CLOSING SOON CFDA 97.159 ↗ Competitive Grant Competitive ~100h typical effort

State Border Security Reinforcement Fund

🏛 Department of Homeland Security - FEMA (DHS-DHS)

✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 29, 2026

⏰ Deadline
Aug 3, 2026 ⏰ in 4 days
📊 Total program funding
$9.99B
🎯 Expected awards
50 recipients
📍 Scope
Regional

Can you apply?

This grant is for states and local governments to strengthen border security along the southern U.S. border.

Eligible recipients include state agencies, local government entities, and tribal organizations with jurisdiction at or near the southern border.

Funded activities include construction of barriers or walls, site preparation, detection and interdiction of illicit substances and undocumented individuals, and relocation operations. All work must advance border security objectives.

Geographic scope is limited to the southern U.S. border region, though exact state-level boundaries are not specified in available materials.

Eligible applicants
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Program description

SBSRF, authorized by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (Public Law 119-21), was established to address the urgent need for robust and adaptable border security solutions at the state and local levels. SBSRF is a flexible hybrid program designed to reinforce the nation’s border by empowering states and local governments to meet evolving security challenges.

Program objectives include:

• Construction or deployment of a border wall, border barrier, or buoys along the southern border of the United States.

• Any work necessary to prepare the ground at or near land borders to allow construction and maintenance of a border barrier

• Detection and interdiction of illicit substances and aliens who have unlawfully entered the United States and have committed a crime under Federal, State, or local law.

• Relocation of aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States from population centers to other domestic locations.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants

How to apply

Application links

Key dates & requirements

Required documents

  • SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
  • Project narrative and scope of work
  • Detailed budget and cost estimates
  • Organizational capacity documentation
  • Evidence of jurisdiction over proposed project site
  • Letters of support from relevant state/local agencies

Program contact

Funding track record

No recent recipient data available for CFDA 97.159 in our database.

This can happen for newer programs, programs that use non-standard award types (loans, direct payments, fellowships), or those funded through sub-agencies under different codes.

Search this CFDA directly on USAspending.gov →

Funding history

Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 97.159). How funding has trended year over year.

2026 est. $9,985,436,000

FAQ

Who can apply for this grant?

State and local government agencies with border security responsibilities are eligible. Check with your state's homeland security or emergency management office to confirm eligibility.

What is the deadline?

The deadline is July 6, 2026. This is a fixed deadline, not rolling, so plan accordingly.

What activities are funded?

Border barrier construction, site preparation, detection/interdiction operations, and relocation of undocumented individuals. Activities must directly support southern border security.

How competitive is this grant?

With $9.9 billion in total funding, competition may be moderate to high depending on the number of eligible applications. Focus applications on demonstrated border security needs.

What is the funding range?

Specific award amounts are not yet published. Contact FEMA directly or check grants.gov for updates on individual award sizes.

💡 Tips for applicants

  • Coordinate early with your state's emergency management agency. They likely manage federal grant applications and border security priorities.
  • Document your jurisdiction's specific border security challenges. Use crime data and interdiction statistics to justify your project scope.
  • Clarify whether your proposed activity aligns with construction, operations, or interdiction. Each may have different technical and compliance requirements.
  • Budget planning is critical for large infrastructure projects. Include detailed cost estimates and timelines even if the grant doesn't require formal cost-sharing.
  • Review FEMA's standard grant reporting and compliance requirements now. Federal infrastructure funding involves extensive documentation obligations.

⚠️ Common mistakes

Applications lack clear connection between proposed activities and measurable border security outcomes. Inadequate site preparation planning or incomplete cost estimates delay approval. Applicants fail to coordinate with other federal border security initiatives, creating duplication or conflicts.

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