NTIA is pleased to announce the first award recipients of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) 2.0, which will provide as much as $43.4 million to help states and territories prepare for FirstNet’s buildout of the nationwide public safety broadband network.
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 tasked NTIA with establishing a grant program to assist states and territories with planning for FirstNet, a nationwide wireless broadband network for public safety that that launched last year under the leadership of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. Under the original program, NTIA awarded $116.5 million in grants to 54 U.S. states and territories between July 2013 and June 2014. The funding was used to consult with FirstNet and perform outreach to public safety stakeholders. The original grants expired February 28, 2018, and many recipients spent less than expected, leaving leftover funds.
NTIA is reallocating these funds in a second round of grants, SLIGP 2.0, which will allow for a broader range of planning activities, such as assisting state, local and tribal governments in developing data sharing agreements, helping with the transition of public safety applications to the national public safety broadband network, analyzing coverage gaps, and convening stakeholder meetings at FirstNet’s request.
Grants to additional State and Territorial governments will be awarded on a rolling basis in the coming weeks. NTIA is using an incremental funding mechanism for SLIGP 2.0, with the first increment providing funding for an initial 9 months, and a second increment providing funding for the next 15 months.
The following SLIGP 2.0 grant recipients were awarded on March 1. The amounts reflect the first increment funding; additional funds will be awarded based on availability.
| Recipient | Initial funding amount |
|---|---|
| Alaska Department of Public Safety | $200,000 |
| Georgia Emergency Management Agency | $407,102 |
| Idaho Military Division | $250,000 |
| Iowa Department of Public Safety | $229,030 |
| Kansas Adjutant General’s Department | $250,000 |
| Commonwealth of Kentucky, Finance Cabinet | $250,000 |
| Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services | $249,960 |
| Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security | $250,000 |
| Nebraska Department of Administrative Services | $250,000 |
| New Mexico Department of Information Technology | $250,000 |
| Pennsylvania State Police | $425,000 |
| Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security | $250,000 |
The SLIGP 2.0 grant awards will enable public safety entities and personnel across the nation to continue working with FirstNet as it implements the national public safety broadband network.