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This is the largest single pot of federal money aimed at counter-drone capability, and it is worth understanding precisely who can touch it: eligible applicants are state governments only, which makes this a pass-through opportunity for the AI and sensing vendors that states procure from rather than a grant that a technology company applies to directly.
Established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 and administered by FEMA as opportunity DHS-FEMA-C-UAS-161, the program provides $500 million total to help states and their local partners detect, identify, monitor, track and, in select jurisdictions, mitigate unmanned aircraft that threaten public safety or critical infrastructure.
The funding splits across two years with a deliberate geographic logic: $250 million in FY2026 is prioritized for the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 events plus the National Capital Region hosting America 250 celebrations, and the remaining $250 million in FY2027 is distributed across all 56 states and territories with a broader emphasis on building durable national detection and response capacity.
Award sizes are extraordinary in range - a floor of $3,325,000 against a ceiling of $250,000,000 across roughly 12 awards - reflecting that a single state consortium award can absorb an entire fiscal year's tranche.
The AI relevance is in what the money buys: DIMT-M (detection, identification, monitoring, tracking and mitigation) technologies depend on sensor fusion, radio-frequency and radar signal classification, computer vision for visual drone identification, and machine learning models that distinguish hostile UAS from lawful traffic and birds in cluttered urban airspace.
Practically, AI vendors should pursue this through state homeland security offices and existing statewide procurement vehicles. FEMA moved unusually fast on the first tranche, publishing the NOFO on October 28, 2025 and announcing $250 million in awards to World Cup host states by December 30, 2025, so companies should engage state emergency management agencies well ahead of the FY2027 cycle rather than waiting for a NOFO to appear.
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Or search similar grants →According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Eligible applicants are state governments only - the 50 states plus territories and, for the FY2026 tranche, the National Capital Region. Local governments, tribes, private companies, universities and nonprofits cannot apply directly and must participate as subrecipients, contractors or vendors to a state award; technology firms should engage state homeland security and emergency management offices and statewide procurement vehicles rather than applying to FEMA. The opportunity number is DHS-FEMA-C-UAS-161 with total program funding of $500,000,000, an award floor of $3,325,000, an award ceiling of $250,000,000 and approximately 12 expected awards. Allowable uses cover the purchase of unmanned aircraft system detection, identification, monitoring, tracking and mitigation (DIMT-M) technologies, establishment or expansion of drone detection systems, regional response protocol coordination, training, and protection of public venues, transportation hubs and critical infrastructure; mitigation (active counter-drone) authorities are limited to select jurisdictions with the requisite federal authority. For Fiscal Year 2026, $250 million is prioritized for the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 events and the National Capital Region for America 250 events; the remaining $250 million is allocated in FY2027 across all 56 states and territories. The initial Notice of Funding Opportunity was published October 28, 2025 with the first $250 million awarded December 30, 2025; applicants should confirm the current FY2027 application period and deadline against the FEMA program page and grants.gov, as the FY2027 cycle dates are set annually. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $500,000,000 total program funding under opportunity DHS-FEMA-C-UAS-161, split as $250 million in FY2026 and $250 million in FY2027. Individual awards range from an award floor of $3,325,000 to an award ceiling of $250,000,000, with approximately 12 awards expected. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Applications for DHS FEMA Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program for AI-Enabled Drone Detection, Identification, Monitoring, Tracking and Mitigation are due September 30, 2026. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, and final submission checks.
DHS FEMA Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program for AI-Enabled Drone Detection, Identification, Monitoring, Tracking and Mitigation is funded by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Start from the official opportunity page linked in this listing — it carries the sponsor's submission instructions.
The NSF Computer and Information Science and Engineering: Future Computing Research (Future CoRe) program (NSF 25-543) supports foundational computing research and education with a strong emphasis on AI and machine learning. The program funds research that advances the foundations of computing including AI/ML theory, algorithms, systems, and applications. Future CoRe supports small to medium-sized research projects that can have significant impact on computing foundations. The program has target dates of February 5, 2026 and September 10, 2026 for proposal submissions (note: these are target dates, not deadlines, meaning proposals may be submitted at any time but will be reviewed in batches around these dates). Investigators may not serve as PI, co-PI, or Senior/Key Personnel on more than two proposals submitted within any consecutive 12-month period across all Future CoRe programs. This is one of NSF's primary mechanisms for funding fundamental AI and machine learning research at U.S. academic institutions, covering areas such as machine learning theory, natural language processing, computer vision, robotics foundations, and human-AI interaction.
The ONR Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (N00014-25-S-B001) is the Office of Naval Research's primary mechanism for soliciting research proposals across all naval science and technology priority areas. The BAA accepts proposals on a rolling basis through September 30, 2026 and covers ONR's full spectrum of research interests with particular emphasis on AI-related topics including autonomous maritime systems, human-machine teaming, machine learning for sensor fusion, cooperative autonomous swarm technology, undersea autonomy, and AI-enabled decision superiority. Proposals can be funded through multiple mechanisms including individual investigator grants, the Young Investigator Program (~$510K over 3 years for early-career faculty), and Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) awards ($1.5M/year for 3-5 years for research teams). ONR recommends contacting relevant program officers before submitting to discuss alignment with current research priorities. The BAA supports basic research (6.1), applied research (6.2), and advanced technology development (6.3) across the full range of naval-relevant science and engineering disciplines.
DE-FOA-0003600 is the DOE Office of Science's FY 2026 open, rolling solicitation for financial assistance, providing roughly $500 million across seven program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, Fusion Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, and Isotope R&D and Production. AI and machine learning research is supported directly through Advanced Scientific Computing Research, while Biological and Environmental Research funds atmospheric process research, environmental systems process research, and earth-energy systems modeling — making this a major channel for AI-enhanced climate and earth system modeling work. DOE anticipates 200 to 350 new awards ranging from $5,000 to $5 million each, with project periods from six months to five years. The FOA opened September 30, 2025 and accepts applications on a rolling basis through the end of FY 2026.
FEMA's FY2026 Homeland Security Grant Program makes more than $1 billion available for terrorism prevention and preparedness — but for the first time ties eligibility to election-security measures: hand-marked paper ballots, 5% post-election audits, and citizenship verification through the SAVE system within 120 days. Local-government groups are calling it federal overreach that could divert 20% of state grants from bomb squads and active-shooter readiness. Applications are due July 24, 2026. This is the full breakdown of the conditions, the money at stake, the controversy, and how state and local applicants should navigate it.
Read articleThe FY2026 Homeland Security Grant Program puts more than $1 billion across three programs — State Homeland Security Program, Urban Area Security Initiative ($584M across 44 cities), and Operation Stonegarden — with a July 24, 2026 deadline. But the money comes fenced: 30% to National Priority Areas, 35% to law-enforcement terrorism prevention, plus new 10% border and 3% election minimums. Here is how the spending mandates actually stack, who is eligible, and how to build an Investment Justification that survives them.
Read articleOn June 24, 2026, FEMA released more than $1.5 billion across the Homeland Security Grant Program, a $300 million Nonprofit Security Grant Program, and six infrastructure-protection programs — all with an application window closing around July 24. This is the definitive breakdown: how SHSP, UASI, Operation Stonegarden, and the transit, port, Amtrak, and intercity-bus grants differ, what the new FY2026 priorities signal, why almost none of the money comes to you directly from FEMA, and the strategy for competing through your State Administrative Agency.
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