Securing public spaces is a top priority for Homeland Security, with various grants available to support this mission. The Homeland Security preparedness grants outlined below provide critical funding for states, urban areas, and specific sectors to enhance their capabilities against potential threats. By utilizing these funds, recipients can implement advanced security measures, including state-of-the-art security cameras and access control systems, to safeguard their communities effectively.
Note that for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, Congress cut each of the preparedness grants by 10%, which resulted in commensurate cuts to each jurisdiction.
The following Homeland Security preparedness grants are non-competitive and awarded to recipients based on several factors:
Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP): State Homeland Security Program—provides $373.5 million to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based state homeland security strategies to address capability targets. Awards to the states are based on statutory minimums and relative risk as determined by DHS/FEMA’s risk methodology. See your state Department of Homeland Security website for the Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
HSGP: Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)—provides $553.5 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 41 high-threat, high-density areas. Awards are based on relative risk as determined by DHS/FEMA’s risk methodology. Contact your state Homeland Security or Urban Public Safety Department for the Notification of Funding Opportunity.
For both the state homeland and urban area grants, 30% of the awards must address the six priority areas of cybersecurity; soft target and crowded places; information and intelligence sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. Additionally, 35% of these grants must be dedicated to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities, and 80% of these grants must be obligated from the state to local or tribal governments within 45 calendar days of receipt.
Intercity Passenger Rail—provides $9 million to Amtrak to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system. Award made per congressional direction. See Notification of Funding Announcement (NOFO) Here - Submission Deadline is June 24, 2024.
The following grants are competitive, and exact awards will be announced in 2024:
Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program—provides $13.5 million to eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards. See Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Here - Submission Deadline is June 24, 2024.
Nonprofit Security Grant Program—provides $274.5 million to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. This year, $137.25 million is provided to nonprofits in UASI-designated urban areas, and $137.25 million is provided to nonprofits outside of UASI-designated urban areas located in any state or territory. See your state Department of Homeland Security website for the Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Port Security Grant Program—provides $90 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or re-establish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities. See Notification of Funding Announcement (NOFO) Here - Submission Deadline is June 24, 2024.
Transit Security Grant Program—provides $83.7 million to owners and operators of public transit systems to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure. Limited to specific cities in specific states. See list at the Notification of Funding Announcement Here - Submission Deadline is June 24, 2024.
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program—provides $1.8 million to owners and operators of intercity bus systems to protect surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure. See Notification of Funding Opportunity Here - Submission Deadline is June 24, 2024.
Key Takeaway: In every one of the grant opportunities listed above, they list “Enhancing the Protection of Soft Targets/Crowded Places” as a priority criterion for funding which includes security cameras and access control devices as allowable expenses. We invite you to visit Verkada for Public Sector where you can learn about Verkada government grade solutions that will meet that priority criterion.
For more support you can contact us Here for further help with your security needs. We’ll help you find the right products and pricing for your organization.