Working with Grants Consultants for Public Safety and NG9-1-1: Some Important Tips

Our DATAMARK team members have extensive expertise working in public safety and the grant process with state and local jurisdictions to apply for and secure grant funding.

Here are some recommendations from their decades of expertise to help you select high-quality consulting services to obtain public safety grants:

• Work with consultants that employ public safety subject matter experts in NG911
• Identify a scope of work that will help you effectively evaluate consultants based on the project needs.
• Make the scope of work and criteria specific to the grant you are seeking.
• Create questions to identify a consultant such as:
  • Have you done any grant work in your state?
  • Have you written grants for 9-1-1 or other public safety projects previously?
  • Are you familiar with the applicable laws and administrative rules governing grants (state/federal/local, etc.)?
  • Please describe your experience working with federal and state grants.
  • Describe which grants you have been awarded.
  • Provide three references from recent grant work you have completed, detailing the statement of work performed, the duration of the project, the budget and whether timelines were met (why or why not).
  • Why is your product and service something we should consider—what makes it stand out?

DATAMARK Tip: many federal and state grant programs allow for the costs of professional services. All professional services used in the grant process should be outlined in the application the applicable funding source submits. Information on whether professional services are allowed is typically found in the eligible/non-eligible section of the grant requirements.

Applying for state and federal grants is a complex process. Ensure you’ve selected the right consultant who will help you fully meet the grant criteria while also writing a winning application which is one of the most important steps in securing grant funding for your public safety GIS projects.

The experts at DATAMARK are well versed in the grants process. Got questions? Feel free to reach out to us by clicking HERE.