With the recent enactment of Wisconsin Act 261, the legislature has paved the way for a new grant program for NextGen9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) in the state. The Act modifies Chapter 256 of state statute to create a competitive grant program for geographic information systems (GIS) to allow the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) to award grants to county land information offices.
Grants will be issued based on recommendations of the state’s 911 Subcommittee, under the State Interoperability Council. Grant purposes may include “data preparation, data gathering, data creation, geographic information system staffing, data preparation and collection contracts, and training, if these purposes enable Next Generation 911. Grant purposes may not include general county overhead or costs for providing emergency services or emergency services equipment.”
It is anticipated that $1.5 million in funds may be available for the grant program. In its 2021-23 budget request, published in September of 2020, DMA requested a GIS grant program for counties at a level of $3 million per year (pp. 88-89).
DMA will be developing a policy setting forth eligibility criteria for grants based on the recommendations of the 911 Subcommittee.