Criminal Justice and Homeland Security Grant Funding Available for East Texas Region
East Texas Council of Governments • December 15, 2020

Local governments, independent school districts, colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, and state agencies can now apply for grant funds from the Governor’s Office, Criminal Justice Division, and Homeland Security Program. New applicants and continuing applicants in ETCOG’s fourteen (14) county region are invited to attend FREE grant application workshops hosted by the ETCOG Public Safety division. Training for both the Criminal Justice Division and the Homeland Security Program will be held virtually. Grant funding is available for the following programs:
Criminal Justice
- General Victim Assistance Direct Services Program (VOCA)
- Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program (VAWA)
- Juvenile Justice & Truancy Prevention Grant Program (Juvenile)
- Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Programs (JAG)
Homeland Security
- State Homeland Security Program – Regular Projects (SHSP)
- State Homeland Security Program - Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA)
“The goal is to improve public safety and support victims of crime by filling gaps in the region via funding that promotes innovative solutions to regional problems,” said ETCOG’s Public Safety Director Stephanie Heffner. “We help applicants understand what needs to go into their grant applications and what they have to track once they receive funding from the state, so we can successfully bring public safety projects to East Texas.”
To apply for funding, you must attend a MANDATORY grant application workshop. Workshops will be held separately and are still mandatory for applicants who apply for both Criminal Justice and Homeland Security funding. There will be nine workshop opportunities this year, with approximately 60 to 75 agencies estimated to be trained. Workshops will be held on the following dates:
Criminal Justice
To participate in a virtual workshop, visit https://www.pineywoods911.com/criminal-justice
at any of the following dates and times, and click “Join Here.”
- Thursday, December 17, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, January 5, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, January 13, 2020, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Wednesday, January 27, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Homeland Security
To participate in a virtual workshop, visit https://www.pineywoods911.com/homeland-security
at any of the following dates and times, and click “Join Here.”
- Thursday, December 17, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Thursday, December 17, 2020, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday, December 31, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Thursday, January 7, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Thursday, January 28, 2021, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

State agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, universities or colleges, and federally recognized Native American tribes can soon apply for FY 2026 grant funds from the Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office , State Homeland Security Grant Program and Criminal Justice division. New and continuing applicants in ETCOG’s fourteen (14) county region are invited to attend FREE grant application workshops hosted by the ETCOG Public Safety division . Workshops for each grant category to be held virtually from December 18, 2024, through February 13, 2025. Grant funding will be available for the following programs: Homeland Security State Homeland Security Program – Regular Projects (SHSP-R) Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA) Criminal Justice General Victim Assistance Direct Services Program (VOCA) Violence Against Women Justice and Training Program (VAWA) Juvenile Justice & Truancy Prevention Grant Program (SF-JJTP) Criminal Justice Program (DJ-JAG) “The goal is to improve public safety, support victims of crime, and assist jurisdictions by filling gaps in the region via funding that promotes innovative solutions to regional problems,” said ETCOG’s Public Safety Director, Stephanie Heffner. “We help applicants understand what needs to go into their grant applications and what they have to track once they receive funding from the state so we can successfully bring public safety projects to East Texas.” Workshops for Homeland Security will be held on the following dates: Wednesday, December 18, 2024 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 1, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 8, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 10:00 AM Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 10:00 AM Workshops for Criminal Justice will be held on the following dates: Monday, January 7, 2025 - 2:00 PM Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - 10:00 AM Thursday, January 23, 2025 - 2:30 PM Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 2:00 PM Workshops are mandatory if you plan to apply for funding. To participate in a virtual workshop for Homeland Security, visit www.pineywoods911.com/homeland-security . To participate in a virtual workshop for Criminal Justice, visit www.pineywoods911.com/criminal-justice .