New York State, committed to ensuring the safety and equal treatment of all New Yorkers, is launching 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 $25 million in grant funding has been made available on a statewide basis and will be administered by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES). Applications will be due on Monday, December 18, 2017 at 4PM. 
NYS DHSES will host a webinar is scheduled on Monday, November 6, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. to review the RFA and to highlight program requirements.

To access the webinar on November 6^th, click the web-link and also call the conference line to hear the audio.

Web-link:  https://share.dhs.gov/nysscahc/

Call-in Information:
Dial-in Number: 1-857-232-0159
Conference Code: 852398

This webinar will be recorded and available here by close of business Wednesday, November 6^th.

• Funding. The NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services released a Request for Applications (RFA) to solicit proposals to support projects under the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program (SCAHC Program). Applications will be accepted for up to $50,000 per facility. Eligible organizations may submit up to three applications for a maximum total request of up to $150,000 allowed per organization. For purposes of this grant program a facility is defined as a standalone building, including the recreational areas adjacent to the building.
• Eligibility. Organizations must have IRS 501(c)(3) recognition and be:
  • a non-profit nonpublic school registered with the New York State Department of Education with a current Basic Educational Data System (BEDS code), or
  • a non-profit day care center or school-age child care program licensed and/or registered, respectively, by the Office of Children and Family Services; or a group day care center permitted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, or enrolled group programs that are legally-exempt from the requirement to be licensed or registered by the Office of Children and Family Services, or
  • a non-profit cultural museum which is a building or site for the exhibition or promotion of arts and culture of a particular region or people.
• The grant will pay for:
  • Equipment. Allowable equipment consists of, but is not limited to:
    • Perimeter lighting;
    • Door hardening;
    • Alarm systems;
    • Camera-based security systems;
    • Access control systems;
    • Perimeter fencing; barriers; bollards;
    • Blast resistant film for windows/shatter resistant glass.
  • Security training costs. The grant program allows for costs to train security personnel and other appropriate staff to prevent and protect against acts of hate crimes. All training will require prior DHSES approval and must be within the United States. Allowable training topics are limited to the protection of physical security and training that will advance the knowledge of security personnel and/or staff about:
    • hate crime activity;
    • suspicious behavior;
    • emergency evacuation procedures; and
    • similar topics that will secure the organization.
• Forms
  • Request for Applications
  • Risk Evaluation Tool
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • E-Grants Registration
  • E-Grants Tutorial
• Prequalification. New York State requires nonprofits to prequalify before they submit grant applications. If you prequalified for the federal grant, simply check to make sure that the documents in your Document Vault have not expired. If you are not prequalified you should register at https://grantsgateway.ny.gov/ & complete their Document Vault . See JCRC-NY’s additional information at: /document-vault-faqs/.
• Other submissions. All of the required documents must be submitted via the E-Grants system and must include the following documents within, or as attachments to the E-Grants system:
  1. Contact Information (see the E-Grants tutorial);
  2. Proposed Project Workplan Information (see the E-Grants tutorial);
  3. Budget Request Information (see the E-Grants tutorial);
  4. A color, ground-level photo of the front façade of the facility and/or
     recreational area, which is labeled with the name and address of the
     facility (submitted as an attachment in E-Grants)
  5. Status History Report from Grants Gateway website showing
     prequalification status (Submitted as an attachment in E-Grants)
  6. DHSES Risk Evaluation Tool (Similar to the NSGP’s Investment Justification and submitted as an attachment in E-Grants)
  7. Letter on organization’s letterhead indicating the BEDS code; a copy of the license and/or registration issued by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services or permit issued by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; if enrolled legally exempt, the Notice of Enrollment (Submitted as an attachment in E-Grants).

JCRC-NY will be providing additional guidance in the future.