Today, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will distribute $160 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds as a first tranche of additional funding that the Biden-Harris Administration secured to protect faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations against targeted attacks. The announcement accompanies DHS’s release of an amended Notice of Funding Opportunity that will now enable qualifying institutions and organizations to apply for these additional NSGP funds.
The $160 million in additional funds are a portion of the $390 million that were included in the fiscal year 2024 National Security Supplemental, a key priority of the Administration as it continues to intensify its efforts to combat the dramatic increase in hate crimes and other forms of targeted violence against faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations. In total for fiscal year 2024, the Administration has secured $664 million for the NSGP, more than double last year’s $305 million appropriation. Earlier this year, DHS announced $274.5 million in available NGSP funds and intends to make the balance of those funds available later this year.
“We have seen a dramatic increase in hate crimes and other forms of violence targeted against faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The additional Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding that we are announcing today will provide these institutions and organizations with much-needed resources to strengthen their security and protect their communities from harm.”
The rise in hate crimes and other forms of targeted violence has increased sharply since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel. In light of the changing threat environment, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program has become a more important resource to faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations to strengthen their security posture. In 2023, over 2,200 faith-based and other nonprofit organizations utilized over $305 million in NSGP funding to purchase security cameras, developing evacuation plans, additional warnings and alert systems, gates and lighting, access control systems, and training programs for staff.
Hellbound and Down 