Rural public safety agencies are often at a disadvantage in expanding their knowledge and meeting mandated training requirements due to a lack of funds available from the municipalities or counties in which they serve. Most rural communities have volunteers who assist in both fire-fighting and emergency medical response.
To assist with the training and educational costs associated with maintaining well-trained and certified law enforcement and fire protection officers, Plateau awards grants to rural communities, municipalities, and public safety departments (whether paid or volunteer) associated with the communities within the Cooperative service area.
To better strengthen and develop communities served by the Cooperative, a “no-match” grant fund has been established, “Public Safety Education Grant Fund”, which will award up to $5,000 per award to be used for those purposes described under the eligibility requirements.
Public Safety Education Grant Requirements
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Entities that receive Public Safety Education Grant funds must be located within the Cooperative service area. (Click here to check eligibility).
Note: The purchase of retail communication services outside the Cooperative service area does not qualify. - The grant funds must be spent for the purpose identified on the application. Substitution of other training or other training-related equipment which is different from the application is permitted only with written approval from the Board of Directors.
- Public Safety agencies within the Cooperative service area may utilize the education grant fund for training materials, registration fees for training conferences, advanced certifications, or the purchase of training-related police, fire, EMS, paramedic or other equipment that is necessary to conduct training to ensure the public’s safety.
- Applications for grant funds must be authorized by a local governmental entity which has a bona fide interest in public safety, paid or volunteer, within the Cooperative service area.
Note: Individuals participating in the training or educational opportunity must not derive direct, personal benefit from an award of funds. - A completed application form detailing the planned use of the grant funds must be submitted for review and approval to the Education Committee of the Board of Directors. Final approval will be made by the entire Board of Directors.
- Expenditures for training or training-related equipment must be completed within 12 months from the date of the award. Receipts for the actual expenditures shall be submitted to Plateau. Failure to submit proper documentation of expenditures may result in future denial of community requests.
- Requests for grant funds in amounts up to $7,000 may be submitted during the course ofthe calendar year (January 1- December 31) or until such time the fund is depleted.
- Multiple grant requests from the same entity that are uniquely different and independent from one another may be considered for separate funding, at the discretion of the Board of Directors’ Education Committee, if it is within the guidelines of public safety education and training needs.