The NGWSGP will support projects that result in the adoption of the Common Alerting Protocol standard (CAP) which permits a single CAP compatible message to activate multiple compliant warning systems.
Donor Name: Department of Homeland Security – FEMA
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/14/2022
Size of the Grant: $40,000,000
Grant Duration: 36 months
Details:
Objectives
To have in place a public alert and warning system that provides timely and effective warnings using the latest broadcast technology standards, especially including areas that are traditionally underserved by broadcast providers. Specifically, this NGWSGP grant seeks to:
- Enhance capacity of local broadcast stations to receive, broadcast, and redistribute emergency alert messages from the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System using IPAWS Specification for Common Alerting Protocol (CAP);
- Implement upgrades to the NEXTGEN TV ATSC3 broadcast standard;
- Enhance technology infrastructure to ensure local public broadcast stations can launch new, enhanced broadcast services, that improve and expand the distribution of public alerts and warnings; and
- Expand the delivery and distribution of emergency alert messages from IPAWS to fill gaps in alert and warning delivery to people in underserved areas.
Priorities
FEMA IPAWS has established priority areas for grant awards to authorized sub-recipients. These priorities are intended to convey the importance of the twin objectives of implementing advanced ATSC 3.0 broadcast technology (and comparable technology for radio stations) and to focus on the needs of communities, primarily in rural and Tribal areas, who have more limited broadcast options than more urban areas. The NGWS Grant Program is guided by Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
FEMA and the awardee will review these priorities quarterly and refine them as needed based on evolving understanding of overall needs and opportunities. It is not FEMA’s intent for the awardee to undertake risky or low-value grant investments simply to favor a sub-grant application in a higher-priority investment area.
Across the overall objectives, the program has established priorities to provide:
- Advanced Technology for Public Broadcast Entities
- For television stations: ATSC 3.0 or other NGWSGP technology, equipment and maintenance for stations primarily serving underserved communities
- For radio stations: digital broadcast technology, equipment, and maintenance for capabilities that deliver emergency alert messages from IPAWS to people in underserved communities
- Resilience-related Equipment for Public Broadcast Entities
- Emergency generators and related resilience equipment for stations primarily serving underserved communities
- Training for Technology and Resilience
- Training in using NGWSGP and related technology to improve the distribution of emergency messages from IPAWS and in techniques to increase station resilience during emergencies.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $40,000,000
- Award Floor: $40,000,000
- Period of Performance: 36 months
Eligibility Criteria
- Congress intended that FEMA work with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to implement the NGWSP for public broadcast entities. Therefore, CPB is the only entity eligible to submit an application to DHS/FEMA for funding under the Next Generation Warning System Grant Program in FY2022.
- Private, Non Profit.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
