FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 26, 2025) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that an anticipated $2,209,961 in federal grant funding will be available to apply for, beginning June 30, for units of state and local governments and not-for-profit organizations to increase public safety.
The funds are allocated through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022. Funding priority for Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP) awards will be given to units of local governments to implement state crisis intervention court proceedings and related programs or initiatives.
“Improving the safety of our New Kentucky Home has been a top priority of mine since my first day in public office,” Gov. Beshear said. “In providing this grant funding, we can continue making our communities safer by working with dedicated partners across the commonwealth.”
In March, the Governor awarded more than $2.1 million through this federal program to seven organizations, which included Fayette County Public Schools, the Administrative Office of the Courts and Maryhurst Inc.
The State Crisis Intervention Advisory Board adopted five program areas for priority funding: court programs and court-based diversion programs; behavioral health initiatives and crisis response; community crisis intervention and co-responder programs and training; suicide prevention initiatives, particularly those related to veterans and youth; and education and public awareness campaigns and gun safety device distribution.
“We can only make our New Kentucky Home safer by working together, and this grant funding lets us do just that,” Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson said. “This grant program will go toward organizations and programs that directly impact the lives of Kentuckians, and I encourage any eligible entity to apply and help us make our communities safer.”
More information about the grant program can be found here.
The period to apply opens June 30, and applications and are due by August 8. The awards are expected to be announced in December. Assistance with the application process may be obtained by contacting grants management staff at JUSIGX@ky.gov.
Applications must be submitted online via Intelligrants 10.0 (IGX), the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet’s electronic grants management system. New applicants will be required to establish an account and become familiar with the system well in advance of the due date. Applicants should also note that validating a new user account requires 48 to 72 hours. Applicants must also possess a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from the federal System for Award Management at sam.gov to be eligible to receive a Byrne SCIP award.
The Beshear-Coleman administration is committed to making Kentucky a national leader in public safety by increasing access to addiction resources, improving second chance opportunities, providing support and enhanced training to law enforcement officers and boosting the economy.
The Governor has worked to support victims of crime and sexual abuse. The administration has awarded more than $149 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth. The Governor has also signed legislation to make sexual extortion a felony and strengthened statutory language to include other forms of abuse and sexual exploitation of minors.
Since Gov. Beshear took office, fewer Kentuckians have returned to prison after their release. In February, it was announced that nearly 70% of those released from state custody have not returned. Following this announcement, the Governor established the Team Kentucky Office of Reentry Services, which works to coordinate reentry services across state government to ensure everyone leaving prison has access to quality second chance resources. The administration also continues to work with employers to provide good-paying jobs to inmates upon their release, further reducing the chances of reoffending.
For three straight years, overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky. In 2024, the commonwealth saw 30.2% fewer overdose deaths than the year before, thanks to the increased availability of naloxone and recovery services across the state. To continue this work, four more counties were certified as Recovery Ready Communities in May for their ability to provide addiction and recovery treatment, job services and transportation to these services, bringing the number of certified counties up to 25.
The Beshear-Coleman administration has prioritized the training and safety of Kentucky’s law enforcement officers. In April, the Governor opened the Jody Cash Multipurpose Training Facility, a 42,794-square-foot facility with a 50-yard, 30-lane firing range designed for officers to learn intensive and specialized training that will support training all of Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies. On Feb. 28, the Beshear-Coleman administration welcomed the first basic training academy class to Western Kentucky. For the first time since basic training became mandatory in 1998, Kentucky is simultaneously offering training in two locations. Since taking office, the administration has also awarded more than $12 million in grant funding to assist state and local law enforcement agencies with enhancing public and officer safety, curbing the sale of illegal drugs and fighting addiction.
###