State Public Safety Grant Guide
South Dakota Public Safety Grants
Funding pathways, grant contacts, compliance notes, available programs, and award examples for South Dakota law enforcement, fire, EMS, homeland security, emergency management, school safety, investigations, training, and mission support.
This South Dakota public-safety grant page is part of the MAXSUR Public Safety Grant Resource Center. It is designed to help agencies identify funding pathways and planning resources for law enforcement technology, drones, surveillance, communications, officer safety, forensic capabilities, traffic safety, school safety, emergency response, training, and broader public-safety initiatives.
South Dakota agencies should use this page as a starting point for funding research, then verify all deadlines, eligibility requirements, allowable costs, and procurement rules with the official funding source, local procurement office, grant administrator, and legal counsel as appropriate.
Planning note: No state-wide ban. Agencies may purchase foreign drones unless using federal funds. However, NDAA-compliance remains mandatory when purchasing drones or covered technologies with federal funds. Agencies should confirm current requirements before issuing solicitations, selecting technology, or spending grant funds.
Available Funding Pathways
South Dakota Grant Opportunities
The programs below include state, federal, federal pass-through, partner, and private funding pathways that may support South Dakota public-safety projects. Use the official links to confirm current application windows, eligibility, allowable costs, and program requirements.
| Grant | Level | Source | Best Fit / Technology | Deadline Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHACF – Capacity Building Grant | Private | Black Hills Area CF (BHACF) | Infrastructure / IT / Wellness Tech | Projected: Feb 1, 2027 |
| South Dakota Drug Control Fund | State | South Dakota Attorney General | Body-worn cameras / in-car cameras / Tasers / surveillance equipment / K-9 equipment | Rolling |
| BJA Body-Worn Camera Partnership Program | Federal | BJA | Body cameras / implementation / policy support / storage / digital evidence management | Projected: Oct 1, 2026 |
| BJA – Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) | Federal | BJA | Data-sharing / deflection platforms / naloxone support systems / case management / coordination tools | Projected: May 1, 2027 |
| Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants Program | Federal | BJA | Lab equipment / forensic tools / accreditation / training / backlog reduction | Projected: Oct 1, 2026 |
| Paul Coverdell Forensic Science Improvement Grants | Federal | BJA | Crime-lab equipment / LIMS / DNA / toxicology / digital forensics | Projected: Oct 1, 2026 |
| DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program | Federal | BJA | DNA processing / laboratory capacity / CODIS upload support / forensic equipment | Projected: Oct 1, 2026 |
| BJA – Local JAG Direct Allocations | Federal | Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) | Equipment / investigative tools / records systems / communications / officer safety | Passed (May 1, 2026). Next Expected: Spring 2027. |
| Patrick Leahy Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP) Program | Federal | BJA / OJP | Ballistic vests | Projected: Jul 1, 2026 |
| BJA Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program | Federal / State | BJA | Treatment-program support / case management / recovery support / reentry coordination | Projected: Jan 1, 2027 |
| National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) | Federal | BJA | Evidence management / lab testing / case tracking / multidisciplinary coordination | Projected: Aug 1, 2026 |
| DOJ – STOP School Violence Program | Federal | BJA / COPS | Anonymous reporting systems / alerting / communication / limited school-safety technology | Projected: Jul 1, 2026 |
| National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) | Federal | Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) | Criminal-history systems / records integration / data quality improvements | Projected: Mar 1, 2027 |
| COPS Hiring Program (CHP) | Federal | COPS Office | Personnel / hiring support | Projected: Jul 1, 2026 |
| Community Policing Development (CPD) Microgrants | Federal | COPS Office | Pilot projects / analytics / outreach / workflow improvement / novel tools | Projected: Jul 1, 2026 |
| Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) Program | Federal | COPS Office | Wellness programming / training / clinical support / family resources | Expected: Jun 23, 2026 |
| Safer Outcomes: Enhancing De-Escalation and Crisis Response Training | Federal | COPS Office | Training delivery / scenario tools / program support | Expected: May 27, 2026 |
| COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) | Federal | COPS Office | Security equipment / access control / emergency notification / coordination support | Expected: Jun 18, 2026 |
| COPS Office – Technology and Equipment Program (TEP) | Federal | COPS | Interoperable communications / policing tech / equipment | Projected: Apr 1, 2027 |
| SDOHS – Highway Safety Grant Program | State / Partner | SD Office of Highway Safety | LPR / Speed Tech / Crash Data Tech | Projected: Jan 1, 2027 |
| Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program | Federal | OJJDP | Digital forensics / investigative technology / training / task-force support | Projected: Oct 1, 2026 |
| Funds for Firefighters Grant Project | Private | Black Hills Corporation Foundation | SAR Gear / Fire Tech / Safety Gear | Projected: Apr 1, 2027 |
| South Dakota Juvenile Justice Formula Grants Program (Title II) | Federal / State | South Dakota DOC (DOJ/OJJDP) | Program support / case management / electronic monitoring / youth-services coordination | Varies (Contact SD DOC) |
| OVW – Improving Criminal Justice Responses (ICJR) Program | Federal | OVW | Case management / lethality assessment tools / victim-response technology / limited investigative tools | Projected: Apr 30, 2027 |
| SD Highway Safety – Traffic Enforcement Equipment Reimbursement | Federal / State | SD OHS (NHTSA) | Radar / digital video / alcohol testing gear / speed boards | Projected: Jan 1, 2027 |
| SD Highway Safety – Impaired Driving High Visibility Enforcement | Federal / State | SD OHS (NHTSA) | Patrol overtime / in-car cameras / breath testing devices | Projected: Jan 1, 2027 |
| SD Highway Safety – Traffic Records / Crash Report Data Systems | Federal / State | SD OHS (NHTSA) | Crash reporting software / traffic-records systems / data coordination | Projected: Jan 1, 2027 |
| South Dakota Byrne JAG Grant | Federal / State | SD DPS (DOJ/BJA) | Equipment / information systems / digital evidence / training | Projected: Jan 1, 2027 |
| SDCF – Beyond Idea Grants (BIG) | Private | SD Community Foundation | Drones / Wellness / Capacity Tech | Expected: May 31, 2026 |
| Bush Prize: South Dakota | Private | SDCF / Bush Foundation | Innovation Tech / Flexible Capital | Passed (April 30, 2026) |
| Lowe's 2026 Community Impact Grant | Private | Lowe's Foundation | Infrastructure Tech / Safety Upgrades | Passed (Mar 20). Next Expected: Feb 2027. |
Award Intelligence
Recent South Dakota Public-Safety Award Examples
Award examples help agencies see that South Dakota departments, counties, municipalities, tribal public-safety partners, and regional public-safety organizations do receive funding. These examples are not a guarantee of future awards, but they can help agencies understand how funding is being directed across the state.
| Awardee | Grant / Program | Type | Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha County / Sioux Falls City | Local JAG FY2024 | Disparate jurisdictions joint allocation | $156,197 | FY 2024 |
| Pennington County / Rapid City | Local JAG FY2024 | Disparate jurisdictions joint allocation | $104,625 | FY 2024 |
| Rosebud Sioux Tribe | Local JAG FY2024 | Tribal direct allocation | $47,565 | FY 2024 |
| Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe | Local JAG FY2024 | Tribal direct allocation | $27,909 | FY 2024 |
| Brown County / Aberdeen City | Local JAG FY2024 | Disparate jurisdictions joint allocation | $18,224 | FY 2024 |
| Oglala Sioux Tribe | Local JAG FY2024 | Tribal direct allocation | $17,079 | FY 2024 |
| Hughes County / Pierre City | Local JAG FY2024 | Disparate jurisdictions joint allocation | $11,546 | FY 2024 |
The South Dakota award dataset reviewed for this page includes 7 award records totaling approximately $383,145 across records with numeric award amounts.
MAXSUR Solution Pathways
Connect South Dakota Funding to Field-Ready Capability
MAXSUR supports public-safety agencies with mission-focused technology, integration, training, and procurement pathways. These solution areas may align with selected grant programs when tied to eligible missions and approved costs.
Procurement Pathway
Use Grant Funding More Efficiently With Cooperative Procurement
Finding a grant is only part of the process. Once funding is identified or awarded, South Dakota agencies still need a compliant and efficient path to purchase, deploy, and support the equipment or services tied to the project.
MAXSUR’s BuyBoard contract may help eligible agencies streamline procurement, access contract pricing, and move faster from funding approval to field-ready capability for selected public-safety projects.
BuyBoard eligibility, grant allowability, and procurement requirements may vary by agency, funding source, and jurisdiction. Agencies should confirm requirements with their procurement office, grant administrator, and legal counsel before purchase.