September 29, 2025 – CBI – Lakewood, CO –Nearly $90,000 in state grant funding is available to support local governments in finding missing persons. Applications for the ‘Supporting Recovery Programs Persons Who Wander Grant Program’ will be accepted from September 29, 2025 until October 31, 2025.
The program, supported by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), provides grant funding to assist local governments or their designees in locating persons with medical conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias, autism, brain injury, or developmental, cognitive, neurological, or chromosomal disorders by encouraging county sheriffs' departments, municipalities, and county or municipal designees to establish recovery programs and provide tools that will increase the chances of saving the lives of lost and missing persons.
In just the first 8 months of 2025, CBI issued 41 Senior Alerts on behalf of elderly people who went missing. That is more than all the Medina, Endangered Missing and AMBER Alerts combined. One-third of all alerts CBI has issued so far this year are for Senior Alerts making it the number one category of alerts issued in Colorado.
“After three successful years, the CBI is pleased to announce another cycle of funding under the Persons Who Wander Grant Program. The Bureau recognizes the continued need for recovery resources to assist families with members who wander due to medical or cognitive issues,” said CBI Director Armando Saldate. “This program has provided resources for Colorado communities to obtain equipment, training, and valuable community outreach. We believe these efforts have and will continue to make a significant impact on recovery programs, particularly in our smaller or more rural communities.”
Past awards have funded the following: drones, drone pilot training, thermal imager for remote searches, wearable tracking technology, as well as wandering program promotion and outreach.
Award amounts will vary by application. The grant fund totals $89,141.
· Grant Application Period: September 29, 2025 – October 31, 2025
· Funding decisions announced: early/mid December, 2025
· Grant Agreement Issuance: mid/late December, 2025
· Award Period: January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026
How To Apply:
The Supporting Recovery Programs Persons Who Wander Grant Program Announcement, Application, and Application Instructions can be obtained at the CBI Persons Who Wander website at: https://cbi.colorado.gov/
Apply now in Google Forms,
For questions, please contact:
Drake Brownfield, CBI Grant Specialist
Direct: 720-879-7457
E-mail: drake.brownfield@state.co.us