Grants for Fingerprint Work

Grants for fingerprint work, which verify an individual's criminal history, are available from federal, state and private organizations and companies. Technology to assist law enforcement agencies update their fingerprinting systems from document and ink to digital fingerprint technology can run upward of $30,000, so grants can be extremely helpful to this end.


Federal Department Grants
Several government organizations including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI offer grants to law enforcement organizations to help them purchase digital fingerprinting technology. To qualify, town, community, state and national police organizations and law enforcement agencies must write a proposal on the law enforcement letterhead. In the proposal, the organization must prove it will use the grant to purchase the system and for criminal investigative work.

Local and State Grants
State services and towns also offer grants to law enforcement agencies to update their fingerprinting systems. An example is the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. In 2011 it awarded grants ranging from $4,900 to $30,000 to 14 law enforcement organizations to help them update their systems to digital fingerprints and purchase fingerprinting scanning systems. The Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information Systems (CLEMIS), which services over 100 police agencies in several counties, also provides fingerprint work. The amount of the grants varies depending on the cost of the equipment. Grant applications are available through state websites and offices.

Companies
IDNetworks is one of several companies that offers grants to law enforcement agencies to update their fingerprinting work system. The Baltimore Life Companies also offers grants to local schools and law enforcement agencies to hold events to fingerprint children so they can be identified in an emergency situation. Target also awards grants to local law enforcement agencies for equipment and training, such as fingerprint work. Target provides 250 law enforcement agencies with funding annually. Applications for the grants are available on each company's website.

Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant provides funding from the U.S. Department of Justice to states to give grants to local law enforcement agencies. Both New York State and the City of Richmond have received grants to help fund fingerprint work. Applications for grants are available through the Grants Management System or the State Policy Advisor.