Grant Programs
Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG)
Emergency Management Performance Grants Program (EMPG) is the pre-eminent grant offered by the federal government through TEMA. This grant supports a full-time emergency manager or additional staff. The grant is an excellent means of improving the local program since it requires the jurisdiction to establish a goal and set objectives to reach it. There are quarterly reports to discuss methodology and success. This funding program supports all areas of non-disaster objectives such as planning, preparedness, and response ability. This grant greatly enhances the jurisdiction's ability to provide emergency response and recovery at all levels. This program has a cost share of 50% federal and 50% state or local. Currently there are 71 counties statewide participating in this program. The funding also supports the operation of the 24-hour State Emergency Operations Center.
For questions regarding this program, please contact your regional TEMA office.
Homeland Security Grant Program
TEMA's Homeland Security Grant Programs office is responsible, in conjunction with the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security in the Department of Safety, for administering the various grant programs made available to Tennessee by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. These programs include the Homeland Security Grant Program, the Buffer Zone Protection Program, and others. These grants provide funds to equip and train first responders to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist acts and other disasters.
TEMA's Homeland Security Grant Programs office is primarily responsible for processing reimbursement requests from local governments and assisting them through the application and project formation processes. TEMA ensures that grant requests for payment meet criteria established by the grant and that authorized expenditures do not exceed the total approved for the grant.
Click here to access the TN EM Grants portal.
FY2024 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP): For more information and application instructions, please visit the Department of Safety & Homeland Security website.
Policy for Minimum Radio Requirements for Radios Purchased
This policy establishes the basic radio requirements for public safety radioequipment in the (Low Band) 42 MHz – 50 MHz, (VHF) 150 – 174 MHz, (UHF)450 – 470 MHz, 700 MHz & 800 MHz frequency band when using Homeland Security Grant Program funds to purchase radio equipment.
All radios purchased with Homeland Security Grant Program funding must be programmed with the appropriate Interoperability/Mutual Aid channels as found in the Tennessee Interoperability Guide, Appendix U.
Additional technical specification information can be found in the Tennessee Interoperability Guide, Appendix S.
Analog only Radio Equipment
Low Band radios purchased with Homeland Security Grant Program funds must be FCC type accepted.
VHF / UHF radios purchased using Homeland Security Grant Program funds mustbe FCC type accepted for narrow band.
800 MHz radios purchased using Homeland Security Grant Program funds must be FCC type accepted for usage of the NPSPAC interoperability channels.
Digital Voice Radio Equipment
Any digital radio equipment purchased with Homeland Security Grant Program funds must be FCC type accepted for P25.
Mobile Data Radio Equipment
At this time, there is no published standard for mobile data. If a standard isestablished, this policy will be updated.
This policy is written to provide clarification regarding physical security projects and critical infrastructure as related to the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). In 2004, the Governor’s Homeland Security Council made a decision restricting the use of HSGP funds for physical security projects to only those that are directly linked to U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognized Critical Infrastructure. This policy remains in effect.
Physical security projects may include, but are not limited to, those categories of equipment listed under Section 14 of the Authorized Equipment List (AEL) – Physical Security Enhancement Equipment. This section includes items such as security cameras, security fencing, alarm systems, and many others.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security recognized Critical Infrastructure is a very specific list of sites within each state which have been determined to have the potential for catastrophic loss of life and/or commerce. The list includes sites such as chemical and power plants, sports arenas, shopping malls, etc. To determine if your Homeland Security District has any DHS approved critical infrastructure sites, contact the Tennessee Office of Homeland Security, 615-532-7825.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, made available the Grant Training Digital Series. This digital series is an opportunity to brush up on the grant writing process including research, proposal writing, administration, and budgeting.