Grants for First Responders

Last updated October 21, 2026

Grantable tracks 308 active grants for first responders in its free grants database, drawn from federal, state and foundation sources and updated daily. 3 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 144 list an award amount, with a median of $10K.

Grants tracked: 308; from 218 funders
Median award: $10K; middle half $2,500–$50K
Total listed funding: $56.9M; across 144 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 17; 17 with a published date

On this page: Federal State Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Community Grants (General Grantmaking) Fayette County Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Foundation conducts community needs assessments and opens targeted grant cycles based on priorities. Eligible organizations can apply through the Foundation's grantmaking process.	Not published	Varies
Higher Education Scholarship Folds of Honor Eastern-Pa-NJ-Chapter · Foundation Not published · Varies The Higher Education scholarships are awarded to the spouses and children currently attending or recently accepted into a 2-year or 4-year degree program at an institution of higher education or a vocational/certification program.	Not published	Varies
Speer Dream Foundation Grant Speer Dream Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Speer Dream Foundation Grant is dedicated to fostering positive change in communities through education, military assistance, medical support, and outreach.	Not published	Varies
Henderson Silver Knights Foundation Grant Henderson Silver Knights Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K The Henderson Silver Knights Foundation Grant offers up to $10,000 to local non-profits in Henderson, focused on health, education, and support for military and first responders.	Not published	Up to $10K
Disabled Outdoorsmen Scholarship Disabled Outdoorsmen USA Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Lycoming County Emergency Service Grant Program First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania · Foundation Not published · $10K – $100K The Lycoming County Emergency Service Grant Program, established in 1916, aims to support local fire companies, volunteer organizations, and emergency medical services in Lycoming County.	Not published	$10K – $100K
Police Recruitment and Retention (PRAR) Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy · State Not published · Varies PRAR provides funding to local law enforcement agencies to recruit and retain qualified sworn police County Government, Municipalities/Towns, State Government	Not published	Varies
Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship Grant Communitygiving · Foundation Not published · $2K The Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation Scholarship, offered by CommunityGiving, aims to support high school seniors, college students, and non-traditional students from Benton, Stearns, or Sherburne County in Minnesota.	Not published	$2K
Rodney Holder Memorial Scholarship Grant Community Foundation of Abilene · Foundation Not published · $500 – $5K The Rodney Holder Memorial Scholarship, established by the Community Foundation of Abilene, honors the legacy of a dedicated police veteran who served his community for 28 years.	Not published	$500 – $5K
Indigo Hope Foundation Grant The Indigo Hope Foundation · Foundation Not published · $250 – $100K The Indigo Hope Foundation offers grants to organizations in the Upstate of South Carolina, focusing on addiction, homelessness, at-risk youth, veterans, and first responders.	Not published	$250 – $100K
Community Engagement Grant National Law Enforcement · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The Community Engagement Grant, offered by the First Responders Children's Foundation, aims to strengthen relationships between first responders and youth in their communities.	Not published	Up to $5K
VFIS of Texas/Texas Mutual Insurance Company Health and Wellness Grant The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K Need-based grant program intended to encourage participation in a health and wellness program to reduce emergency responder injuries and deaths. Grants of up to $5,000 per department are awarded based upon financial need.	Not published	Up to $5K
WASPC Traffic Safety Grants Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs · Foundation Not published · Varies The WASPC Traffic Safety Grants provide funding for law enforcement agencies to enhance traffic safety initiatives.	Not published	Varies
Law Enforcement Training Scholarship Program (LETS) Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention · State Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
America’s Heroes Scholarship Fund Grant Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Inc., strengthens our communities by leading philanthropy and solutions through our direct work in partnership with…	Not published	Varies
AKC Reunite Adopt a K-9 Cop Matching Grant Program American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery Corporation · Foundation Not published · Up to $8K A matching grant program designed to help police departments acquire police K-9 dogs by partnering with AKC clubs and accepting public contributions. Enhanced Structure (effective immediately May 2021):	Not published	Up to $8K
Fallen First Responder Home Program Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Fallen First Responder Home Program provides mortgage-free homes to the families of first responders (police officers, firefighters, emergency personnel) who were killed in the line of duty.	Not published	Varies
Massachusetts Municipal Public Safety Staffing Program (MA) Grant Massachusetts Office of Grants and Research (OGR) · Foundation Not published · Varies The Massachusetts Municipal Public Safety Staffing Program aims to help municipalities address staffing shortages in police and fire departments.	Not published	Varies
Darrell and Gloria Rank K9 Corps Fund Grant Berks County Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies The Darrell and Gloria Rank K9 Corps Fund of Berks County Community Foundation (Reading, PA) provides grants to train, purchase, and maintain police K9 units for governmental entities in Berks County, PA; as of the article, 'applications…	Rolling	Varies
Urban Area Security Initiative Maryland Department of Emergency Management · State Not published · Varies Provides funding to selected urban areas, strengthening their capability to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks. Funds are used to procure unique equipment, training, planning and exercises to protect large high threat urban areas.	Not published	Varies
Unmanned Aircraft Trade and Replace Program (VA) Grant Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services · Foundation Not published · Up to $25K The Unmanned Aircraft Trade and Replace Program, funded by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, provides one-time grants to local first responder agencies in Virginia for replacing unmanned aircraft.	Not published	Up to $25K
Military and Civilian Partnership for Trauma Readiness Grant Program/Mission Zero Admin for Strategic Preparedness and Response · Federal Forecast · Up to $4M Section 1291 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-91), as amended by the section 204 of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act of 2019, authorizes the award of grants to: · No more than 30…	Forecast	Up to $4M
Ted Vanden Bosch Scholarship for the Children of Police Officers, Firefighters, and Rescue Personnel Grant The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area seeks to ensure that our community thrives today, tomorrow, and forever by building our Community’s Endowment to support high impact…	Not published	Varies
Peace Officer Behavioral Health Support and Community Partnership Grant Program (CO) Colorado Department of Local Affairs · Foundation Not published · Up to $1.7M The Peace Officer Behavioral Health Support and Community Partnership Grant Program in Colorado provides funding for law enforcement and public safety agencies to enhance behavioral health services.	Not published	Up to $1.7M

Showing 97–120 of 306

About grants for first responders

Grants for first responders help fire departments, EMS agencies, search and rescue teams, and law enforcement cover equipment, training, staffing, and wellness needs that local budgets rarely stretch to fund. Major federal sources include FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) for firefighting and EMS organizations, the U.S. Department of Justice's COPS Office and Bureau of Justice Assistance for law enforcement, and FEMA preparedness grants administered through state emergency management agencies. National nonprofits and corporate giving programs add further support for gear, vehicles, and responder mental health.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow grants for first responders down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do grants for first responders award?

Of the 308 grants for first responders Grantable lists as of October 21, 2026, 144 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $10K, and the middle half fall between $2,500 and $50K. The largest is $6.7M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most grants for first responders?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are National Law Enforcement and (7), The State Firemens and Fire Marshals Association of Texas (7), Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (5), North Georgia Community Foundation Inc (5), and Berks County Community Foundation Inc (4). In all, 218 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are grants for first responders due?

Of 308 grants listed, 17 accept applications on a rolling basis, 17 have a published upcoming deadline, 53 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 221 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site.

What grants are available for first responders?

First responder grants span personal protective equipment, apparatus and vehicles, communications gear, training and certification, staffing, and health and wellness initiatives. Federal programs include FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) for fire and EMS agencies, and DOJ COPS Office and Bureau of Justice Assistance awards for law enforcement. State emergency management agencies pass through additional FEMA preparedness funding, and private foundations and corporate programs fund specific equipment and responder support needs.

Who funds grants for first responders?

The largest funders are federal agencies: FEMA (within the Department of Homeland Security) for fire, EMS, and emergency preparedness, and the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and Office of Justice Programs for law enforcement. State agencies administer many of these dollars locally, and national nonprofits, hospital systems, and corporate philanthropy round out the field with targeted equipment, training, and wellness grants.

Can volunteer and small-town responder agencies apply?

Yes. Many federal programs, including FEMA's AFG and SAFER, explicitly prioritize volunteer and combination departments and smaller agencies that serve rural communities. Eligibility generally requires that you be a recognized government agency or a qualifying nonprofit emergency organization. Because applications can be competitive and detailed, building a clear needs narrative backed by call volume, response data, and a documented funding gap improves your odds.

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