Grant strategist Joan Brody shares practical advice for securing funding in a year defined by delays, competition, and shifting priorities.

Public safety funding in 2025 isn’t business as usual. A wave of grant announcements—some delayed, some restructured—has created uncertainty across the field. With fewer predictable cycles and more competitive awards, the departments that succeed are the ones that stay ready year-round, not just when a funding notice drops.

In our recent conversation with Joan Brody, a longtime expert in public safety grants, we explored what’s different about this year, how departments can position themselves for success, and what it takes to build a sustainable approach to funding.

This Q&A builds on insights from our earlier post, Fund Smarter, Not Harder: Why Better Data Is the Key to Public Safety Funding, based on CTO Jason Truppi’s talk at the IACP 2025 Technology Conference in Indianapolis.

Q: What’s going on with public safety grants in 2025? How is this year different?

Joan: It’s been one of the strangest years I’ve seen. Normally, there’s a clear “grant season” from January to May. This year, grants were released and then pulled back, reorganized, or delayed. As of now, the COPS Office and the Office on Violence Against Women are carrying the load, while the Office of Justice Programs—the biggest source for tech-forward public safety grants—hasn’t released much yet. Everyone’s been waiting.

That’s what makes the grants that are out now so critical. They’re more competitive, and they’re landing all at once.

Q: Where should agencies start if they’re new to the grant process?

Joan: Start with what you already have. Agencies often don’t realize they’re sitting on unused funds—formula grants, leftover federal dollars, or underutilized budget lines. Connecting those dots is often more impactful than chasing something new.

Also: don’t lead with technology. Lead with the problem you’re solving. ForceMetrics, for example, can support a dozen initiatives—from homelessness and officer wellness to dispatch optimization and violent crime prevention—but you need to focus the proposal. Grants won’t fund a wishlist; they’ll fund a clear, strategic approach.

Q: What kinds of grants can support technology like ForceMetrics?

Joan: Most federal grants aren’t technology-only. But if you tell the right story, tech can be part of your solution. For example:

• The Community Policing Development (CPD) grants have multiple focus areas—homelessness, de-escalation, school safety, and more. ForceMetrics can support any of those as part of a broader program.
  
• The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness (LEMHWA) grants are a great fit if you’re using ForceMetrics to build early intervention systems or track officer exposure to traumatic events.
  
• The Anti-Heroin Task Force (AHTF) and Anti-Methamphetamine Program (CAMP) grants are state-level but very tech-friendly—and worth exploring if your agency is part of a larger statewide effort.
  

Q: What if an agency applies for a grant and doesn’t get it?

Joan: Honestly? I’ve never had an agency go through the grant process and walk away with nothing. Even if they don’t win the grant, they usually find another way to fund the project. Once a department defines the problem and sees the potential solution, they make it happen—whether it’s through another grant, reallocating budget, or working with a foundation. That’s why going through the process is so important. It gets people aligned.

Q: How can ForceMetrics help agencies build more sustainable grant programs?

Joan: ForceMetrics gives agencies something funders love: data. Not just dashboards, but evidence of what’s working, where improvements are happening, and what impact new programs are having. That kind of insight is key to proving ROI and making the case for renewal or ongoing support.

In fact, I always say sustainability is built into ForceMetrics. Whatever your initiative—officer wellness, dispatch reform, co-responder models—you’ll have the metrics to show progress and defend continued funding.

Q: What’s the best way for an agency to engage with you?

Joan: Start by connecting with your contact at ForceMetrics. They’ll loop me in, and I’ll set up a one-on-one with your agency to talk through your goals, current funding, and potential strategies. From there, I can help craft an approach, share example proposals, and walk you through the technical parts of applying.

I don’t usually write the grants myself—that can create conflicts during procurement—but I support the process end-to-end. The key is starting with a clear idea of what you want to achieve and being open to creative paths to get there.

Final Thoughts

Whether you have a grant writer on staff or you’re starting from scratch, the key to public safety funding success is preparation. The departments that win grants aren’t just responding to NOFOs. They’re aligning priorities, telling compelling stories, and showing they can deliver.

If you’re exploring grant options or just want to understand what’s possible, ForceMetrics can help. Contact us and we’ll connect you with Joan to get started.