State Public Safety Grant Guide
Missouri Public Safety Grants
Current grant pathways and Missouri-specific drone operations, federal funding and cybersecurity procurement guidance for public-safety buyers.
Missouri agencies can pursue direct federal formula awards, state-administered justice and homeland security grants, and targeted state programs when their project meets the current notice. For drones and surveillance systems, identify who is buying, the entire funding mix, where the equipment will operate and what information it will collect.
The state's 2026 operating-law update, MoDOT's FHWA-funded project guidance and federal grant conditions are separate. Read MAXSUR’s NDAA, TAA, FCC & Blue UAS guide for a fuller explanation of the federal frameworks.
Planning update: The 2025 HB 210 foreign-drone proposal did not become law. Missouri did amend its operational drone statute in 2026. The older FY2024 JAG formula allocation entries were estimates of eligibility, not award records, and are removed from this page.
Missouri Procurement & Cybersecurity
What Missouri Buyers Should Check Before Selecting Cameras or Drones
State flight rules, FHWA project guidance and federal purchasing conditions can apply to different parts of the same mission.
HB 210 was a proposal
Do not treat its country-of-origin, encryption or U.S.-data provisions as enacted Missouri mandates.
§ 577.800 updated
2026 law addresses defined open-air venues and critical infrastructure with express official-duty exceptions.
MoDOT FHWA notice
Covered UAS must not be charged to or used on FHWA-funded work as MoDOT explains.
BJA approval first
UAS purchases under BJA awards require express prior approval and certification.
HB 210 Was Proposed, Not Enacted
The 2025 Unmanned Aerial Systems Security Act proposal addressed government purchases and use of drones associated with foreign adversaries, data handling, encryption and reimbursement. Those proposed requirements are not current statewide Missouri procurement law. An agency should still apply its own purchasing policy and any applicable grant or contract clauses.
Read the Missouri House HB 210 summary as legislative history, not an active procurement checklist.
Missouri’s 2026 Flight Law
RSMo § 577.800, amended effective June 12, 2026, now addresses UAS operations at open-air entertainment facilities with capacity of 500 or more and at statutory critical infrastructure facilities. It describes specific prohibited conduct and exceptions, including employees of law enforcement, fire, EMS and government acting in official duties. A separate commercial-operator provision and FAA requirements also matter.
This operating rule does not itself establish a drone manufacturer blacklist or dispense with FAA authorization, venue coordination or agency policy.
MoDOT and FHWA-Funded Projects
MoDOT’s December 2025 notice applies the American Security Drone Act and OMB M-26-02 to FHWA-supported work. It instructs recipients not to pay for covered UAS procurement, operation, maintenance or data processing with FHWA funds and recommends segregating covered assets to prevent accidental use on federally funded projects.
Its recommended physical quarantine relates to those projects; it should not be read as a Missouri-wide confiscation or an all-funds flight ban. Confirm the actual covered-entity determination and award documentation with the program office.
Federal Award and Supply-Chain Tests
OMB M-26-02 Appendix D implements an ASDA restriction effective December 22, 2025 for federal award funds used to procure or in connection with operating a FASC-prohibited UAS, subject to applicable exemptions and waivers. A locally funded purchase does not make a federally charged operation eligible.
NDAA Section 889, TAA when contract clauses require it, the FCC Covered List, ASDA and the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List have distinct scopes. Check the live lists and the complete system, including controllers, communications, payloads and cloud services.
BJA Approval, Cybersecurity and Privacy
BJA requires express prior approval before a recipient or subrecipient purchases UAS with BJA award funds. Its September 2026 guidance requires a certification referencing Blue UAS Cleared List verification, Commerce screening and restrictions on modifications, accessories and federal information, plus privacy, civil-liberties and IT cybersecurity policies. Counter-UAS purchases have a separate approval and legal-authority path.
For any funded surveillance system, specify encryption, account roles, audit logs, patching, cloud routing, retention and incident handling in the project plan. DPS’s State Cyber Crime Grant funds investigations into Internet crimes against children; it is not a general-purpose aircraft or agency-cybersecurity grant.
Practical Missouri UAS Procurement Checklist
- Map funding and use. List every federal, state and local source, purchase and operating costs, responsible agency and intended missions.
- Check Missouri flight restrictions. Review current § 577.800, property boundaries, site permission, official-duty exceptions and FAA authorization.
- Document supplier origin. Record aircraft, controller, radio, camera, batteries, firmware, software and cloud vendors; verify the actual manufacturer and any required lists.
- Apply federal award limits. Screen any award-funded procurement or operation under ASDA / OMB M-26-02 and the specific grant terms, including waivers or exemptions where applicable.
- Separate FHWA project assets. Follow MoDOT’s instructions for covered UAS on FHWA-funded projects and prevent accidental federal charges or data processing.
- Design cyber and privacy controls. Specify data location and access, encryption, patching, logs, vendor remote support, retention and incident response in the agency’s contract.
- Seek approval before ordering. For BJA-funded UAS obtain express prior approval and the required certification; retain award, procurement and mission records.
Federal framework: Read NDAA, TAA, FCC & Blue UAS Explained for the different federal tests. Verify current lists and award terms before buying or operating.
Funding Pathways
Missouri Grant Opportunities
The administrator controls eligibility, allowable costs, application windows and any UAS approval. A program listing does not mean the opportunity is open.
| Grant / Program | Funding | Typical Applicant | Project Fit | Status / Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BJA FY 2026 Local JAG Formula | Federal direct | Eligible listed local governments | Justice equipment or technology tied to an eligible project; UAS needs express BJA approval | Oct. 9 Grants.gov / Oct. 16 JustGrants, 2026 |
| Missouri DPS Local Violent Crime Prevention (LVCP) | State | State and local law enforcement | Violent-crime strategies, data-driven policing and NIBRS reporting | Oct. 1, 2026, 5 p.m. Central |
| Missouri Blue Shield Grant | State | Approved Blue Shield communities | Law-enforcement equipment, training or technology under program terms | SFY 2027 closed July 31, 2026 |
| Missouri DPS Byrne JAG / Drug Task Force | Federal pass-through | Missouri justice agencies under DPS notice | Investigations, justice technology, prevention and approved equipment | 2025 JAG / 2027 DTF closed June 10, 2026 |
| Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG/JAG) | State-administered | Local government and law enforcement | Basic law-enforcement and officer-safety equipment, up to $10,000 in posted cycle | Posted FY2024 round closed; check next notice |
| State Cyber Crime Grant (SCCG) | State | Eligible cyber-crime investigators | Internet crimes against children, investigations, forensics and prevention | 2026–27 performance period; check next notice |
| Missouri Crime Lab Upgrade Program | State | Eligible crime laboratories | Forensic science and crime-lab capability | 2026–27 performance period; check next notice |
| Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement | Federal pass-through | Eligible public forensic labs and medical examiners | Quality and timeliness of forensic services | 2026–27 performance period; check next notice |
| Missouri DPS Homeland Security Grants | Federal pass-through | Eligible state/local preparedness partners | Risk-based prevention, protection and response projects in approved priorities | Check state project and subaward process |
| SEMA Emergency Management Performance Grant | Federal pass-through | Eligible local emergency management agencies | Sustaining and improving all-hazards emergency management | Check current SEMA cycle and allowable equipment |
| Missouri State and Local Cybersecurity Grant | Federal pass-through | Eligible state/local cyber projects through state process | Cybersecurity planning, services and prioritized controls | Check OHS notice; not a general drone grant |
| Volunteer Fire Department Grant | State | Volunteer/combination departments with budget at or under $50,000 | Fire-protection needs under the notice | SFY 2026 period ended May 15; check next notice |
| FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant | Federal direct | Eligible fire departments and EMS organizations | Fire and EMS operations, equipment and training per NOFO | Check next federal notice |
| FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety | Federal direct | Eligible fire prevention organizations | Prevention activities and firefighter safety research | Check next federal notice |
Near-term deadlines: DPS lists the SFY 2027 LVCP deadline as October 1, 2026 at 5 p.m. Central. BJA FY2026 Local JAG closes October 9 in Grants.gov and October 16 in JustGrants. Check the current notice and your agency’s internal review date.
Grant Planning
Match the Mission to the Funding Source
Choose the notice first, then document how each proposed item supports its stated purpose.
Justice and Violent Crime
DPS LVCP supports local violent-crime prevention and better crime reporting. Missouri’s state-administered JAG and LLEBG/JAG have separate notices and eligibility. The FY2026 BJA Local JAG program is a direct formula opportunity only for jurisdictions listed in its allocation file; an allocation is not an award or authorization for a particular drone.
Preparedness and Fire
SEMA and DPS homeland-security paths depend on the risk-based state process and the applicable federal terms. Volunteer Fire Department Grant eligibility is limited by the published budget threshold. FEMA’s fire grants have their own direct federal notices; do not assume a UAS or surveillance system is eligible without a project and cost review.
Forensics and Cyber
DPS Crime Lab Upgrade and Coverdell focus on forensic service capacity. The State Cyber Crime Grant targets Internet crime against children. A general drone data-security upgrade may need a different funding source even when it is an important procurement safeguard.
For current state notices and submissions, use DPS Grants and WebGrants. For federal direct JAG, use the FY2026 BJA solicitation and its linked allocations. Missouri’s fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30; federal fiscal years and award performance periods vary.
Missouri UAS Procurement FAQ
Common Missouri Compliance Questions
Confirm the buyer, mission, funding source and live notice before purchase or deployment.
Did Missouri enact HB 210’s proposed foreign-drone ban?
No. HB 210 was a 2025 proposal, not an enacted statewide procurement rule. Evaluate any later law, agency policy, procurement terms and federal award conditions separately.
What changed in Missouri’s drone operations law in 2026?
Section 577.800 now includes critical infrastructure facilities and open-air venues with a capacity of at least 500. It lists official-duty exceptions for law enforcement, fire, EMS and government personnel. Check the statute and FAA airspace rules before each mission.
Does MoDOT’s guidance prohibit all Missouri agencies from flying a particular brand?
No. MoDOT addresses covered UAS costs and operations on FHWA-funded projects. It directs agencies to stop charging such procurement and operations to those projects and recommends segregating equipment to prevent accidental use there.
Can a Missouri JAG recipient purchase a drone without further review?
No. BJA permits UAS purchases only with express prior approval and the required certification and cybersecurity and privacy assurances. The recipient should work through the grant administrator before ordering.
Is a Blue UAS listing the same as NDAA, TAA or FCC compliance?
No. Each test has a different scope. Check the live Blue UAS Cleared List, applicable federal award conditions, Section 889 clauses, TAA clauses if present, the FCC Covered List and all components and services.
Is the State Cyber Crime Grant a general cybersecurity or drone purchase fund?
No. DPS describes it as funding to reduce Internet crime against children through investigation, forensics and prevention. Match the project to the current notice.
MAXSUR Solution Pathways
Connect Missouri Funding to Field Capability
Match equipment, training and controls to a documented mission and approved budget.
Procurement Pathway
Move From Grant Approval to a Documented Purchase
Confirm the state flight rules, federal award restrictions, supplier screening, cybersecurity controls and any BJA UAS approval before ordering.
A cooperative contract does not waive purchasing rules or award terms. Confirm the method and product with the administrator and procurement office.