Rifle-Resistant Body Armor Grant Program, FY2026
Program owner: Texas Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office
Summary: Texas state funding for eligible governmental and educational entities operating law-enforcement agencies to purchase rifle-resistant body armor for directly employed peace officers.
The Texas Office of the Governor's Public Safety Office made FY2026 funding available to equip eligible Texas peace officers with rifle-resistant body armor. Allowable purchases include NIJ-compliant Type III or Type IV bullet-resistant vests, ballistic plates, and plate carriers.
Local law-enforcement agencies must apply through an affiliated unit of government and include an authorizing resolution. Applicants must also satisfy applicable agency-policy, reporting, cybersecurity, immigration-enforcement, evidence-tracking, SAM registration, and other eligibility requirements.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: Texas Department of Public Safety; units of local government; federally recognized Native American tribes; independent school districts; universities; community colleges; hospital districts; and other eligible educational institutions operating law-enforcement agencies that employ qualifying Texas peace officers.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas units of local government or educational institutions that operate law-enforcement agencies employing peace officers under Article 2.12 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure. Examples include municipalities, counties, independent school districts, universities, federally recognized Native American tribes, community colleges, and hospital districts. Local law-enforcement agencies and offices must apply through an affiliated unit of government. Grant-funded armor may equip only peace officers directly employed by a law-enforcement agency operated by the applicant.
What can the funding be used for?
Purchase of body armor compliant with NIJ Standard-0101.06, Type III rifle-resistant or Type IV armor-piercing-rifle-resistant armor, including bullet-resistant vests, ballistic plates, and plate carriers. Body armor vests purchased with grant funds must be personally fitted for individual officers.
Restrictions
Funds may not be used to equip officers employed by other agencies that are not eligible to apply. Unallowable expenses include ancillary costs associated with purchasing eligible body armor, such as policy development, training, and staff costs, as well as costs prohibited by the Guide to Grants or applicable law or regulation.
How to apply
Applicants must register and apply through the Public Safety Office's eGrants system. The Office of the Governor screens applications for compliance and reviews overall demand and item costs before making final funding decisions. Awards may be reduced or limited based on available funds, cost effectiveness, geographic distribution, legislative directives, need, state priorities, and other stated factors.
Required materials
An authorizing resolution from the affiliated unit of government for applications submitted by local law-enforcement agencies or offices; the Cybersecurity Training Certification for State and Local Governments when applicable; and the CEO/Law Enforcement Certifications and Assurances Form for each applicable application. Eligible applicants must also be registered in SAM and have a UEI, and the applicant's law-enforcement agency must adopt the required armor deployment, allocation, and usage policies before applying.
Program contact
eGrants Help Desk
[email protected]
512-463-1919
Official sources
- Texas Office of the Governor eGrants checked September 15, 2026
Grant details can change. Confirm all requirements on the official source before applying.