Grant News

The purpose of the State Digital Equity Grant Program is to promote the achievement of digital equity, support digital inclusion activities, and build capacity for efforts by States relating to the adoption of broadband by residents of those States. Subgrants will be made in support of the State's Digital Equity Plan and digital inclusion activities in the State generally.

Congressional earmarks are a controversial topic. Some people believe they are a valuable tool for directing funding for important local priorities, while others think they are a source of corruption, waste, and political gamesmanship.

Critics of earmarks, sometimes conflated with "pork barrel" spending, argue that they can be abused by Members of Congress to steer funding to their own districts, even if the projects are not the most important or deserving. They also argue that earmarks can be a source of corruption, as Members of Congress may be pressured to support earmarks in exchange for campaign donations or other favors.

In determining if your organization wants to take advantage of directed funding, weighing the pros and cons is essential. It is also important to hold Members of Congress accountable for the earmarks they request and ensure that the funds are used for the intended purpose.

Every year in the United States, citizens cast their ballots for the candidates of their choice in federal, state, and local elections. Voters rely on the security of election infrastructure to ensure that they can cast their votes safely and that all votes will be counted fairly. Unfortunately, physical threats against election workers have increased in the past several years, and more must be done to protect these individuals. Making voting facilities safe is important for workers and members of the public who visit to cast their ballots. In the past, states and local governments have implemented procedures and tools to keep the voting process safe and secure. In addition to physical safety measures like door locks, security cameras, and more, investments have also been made in election IT infrastructure to ensure that election information is safe from breaches and cyber threats. This includes investments in the modernization of voting equipment and election-related computer systems. To make further improvements in physical security and cybersecurity, state and local governments have the opportunity to apply for grant funding through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. 

Technology is used across the criminal justice spectrum to streamline processes, ensure compliance, and protect people and their data. Gone are the days of hand-written police reports faxed to the District Attorney’s office.

We all know how important technology is, but equipment ages, technology advances, and sometimes we don’t know how to fund it. Federal and state grantmakers provide funding to help those working within the criminal justice system keep ahead of the curve or at least keep abreast with it.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 provides payments to states for activities to improve the administration of elections for Federal office, including enhancing election technology and making election security improvements. Consistent with the requirements of HAVA, states may use this funding to

•     Replace voting equipment that only records a voter’s intent electronically with equipment that utilizes a voter-verified paper record.
•     Implement a post-election audit system that provides a high level of confidence in the accuracy of the final vote tally.
•     Upgrade election  related computer systems to address cyber vulnerabilities identified through Department of Homeland Security, or similar scans or assessments of, existing election systems.
•     Facilitate cybersecurity training for the state chief election official’s office and local election officials.
•     Implement established cybersecurity best practices for election systems; and
•     Fund other activities that will improve the security of elections for the Federal office, including physical security services and social media threat monitoring.

Funding from the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) helps eligible entities address cybersecurity risks and threats to information systems owned or operated by—or on behalf of—state, local, and territorial (SLLT) governments. The Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law requires grant recipients to develop a Cybersecurity Plan, establish a Cybersecurity Planning Committee to support development of the Plan, and identify projects to implement utilizing SLCGP funding. To support these efforts, recipients are highly encouraged to prioritize the following activities, all of which are statutorily required as a condition of receiving a grant:

•     Developing the Cybersecurity Plan.
•     Implementing or revising the Cybersecurity Plan.
•     Paying expenses directly relating to the administration of the grant, which cannot exceed 5% of the amount of the grant award.
•     Assisting with allowed activities that address imminent cybersecurity threats confirmed by DHS; and 
•     Other appropriate activities as noted in the funding notice.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act introduced many new grant programs when passed in late 2021. These initiatives ranged from broadband and electric charging to major clean energy and water infrastructure. A handful of these funding projects are classified as smart city adjacent, but one specific program, Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation, or SMART, is the definition of a smart city grant.

The two primary federal funding agencies for public safety initiatives are the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. A review of the FY 2023 Federal Budget provides a glimpse into what these agencies will prioritize in the coming year.