BUILD Act of 2025

This bill creates two federal grant programs to help small local police and fire departments build, upgrade, or fix their stations and training spaces. It targets communities of 50,000 people or fewer and focuses on improving emergency services, training, hiring and keeping staff, community engagement, and overall safety . Grants can be up to $4 million, and the money must clearly support these goals; parts of a project that don’t fit can’t be paid for with these funds .

The program covers both police agencies (through the Attorney General) and fire departments—including career, combination, and volunteer departments—through FEMA. Information about the grants must be shared widely, and awards should be spread fairly across regions. Public reports and national studies will track needs and progress over time .

Key points

• Who is affected: Local police agencies and fire departments that serve 50,000 people or fewer; fire departments include career, combination, and volunteer units .
• What changes: New federal grants for facility construction and upgrades tied to emergency service improvement, training, recruiting/retention, community engagement, and safety; each grant up to $4 million .
• Funding: Authorizes $250 million per year from 2026–2028 for police grants, and $250 million per year from 2026–2028 for fire grants .
• Oversight and timing: The Attorney General must issue guidance within 120 days of enactment; agencies must publish reports two years after enactment and then every two years for six years; DOJ/FEMA will study facility needs, and GAO will report within one year with short-, mid-, and long-term projections .