Rifle-Resistant Body Armor Grant Program, FY2027
Program owner: Texas Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office
Summary: Texas state funding for eligible law-enforcement agencies to purchase NIJ-compliant rifle-resistant body armor for directly employed peace officers.
The Texas Public Safety Office expects to make $3 million available for FY2027 to equip eligible peace officers with rifle-resistant body armor. Funds may purchase personally fitted NIJ Standard-0101.06 Type III or Type IV bullet-resistant vests, ballistic plates, and plate carriers.
Eligible local law-enforcement agencies must apply through an affiliated unit of government. Applicants must meet the announcement's policy, reporting, certification, cybersecurity, criminal-history reporting, SAM registration, and other eligibility requirements.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas units of local government; educational institutions operating law-enforcement agencies; and listed governmental or political subdivisions operating eligible law-enforcement agencies, including municipalities, counties, independent school districts, universities, federally recognized Native American tribes, community colleges, and hospital districts.
Applications may be submitted by the Texas Department of Public Safety and by Texas units of local government or educational institutions that operate law-enforcement agencies employing peace officers. Listed examples include municipalities, counties, independent school districts, universities, federally recognized Native American tribes, community colleges, and hospital districts. Local police departments and other local law-enforcement offices must apply through an affiliated unit of government. Community supervision and corrections departments, district attorneys, and judicial districts must apply through an affiliated county government. Grant-funded armor may only equip eligible 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 or Type IV, including bullet-resistant vests, ballistic plates, and plate carriers. Vests must be personally fitted, and funds may only equip eligible peace officers directly employed by a law-enforcement agency operated by the applicant.
Restrictions
Costs ancillary to purchasing eligible body armor, including policy development, training, and staff costs; equipment for officers employed by other agencies that are not eligible to apply; costs prohibited by the Texas Guide to Grants; and any other cost prohibited by federal, state, or local law or regulation.
How to apply
Applicants must register and apply through the Texas Public Safety Office eGrants system. The application and all required certifications and attachments must be submitted and certified by February 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. CST. The Office of the Governor will screen applications, review demand and item costs, and make final funding decisions based on available funds and the other factors stated in the announcement.
Required materials
Applicable applicants must submit a fully executed governing-body resolution. Each local unit of government and institution of higher education operating a law-enforcement agency must submit the CEO/Law Enforcement Certifications and Assurances Form. Local governments must upload the applicable annual Cybersecurity Training Certification. Applicants must also be registered in SAM and have a UEI, and their law-enforcement agencies must adopt the required armor deployment, allocation, usage, training, care, fitting, inspection, storage, and maintenance policies.
Program contact
eGrants Help Desk
[email protected]
512-463-1919
Official sources
- Texas Office of the Governor eGrants checked September 13, 2026
Grant details can change. Confirm all requirements on the official source before applying.