State Public Safety Grant Guide
Utah Public Safety Grants
Funding pathways for Utah public safety agencies, with practical checks for drone origin, cybersecurity, surveillance systems and grant eligibility.
Utah agencies can pursue criminal justice, homeland security, emergency management and traffic safety funding for eligible public safety projects. A drone, camera or software system must fit the program purpose and the specific award terms; the presence of a grant program does not itself make a purchase eligible.
When planning a UAS or surveillance project, identify the mission, funding source, manufacturer and assembly origin, radio and video components, data flows, cloud access, records retention and required approvals before writing specifications.
Quick distinction: Utah Code § 72-10-1202 addresses UAS purchased or operated by a public entity or its direct contractor for critical infrastructure inspection. It is not a blanket prohibition on every Utah public safety drone. Federal grant conditions can independently restrict a purchase or use, even where a state-law operating exception applies.
Funding pathways
Utah Grant Opportunities
Statuses below were checked September 29, 2026. Consult each official notice for eligibility, allowable costs, match, approvals and any updated deadline.
| Program / source | Who / project fit | Current status | UAS or cyber planning |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 BJA Local JAG | Only Utah jurisdictions on BJA's FY2026 direct-allocation list; eligible criminal justice equipment or technology if approved. | Open: Grants.gov Oct 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET; JustGrants Oct 16, 2026, 8:59 p.m. ET. | Get BJA's UAS prior approval; check Blue UAS and federal award conditions before budgeting aircraft. |
| Utah JAG formula subgrants | Department of Criminal Justice / CCJJ awards to criminal justice agencies and service providers; law enforcement and technology improvement are eligible purpose areas. | State page reports no open JAG project solicitation; monitor for next round. | Describe approved mission, data handling and equipment; federal flow-down rules apply to subawards. |
| Utah Byrne SCIP | Crisis intervention, behavioral health and law enforcement-based programs through CCJJ. | State page reports no open SCIP project solicitation. | Do not treat general drone procurement as a SCIP purpose; tie any technology to the approved intervention. |
| State Asset Forfeiture Grant (SAFG) | Governmental criminal justice agencies; state formula funds for qualifying criminal justice projects. | State page shows no open application. Ask program manager about next cycle and eligible equipment. | State UAS inspection rule and agency procurement/security policies still apply; check any other funds blended into the purchase. |
| FEMA HSGP: SHSP / UASI / OPSG | Risk-based homeland security capabilities; Utah's state administrative agency coordinates projects and subawards. | Contact Utah DEM for state process and current project cycle; check the applicable FEMA notice. | Require nexus to approved threats and capabilities, equipment eligibility and federal UAS restrictions. |
| FEMA Emergency Management Performance Grant | State and local emergency management capacity, planning, training and operations. | Coordinate with Utah DEM; subaward timing and activities depend on state plan and federal notice. | Document emergency-management purpose and verify equipment costs and federal award terms. |
| Utah Highway Safety Office / GEARS | Data-driven traffic safety programs for eligible state, local and nonprofit applicants. | FY2027 applications closed Mar 4, 2026; project period Oct 1, 2026–Sep 30, 2027. Monitor next announcement. | Traffic safety fit and grant-approved equipment must be established; no general UAS entitlement. |
| Utah OJJDP Title II / UBJJ | Eligible youth justice and delinquency prevention services. | 2026–27 solicitation closed. Monitor UBJJ for subsequent cycle. | Mission-specific program; surveillance or aircraft should not be assumed eligible. |
The FY2026 Utah state JAG formula allocation is $1,901,539. That figure is a federal allocation to the state program, not an open local grant or an award to a particular agency.
Origin & cybersecurity
Which Rules Apply to a Utah Project?
Evaluate the mission and the funding source together. A manufacturer's marketing label or a vendor's generic “NDAA compliant” claim does not replace a model-specific review.
| Rule | Utah agency implication | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Utah Code §§ 72-10-1201–1202 | For critical infrastructure inspections, a public entity or direct contractor generally may not purchase or operate a UAS manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity. “Covered” includes entities on specified U.S. lists, entities domiciled in China or Russia, those under those governments' influence/control and affiliates. The statute provides a conditional operation pathway regardless of origin. | For that pathway, keep UAS offline during inspection; remove all inspection data, including images, video, geospatial data and flight logs, before connecting it to the Internet. If inspection video must be broadcast via Internet, relevant software must be U.S. developed or approved under the most recent NDAA. Document how each condition is met. |
| Utah Code § 72-10-1002 | Separate safe-operation rule restricts flight over a surface critical infrastructure facility without prior facility authorization; first responders and state or federal agencies with regulatory authority have statutory exceptions. | Confirm airspace, FAA requirements, site permission where needed and operational authority. Utah law also addresses law enforcement UAS data and encounter reporting. |
| American Security Drone Act / OMB M-26-02 | For federal grants and cooperative agreements, restrictions effective Dec 22, 2025 bar covered expenditures involving UAS on the federal FASC prohibited list, subject to stated exceptions and waivers. This is an independent federal funding screen. | Check the current prohibited list, award terms, pass-through conditions, and whether a written exception or waiver actually applies before purchase or operational spending. |
| BJA UAS grant policy / Blue UAS | BJA requires express prior approval and a certification that only UAS verified on the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List as not manufactured by a covered foreign entity will be purchased or operated under its award. Its policy also bars modifications or added accessories and use to process, store or transmit federal information under that certification. | Submit BJA's certification and privacy, civil liberties and cybersecurity assurances through the grant process. Verify the exact listed configuration and the Commerce Consolidated Screening List; listing alone does not approve the cost. |
| FCC Covered List / equipment authorization | FCC's December 2025 action addresses foreign-produced UAS and critical components in its equipment authorization process. It is distinct from grant eligibility; previously authorized device models are not automatically barred from import, sale or use by that action. | Ask for FCC IDs and authorization status of radios, aircraft and relevant components; check current Covered List notices and applicable exemptions. |
| TAA and Section 889 | Trade Agreements Act origin rules attach to covered federal procurement, not automatically to every Utah grant purchase. Federal Section 889 rules separately concern covered telecommunications/video surveillance equipment and services. | Confirm whether each clause is incorporated into the specific contract or award. Inventory camera, networking and cloud vendors separately from UAS origin. |
Practical file: Keep manufacturer and assembly documentation, bill of materials, FCC authorizations, software/firmware origin, cloud and telemetry routes, security controls, retention settings, agency approvals, grant officer correspondence and any waiver in the procurement record. Utah's statutory exception is not a substitute for a federal grant exception.
Planning figures
FY2026 Utah Direct Local JAG Allocations
These are formula allocations published by BJA, not awarded grants. A group must designate one fiscal agent and document its allocation agreement.
| Jurisdiction or joint group | FY2026 allocation | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County / Salt Lake City | $353,364 | Joint allocation; county $72,227 and city $281,137 components. |
| West Valley City | $91,139 | Direct municipal allocation. |
| Weber County / Ogden | $83,857 | Joint allocation. |
| Utah County / Orem / Provo | $66,118 | Joint allocation. |
| West Jordan | $54,585 | Direct municipal allocation. |
| Other Utah listed jurisdictions | See BJA list | Only named jurisdictions are directly eligible; local total is $885,243. |
Source: BJA FY2026 Utah local JAG allocation table. Check the table for all qualifying municipalities and disparate-jurisdiction requirements.
Project planning
Match the Mission, Technology and Award
For grant-funded surveillance or UAS projects, write the operational need and compliance evidence into the application and procurement file.
Procurement pathway
Plan the Purchase Before Spending the Award
MAXSUR can help scope a Utah public safety technology project and discuss cooperative purchasing. Final eligibility, procurement method, federal security restrictions and approvals belong to the agency and its grant administrator.
Information reviewed September 29, 2026. Funding notices and legal requirements change; confirm the applicable law and award terms before issuing a solicitation or obligating funds.