security systems, law enforcement technology upgrades, drone detection and mitigation solutions and critical infrastructure protection.
Key grant opportunities relevant for security projects include:
School Violence Prevention Program
The School Violence Prevention Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), provides funding to states, local governments and tribal agencies to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs and technology. This program has $75 million in funding available for fiscal year 2025.
According to program reports, the most common elements included in project awards are camera systems, access controls, communications technology, expedited notification to law enforcement, training for law enforcement and visitor management technologies.
Homeland Security Grant Program
The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), presented by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offers funding for faith-based and other nonprofit organizations to improve their physical security and cybersecurity to prevent and protect against targeted violence. HSGP, which offered $1.008 billion in funding for fiscal year 2025, includes three programs:
- The State Homeland Security Grant Program, which provides funding to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based state homeland security strategies to address capability targets
- The Urban Area Security Initiative provides funding to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in designated high-threat, high-density areas.
- Operation Stonegarden provides funding to enhance cooperation and coordination among state, local, tribal, territorial and federal law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the United States land and water borders.
Body-Worn Camera Program
The Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Policy and Implementation Program, under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance,provides funding for law enforcement, corrections and prosecutorial agencies to support the purchase of body-worn cameras and implement comprehensive programs with sound policy and training. The intent of the program is to help develop, implement and evaluate a BWC program as one tool in a law enforcement comprehensive problem-solving approach to enhance officer interactions with the public and build community trust. The program made available $38 million in funding for fiscal year 2025.
Transit Security Grant Program
FEMA’s Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) offers funding to eligible public transportation systems to protect critical infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism. The TSGP provides funds to owners and operators of transit systems (which include intracity bus, commuter bus, ferries and all forms of passenger rail) to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure. Allowable uses include risk assessments and operational, physical and electronic security risk mitigation measures. The program offered $83.7 million in available funding for fiscal year 2025.
Day stressed the importance of having a strong needs statement in applying for a grant, as well as a comprehensive budget and a budget narrative that aligns with it.
Mula encouraged consultants and integrators working with grant applicants to “smooth everything out, get the communication flowing [and] make sure everything is well documented so the suffering on the part of the applicant is minimal.”
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