Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems through Research Excellence (ASSURE) | DHS 25 NPD 146 00 99

Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 25 NPD 146 00 99

The Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: DHS 25 NPD 146 00 99) is a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) education-focused award designed to strengthen how emergency management and first responder communities use Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in real-world disaster contexts. The core idea behind the opportunity is that drones are already proving useful across the disaster lifecycle, but the benefits depend heavily on whether jurisdictions have people who are trained, competent, and ready to deploy UAS safely and effectively under stressful, time-critical conditions. FEMA is therefore supporting the development and delivery of training and curriculum that builds the specific competencies needed to use UAS before, during, and after disasters.

The opportunity frames UAS as practical tools that can directly support mission outcomes such as preliminary damage assessments, debris measurement and calculation, collecting visual evidence, performing confirmation analysis, establishing flood levels and documenting structural damages, supporting search and rescue operations, and assisting with logistics and package delivery. In other words, the funding is tied to operational value: using UAS to improve situational awareness, speed decision-making, and make field operations more effective during emergencies. As more state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions build UAS programs and integrate drones into standard emergency management workflows, the grant emphasizes that training becomes a critical enabling factor, not an optional add-on.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) categorized under education (Funding Activity Category: Education) and associated with CFDA number 97.146. The opportunity is listed under the “Other” opportunity category and indicates that “Others” are eligible applicants, which often suggests a targeted or specialized applicant pool rather than a broad open competition. The posting also references Mississippi State University in its capacity as the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, which signals that the effort may be closely aligned with established UAS safety, standards, and research expertise connected to the FAA ecosystem and the ASSURE consortium.

The award structure is relatively concentrated. FEMA anticipates making one award (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling of $1,800,000. This implies FEMA is likely seeking a single lead entity capable of delivering a coherent curriculum development and training delivery effort at scale, rather than distributing smaller awards across many organizations. The opportunity was created on 2025-08-01, and the original application closing date is 2025-08-15, leaving a short submission window that typically requires applicants to have strong existing capabilities, partnerships, and ready-to-execute plans.

Applications must be submitted through FEMA’s Grants Outcomes (GO) system at https://go.fema.gov/. Practically, this means applicants should be prepared to navigate FEMA’s standard online grants process and comply with any system, registration, and submission requirements that come with GO. Overall, the grant is best understood as FEMA investing in standardized, competency-based UAS training that can translate drone technology into repeatable emergency management performance, helping responders and emergency managers use UAS tools safely, legally, and effectively across preparedness, response, and recovery operations.

• The Department of Homeland Security - FEMA in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alliance for System Safety of Unmanned Aircraft Systems through Research Excellence (ASSURE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.146.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-08-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-08-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,800,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for DHS 25 NPD 146 00 99

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