Federal and NY State security grants updates - Community Security Initiative

Eligible nonprofits can now apply for both state and federal grants to upgrade their security. Some requirements apply to both sets of grants.

All not-for-profit organizations must be prequalified in order to do business with New York State and to apply for grants. See the options below, under the appropriate grant.
All New York State applicants must submit their grants through the E-Grants system. If you are already registered, use your existing username and password. If you need to register download the E-Grants Registration Form.
Not-for-Profit (NFP) organizations receiving an award greater than $50,000 are required to complete a Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire. This form is available at http://www.osc.state.ny.us/vendrep/forms_vendor.htm . Vendors can also file the Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire online through the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) New York State VendRep System. To enroll and use the OSC NYS VendRep system, instructions are available at http://www.osc.state.ny.us/vendrep/index.htm

For New York State assistance contact DHSES at 1-866-837-9133 or email them at Grant.Info@dhses.ny.gov. To submit a question to us email to security.requests@jcrcny.org. Click on the buttons below for the necessary forms and the most up-to-date information. Click to the Community Security Initiative (a joint program of UJA-Federation and JCRC-NY) tutorials below for more information and guidance.

Federal Grant	New York State Grant
In New York, federal Request for Applications due on March 18, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Any at-risk nonprofit is eligible to apply for grants up to $100,000. Note the NSGP-UA is for organizations within a designated Urban Area (in NY: NYC, Long Island and Westchester). Outside the NY Urban Area apply for the NSGP-S grant. Click on the button above for the official downloads. Here are some additional helpful presentations and sources: FEMA NSGP Presentation NY DHSES NSGP Presentation JCRC-NY NSGP Tutorial (Feb. 23, 2020) Understanding & Mitigating the Risks to Faith-Based Religious Institutions (DHS/John Durkin) JFNA NSGP resources JFNA: Preliminary Guidance: Threat Chronology (February 13, 2020) A great resource for events that are most recent, geographically proximate, and closely related to the type or circumstance of the institution or are of “National Significance” – being of such magnitude or breadth that they create a significant existential threat to the Jewish community at-large. Some changes from last year.	New York State has two possible grants (check the eligibility criteria) and the due date for both Request for Applications is March 16, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Organizations eligible to apply may request up to $50,000 per site. Click on the button above for the official downloads. Here are some additional helpful presentations and sources: Click here for the recording of our Jan. 14th webinar. Get the presentation by clicking here. (Note, some of the grant requirements were changed since the webinar). Note: State grant applicants may prequalify using a “streamlined” process found at https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/securing-communities . Those prequalifying using the traditional prequalification process are prequalified for both grants. Eligibility For the $25 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grant, you must be: a §501(c)(3) organization (see more details in the RFA); AND at least one of the following: a nonprofit, nonpublic school; or a nonprofit day care center; or a nonprofit cultural museum, which is a building or site for the exhibition or promotion of arts and culture of a particular region or people; or a nonprofit residential camp, which is occupied on an overnight basis by persons under eighteen years of age; or a nonprofit community center (The best definition that we’ve seen is from FEMA, “A building, including attached structures and grounds, that is established and primarily used as a gathering place for a variety of social, educational enrichment, and community service activities consistent with the nonprofit’s IRS status.” (FEMA DAP9521.1) DHSES urges applicants that consider themselves to be “community centers” to do their best to explain why they are eligible.). For the $20 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes for Nonpublic Schools and Day Camps grant, you must be: To be considered for funding, eligible organizations must: Have received a Recognition of Exempt Status Determination letter from the IRS pursuant to 26 USC §501(c)(3). Alternatively, the applicant may self-certify by providing a letter affirming that the organization qualifies as a §501(c)(3) organization and is exempt from tax pursuant to 26 USC §501(a); the organization must maintain tax exempt status throughout the life of the grant. If the organization’s tax-exempt status is jeopardized or placed into question at any point during the life of the grant, the organization must notify DHSES within fifteen (15) days; AND Meet at least one of the following: are a nonprofit nonpublic school; or are a nonprofit day camp, which is occupied on a scheduled basis at any time between June 1st and September 15th by children under sixteen years of age for a period of less than twenty-four hours; AND Be at risk of a hate crime due to ideology, beliefs, or mission as described by the applying organization under this RFA; AND Be registered, have recently applied for registration and such application remains pending, or be exempt from registering with the NYS Attorney General’s Office, Charities Bureau; AND Be prequalified, through New York State Grants Management at https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/securing-communities prior to application submission.

Federal Grant

New York State Grant

In New York, federal Request for Applications due on March 18, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Any at-risk nonprofit is eligible to apply for grants up to $100,000. Note the NSGP-UA is for organizations within a designated Urban Area (in NY: NYC, Long Island and Westchester). Outside the NY Urban Area apply for the NSGP-S grant.

Click on the button above for the official downloads. Here are some additional helpful presentations and sources:

FEMA NSGP Presentation
NY DHSES NSGP Presentation
JCRC-NY NSGP Tutorial (Feb. 23, 2020)
Understanding & Mitigating the Risks to Faith-Based Religious Institutions (DHS/John Durkin)
JFNA NSGP resources
JFNA: Preliminary Guidance: Threat Chronology (February 13, 2020) A great resource for events that are most recent, geographically proximate, and closely related to the type or circumstance of the institution or are of “National Significance” – being of such magnitude or breadth that they create a significant existential threat to the Jewish community at-large.

Some changes from last year.

New York State has two possible grants (check the eligibility criteria) and the due date for both Request for Applications is March 16, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. Organizations eligible to apply may request up to $50,000 per site.

Click on the button above for the official downloads. Here are some additional helpful presentations and sources:

Click here for the recording of our Jan. 14th webinar.
Get the presentation by clicking here. (Note, some of the grant requirements were changed since the webinar).

Note: State grant applicants may prequalify using a “streamlined” process found at https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/securing-communities . Those prequalifying using the traditional prequalification process are prequalified for both grants.

Eligibility

For the $25 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes grant, you must be:

a §501(c)(3) organization (see more details in the RFA); AND at least one of the following:
a nonprofit, nonpublic school; or
a nonprofit day care center; or
a nonprofit cultural museum, which is a building or site for the exhibition or promotion of arts and culture of a particular region or people; or
a nonprofit residential camp, which is occupied on an overnight basis by persons under eighteen years of age; or
a nonprofit community center (The best definition that we’ve seen is from FEMA, “A building, including attached structures and grounds, that is established and primarily used as a gathering place for a variety of social, educational enrichment, and community service activities consistent with the nonprofit’s IRS status.” (FEMA DAP9521.1) DHSES urges applicants that consider themselves to be “community centers” to do their best to explain why they are eligible.).

For the $20 million Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes for Nonpublic Schools and Day Camps grant, you must be:

To be considered for funding, eligible organizations must:

Have received a Recognition of Exempt Status Determination letter from the IRS pursuant to 26 USC §501(c)(3). Alternatively, the applicant may self-certify by providing a letter affirming that the organization qualifies as a §501(c)(3) organization and is exempt from tax pursuant to 26 USC §501(a); the organization must maintain tax exempt status throughout the life of the grant. If the organization’s tax-exempt status is jeopardized or placed into question at any point during the life of the grant, the organization must notify DHSES within fifteen (15) days;

AND

Meet at least one of the following:
- are a nonprofit nonpublic school; or
- are a nonprofit day camp, which is occupied on a scheduled basis at any time between June 1st and September 15th by children under sixteen years of age for a period of less than twenty-four hours;

AND

Be at risk of a hate crime due to ideology, beliefs, or mission as described by the applying organization under this RFA;

AND

Be registered, have recently applied for registration and such application remains pending, or be exempt from registering with the NYS Attorney General’s Office, Charities Bureau;

AND

Be prequalified, through New York State Grants Management at https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/securing-communities prior to application submission.