1 Kentucky’s Public Safety Awareness Initiative Program Funding August 23, 2005

2 Course Objectives To educate public safety officials with funding strategies to support public safety radio communication systems. To identify, apply, and receive grant opportunities available for public safety radio communication systems.

3 Lesson Plan Funding Limitations Funding Strategy Funding Sources Financing Methods Grant Opportunities Grant Restrictions Grant Application Grant Writing Process Grant Administration

4 Funding

5 Funding Limitations State and Local governments face estimated record budget deficits. General Fund discretionary dollars cannot be relied upon from year to year. Bond funding may be limited by a government’s debt ceiling. Business case justification for public safety communications system has not been adequately communicated to elected officials.

6 Funding Strategy Needs to encompass the entire life cycle of the public radio communications system which includes planning, designing, funding, procuring, installing, operating, maintaining, and retiring. May include one or more funding sources at different levels of government. –Federal –State –Local May include alternative cost sharing approaches such as public and private partnerships.

7 Funding Sources Federal Government Revenue Sources Funding Mechanisms TaxesBondsNotes User Fees Surcharges AppropriationsGrants

8 Funding Sources State Government Revenue Sources Funding Mechanisms Federal Gov. TaxesBonds User Fees SurchargesLotteries AppropriationsGrants

9 Funding Sources Local Government Revenue Sources Funding Mechanisms Federal Gov. State Gov. TaxesBonds User Fees Surcharges General Funds Improvement Plans Investment Funds

10 Financing Methods Budget Appropriations Grants 911 Surcharges Targeted Fees and Taxes Bonds Public/Private Partnerships Foundations

11 Grant Opportunities Mountains of Paperwork Surf the Paperwork or Use or Web Sites to Search Grant Opportunities

12 Grant Opportunities for Public Safety Federal Agencies –Department of Homeland Security Office of Domestic Preparedness Federal Emergency Management Agency Transportation Security Administration Department of Justice Environment Protection Agency Department of Health and Human Services –Department of Defense Use Web Site to Search Public Safety Grant Opportunitieswww.dhs.gov

13 Grant Restrictions Types of Grants –Categorical Narrowly Defined, Specific Spending –Block Broadly Defined, Flexible Spending Matching Requirements –A percentage cost of the project must be paid by the participating agency Period of Project Support

14 Grant Application enables applicants to search and download grant application packages online via the internet. Other Federal Agencies such as DHS allows applicants to download grant application information and apply online via the internet.

15 Grant Writing Process

16 Writing the Grant Read the grant application carefully to understand the goals and objectives of the grant. Read and follow the instructions precisely and complete all forms neatly using clear and unambiguous language. Identify grant restrictions such as: –Categorical versus Block Grants –Matching Requirements –Period of Project Support Identify grant application deadlines.

17 Components of a Grant* Executive Summary –Outlines Project Summary and Objectives Introduction of the Organization Problem Statement/Statement of Need –Purpose of the Grant Application Proposal Project Description –Identifies specific objectives with solving the problem. Project Methodology –Identifies the steps that the grantee evaluated throughout the grant proposal process. The progression from the needs statement to the specific objectives Project Evaluation. –The methods that will show how the grantee meets the objectives. Budget *PSWN – Kansas Interoperability Educational Module

18 Grant Administration

19 Awarding the Grant Follow regulations and reporting requirements of the granting agency. Develop a Project Management Plan to manage the awarded money appropriately. Any grant modifications or changes must be approved in writing by the granting agency.

20 Review Areas of Study Lesson Plan –Funding Limitations –Funding Strategy –Funding Sources –Financing Methods –Grant Opportunities –Grants Restrictions –Grant Application –Grant Writing Process –Grant Administration

21 Action Plan / Wrap Up A Funding Strategy needs to encompass the entire life cycle of the public radio communication system. Financing methods are ways to manage the money and will be incorporated into the Funding Strategy. Grants offer great opportunities as a financing method and should be understood and properly processed.

22 Recommended Readings Report on Funding Mechanisms for Public Safety Radio CommunicationsReport on Funding Mechanisms for Public Safety Radio Communications Public Safety Communications Funding Awareness GuidePublic Safety Communications Funding Awareness Guide How To Guide for Funding State and Local Public Safety Wireless NetworksHow To Guide for Funding State and Local Public Safety Wireless Networks Developing and Writing Grant ProposalsDeveloping and Writing Grant Proposals

23 Additional Resources Internet Links – – – – – Kentucky Office of Homeland Security – Commonwealth Office of Technology – Kentucky Wireless Interoperability Executive Committee (KWIEC)

24 Kentucky’s Public Safety Awareness Initiative Program Discussions? Funding August 23, 2005