Grant News

By Sandy Trowbridge, Grants Development Associate  

Childcare and early learning grant programs broadly aim to promote positive child development while strengthening parents’ workforce participation and economic security. In the United States, services for children from birth to age five are delivered through a mix of federal, state, and privately funded programs. Federal funding represents the largest share of public investment, with approximately $31 billion allocated annually, compared to about $13 billion in state spending on similar programs, with additional foundation funding varying significantly by region and year. While program models and requirements vary, common funding priorities include expanding access to affordable, high-quality care; strengthening the early childhood workforce; promoting parental choice; improving program quality; supporting systems building and cross-sector coordination; strengthening transitions between early learning and K–12 systems; and promoting positive child development outcomes. The sections below provide an overview of the major childcare and early learning funding streams across federal, state, and local levels.

By Sam Rawdon, Grants Development Associate (K-12 Education)

Foundation funding has become an increasingly valuable resource for advancing school safety efforts, particularly for initiatives that may not align neatly with the strict parameters of government programs. While federal funding frequently emphasizes standardized equipment or large-scale infrastructure investments, foundations often support a more comprehensive and student-centered view of safety. This broader approach can include investments in mental health services, school climate and culture initiatives, and innovative technologies that contribute to a safer and more supportive learning environment. As a result, districts have greater flexibility to pursue solutions that address both the physical and emotional dimensions of school safety.

By Christina Fernandez, Grants Development Consultant

On February 3, 2026, Congress finalized the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for the U.S. Department of Education, approving approximately $79 billion in discretionary funding.  This level exceeds the Administration’s original request of $66.7 billion and aligns closely with FY2024 funding levels.  At a glance, this signals stability across key education programs including school improvement, special education, career and technical education, and institutional aid. However, a closer review reveals more targeted adjustments that reflect evolving federal priorities. For grant professionals and education leaders, understanding both the stability and the nuance within this budget is essential to navigating the current funding landscape and identifying opportunities in the year ahead.

By Marc Smithers, Grants Development Associate

As the grant funding environment continues to adjust under the current federal administration, one agency that has seen outsized attention for contraction of available funding has been the National Science Foundation (NSF). The agency, founded in 1950, is one of the largest funders of non-medical scientific research, awarding $8.6 billion over 8,378 projects in 2025. As the current administration has worked to reduce federal spending in a number of areas, one of the agencies targeted most heavily is the NSF. The past two budget requests from the executive branch included drastic cuts to NSF funding, proposing a $5 billion reduction in fiscal year (FY) 2026 and another $4.8 billion reduction for next year's FY 2027 budget. Budgetary requests like this can dominate headlines to such an extent that grantseekers have a hard time knowing what has actually been enacted and what strategies they should employ in the changing landscape. Let's look deeper then, beyond the news stories and into the actual budget, considering what impacts have been seen in NSF decisions, and what actionable steps grantseekers can take with this information.

By Meghan Jacobsen, Grants Development Associate

In March of this year, Senators Amy Klobachar (D-Minn.), Tedd Budd (R-N.C.), and Catherine Cortez Mastro (D-Nev.) introduced the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act. In the House of Representatives, this act is also led by Representatives Richard Hudson (R-N.C.-09) and Troy Carter (D-La.-02). If passed, this bill will modernize the national emergency response system, as well as coordinate interoperability and improve the security of 911 services throughout the country. These initiatives will improve PSAP cybersecurity while enabling 911 centers to process text, video, and data in emergency situations. This bill proposes the funding of grants to bring about these initiatives beginning in fiscal year 2027 through 2031. Should this bill pass, it will serve as a much-welcome injection of dedicated PSAP/NG911 funding on the federal level – which has been nonexistent since 2018 – to bring 911 centers into the 21^st century. While we wait to see how this will play out in Congress, there are other funding options available to PSAPs looking to upgrade and secure their technology to better serve their communities.

By Chris LaPage, Chief Services Officer, & Ashley Schultz, Manager of Community Engagement

For grant professionals, the start of a new federal fiscal year usually brings a familiar sense of déjà vu. We track the process from the President’s initial budget announcement through Congress’s final vote, anxiously anticipating when federal agencies will finally open their competitive and allocation grant cycles.  

However, the 2026 funding landscape will be built upon a vastly different process from previous years. This year’s budgetary cycle was paralyzed by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and further complicated by aggressive executive realignments. Navigating these legislative delays requires grantseekers to cut through the headline noise and pinpoint the actual drivers that will impact their grant funding pipeline. Ultimately, the most successful organizations will be those ready to identify emerging priorities and adapt their programmatic strategies to the realities of the current administration.

This article will outline the major federal budgetary updates from 2026, breaking down how these shifts impact the grantseeking landscape. For more targeted insights, please refer to our sectorspecific breakdowns available throughout this issue.

U.S. Federal Budget Summary: Critical Infrastructure

Federal critical infrastructure grants finance the construction, maintenance, and defense of essential public works across the U.S. While municipal bonds, state highway funds, and ratepayer fees fuel the baseline operations of public utilities and transportation networks, federal discretionary grants provide necessary supplemental capital. These federal dollars tackle a wide array of high-impact projects—from repaving roads and replacing pipes in wastewater networks to modernizing the power grid to handle increased loads and deploying middle- and last-mile broadband to connect unserved areas. Ultimately, this grant funding primarily flows to state, local, and tribal governments, alongside targeted special districts, transit agencies, and port or airport authorities.

Navigating the Grant Landscape Under a New Administration

What Recent Executive Orders and the Review of Federal Financial Assistance Mean for You

**This is a comprehensive blog that covers the key developments, implications, and strategies for grant seekers navigating the landscape of federal financial assistance under the new Administration. Updates to this blog will continue to be made as the situation develops. Blog last updated on March 24, 2026, at 2:47 pm ET**

This blog explores how executive orders and an ongoing review of federal financial assistance under the new Administration are reshaping the grant landscape. It highlights key developments affecting eligibility, compliance, and funding priorities, outlines the potential implications for grant seekers across sectors, and provides strategies to help organizations adapt and remain competitive in securing federal support. With policy changes still unfolding, the blog serves as a living resource that will continue to be updated as new guidance and opportunities emerge.

SUMMARY: From the USDA, the Solid Waste Management Grant Program reduces or eliminates pollution of water resources by providing funding for organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites.

SUMMARY: The Sexual Assault Services – Community-based Services Program (SAS CSP) supports nonprofit organizations that aim to enhance access to services for all survivors by providing community-based services in culturally specific communities. Applicants must have documented organizational experience in the area of sexual assault intervention or partner with an organization having such expertise.

SUMMARY: The purpose of the Lead Hazard Reduction (LHR) Grant Program is to maximize the number of children under the age of six protected from lead poisoning by assisting states, cities, counties/parishes, Native American Tribes or other units of local government in undertaking comprehensive programs to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned rental or owner-occupied housing populations. In addition, there is Healthy Homes Supplemental funding available that is intended to enhance the lead-based paint hazard control activities by comprehensively identifying and addressing other housing hazards that affect occupant health in homes with lead-based paint hazards being treated under the grant.

SUMMARY: The Sexual Assault Services – Community-based Services Program (SAS CSP) supports nonprofit organizations that aim to enhance access to services for all survivors by providing community-based services in culturally specific communities. Applicants must have documented organizational experience in the area of sexual assault intervention or partner with an organization having such expertise.

SUMMARY: This program is focused on community-driven projects designed to grow local economies, strengthen Native American families, including the preservation of Native American cultures, and decrease the high rate of current challenges caused by the lack of community-based businesses, and social and economic infrastructure in Native American communities.

By Joseph Phelan, Grants Development Consultant

The Department of Transportation administers many different grant opportunities across their 11 subagencies. Grants that help secure transit agencies and improve roads. Or purchase buses and enhance railroad safety. There are varying degrees of technology-friendly grant opportunities. One specific program, from DOT’s Federal Highway Administration, focuses on advanced technologies for travel to be safer, more efficient, and increase intermodal connectivity.

SUMMARY: Through funds from the American Relief Act, the Disaster Supplemental Grant Program will award investments in regions experiencing severe economic distress or other economic harm resulting from hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods, and other natural disasters occurring in calendar years 2023 and 2024. This program is administered by the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

SUMMARY: From the Department of Homeland Security, this program is designed to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters regarding fire and fire-related hazards.

SUMMARY: The Legal Services for Veterans (LSV) program aims to increase access to legal services to eligible Veterans through the award of grant funds and by promoting Medical Legal Partnerships and VA-affiliated legal clinics throughout the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

By Dr. Liz Shay, Higher Education

Whether it is through conversations with one of our grants consultants, other grant-seeking efforts, or completely outside of the grants space, organizations often realize that they should consider collaborating with institutes of higher education. These partnerships can open additional avenues to pursue different types of projects and work towards your organization’s mission-driven goals in new ways. Grant makers often favor collaborative efforts as they are seen as having a larger impact on the money invested in the project.

Regardless of why you started considering collaborating with an institute of higher education, navigating these conversations can often seem intimidating or complex. This article is a guide to the basic information you need to feel confident in pursuing partnerships with institutions.

SUMMARY: The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) offers the COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) which is designed to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs and the purchase and installation of certain allowable technologies.

By Dr. Liz Shay, Senior Grants Development Consultant (Higher Education)

Whether it is through conversations with one of our grants consultants, other grant-seeking efforts, or completely outside of the grants space, organizations often realize that they should consider collaborating with institutes of higher education. These partnerships can open additional avenues to pursue different types of projects and work towards your organization’s mission-driven goals in new ways. Grant makers often favor collaborative efforts as they are seen as having a larger impact on the money invested in the project.

Regardless of why you started considering collaborating with an institute of higher education, navigating these conversations can often seem intimidating or complex. This article is a guide to the basic information you need to feel confident in pursuing partnerships with institutions.

By Amanda Day, Grants Development Consultant- State and Local Government

Transportation is a critical component of modern life, connecting individuals to jobs, healthcare, education, and essential services. Efficient roadways and public transportation services affect access to jobs, education, and reliable healthcare. However, for many tribal communities, poor transportation infrastructure presents a barrier to social and economic opportunities.

By Joseph Phelan, Grants Development Consultant (Broadband, Transportation, & Utilities)

By the end of 2024, every entity had its State Digital Equity Capacity Grant approved by the NTIA, paving the way for funds to funnel to reach populations throughout the United States.

As a refresher, included within the IIJA was the Digital Equity Act, which provided $2.75 billion across three grant programs for various digital equity and inclusion activities. Two of the programs went directly to the 56 entities that make up the US. The first provided allocations (totaling $60.6 million) to entities to create their digital equity plans. States and territories then submitted intentions for the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant by the end of May 2024. NTIA then approved on a rolling basis—beginning last summer with Nevada, and ending with Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Maryland, North Dakota, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands on December 19, 2024. This first round of capacity grants provided roughly $768 million in funding to states and territories. In addition to the planning and capacity grants, the NTIA offered competitive grants for any eligible entity through the Digital Equity Competitive Grant. 

By Shannon Day, Senior Grants Development Consultant (Public Safety)

In the nearly five years I have worked with law enforcement agencies in their grant funding pursuits, I’ve often heard, "I'd love our department to apply for more grants, but we just don't have the time." The departments I work with most often are the little guys because small departments don't have the luxury of having a dedicated grant manager on staff, and certainly not an entire grants department. Let's be honest: when considering the priorities for first responders, grants don't often rank high on the list, in part because of their typically complicated processes.

Similar feedback has been heard across all sectors resulting in the bipartisan Streamlining Federal Grants Act of 2023 (H.R 5934). Introduced to Congress in October 2023, this act is currently awaiting a vote from the 119^th Congress. The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proactively begun simplifying the grant process, including streamlining and standardizing application guidance and simplifying grants.gov.

Congressionally directed spending (also known as community project funding or earmarks) are line items in the United States federal budget specifically requested by individual legislators. There was a 10-year moratorium on these appropriations, but that ran out in 2021. Proponents of congressionally directed spending argue that it creates a more transparent appropriation process and enables local jurisdictions to more directly request and receive funds for their specific needs. Others believe that congressionally directed spending is wasteful or corrupt. Regardless of how you feel about this type of funding, they are a part of the current federal funding landscape and should be considered carefully when looking for support for your project.

In this article, we will explore the fiscal year 2024 congressionally directed spending landscape. We will evaluate where the funds are going and what types of projects they are predominantly funding. We will also reflect on where we are in the fiscal year 2025 funding congressionally directed spending process.

Last month marked the start of the U.S. federal Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) new set of rules directing the majority of federal grantmaking to nonprofits; education institutions; state, local, or tribal government agencies; and others. These rules, colloquially known as the Uniform Guidance, were first established in December 2013. Originally a consolidation of several federal rulemaking circulars, the Uniform Guidance’s policies have been periodically adjusted over the last 20 years. The most recent of these updates took effect on October 1, 2024.

When browsing through Grants.gov, you find a grant perfectly aligned with what your organization is trying to accomplish. Say you work in a university's criminal justice program and want to research police practices. You find a seemingly perfect grant, but as you read the eligibility…" Only applicants that received an official invitation letter from NIJ are able and eligible to apply." This "invitation-only" status is a common frustration for grant seekers. So, how do you crack that elusive list and get your foot in the door?

As a result of the rising number of violent incidents at K-12 schools over the last decade, schools have dedicated significant time and resources to developing ways to keep their students, faculty, and staff safe. There are a couple of different approaches education institutions take while creating and implementing an overarching school safety plan. Some institutions have focused on providing staff and students with training on what to do in the event of an incident, while others have begun developing systems for reporting suspicious or threatening behaviors before an incident happens. At the end of the day, the question all institutions must answer is - what components should a school-wide plan include to keep everyone inside (and outside) our schools safe? While there is no one-size-fits-all plan that will work for all, there are many different elements to include in your comprehensive plan, based on the needs of your institution.

Although the concept of recording law enforcement interactions is not new – police departments began using cumbersome vehicle- and helmet-mounted cameras in the 1960s (Seaskate, Inc., 1998) – the use of body-worn cameras in the United States took off after the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, sparked national outrage and renewed scrutiny of police-citizen interactions. The lack of video evidence from the incident fueled public demands for greater transparency and accountability. This moment proved to be a tipping point for Body-worn Cameras (BWC), which led to the U.S. Department of Justice's creation of the Body-worn Camera Policy and Implementation Program (BWC PIP).

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) continues to approve final plans under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. This process began in late 2021 when the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was signed into law. 56 states and territories have been allocated $42.45 billion to expand internet access through planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption.

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.