April 2026 Funding Trend Report

April federal grant activity continued to move toward a practical, project-ready funding environment. The strongest activity was not concentrated in one large national program, but spread across transportation safety, disaster resilience, rural broadband, water quality, housing stabilization, justice system operations, and emergency management. For applicants, the month reinforced the need to keep priority projects ready with current budgets, local match documentation, authorizing resolutions, andclear evidenceof need. Several opportunities moving into May have short or active timelines, which makes early preparation more important than waiting for final internal decisions after a NOFO is released.

A major theme in April was risk reduction. Federal opportunities continued to favor projects that can show a direct connection to safety, resilience, compliance, and public benefit. USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program remained a major roadway safety opportunity, while rail crossing safety funding, FEMA resilience programs, EPA water system support, and DOJ public safety programs all pointed in the same direction: agencies are prioritizing projects that reduce preventable harm, modernize critical systems, and help communities address known operational weaknesses. Applicants that can connect their project to measurable safety outcomes, service continuity, or long-term cost avoidance are likely to be stronger than those relying only on broad community-need language.

On May 1st, the DHS federal budget was passed, which will allow FEMA and Homeland Security grant programs to begin opening. The 2026 FEMA fire funding levels were also approved with a 5% increase, bringing AFG and SAFER funding to $342 million each. At the same time, DOJ opportunities for rural law enforcement, crisis intervention, juvenile justice, and court-related programs are moving alongside infrastructure and environmental funding. For GrantFinder users and staff, the best approach heading into May is to watch agency-specific releases closely, confirm eligibility early, and keep several project types ready so applicants can move quickly when programs open.

Key Federal & State Funding Developments
• USDA Rural Development’s Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program remained a strong option for rural communities needing support for drinking water, sanitary sewer, solid waste disposal, and stormwater drainage improvements. This opportunity is especially relevant for smaller jurisdictions facing aging utility systems, compliance concerns, or limited local revenue to support major infrastructure upgrades.

• FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program created a major resilience-focused opportunity for communities preparing hazard mitigation projects. BRIC supports proactive investments that reduce risk from floods, wildfires, earthquakes, severe storms, and other natural hazards. Applicants will be best positioned when they can clearly document risk, prior damage, vulnerable infrastructure, and the long-term benefit of mitigation work.

• EPA’s Training and Technical Assistance to Improve Water Quality and Enable Small Public Water Systems to Provide Safe Drinking Water offered a targeted path for small drinking water and wastewater systems. This funding supports technical assistance, training, and capacity-building to help communities improve water quality, maintain infrastructure, and meet Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.

• USDA’s Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program continued to provide an important financing pathway for essential rural facilities. Eligible projects may include public safety buildings, healthcare facilities, town halls, community centers, and other facilities that support basic public services. For rural applicants, this program can help move larger facility projects forward when traditional grant funding alone is not enough.

• HUD’s Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program highlighted continued federal attention on housing supply and affordability. The program supports communities working to remove barriers such as restrictive land-use policies, outdated zoning practices, infrastructure limitations, and permitting challenges. This is a good fit for jurisdictions that are ready to pair policy reform with practical housing implementation strategies.

• USDOT’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program remaine done of the most significant transportation safety opportunities moving into May. The program supports planning, demonstration, and implementation projects that reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Local governments, counties, MPOs, Tribal governments, and regional partners may be able to use this funding for safety action plans, intersection improvements, pedestrian and bicycle safety, traffic calming, and other crash-reduction projects.

• The Texas Water Development Board’s Water Supply and Infrastructure Grants program reflected growing state-level investment in water reliability. This program is designed to support critical water supply and infrastructure projects, with priority for smaller and disadvantaged communities. Eligible projects may include water supply development, water loss reduction, wells, reuse systems, and other improvements tied to long-term water security.

• USDA Rural Development’s Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants continued to serve as an important safety-net program for communities facing urgent drinking water threats. These grants can help eligible communities respond to emergencies such as drought, flooding, contamination, disease outbreaks, or other events that disrupt safe and reliable water service.

• NOAA’s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) competition showed continued federal interest in applied climate and resilience research that supports local and regional decision-making. While this is not a traditional construction grant, it can be valuable for states, universities, public agencies, and regional partners working on climate adaptation, hazard planning, and data-informed resilience strategies.

Grants Moved to Announced: March vs April

Useful Grant Education  
 
Gov1: Unlocking BRIC: A Practical Path for Municipalities to Fund Resilience Projects
 
FireRescue1: How to secure your next set of wheels without draining the station or city budget
 
Police1:  FY 2027 DOJ budget proposal: What it means for public safety grants
 
NLC: How Infrastructure Gets Funded: Lessons from 2025 Municipal Infrastructure Conditions - National League of Cities
  
Opioid Settlement Tracker: Opioid Settlement Tracker show cases grants by counties

April 2026 Trend Spotlight
•FEMA - Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC)
Federal | Hazard mitigation / resilience / infrastructure hardening
Supports states, territories, Tribal governments, and local governments in completing hazard mitigation projects that reduce risk from natural disasters. This is a major opportunity for communities with flood, wildfire, severe storm, earthquake, or other disaster-risk projects that can show long-term risk reduction and public benefit.
Closes: July 23, 2026.

•USDOT - Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program
Federal | Transportation safety / roadway improvements / local planning
Supports local, regional, and Tribal projects that prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Funding can support safety action plans, demonstration activities, and implementation projects such as traffic calming, pedestrian safety improvements, intersection upgrades, and other crash-reduction work. Closes: May 26, 2026.

•DOJ/BJA - Rural Law Enforcement Violent Crime Reduction Initiative
Federal | Law enforcement / rural public safety / violent crime reduction
Supports rural law enforcement agencies working to address specific violent crime challenges through targeted strategies, partnerships, equipment, training, and operational improvements. This is a strong fit for rural communities with documented violent crime concerns and limited local capacity. Closes: May 27, 2026.

•DOJ/BJA - De-escalation and Crisis Response Training Program
Federal | Public safety / officer training / behavioral health response
Supports law enforcement agencies seeking to improve de-escalation practices and crisis response, especially when officers interact with individuals experiencing mental health or substance use crises. This opportunity fits agencies focused on reducing use-of-force incidents, improving officer safety, and strengthening community response models. Closes: June 3, 2026.

•DOJ/BJA - Justice Reinvestment Initiative: Strengthening State and Local Operations to Reduce Crime and Recidivism
Federal | Justice systems / recidivism reduction / system improvement
Supports state and local efforts to improve justice system operations, reduce crime, and lower recidivism. This is a practical opportunity for jurisdictions working on data-driven reforms, supervision improvements, reentry coordination, and strategies that reduce pressure on correctional and court systems. Closes: June 10, 2026.

•OJJDP - Youth Gang Prevention and Intervention Program
Federal | Juvenile justice / youth violence prevention / community safety
Supports communities developing or expanding strategies to prevent youth gang involvement and intervene with youth already at risk or involved. This is a timely opportunity for local governments, nonprofit partners, and justice-system stakeholders working to reduce youth violence through prevention, intervention, and coordinated services. Closes: June 1, 2026.

•HUD - Rural Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants
Federal | Rural housing / community development / capacity building
Supports rural housing and community development organizations, local governments, and partners working to expand affordable housing and strengthen community development capacity. This opportunity is a strong fit for rural communities that need technical assistance, organizational capacity, and implementation support before larger housing or infrastructure projects can move forward. Closes: July 6, 2026.

•FTA - Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning
Federal | Transportation planning / land use / transit development
Supports communities planning for transit-oriented development around new fixed guideway or core capacity transit projects. This is a useful fit for local and regional applicants looking to connect transportation investment with housing, land use, economic development, and access improvements. Closes: July 10, 2026.

•USDA Rural Development - Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
Federal | Rural water infrastructure / wastewater / stormwater
Supports clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewer, solid waste disposal, and stormwater drainage in eligible rural areas. This remains a strong opportunity for small communities facing aging infrastructure, compliance issues, or limited local revenue for major utility improvements. Closes: Open/rolling.

Public-Safety vs. Non-Public-Safety Grants