Oklahoma Sheriff's Office Funding Assistance Grant Program

The Oklahoma Sheriff’s Office Funding Assistance Grant Program was established through House Bill 2914, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature and codified under state law. The program is administered by the Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General and is designed to strengthen law enforcement capacity across the state. Its central purpose is to ensure professional law enforcement services by providing targeted financial assistance to sheriff’s offices operating in qualified counties. The legislation reflects a statewide policy priority to support local law enforcement infrastructure, particularly in counties with varying levels of property tax valuation and fiscal capacity. The program provides direct funding to county sheriff’s offices through a structured grant allocation system based on each county’s gross assessed total tangible property valuation. Counties are categorized into tiers, and award amounts are determined accordingly, with lower-valuation counties receiving smaller grants and higher-valuation counties receiving larger allocations. However, if total available funding is insufficient, awards may be proportionally reduced. The funding is intended strictly for the lawful operation of sheriff’s offices, ensuring that essential services such as equipment, operations, and administrative functions are supported. A key restriction of the program is that grant funds may not be used for salary payments. Additionally, counties are prohibited from reducing or replacing their existing funding for sheriff’s offices due to receipt of grant funds, at least through the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. This ensures that the grant supplements rather than supplants existing financial support. The program is also supported by a dedicated revolving fund within the state treasury, which allows for continuous appropriation and expenditure of funds in alignment with program goals. Eligibility for the program is limited to qualified counties within the state of Oklahoma. Each county may submit only one application per fiscal year, and applications must be submitted within a defined window following the start of the county’s fiscal year. The Attorney General’s Office is responsible for establishing procedures, reviewing applications, and administering awards. The process is conducted through an online system, the Oklahoma Grant Exchange (OGX), which serves as the official submission portal for applicants. For the 2026 funding cycle, the application period opened on May 4, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. and closes on June 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Applicants must complete and submit their materials through the OGX platform. While the specific evaluation criteria are not explicitly outlined in the provided materials, it can be inferred that eligibility and compliance with statutory requirements play a primary role in award determinations, along with the county’s classification under the valuation-based tier system. The program appears to operate on an annual cycle aligned with fiscal years, with applications submitted once per year and funding distributed accordingly. While explicit notification timelines are not provided, awards are expected to follow the close of the application period and subsequent review by the Attorney General’s Office. For inquiries, applicants may contact the Grants Administrator within the Victim Advocacy Services Unit via email or phone, ensuring access to support throughout the application process.