FEMA Awards $250M in Counter-Drone Grants to 11 States
March 9, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
FEMA executed what it calls the fastest non-disaster grant program in agency history, awarding $250 million in counter-drone funding to 11 states and the National Capital Region just 25 days after the application deadline closed.
The Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program, funded at $500 million over two fiscal years, addresses a gap that became impossible to ignore after high-profile drone incursions rattled communities across the Northeast in late 2024 and early 2025.
Which States Got Funded
FY2026 awards went to the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches: Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas, Massachusetts, Washington, and Pennsylvania, plus the National Capital Region. These jurisdictions face the most immediate drone security challenges as the tournament approaches with matches beginning this summer.
Recipients can use the funding to detect, identify, track, and mitigate unauthorized unmanned aircraft — capabilities that most state and local agencies currently lack or operate with borrowed federal equipment.
FY2027 Opens the Program Nationwide
The second $250 million tranche, arriving in FY2027, expands eligibility to all 56 states and territories. That expansion transforms C-UAS from a one-time event security measure into standing infrastructure for domestic airspace defense.
For state agencies that missed the FY2026 window, the FY2027 round represents the first opportunity to build counter-drone capability with dedicated federal funding. FEMA has signaled that applications will focus on building detection and response capacity rather than one-time equipment purchases.
What State and Local Agencies Should Prepare
State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) in non-host states should begin assessing their counter-UAS gaps now. FY2027 applications will likely require threat assessments, integration plans with existing law enforcement operations, and demonstrated coordination with FAA and DHS protocols.
The C-UAS program is part of a broader $1.125 billion FEMA security funding package that includes $625 million for FIFA World Cup physical security. For organizations navigating federal security grants, Granted tracks open opportunities across DHS, FEMA, and DOD.