The world of law enforcement grants is big, deep, and broad—and not always where you might expect. When it comes to police grants, the most obvious places to look are in the public sector. These might be grants from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or state-level grants. However, private grants for law enforcement are out there too, and those programs can make a big difference to agencies seeking police grant funding.
Law enforcement agencies may be eligible for private grant programs from companies
From Wal-Mart to Walgreens, public and private companies around the country have offered private grants for law enforcement over the years. Sometimes these programs do come and go. But if your agency is trying to find grant funding, talking with the manager at large retailers in your town can be a good idea. They may be able to connect you with the company’s community support programs that your agency might be eligible for.
Don’t just talk with retailers though
Retailers aren’t the only businesses that might have grant programs though. Insurance companies and other service providers may also have grant programs meant to benefit the communities where they do business. If there are major service providers in your area, again, a chat with a manager can connect you with a program, or search online “company name grant” to get pointed in the right direction.
A name doesn’t mean everything, either. National sub chain Firehouse Subs offers a grant program—but it’s not just for fire departments. Law enforcement agencies are eligible too.
Don’t forget local service or civic organizations too. The Lion’s Club, VFW, Elk and Moose Lodges, Civitan Rotary, and tourism boards are other potential opportunities. If you have a conversation with people at these clubs and organizations, they could be an excellent on-the-ground way to secure funding.
Private citizens can also be a source for grants
A story our own Kurt Bradley loves to tell is when a citizen stopped into a police station to complain about delayed police response in the community during tourist season. The trouble, explained the duty officer, was all the tourist traffic clogged up the roads and made it hard to get response vehicles to a call or incident.
The next day, that same citizen returned—with a brand-new Harley Davidson. He had purchased it, and gave it to the department as a gift.
The moral of the story?
Private grants can take many forms, from a check to someone who gifts products to the agency. The more your agency talks with citizens and engages on real-world issues affecting your personnel and their mission, the more likely you could be to connect with a citizen who might be able to help out.
Don’t forget nonprofits and charitable organizations
When we think about private sources of grants, we’re talking about pretty much anything that doesn’t come from taxpayer dollars, or public agencies at the local, state, or federal level. That can be companies or individuals, but often the nonprofit sector can slip through the cracks of our grant-seeking.
Nonprofits and charitable organizations exist to fulfill specific purposes to benefit the public and fill certain community needs. Some of those organizations may also be able to liaise with or assist your agency on grant funding or equipment procurement. As you become aware of organizations in your area where there may be some overlap in your missions, have a conversation with their key members and see if there are ways you might be able to assist one another. The result could be just what your department needed.
Private grants for law enforcement are out there
The world of grants often focuses on the public sector, but it certainly doesn’t end there. Private grants for law enforcement are out there. They just may take some digging, a little good old-fashioned legwork, and some ingenuity to find. Once you do though, you may have an excellent source to fill your agency’s needs, and better serve your personnel and your community.