Want to improve your employee safety and reduce your public liability, but need some extra funds to do it? Every year, our Safety and Liability Management Grant Program provides those funds through a first come, first served grant process. We designed this non-matching grant program with the primary goal of helping you pay for the training, equipment, and services you need to increase employee safety and reduce claims.
These grant funds are city-owned and we focus on sharing those funds to proactively minimize workers' compensation, liability, and property exposures that cause losses. Not only do these investments help a city’s bottom line but employees also feel better knowing you’re going above and beyond to keep them safe in the workplace.
We award grants until all eligible funds are expended.
Download the GMA Safety Liability Management Grant Program Brochure (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to apply?
Only members of GMA’s property and liability fund (GIRMA) and GMA’s workers’ compensation fund (GMA WCSIF) may apply for these grants.
In addition to being a member of one of these two programs, you must also:
- Be current in your payment of all member contributions and fees.
- Have had at least one member employee participate in at least one LGRMS sponsored training program within the past year of your grant request.
- Have designated a specific person as a Safety Coordinator. The designated Safety Coordinator must attend and complete Introduction to Local Government Safety Coordinator Modules 1,2, and 3 within the past year of the grant request.
- Show proof and implementation of a written policy (signed by the Mayor and City Administrator / Manager for cities or Executive Director for authorities) on:
- Holding safety meetings / training (a minimum of one meeting per quarter). If your written policy was approved in the previous year, you will not need to resubmit the written policy. However, you will need to submit verification that meetings took place.
- Requiring a minimum of two safety self-inspections per year, with a minimum of one every six months. You will not need to resubmit the written policy if approved the previous year, but you will need to submit proof of inspections.
- Requiring mandatory seat belt usage that applies to anyone conducting city/authority business who rides in or drives owned/operated vehicles or operating construction equipment equipped with seat belts.
- A documented mandatory use guideline or SOP signed by the department head and either the Mayor, top Administrator, or Executive Director for each safety equipment request.
For members with premiums over $100,000, you must show proof that the member’s leadership and safety team has reviewed applicable loss trends over the last five years and developed goals and associated action plans to address those trends.
How much grant money can I receive?
The maximum amount of grant money you can receive depends on the amount of your premium level, as seen in the following table.
| Premium Amount |
Maximum Grant Amount |
| More than $200,000 |
$10,000 |
| $60,000 to $200,000 |
5% of your premium |
| $6,000 to $60,000 |
$3,000 |
| $1,000 to $6,000 |
50% of your premium |
| Less than $1,000 |
$500 |
What items are eligible?
For Workers’ Compensation Self-Insurance Fund (WCSIF) members, ask yourself if the item requested will reduce the risk of employee injury or a workers’ compensation claim. If yes, it is likely to be approved.
Items typically approved include:
- Training videos
- Fees for attending a safety course or seminar
- Safety related services
- Equipment such as:
- Soft body armor for law enforcement
- Reflective vests / garments
- Confined space entry or retrieval equipment
- Trench boxes or shoring equipment
- Chemical handling gloves
- Aprons
- Face shields
- Respirators
For Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency (GIRMA) members, ask yourself if the item requested will reduce the risk of a property and liability claim. If so, it is likely to be approved.
Items typically approved include:
- Training videos
- Fees for attending a liability course or seminar
- Risk reducing services
- Department accreditation
- Certification fees (such as for CALEA or Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police)
- Equipment such as:
- Playground enhancements (such as netting, sand, cross ties, etc.)
- Traffic control (such as barriers, cones, fencing, signs, flagger certification, flares, beacons)
- Safety lights and camera systems for vehicles
- Law enforcement items (such as gun locking devices, in-car / body / taser cameras, etc.).
Ineligible items include…
- Personal safety equipment (such as hard hats, general use safety glasses, safety shoes, disposable gloves, flashlights, etc.)
- Weapons of any type
- Staff salary costs
- General training requirements for a specific position (such as police or fire academy training programs)
- General equipment that can be used for multiple purposes (such as computers, furniture, etc.),
- Association dues / fees
When can I apply for a grant?
- Your purchase must be made during the current calendar year that runs from January 1 to December 31.
- We began reviewing grant applications on February 1.
- All grant applications must be received or post marked before October 31.
How long will it take to receive my grant money?
The average grant payment takes 3-4 months and follows a specific process.
- LGRMS receives your grant application, identifies any issues with your documentation, and sends you an acknowledgement email requesting any needed documentation. This takes 2-6 weeks.
- LGRMS will review your application with the GMA Grant Board. This Board will either approve or decline the items you have requested. This takes an additional 2-6 weeks.
- LGRMS sends you an email indicating the items approved for your grant.
- You then purchase the items requested and send LGRMS the proof of purchase documentation.
- Once LGRMS receives your documentation, we deliver your check. This usually takes 2-6 weeks.
How are grants selected?
- Each submitted grant request will be subject to approval by a committee made up of the Deputy Executive Director of Risk Management Employee Benefit Services (RMEBS), the Director of Risk Management Services, and the Director of LGRMS with input from an appropriate LGRMS Field Representative. The Committee will have final determination as to whether a grant request meets the overall intent of the program.
- Priority will be given to grant requests that have direct impact on employee safety or reduction of liability exposures.
- Each fully completed request will be logged into the master list of requests and processed in the order received.
- Incomplete requests will not be recorded into the master list until all necessary documentation has been received.
- All requests will be acknowledged as to whether it has been approved, not approved, or partially approved.
- Funds will only be dispensed after final documentation has been received for the necessary approved purchase or expense.
- Any grant requests received after all funds have been depleted will be returned to the member.
What do I need to apply for a grant?
Our application process describes every step in detail. Download the application.