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New security funding for NY Jewish organizations

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As you are considering how to best secure your organization while remaining welcoming, UJA-Federation and JCRC-NY are pleased to offer, with generous support from the Paul E. Singer Foundation and the Jewish Communal Fund, additional resources to keep you and your stakeholders safe and secure:

PROFESSIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT: Through JCRC, UJA-Federation is making available at no cost to you, professional security assessments so that you can immediately start safeguarding your institution and be ready to apply for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and NY State grants. Organizations that professionally assessed are significantly more likely to receive funding than those that do not. For more information, review the information below or contact David Pollock at JCRC.

Apply Now

SECURITY GRANTS RECIPIENTS BRIDGE LOAN PROGRAM: Through the Hebrew Free Loan Society (HFLS), UJA has created a bridge loan fund providing capital to federal and state grant recipients to make all necessary upgrades immediately; and get reimbursed from the state later. Available on a first come, first served basis for organizations that have received security grants, but cannot afford to pay for security enhancements upfront while awaiting reimbursement from the government. This program provides interest-free loans of up to $150,000 to organizations in any of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, or Long Island Read here for more information, or contact HFLS Director of Finance Daren Scott.

Apply Now

Start with an assessment

A Terrorism Vulnerability Assessment  examines the threats to your Jewish organization, documents the gaps in physical security measures and security policies and procedures, and the consequences of a terrorist attack. The assessment will also recommend specific steps to mitigate the threats, specifically written to comport with the federal and state grant applications. Click here to apply for an experienced and credentialed security professional to conduct a Terrorism Vulnerability Assessment of your Jewish organization.

Assessments will be scheduled until the funding is exhausted. We hope to serve as many deserving organizations as possible.

Find out how to apply for government grants

Soon,  two grants will be available to certain New York nonprofits. Applications for both the state and federal grants must be submitted through the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. Click here for their nonprofit grants page. Here are the details.

New York State Grants Gateway/Prequalification

New York State will not accept applications for grants unless the nonprofit applicant is prequalified, i.e., applicants must upload basic organizational documents and answer questions about their nonprofit’s capacity and integrity. This portal is known as the “Grants Gateway.”

  • New applicants. See JCRC-NY’s additional information about how to get started and special instructions for religious corporations at: /document-vault-faqs/.
  • Previously prequalified. If your nonprofit was previously prequalified, you will still have to update certain documents if your document vault “expires” (i.e, certain information goes out of date). Check out your Document Vault for more information.

Prequalification is not as hard as it may look, but it’s important to get started now! Your organization will not be able to apply unless you are prequalified.

New York State Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grants

New York State, committed to ensuring the safety and equal treatment of all New Yorkers, is launching a second round of the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program to boost safety and security at New York’s nonpublic schools, day care centers and cultural museums at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. In support of this effort, a total of $10.1 million in grant funding has been made available on a statewide basis.

  • Availability. Now.
  • Eligibility. Nonpublic schools (Preschool-12), nonprofit day care centers (including those housed in JCC’s and synagogues) and cultural museums that are at risk of hate crimes or attacks against their facilities because of their ideology, beliefs or mission. For the purpose of the grant, terrorism is included as a category of hate crime. Click here for the exact details on eligibility.
  • Maximum grant amount. Applications will be accepted for up to $50,000 per facility. Eligible organizations with multiple sites may submit up to three applications for a maximum total request of up to $150,000 allowed per organization.
  • What will the grant pay for?
    • Hardening the organization’s facility or facilities including recreational areas adjacent to the facility through exterior physical security enhancements; and/or
    • Providing security training that will advance the knowledge of security personnel and staff.
  • Deadline. Applications are due to Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services by 5:00 pm on December 19, 2018. Applications submitted past this date will be disqualified. Individual extensions will not be given.
  • Application form. Applicants must complete the DHSES Risk Evaluation Tool to describe the organization’s significant risk of a hate crime and its proposed equipment and training needs to prevent and protect against a hate crime.
  • Risk/Security/Threat Assessment. Applicants with a current or previously conducted (within three years) risk/security/threat assessment completed by a police department, private company or university should base their Risk Evaluation Tool submission on the information, analyses and findings contained in the risk/security/threat assessment(s). However, no assessment is required.
  • What are your chances? Last year, all of the eligible applicants that filed a complete application were awarded a grant.
  • Additional assistance. See JCRC-NY’s dedicated webpage at www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Nonprofit Security Grant Program

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations.

    • Availability. Sometime in Spring, 2019.
    • Eligibility. Nonprofit organizations in New York City, Long Island and Westchester that are determined to be at high risk of a terrorist attack by the Department of Homeland Security.
    • Maximum grant amount. Unknown. Last year the maximum was $150,000. The upcoming grant may place a $100,000 cap (or less) so that more organizations can be funded.
    • What will the grant pay for? Allowable costs are focused on target hardening and physical security enhancements. Funding can be used for the acquisition and installation of security equipment on real property (including buildings and improvements) owned or leased by the nonprofit organization, specifically in prevention of and/or protection against the risk of a terrorist attack. This equipment is limited to select items in the following two categories of items on the Authorized Equipment List (AEL):
      • Physical Security Enhancement Equipment (Category 14)
      • Inspection and Screening Systems (Category 15)
      • Training. Allowable training topics are limited to the protection of critical infrastructure key resources, including physical and cybersecurity, target hardening, and terrorism awareness/employee preparedness including programs such as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, Active Shooter training, and emergency first aid training. Training conducted using NSGP funds must address a specific threat and/or vulnerability, as identified in the nonprofit organization’s Investment Justification.
      • Planning. Funding may be used for security or emergency planning expenses and the materials required to conduct planning activities. Planning must be related to the protection of the facility and the people within the facility and should include with access and functional needs as well as those with limited English proficiency. Examples of planning activities allowable under this program include:
        • Development and enhancement of security plans and protocols;
        • Development or further strengthening of security assessments;
        • Emergency contingency plans;
        • Evacuation/Shelter-in-place plans; and
        • Other project planning activities with prior approval from DHS/FEMA.

Deadline. Unknown. It is unlikely that this grant will be offered until there is a federal budget in place.

Application form. Applicants must complete a spreadsheet called an Investment Justification. We assume that the 2019 Investment Justification will be similar to those used in previous years, so applicants thinking of applying for the federal grant should draft their answers using the 2018 form and cut and paste their responses into the 2019 form when it is released.

  • Risk/Security/Threat Assessment. The Investment Justification asks for findings from a “previously conducted risk assessment. The most useful risk assessments are from certified, independent security professionals, but police department crime prevention surveys and self assessments are acceptable.
  • What are your chances? Last year, 112 nonprofits in the New York area were awarded Nonprofit Security Grant Program grants and approximately twice that number applied.
  • Additional assistance. See JCRC-NY’s dedicated webpage at www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants.

 

Hebrew Free Loan Society bridge loans for security grant recipients

The Hebrew Free Loan Society’s Security Grants Bridge Loan Program provides interest-free loans of up to $150,000 to Jewish Community agencies in any of New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, or Long Island that have been awarded government grants to fund security improvements. These grants require agencies to pay up front for the work and then to submit receipts for reimbursement, which causes a cash flow problem for some agencies to the point that they are unable to take advantage of the award. HFLS is partnering with UJA-Federation of New York to provide interest-free bridge loan financing to ensure that grant awardees can proceed with the work necessary to increase security and safety for their community. Click here to learn more and here for the application.

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