By Charles Taylor & Keri Losavio

Politicians tell us the recession ended last year. If you ask a person standing in an unemployment line in New York, Philadelphia, Denver or Los Angeles if they agree with that assessment, they’d probably say no. If you take a close look at many state and local budgets, prosperity is hard to find. More and more, the states are withholding funds that used to be passed on to municipalities to help with their projects.

One project that has many public safety organizations scrambling for money today is the FCC requirement to narrowband equipment on radio frequencies below 512 MHz. And you cannot narrowband a system on a piecemeal basis. It must be done all at once, or you won’t be talking to anybody.

Many city and county agencies don’t have adequate asset management plans for their communications hardware. Many don’t have a reserve account set aside to purchase a lot of new equipment or refurbish a complete system all at once. Given the shortage of available local funds, it’s only natural to look elsewhere for financial assistance. In the past, agencies have looked to the federal grant programs to bail them out. This is a very limited option. There is no stand-alone funding program to support narrowbanding.

Some agencies have incorporated narrowbanding into interoperability projects. After all, interoperability is a stated and demonstrated government priority. The path to true communications inter­operability requires common platforms and secure paths, and a bridge to all major regional partners. If you are currently doing narrowbanding as part of another grant and have questions, contact your grant administrator.

Some places to look to for funding are:

Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Communications: For FY 2011, SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants information can be found at www.safecomprogram.gov/NR/rdonlyres/7C73CFA8-DC8B-487C-82A0-42BD7C06F3BA/0/FY_2011_SAFECOM_Guidance_121510.pdf.

National Telecommunications & Information Administration: Funds awarded under the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Grant Program may be used for narrowbanding projects. Funds may be used to purchase equipment that meets narrowbanding requirements or to educate users about the requirements. Direct questions about allowable expenditures to PSIC@dhs.gov.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program provides financing through direct and guaranteed loans and grants to units of local government, nonprofit organizations and federally recognized Indian tribes for the development of essential community facilities in rural areas. Community Facilities loan and grant funds may be used to construct, enlarge, improve or make equipment purchases for educational, healthcare, public safety and other types of facilities that serve the public. By funding equipment and upgrades, the Community Facilities Program can support public safety licensees in meeting the narrowbanding deadline of Jan. 1, 2013. For more information, visit http://transition.fcc.gov/pshs/docs/public-safety-spectrum/USDA-narrowbanding-potential-funding-opportunuties.pdf.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Preparedness Grants: Many FEMA Preparedness Grants fund narrowband activities, including planning, assessments, training, exercises and equipment. Current grantees should ask program analysts or grant program offices whether unused FEMA funds can be reallocated to narrowband activities. For more information, visit www.fema.gov/government/grant/index.shtm.

U.S. Department of Justice: www.justice.gov/10grants.

State funding: Several states used federal funding to establish a central fund to assist localities in purchasing narrow­band compliant equipment, and to ensure compliance with the narrowband mandate. See your Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) for more information on statewide compliance efforts and funding opportunities.

Corporate funds: In some cases, corporations have given money to public safety agencies in their area. Example: John Deere provided money to the Moline (Ill.) Police Department. The special consideration for this type of giving is that the corporation must give the money regardless of which agency receives the grant award. Given the right circumstances and justification, this type of award may be more available than one may think. It can’t hurt to ask around.

What Next?
After you’ve found a grant that you think will answer your need and built a cross-agency coalition, it’s time to tell your story in the form of a grant application. Some tips to get you started:

• Designate a point person to write the proposals and manage the grants.
• Determine how any grant funding your agency receives will be integrated into your overall plans.
• Read and follow the application directions.
• Tell a compelling story. Clearly state the reason you need the grant. Identify a realistic, worst case scenario or incident that the project for which you’re seeking funds would help your agency prevent or respond to. Then narrow the focus to the precise use of the grant. Include your goals and objectives.
• Write clearly. Be specific and concise. Include an introduction, summary and headings.
• Provide long- and short-term objectives. What is the target for success and how will it be measured?
• Include a budget, specifying administrative and program costs.
• Invest in the system now to show intent and commitment.

One common reason grant applications get rejected is that the applicant did not follow the directions. The need to read and follow the application directions cannot be overstated.

You must demonstrate advance planning. The SAFECOM Guidance for Federal Grant Programs states, “Planning activities help to prioritize needs, build capabilities, update preparedness strategies, allocate resources, and deliver preparedness programs across multiple disciplines and levels of government.” According to SAFECOM, multiagency partnerships should facilitate planning activities, such as assessments of: technology capabilities, specifically the identification and inventory of infrastructure and equipment; standard operating procedures (SOPs); training and exercises; coordination and maintenance of mutual-aid channels; and usage.

Be prepared to explain how the funds you’re seeking will be used to mitigate the risk of the disaster waiting to happen. And make sure you give the policy makers a way to spend the money wisely. Quantify the benefits. Create a budget and track how the money is spent. Be accountable.

Different grant programs are subject to different statutory requirements and authorities, so this article offers general guidance. But one rule applies: You can get what you need by giving the government policy makers what they want.

About the Authors
Charles Taylor has more than 30 years of experience in public safety land mobile radio and is retired from the Ventura County (Calif.) Communications Department. He is a member of CPRA and the APCO International Editorial Advisory Committee. Contact him via e-mail at mrcharles@dslextreme.com.

Keri Losavio is the editor of APCO’s Public Safety Communications and has more than 15 years of experience in editing public safety publications. Contact her via e-mail at losaviok@apcointl.org.

Adapted with permission from “Where’s the Money?,” Tapping into Federal Funds: Your Ultimate Grant Resource, March 2010, and “Bleak Grant Outlook for 2011,” Public Safety Communications, March 2011.

Originally published July 2011 in Narrowband Now: Strategies for Meeting the Jan. 1, 2013, Deadline, a supplement to APCO International’s Public Safety Communications sponsored by Aeroflex Inc., Kenwood USA Corp., Motorola and Simulcast Solutions LLC.

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