Trump Administration Announces Another $250 Million in Federal Funds to Secure America from Unlawful Drones

WASHINGTON -- Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) made $250 million available to states and territories through a new Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program funding opportunity. This funding will empower state and territorial governments to enhance their capabilities to aggressively combat the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems-also known as "drones."

"Unlawful drones are not a future threat. They are a real and growing danger to our communities, critical infrastructure, and major public events," said FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton. "Through this grant program, FEMA is enabling states and territories to build the capabilities they need to detect, identify, track and monitor drone threats before they can cause harm."

In recent years, criminals, terrorists and hostile foreign actors have intensified their use of unmanned aircraft systems to endanger the American people, threaten the integrity of our communities and jeopardize the protection of critical infrastructure and vital institutions. With the support of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have coordinated federal efforts to address unlawful drone threats and protect communities, critical infrastructure and large-scale public events. FEMA designed its C-UAS Grant Program to address this evolving threat by empowering state and territorial governments to build the capabilities they need to effectively detect, identify, track and monitor this technology. This program aligns with President Trump's broader initiative to protect the public from hostile drones, as outlined in the Executive Order on Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty.

The C-UAS Grant Program was established under the Working Families Tax Cut Act and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in July 2025. This legislation directed DHS to provide $500 million in federal funding to enhance state and local capabilities to combat unmanned aircraft systems. Last year, FEMA awarded $250 million specifically to states hosting FIFA World Cup matches and to the National Capital Region, which hosted national events celebrating America's 250^th anniversary. This year, the remaining $250 million will be distributed to all 50 states, five territories and the District of Columbia, enabling robust detection and response capabilities in communities nationwide. This design demonstrates that the Trump Administration is working to keep Americans secure as they attend historic events across the nation while also building long-term protections against drone threats.

The Fiscal Year 2027 C-UAS Grant Program funding opportunity is published on Grants.gov. This is a noncompetitive grant program. State Administrative Agencies are the only eligible applicants for this funding opportunity. All applications must be submitted in FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO), the grants management system of record. The application period opens on October 16, 2026, and will close on November 16, 2026.