Mississippi Office of Highway Safety Public Information and Education, State Agency, and Specialized Funding Grant Program

The Mississippi Office of Highway Safety (MOHS), operating under the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, administers competitive grant funding to improve traffic safety outcomes statewide. The program is rooted in federal support from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), operating under the Highway Safety Act of 1966 and currently authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). MOHS distributes funds annually to eligible entities through a data-driven, performance-based grant process aimed at reducing roadway fatalities, injuries, and crashes. The FY27 grant cycle offers support for Public Information and Education (PI&E), State Agency, and specialized highway safety programs. Eligible applicants include state agencies, law enforcement jurisdictions (for non-enforcement activities), judicial bodies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community groups. The program covers a variety of focus areas including alcohol-only countermeasures (154AL), alcohol and drug-impaired driving (405d), occupant protection (402/405b), driver’s education (402), child restraint programs, and data systems related to crash and citation records (405c). The overall purpose is to fund statewide or local initiatives that directly address known highway safety problems through targeted strategies and measurable outcomes. Applications must propose clear program targets and include detailed problem identification backed by data, ideally from 2023 state-level crash and fatality statistics. Applicants must define performance measures and outline how their activities—such as trainings, outreach events, public education, data analysis, and community engagement—will support MOHS’s statewide objectives. Strategies may include classroom sessions, health fairs, technical trainings, observational surveys, and data access or dissemination. These strategies must be connected to specific program goals like reducing unbelted fatalities or increasing the number of trained officers in SFST and ARIDE protocols. Funding can be used for a range of allowable expenses including personnel (salary and fringe), contractual services, travel, equipment, commodities, indirect costs, and match contributions. However, certain restrictions apply: furniture, firearms, uniforms, and facilities-related costs are not eligible. Equipment purchases over $1,000, including all computers, must be justified with quotes and be essential to the project. Commodities like educational materials or office supplies must similarly be tied to project outcomes and supported with cost documentation. Indirect costs can be claimed via a federally approved rate or by using a 15% de minimis rate. Grant applications were made available on December 5, 2025, and the submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. on January 30, 2026. Completed applications must include the FY27 Grant Application Form, a financial audit (A-133 or recent audit if A-133 is not required), and any required supporting documentation such as quotes or cost allocations. Applications must be submitted electronically to the MOHS email. Incomplete applications or those missing required documents will not be considered. Notification of award decisions will occur no later than July 2026, and the grant performance period will run from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. MOHS evaluates proposals based on completeness, alignment with state highway safety goals, proposed performance measures, and the reasonableness of budget requests. Continuation applicants are also assessed on past performance. Although funding is contingent on the availability of state and federal appropriations, selected projects are expected to demonstrate how their activities contribute to meeting the statewide Highway Safety Plan (HSP) performance targets. For further inquiries, applicants may contact MOHS by email at [email protected] or by phone at 601-391-4924.