Private Grants are the largest pool of funding available to Public Safety. Unfortunately, it is also the least applied for when it comes to equipment, software, and training needs. Today’s blog is all about Private Grants.
The first thing you have to understand about Private Grant Funding is there are three types:
- Corporate Grants
- Foundation Grants
- Non-Profits Grants
Corporate Grants are from businesses. The funding is a percentage of company revenue.
Non-Profit Grants are from 501c3 organizations established to solve problems.
Foundation Grants are from 501c3 community organizations established to solve problems in a specific region of the county.
This funding is set aside to:
- Improve Public Safety capability
- Enhance or develop the community
- Prepare for or provide relief from a disaster
The most well-known corporate grant is from Firehouse Subs. Chris and Robin Sorensen founded Firehouse Subs. Chris and Robin grew up in a family that is both entrepreneurial and built on decades of fire and police service. However, at Firehouse Subs, subs are only part of their story. A portion of customer purchases at all US Firehouse Subs locations goes to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to provide lifesaving equipment to first responders. Since the Foundation started, it has granted over $60 million to provide equipment, training, and support to hometown heroes.
The most well-known non-profit grant is from the Gary Sinise Foundation. The Gary Sinise Foundation serves the nation by honoring defenders, veterans, first responders, families, and those in need. They do this by creating and supporting unique programs designed to entertain, educate, inspire, strengthen, and build communities.
Foundations are the secret weapon for Public Safety. A community foundation is a public charity that typically focuses on supporting a geographical area, primarily by facilitating and pooling donations to address community needs and support local non-profits. In addition, community foundations offer numerous grantmaking programs, frequently including donor-advised funds, endowments, scholarships, field-of-interest funds, giving circles, and more. The funding for community foundations is from donations from individuals, families, businesses, and sometimes government grants.
The standard grant process requires the Public Safety Agency to fill out the application and write a grant justification paper. Sometimes, the grant justification paper is a part of the grant application. In addition, the application will have questions, and the agency will provide short answers—questions about their community’s problem and how their project will solve the problem.
Every private grant has a point of contact or POC in charge of the application and award process. Their contact information is found either on its website or in the grant guidance and application kit. The POC’s responsibility is to help agencies receive funding that has a specific grantor’s problem.
Private grants to think about for your public safety project included the following sources:
- Banks
- Energy Companies
- Insurance Companies
- Manufacturing Companies
- Public Safety Foundations
- Railroads
- Regional Community Foundations
Please feel free to contact me or come to one of my FREE Grant Funding Assistance Strategy Classes to learn more.
My goal is simple: To solve the public safety funding problem!