Contact Us

Requests cannot exceed $150,000 per agency. For as long as funding is available, agencies may submit one or more applications—however, the combined requested amount cannot exceed $150,000. For example, the total amount a group of interdiction teams under one law enforcement agency can request combined is $150,000 for the entire agency. Agencies are guided to only request funding for the specific amount needed to obtain the requested item(s).

The Southwest Border Rural Law Enforcement Assistance Grant is designed to provide resources to small, rural state, and tribal law enforcement agencies along or near the Southwest Border of the United States in order to support efforts in addressing precipitous increases of all types of crime unique to this region, including human trafficking, sexual assaults, extorsion, gang activity, murder, drug trafficking, and other forms of violent crime.

The list of eligible items is broad and may include, but is not limited to:
  • Public safety equipment
  • Tactical equipment
  • Communications equipment, other than radios
  • Computer or networking equipment and peripherals
  • Computer software or mobile applications
  • K-9 Unit Support (K-9[s], K-9 training, K-9 maintenance)
  • Vehicle modifications (e.g., converting a vehicle to a K-9 unit)
  • Other specialized needs that are not described above but which would aid the agency in fulfilling one of the program purposes described below
Funding requested must be used to fulfill one or more of the following program purposes:
  • Improve the agency’s investigative, intelligence, and/or interdiction capabilities;
  • Enhance information sharing, including investigative and intelligence data sharing with other agencies;
  • Enable agencies to participate in projects across the southern border;
  • Assist in projects/initiatives unique to an agency or its region; and/or
  • Improve dedicated communications capabilities.
While there is a broad range of eligible items permitted to be purchased through this funding opportunity, there are some that are strictly not eligible. These include standard issue items that are considered part of the role and routine operation of a law enforcement agency, such as vehicles, weapons, radios, uniforms, etc.

Please be advised that applications are currently no longer being accepted (online, by email, by fax, and by postal mail) for this program. Should additional funding become available, this website will be updated and new applications may be accepted. We appreciate your interest in this program.
There are four states—Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas—identified as southwest border states under this program.
A small or rural law enforcement agency is one that has a population size of 100,000 or less and is located in either:
  • An area or community, respectively, where no part is within an area designated as a standard metropolitan statistical area or
  • An area or community, respectively, that is within an area designated as a metropolitan statistical area, or considered as part of a metropolitan statistical area, but is located within a rural census tract.
A tribal law enforcement entity must be one that is part of a federally recognized Indian tribe and is located within the four states—Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas—along the southwest border.


You will receive a confirmation email upon successful submission of the form.