Grants for Warning System Improvement Initiated by FEMA Announced
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has announced it will cease managing the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program due to a loss of federal funding, effective from September 2025 3. In its place, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will now directly manage the NGWS grant program 15.
Since the inception of the NGWS grant program in 2022, CPB had prioritized rural and disaster-prone communities, awarding 44 grants totaling about $21.6 million. However, the demand for funds exceeded $110 million in applications for subsequent funding rounds 4.
FEMA's FY 2025 grant opportunity has already been published, with $40 million available for public media stations in U.S. states and Tribal Nations 15. The current grant round focuses on more integrated public safety communications involving multiple partners beyond traditional public broadcasting 1. Technologies that can be explored include streaming, sirens, giant-voice systems, satellites, and interconnected devices.
Applications can be submitted at Grants.gov before the deadline on Fri., Aug. 15 at 5:00 p.m. eastern time 6. It remains uncertain if FEMA will permanently handle distribution of the grant money going forward, as the situation regarding previous NGWS funds managed by CPB (FY 2022–2024) faces some risk of nondistribution 4.
In March, CPB brought a complaint in federal district court against FEMA over access to the grant money, resulting in a 65-day hold on the funds 7. No comment has been received from either FEMA or CPB regarding the transition [8].
This is the fourth straight year congressionally appropriated funds have been made available to public broadcasters under the NGWS Grant Program. The goal is to bring IPAWS-compatible emergency alerts and warnings to the public, improving community emergency alerting and enhancing public safety 9.
["FEMA Lifts Its Hold on Warning System Grants" is a related article, offering more insights into the hold placed on the funds earlier this year [10]].
[8]: No further information available at the time of this article.
- The shift from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in managing the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program is effective from September 2025.
- FEMA's FY 2025 grant opportunity focuses on more integrated public safety communications, involving multiple partners beyond traditional public broadcasting, and funds totaling $40 million are available for public media stations in U.S. states and Tribal Nations.
- Technologies that can be explored include streaming, sirens, giant-voice systems, satellites, and interconnected devices, as part of the aim to bring IPAWS-compatible emergency alerts and warnings to the public.
- Applications for the FEMA's FY 2025 grant round can be submitted at Grants.gov before the deadline on Fri., Aug. 15, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, but it remains uncertain if FEMA will permanently handle distribution of the grant money going forward.
- The general-news media outlets have reported on the ongoing dispute between CPB and FEMA over access to the grant money, with CPB bringing a complaint in federal district court earlier this year, leading to a 65-day hold on the funds.
