A State of Michigan budget supplemental act has provided for six new grant programs to be administered by MCOLES. Each of the six are one-time appropriations for projects that will run through the end of the State fiscal year 2026, or until funds for each program are exhausted, whichever comes first. The funding totals $58,700,000 for the below programs. Three are general fund appropriations, and three are funded through the American Rescue Plan (ARP)/COVID appropriations to Michigan.
Applications for the Public Safety Academy Assistance grants are now open. Follow the link under that program for details and the application form. The remaining five grant programs are currently under development, and more information and applications will be available from this page as they are implemented.
October 8, 2025
On October 7, 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes $10M for Public Safety Academy Assistance (PSAA) Appropriation grants. Unlike in past years, the appropriation was provided through the Department of Treasury’s revenue sharing budget rather than directly to the Commission. As a result, the Commission will now coordinate with the Department of Treasury to transfer the funds.
As with the start of any new fiscal year, the accounting process is complex and takes time before grant dollars can be transferred, allocated and made available for disbursement. In the interim, the Commission staff is preparing updated grant guidance for this new round of funding, PSAA Appropriation III.
The Commission understands the urgency many agencies feel as they screen and hire employed recruits, especially when seeking to enroll them in basic academies that begin in January 2026. The Commission will post updates on grant availability and the application process on our website as soon as they become available.
These grants will be to law enforcement agencies for community policing programs that develop collaborative partnerships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. To be eligible for funding the grants must include the following:
Per the statute, prioritization would be to agencies with demonstrated support or established partnerships with the communities they serve. Funds may not be used to hire law enforcement personnel. Implementation of this program will include working with academic institutions and law enforcement agencies to determine and/or develop eligible research-based models.
These grants are for community policing and engagement strategies in three select cities. Two of these are for violence prevention programs, and one for a program that builds positive relationships between law enforcement and the community. Programs have been identified as the following:
The goal of this program is an incentive to pay for the licensing costs for out-of-state law enforcement officers relocating to Michigan for employment with a local law enforcement agency. Implementation of this program will include a review of current requirements for out-of-state officers to be licensed in Michigan, advertisement of the program, and developing a model to be used for payment or reimbursement.
This program is for basic law enforcement training academy costs and recruit salaries for individuals employed by a law enforcement agency and enrolled in an academy session. It provides for up to $24,000 per recruit for academy costs and salary while attending the academy. Funding for an employed recruit is on a first-come, first-served basis and a single agency may receive funding for up to 25 recruits.
