Homeland Security to distribute $210M to protect faith-based groups, nonprofits
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced that it will distribute an additional $210 million to help protect faith-based groups and nonprofits.
DHS issued a statement Tuesday saying it would distribute $210 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The $210 million is part of the $390 million that was included in the fiscal year 2024 National Security Supplemental, which DHS said was “a key priority” of the Biden administration and part of “its efforts to combat the dramatic increase in hate crimes and other forms of targeted violence against faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations.”
Get Our Latest News for FREE
DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas was quoted in the statement as saying that “the security-enhancing grant funds we provide to nonprofit organizations are more critical than ever.”
“The additional Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds [...] will enable nonprofit institutions, including faith-based organizations that are increasingly targeted, to equip themselves with the personnel, technology, and other resources needed to enhance their security and continue to safely contribute to their communities,” Mayorkas stated.
“We urge eligible institutions to apply for these potentially life-saving funds. We are grateful to Congress for making them available.”
The $210 million is the second tranche of funding for the protection of religious groups and nonprofits, with the initial $160 million tranche being announced by the DHS in June.
According to the DHS, thus far this year, more than 3,200 faith-based organizations and other nonprofit groups were awarded over $454 million in NSGP funds to purchase security items, including cameras, alarm systems, lighting and gates, access control systems as well as staff training programs.
In January 2020, then-President Donald Trump signed legislation authorizing $375 million in federal grants to help houses of worship and other nonprofit organizations improve their security.
“We are committed to building a nation where every community is secure, every family is safe, and every child can grow up in dignity and in peace,” said Trump in a statement at the time.
Last December, the DHS released a guide to help houses of worship better enhance security measures at their properties against any potential threats, like mass shooters.
Mayorkas said in a statement last year that the DHS was “committed to protecting every American’s right to live, express, and worship their faith freely and in safety.”
“The physical security performance goals we are releasing today provide churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based institutions with cost-effective, accessible, and readily implementable strategies to enhance their security and reduce the risk to their communities,” Mayorkas said.
“I strongly urge all faith-based institutions to take advantage of this new resource and incorporate the security practices it outlines.”
Some efforts to better secure nonprofits and faith-based groups are occurring at the state level, as The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness announced in March that they were distributing over 7,000 “bleeding control kits” to approximately 6,400 houses of worship to help churches respond to improve “active shooter incident survival.”
