CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The State of West Virginia, through the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) acting as the State Administrative Agency (SAA), announces the immediate reopening of the application period for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP).
This reopened application window specifically addresses a funding deficit in project submissions for two vital Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Priority Areas (NPAs): Border Crisis and Response and Election Security. Local units of government, law enforcement agencies, and emergency management partners across West Virginia are strongly urged to submit project proposals before the extended deadline to ensure full utilization of federal preparedness funding allocated to the state.
Purpose of Reopening:
Federal guidelines mandate that a specific percentage of West Virginia’s total HSGP allocation be dedicated to designated National Priority Areas. Following the initial application cycle, the state identified a significant gap in qualifying proposals under Border Crisis & Response and Election Security. Reopening the application process ensures local communities receive the capital and equipment necessary to address these evolving threat vectors.
Eligible Projects by National Priority Area:
Border Crisis and Response
Although West Virginia is an inland state, local law enforcement, first responders, and emergency management agencies face significant secondary and cascading impacts related to border vulnerability, interstate human trafficking, illicit drug trade (e.g., fentanyl distribution), and transnational criminal organization (TCO) activities.
Eligible projects and equipment under this priority can include, but are not limited to:
- Interdiction Equipment & Technology: Acquisition of specialized detection equipment, thermal imaging, automated license plate readers (ALPRs), and narcotics identification technology for local law enforcement operating along major transit corridors.
- Intelligence & Information Sharing: Software, hardware, and analytical tools that improve local agency integration with the West Virginia Fusion Center to track, analyze, and disrupt transnational criminal operations.
- Specialized Training: Advanced law enforcement and first responder training for high-risk traffic interdictions, illicit substance handling, human trafficking identification, and multi-jurisdictional task force operations.
- Interoperable Communications: Upgrades to tactical radio systems, mobile data terminals, and command capabilities to facilitate real-time coordination between local, state, and federal law enforcement partners during joint interdiction efforts.
Election Security
Protecting the physical and cyber resilience of election infrastructure is vital for ensuring public confidence and safeguarding critical public systems. County clerks, election officials, local emergency managers, and law enforcement agencies are encouraged to submit joint or individual applications.
Eligible projects under this priority include:
- Physical Security Upgrades: Installation of access control systems, surveillance cameras, reinforced doors/windows, bollards, and secure storage for county clerk offices, ballot processing centers, and early voting or election day polling sites.
- Cybersecurity Enhancement: Procurement of multi-factor authentication (MFA) hardware, network segmentation tools, endpoint security software, intrusion detection systems, and third-party vulnerability assessments for local systems used in election administration.
- Continuity of Operations (COOP) & Facility Resilience: Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, backup generators, and secondary communications gear for primary ballot-counting facilities to prevent disruptions during power or network outages.
- De-escalation & Safety Training: Security awareness, threat de-escalation, active threat response, and suspicious package/hazardous material training for election staff, poll workers, and local law enforcement stationing at polling precincts.
Key Application Details:
Reopened Application Period: Currently open – October 16, 2026
Eligible Applicants: Local government units, county commissions, municipal police departments, sheriff's offices, county emergency management agencies, and county election offices within the State of West Virginia.
Submission Instructions: All application packages must be submitted online through the West Virginia Grant Portal at https://wv-emd.wizehive.app/program/wvemd-hsgp.
WVEMD grant administrators are available to assist local jurisdictions with project scoping, justification writing, and application mechanics to ensure compliance with federal NPA guidelines.
For more information, or assistance in the application process, please contact WVEMD at EMDHSGP@wv.gov, online at emd.wv.gov, or call 304-558-5380.