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Many individual members of law enforcement agencies across the country seeks training in how to find law enforcement grants as well as how to improve their success rate when applying for them. The first step towards increasing your chances to receive more law enforcement grants is to set up a separate non-profit organization for the purpose of resource development, or to collaborate with an existing non-governmental nonprofit organization to apply for law enforcement grants.    While government agencies are eligible for state and federal grant opportunities, often times government agencies are not eligible to apply for corporate and foundation grants.  Teaming up with another nonprofit organization, or setting up a “Friends Of the Law Enforcement Agency” increases the number of funding opportunities available to the agency. 

The second step in the process is finding the right funding opportunities and knowing how to search for law enforcement grants.  The best way to find funding opportunities for law enforcement grants is by searching the Internet.  Knowing how to search for law enforcement grants is key.  For example, a search for “law enforcement grants” will produce a few weak results, yet a search for “crime prevention” will produce more quality results.

One of the best sources to learn about all kinds of federal grants is Free Government Grants & Money Information.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the managing partner for a Government Web Site Program, an E-Government initiative focused on improving access to government services via the Internet.  There are 26 federal grant-making agencies listed on this website with hyperlinks to numerous opportunities for grants.  Applications to apply for law enforcement grants are often available on line.

State government agencies also award law enforcement grants; more often called “criminal justice grants.”  Go to your official state website and look for “funding opportunities.” If there is no such link, then go to specific agencies within your state government to see what grant opportunities might be available.

The Foundation Directory Online provides access to a vast database of private and corporate foundations for as little as $19.95 per month. Enter your state into the geographic focus search field to retrieve all U.S. foundations that make grants in your state and/or enter “crime prevention” in the field of interest to retrieve all U.S. foundations that give grants for law enforcement activities. Other key words that can be placed in the field of interest are “crime/law enforcement”, “crime/violence prevention”, “crime/domestic violence prevention”, “crime/youth violence prevention.” According to a recent search on The Foundation Directory Online, there are 381 foundations in the United States that award grants for crime prevention. Additional research is required to narrow the possibilities to the most appropriate funding prospects in your state. The top five foundations that provide crime prevention grants are Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, New York Community Trust, San Francisco Foundation, and California Community Foundation.