06.25.2026 NAPSPS Webinar Video Recording – Unlocking Funding Opportunities: Grants and External Funding for Public Safety Professionals
Securing grants and external funding can help public safety agencies expand programs, support innovation, and strengthen operations. NAPSPS held a practical and informative webinar featuring Kristen Mahoney, followed by a special federal funding briefing from Ben Bawden and Melissa Nee, partners with Brooks Bawden Moore.
Kristen opened the session by sharing strategies for identifying funding opportunities, building organizational readiness, developing competitive grant proposals, and aligning projects with funder priorities. Drawing on her extensive experience in public safety leadership and policy, she provided practical insights into how agencies can leverage grants and external funding to support innovation, strengthen operations, and advance strategic goals.
Following Kristen’s presentation, Ben and Melissa provided a timely briefing on current federal grant opportunities impacting public safety organizations. Their presentation highlighted key federal funding programs, emerging priorities within the federal grant landscape, anticipated funding announcements, and strategies for positioning agencies to compete successfully for available resources. Participants gained a clearer understanding of where funding opportunities exist, how priorities are evolving, and what actions agencies should take now to prepare for upcoming grant cycles.
Panelists
Click on any image to see the panelist’s biography.
Ben Bawden
Partner, Brooks Bawden Moore LLC
Ben Bawden
Partner, Brooks Bawden Moore LLC
Ben Bawden has supported companies and professional associations in the public safety space for nearly two decades. Formerly a Senior Vice President at a leading Washington, DC based consulting and government relations firm from 2000-2012, Ben led numerous legislative, policy development, and business development engagements for leading national law enforcement professional associations and innovative technology providers to the public safety, homeland security, and defense markets.
Ben has worked on cutting-edge technology and policy issues affecting public safety and homeland security including data collection and analysis, tech privacy, interoperable communications, digital evidence access, encryption, forensics, information sharing, and criminal intelligence. He has coordinated coalitions to drive legislative change and has managed nationwide legislative efforts in state capitals and Congress to preserve access to critical technology, systems, and data for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Ben is an Iowa native and earned a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
Kristen M. Mahoney, J.D.
Senior Director for Criminal Justice Leadership Education Programs
Kristen M. Mahoney, J.D.
Senior Director for Criminal Justice Leadership Education Programs
Prior to joining the University of Virginia, Kristen Mahoney was the Director of Policy, Government and Partner Engagement at the University of Chicago’s Crime Lab and Education Lab. In this role, she spearheaded the development and implementation of outreach and collaboration strategies to engage elected officials and government agencies at all levels. In addition, she served as the Principal Deputy Director at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, overseeing an agency responsible for over $4 billion in public safety resources. She also led the Maryland Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, where she developed and implemented strategies to reduce crime, juvenile delinquency, and serve victims. Additionally, she held key positions at the Baltimore Police Department as the Chief of Technical Services and the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.
Mahoney’s exceptional contributions to public safety were recognized with a 2016 Presidential Rank Award from President Obama for her work on the National Public Safety Partnership. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Sweet Briar College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore.
Melissa Nee
Partner, Brooks Bawden Moore LLC
Melissa Nee
Partner, Brooks Bawden Moore LLC
Melissa has years of experience leading government relations efforts for prominent public safety organizations, and developing strong relationships on Capitol Hill and across the public safety stakeholder community.
Prior to joining BBM, Melissa managed government affairs for SEARCH – The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics from 2015-2019. At SEARCH, Melissa worked with federal, state, and local organizations, the executive branch, and Congress to develop legislation and policy to improve justice information sharing and the national background check system that is used extensively for criminal justice and non-criminal justice purposes.
From 2013-2015, Melissa managed the government affairs portfolio for the National Association of Police Organizations, which represents over 241,000 sworn law enforcement officers across the country, and led efforts to advocate for programs and legislation to support the law enforcement community.
Melissa started her career at the Department of Defense, working for five years in the Secretary of the Air Force’s Office of General Counsel and at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Melissa earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Virginia Tech University.
National Association of Professional Staff in Public Safety
