Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99
The Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99; CFDA 97.146) is a Department of Homeland Security, FEMA education-focused grant intended to strengthen how emergency management and first responder communities use Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in real-world disaster operations. The core idea is that drones are already proving useful across a wide range of incident needs, but consistent, competency-based training is what turns that technology into dependable operational capability. FEMA is using this funding to support the development and delivery of training curriculum so that jurisdictions building or expanding UAS programs can do so in a way that is standardized, practical, and aligned with the skills responders need before, during, and after disasters.
The opportunity emphasizes the many operational roles UAS can play in emergency management. These include preliminary damage assessments, measuring debris and supporting calculations, collecting visual evidence for situational awareness and documentation, conducting confirmation analysis, establishing flood levels and evaluating structural damage, supporting search and rescue, and enabling logistics missions such as moving supplies or facilitating package delivery in constrained or disrupted environments. The grant is structured around the premise that as agencies increasingly integrate UAS into these workflows, training becomes a critical dependency for safe, effective, and repeatable deployment. The expected outcome is a better-prepared student and practitioner base that can apply UAS resources to achieve incident objectives, rather than simply learning to fly aircraft.
Administratively, this is a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) in the “Other” opportunity category with an education activity focus. The award ceiling is $1,900,000, and FEMA expects to make a single award. The eligible applicant category is listed as “Others,” which typically signals a limited or specialized eligibility set rather than open eligibility to all government units or nonprofits. The description also points to Mississippi State University in its role as the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, indicating that the work is closely associated with, and potentially intended for, an established UAS research and training center with national standing in UAS safety and integration.
The application timeline provided shows an opportunity creation date of July 1, 2026, with an original closing date of July 31, 2026. In practical terms, that is a short submission window, so applicants would usually need to be ready with a clear curriculum plan, delivery approach, and evidence of capacity to train the emergency management and first responder audience at scale. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as FEMA investing in standardized UAS training and curriculum development so responders can use drones safely and effectively to support disaster assessment, rescue, recovery, and logistics missions under real incident conditions.Apply for DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99
- The Department of Homeland Security - FEMA in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems through Research Excellence (ASSURE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.146.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-31. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,900,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
ASSURE (DHS/FEMA) UAS Training Grant (DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99; CFDA 97.146) - FAQs
1) What is the ASSURE grant opportunity?
The Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grant opportunity is a Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FEMA education-focused grant designed to strengthen how emergency management and first responder communities use Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) during real-world disaster operations. The emphasis is on building standardized, competency-based training so drone use becomes a dependable operational capability rather than an ad-hoc or purely technical skill.
2) Which agency is offering this funding?
This opportunity is offered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through FEMA.
3) What are the official identifiers for this opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99, and the CFDA number listed is 97.146.
4) What type of funding instrument is this?
The Funding Instrument Type is a Grant.
5) What is the opportunity category and primary activity focus?
The opportunity category is listed as "Other," and the activity focus is education, specifically centered on UAS training curriculum development and delivery for emergency management and first responder use cases.
6) What is the overall purpose of the grant?
The purpose is to support the development and delivery of training curriculum that helps jurisdictions build or expand UAS programs in a way that is standardized, practical, and aligned with the skills responders need before, during, and after disasters.
7) Why is FEMA emphasizing training rather than just providing drones or technology?
The opportunity is built around the idea that drones are already proving useful across many incident needs, but consistent, competency-based training is what makes that usefulness reliable, repeatable, and safe in operational conditions. The goal is to ensure responders can apply UAS resources to achieve incident objectives, not simply learn basic aircraft operation.
8) What kinds of real-world disaster missions does this opportunity highlight for UAS?
The opportunity highlights UAS roles such as preliminary damage assessments, measuring debris and supporting calculations, collecting visual evidence for situational awareness and documentation, conducting confirmation analysis, establishing flood levels, evaluating structural damage, supporting search and rescue, and enabling logistics missions (including moving supplies or facilitating package delivery in constrained or disrupted environments).
9) What outcomes does FEMA expect from this grant?
The expected outcome is a better-prepared student and practitioner base that can integrate UAS into emergency management workflows and apply UAS resources to meet incident objectives across disaster assessment, rescue, recovery, and logistics missions.
10) How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The award ceiling is $1,900,000.
11) How many awards does FEMA expect to make?
FEMA expects to make a single award.
12) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others." This typically signals a limited or specialized eligibility set rather than open eligibility to all government units or nonprofits.
13) Does the opportunity indicate a specific organization or type of center as a likely applicant?
Yes. The description points to Mississippi State University in its role as the Federal Aviation Administration's Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. This indicates the work is closely associated with, and potentially intended for, an established UAS research and training center with national standing in UAS safety and integration.
14) Is this opportunity primarily research-focused or education/training-focused?
Based on the description provided, this is primarily education-focused: developing and delivering standardized, competency-based training curriculum for emergency management and first responder UAS operations.
15) What is the application timeline for this opportunity?
The opportunity creation date is July 1, 2026. The original closing date is July 31, 2026.
16) How long is the submission window?
Based on the dates provided (July 1, 2026 to July 31, 2026), the submission window is roughly one month, which is relatively short for developing a complete proposal.
17) What does the short submission window imply for prospective applicants?
With a short window, applicants would typically need to be ready with a clear curriculum plan, a delivery approach, and evidence of capacity to train emergency management and first responder audiences at scale.
18) What audiences is the training intended to serve?
The training is intended for emergency management and first responder communities, including jurisdictions that are building or expanding UAS programs for disaster operations.
19) What does "standardized, practical, and aligned" training mean in this context?
In the context provided, it means training that is competency-based (focused on demonstrable skills), practical for real incident environments, and aligned with the tasks responders need to perform before, during, and after disasters while integrating UAS into operational workflows.
20) What is the grant trying to improve: piloting skills or operational capability?
The grant is aiming to improve operational capability. The description explicitly frames success as responders being able to apply UAS resources to achieve incident objectives, rather than simply learning to fly aircraft.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Education
Previous opportunity: WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants Apply for FOA BS 2026 1 Funding Number: FOA BS 2026 1 Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration Category: Education Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Voices for the Future Apply for PAS JAKARTA FY26 06 Funding Number: PAS JAKARTA FY26 06 Agency: U.S. Mission to Indonesia Category: Education Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| AI Pathways To The Future Apply for PAS JAKARTA FY26 07 Funding Number: PAS JAKARTA FY26 07 Agency: U.S. Mission to Indonesia Category: Education Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Empowering English Educators Apply for PDS CAIRO 003 FY26 Funding Number: PDS CAIRO 003 FY26 Agency: U.S. Mission to Egypt Category: Education Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| English Language Fellows Program Apply for PDS CAIRO 002 FY26 Funding Number: PDS CAIRO 002 FY26 Agency: U.S. Mission to Egypt Category: Education Funding Amount: $480,000 |
| Mentor Program for English Educators Apply for PDS CAIRO 004 FY26 Funding Number: PDS CAIRO 004 FY26 Agency: U.S. Mission to Egypt Category: Education Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Public Diplomacy Small Grants Competition Apply for 26 MMR NOFO 001 Funding Number: 26 MMR NOFO 001 Agency: U.S. Mission to Myanmar Category: Education Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| English Language Teaching Services Program Apply for PAS DJI FY2026 ELT Funding Number: PAS DJI FY2026 ELT Agency: U.S. Mission to Djibouti Category: Education Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| English Language Exchange Programs: AI and Educational Technology Integration Apply for OFOP0003244 Funding Number: OFOP0003244 Agency: U.S. Mission to the Philippines Category: Education Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Annual Program Statement for Public Diplomacy Section Fiscal Year 2026 Apply for PDS CB 600 26 0003 Funding Number: PDS CB 600 26 0003 Agency: U.S. Mission to Cambodia Category: Education Funding Amount: $25,000 |
| Jefferson Center Mandalay (JCM) Small Grants Competition Apply for 26 MMR NOFO 003 Funding Number: 26 MMR NOFO 003 Agency: U.S. Mission to Myanmar Category: Education Funding Amount: $10,000 |
| American Center Yangon (ACY) Small Grants Competition Apply for 26 MMR NOFO 002 Funding Number: 26 MMR NOFO 002 Agency: U.S. Mission to Myanmar Category: Education Funding Amount: $20,000 |
| Access Alumni Outreach and Engagement and English Access Scholarship Program Apply for DOS KAZ ALM PDS 26 001 Funding Number: DOS KAZ ALM PDS 26 001 Agency: U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan Category: Education Funding Amount: $50,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DHS 26 NPD 146 00 99", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.