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Security Grant Program Updates

Security Grant Program Updates

FEMA has not yet sent the Spring NSGP notification documentation to the states.
No word on when NY DCJS will determine and notify the 2024 SCAHC applicants.
There will be an additional Fall-Winter 2024 NSGP application cycle.

Waiting for results from Spring federal and state grant submissions.

October 2, 2024

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

  • NSGP Spring, 2024. NY DHSES received 759 applications for NSGP funding in May. Due to the funding increases, a total of 288 NY nonprofits were awarded grants totalling $43,073,829. As soon as NY DHSES receives the required award documentation from FEMA, they will notify all applicants whether they were successful, or not.
  • NSGP Fall-Winter, 2024. Another 2024 round of grants is coming. “Now, when we continue to live in a heightened threat environment, the security-enhancing grant funds we provide to non-profit organizations are more critical than ever,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The additional Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds we are announcing today will enable non-profit 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. We urge eligible institutions to apply for these potentially life-saving funds. We are grateful to Congress for making them available.”
  • Timing. The Notice of Funding Opportunity will be published in late October, and we will post the new information as we receive it. Our guess is that the release of the NY DHSES Request for Applications will be in early November (there will be some changes) and the due date is likely to be late-December/early January 2025.
  • Requirements.
    1. All application packages will require a recent (less than three years) assessment. NY and SW Connecticut Jewish organizations can request a new or updated one from CSI here.
    2. Prequalification.  NY nonprofits must “prequalify” before submitting for any grants administered by DHSES or DCJS. Find NYS tutorials along with CSI tips, with a special section focusing on how religious corporations (houses of worship and many schools) should reply here. All NY applicants must prequalify before they submit their grant. Prequalification status must be renewed annually.

NY Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC)

NY DCJS is still evaluating the applications submitted in May, 2024.


Archives

NY 2023-2024 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC)

  • 2024 allocation. $60 million, covering 125-300 grants.
  • Deadline. The application deadline for up to  in funding was May 17, 2024.
  • Notifications. According to the Request for Applications, notifications of awards will be sent “July 2024.” The NY Division of Criminal Justice services anticipates that there will be approximately 300 grants awarded.
  • Next round. Another round of SCAHC funding is likely in Spring 2025, after the NY State budget is passed.

U.S. Nonprofit Security Grants Program (NSGP)

  • 2024 allocation.The original FY 2024 NSGP NOFO made available $274,500,000, half allocated to designated urban areas and the other half divided among the states and territories. In 2023, that formula yielded 212 grants to nonprofits in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester received grants and 30 in the rest of New York.
  • Supplemental allocation. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer inserted supplemental funding for the FY 2024 NSGP into the National Security Supplemental (Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024), split equally between NSGP-UA and NSGP-S. Half of the Supplemental was added to the initial allocation, bringing the 2024 total to $434,500,000.
  • Deadline.The NY deadline for the 2024 NSGP was May 21, 2024 and NY DHSES received  a record number of applications (up 13% over 2023). Fortunately, the additional funding will yield more grantees. Those who submitted NSGP application packages in May do not need to do anything else.
  • Bonus roundRob Goldberg reports that later this summer FEMA is expected to issue an additional Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), allocating the second $240 million tranche of supplemental emergency funding, with similar requirements and criteria as the regular annual program. Simply put, there will be a Fall 2024 round of NSGP applications.
  • NSGP 2025. Congress is already working on the NSGP allocation for next year. HT to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for circulating a letter in the Senate, calling for $400 million. The House proposes a $335 million for the program. Plan on a Spring 2025 application period.

Archives

NY 2023-2024 Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC)

  • 2024 allocation. $60 million, covering 125-300 grants.
  • Deadline. The application deadline for up to  in funding was May 17, 2024.
  • Notifications. According to the Request for Applications, notifications of awards will be sent “July 2024.” The NY Division of Criminal Justice services anticipates that there will be approximately 300 grants awarded.
  • Next round. Another round of SCAHC funding is likely in Spring 2025, after the NY State budget is passed.

U.S. Nonprofit Security Grants Program (NSGP)

  • 2024 allocation.The original FY 2024 NSGP NOFO made available $274,500,000, half allocated to designated urban areas and the other half divided among the states and territories. In 2023, that formula yielded 212 grants to nonprofits in New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester received grants and 30 in the rest of New York.
  • Supplemental allocation. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer inserted supplemental funding for the FY 2024 NSGP into the National Security Supplemental (Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024), split equally between NSGP-UA and NSGP-S. Half of the Supplemental was added to the initial allocation, bringing the 2024 total to $434,500,000.
  • Deadline.The NY deadline for the 2024 NSGP was May 21, 2024 and NY DHSES received  a record number of applications (up 13% over 2023). Fortunately, the additional funding will yield more grantees. Those who submitted NSGP application packages in May do not need to do anything else.
  • Bonus roundRob Goldberg reports that later this summer FEMA is expected to issue an additional Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), allocating the second $240 million tranche of supplemental emergency funding, with similar requirements and criteria as the regular annual program. Simply put, there will be a Fall 2024 round of NSGP applications.
  • NSGP 2025. Congress is already working on the NSGP allocation for next year. HT to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand for circulating a letter in the Senate, calling for $400 million. The House proposes a $335 million for the program. Plan on a Spring 2025 application period.
What are the differences between the federal and NY State security programs? Click on the image to learn more.

June 7, 2024 | A record number of application packages, 759, were submitted in 2024. Results should be available in the late summer, early fall. It’s not too early to start planning for the Spring, 2025 round of funding. Get prequalified and make sure that your assessment is up-to-date.

April 22, 2024 | Two grants are available to eligible, at-risk, New York nonprofits in Spring, 2024: the NY Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes and the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program. For a comparison of the two programs and tips to get started, watch a tutorial here or click on the graphic to the right to download a presentation.

See additional CSI guidance below.

Click on the graphic for CSI’s latest guidance for the NYS Hate Crimes grants.

The 2023-2024 Hate Crimes grants Request for Applications was released in January. Click on this link for full details.

  • Eligible nonprofits can qualify for up to $200,000 in funding for security upgrades.
  • Applications are due May 17th.
  • RFA Questions and Answers

Check this page often for additional information on the grants.

Is your organization eligible?

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

IRS Tax Exempt

  • Applicants must have received a Recognition of Exempt Status Determination letter from the IRS pursuant to 26 USC §501(c)(3). Alternatively, qualified organizations (including houses of worship) 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. AND

Nonprofit

  • The applicant must be a nonprofit organization; AND

At risk

  • Must be at risk of a hate crime or attack due to ideology, beliefs, or mission as described by the applicant organization; AND

NYS AG Registration

Prequalified

  • Must be prequalified through SFS prior to application submission. See more information at https://csiny.org/prequalify/. Note: If one, or more, of your documents expire without being updated, you will no longer be prequalified or eligible for this grant.

When is the application deadline?

The submission deadline for the SCAHC application package is Friday,  May 17, 2024 at 12pm (noon). Here are some more details.

What should you be doing now?

NY Steps include:

  1. Prequalification. You must be prequalified to apply for either the NY State or federal grant. New York shifted its prequalification process to a new application. Click to CSI’s dedicated webpage at: https://csiny.org/prequalify/ to learn more. Remember, applications from organizations that are not prequalified when they are submitted will not be considered. Check now.
  2. Assessments. CSI has received an unprecedented number of requests for physical security/vulnerability assessments and we brought additional staff aboard to try to meet the demand. At the same time, we have to be realistic and inform you that going forward, we cannot guarantee that we can conduct or deliver an assessment in time for the grant deadline in May.Applications require a “current” vulnerability assessment. Request a CSI vulnerability and cyber security assessment here. CSI will provide a fresh assessment every three years. Click here to see how to update your existing assessment.
  3. Take a picture. The NY State grant requires color, ground-level photo of the front façade of each facility included in the application—close enough to show the location, but far enough away to show the immediate surroundings of the location for each application.
  4. Register for GMS. SCAHC applications must be submitted via an online system called GMS. To access GMS, applicants must be a registered user. Visit the DCJS website here to download and complete the GMS registration form. After submitting the form an automated email will be sent with a log-in ID and a temporary password. Registering early will ensure there are no technical issues that would prevent an applicant from submitting an application before the deadline.
  5. Be informed. CSI provides notifications on a range of security topics, including updates on the grant process. Click to https://csiny.org/csisubscribe/ to subscribe.
Click on the image to download the CSI-NY NSGP Tips

May 6, 2024. DHS-FEMA released the federal NSGP document today and there are relatively few changes this year. NY DHSES has posted its Request for Applications (RFA) with a May 21, 2024.

Documents:

Click on the link for a copy of the 2024 edition of CSI’s NSGP Tips slide deck and a recording of the May 2nd tutorial.

Is your organization eligible?

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

IRS Tax Exempt

  • Applicants must have received a Recognition of Exempt Status Determination letter from the IRS pursuant to 26 USC §501(c)(3). Alternatively, qualified organizations (including houses of worship) 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. AND

Nonprofit

  • The applicant must be a nonprofit organization; AND

At risk

  • Must be at risk of a hate crime or attack due to ideology, beliefs, or mission as described by the applicant organization; AND

NYS AG Registration

Prequalified

  • Must be prequalified through SFS prior to application submission. See more information at https://csiny.org/prequalify/. Note: If one, or more, of your documents expire without being updated, you will no longer be prequalified or eligible for this grant.

When will the RFA be available, when will it be due?

NY DHSES will release the definitive application package, known as a Request for Applications (RFA) today. The due date is May 21, 2024.

New applicants can get started immediately by following the steps in: Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) – Getting Started Guide.

Here are the latest links for the forms and the equipment list, get started now!

What can I buy with an NSGP grant?

Click here for the 2024 Authorized Equipment List. Note that there are some restrictions.

How much funding will be available nationwide and to an organization?

Congress allocated $274,500,000 this year, split evenly between eligible entities located in designated high-risk urban areas (under the NSGP-Urban Area program) and eligible recipients that are located outside such areas (under the NSGP-State program). New York City, Long Island and Westchester organizations are in the NSGP-Urban Area program (out of 40 metropolitan areas), while the rest of New York State is in the NSGP-State program.

This amounts to a 10% cut in year-over-year funding (but constitutes the second largest NSGP appropriation after last year’s level). Last year, there were 672 applications and 242 grants (212 NSGP-Urban Area and 30 NSGP-State) for all of NY State.

Grant maximums will be the same as last year, $150,000 per facility, up to three facilities per organization.

What should you be doing now?

The NY DHSES Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) – Getting Started Guide outlines who is eligible and lists the required steps. Potential applicants should review it and learn how to obtain the required Unique Entity Identifier and register for E-Grants (required to submit your application package). There are lots of steps and we advise organizations to leave time to solve glitches.

  • Prequalify in NY. NY nonprofits must “prequalify” before submitting for any grants administered by DHSES or DCJS. Click here to find NYS tutorials along with CSI tips, with a special section focusing on how religious corporations (houses of worship and many schools) should reply. If you were prequalified last year check when new financial information will be required.
  • Get an assessment. This year, CSI received an unprecedented number of requests for physical security/vulnerability assessments. Any requests after March 20, 2024 will be added to a waiting list, but we do guarantee that we can conduct or deliver an assessment in time for the grant deadline in May or June.
  • Collect and catalogue information about past incidents such as vandalism, hate mail, swatting, etc.
  • Get a UEI. Federal grant applicants must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).  If you received one last year you’re set. Otherwise, for more information, visit: https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei. UEI’s are available at no cost, but many vendors try to trick people into paying them to do the registration. Follow the above link. Learn how to get a Unique Entity ID without needing to complete an entity registration on SAM.gov by watching this YouTube video.
  • Register for E-Grants. Organizations will need access to these applications to complete their submissions. If you already have an account you’re fine. Otherwise use this E-Grants Registration Form.
NY DHSES Request for Applications (RFA) has the definitive information. Here are the latest links, get started now!

If you have trouble downloading or opening the Investment Justification Template, click here.

Important: If accessing from the web, the IJ must be downloaded and saved as a PDF before you start working on it.

  • If using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge web browsers, after you click to open the document, a “Please wait…” message will appear.
  • Click the “Download” or “Save as” icon (upper right corner of the screen) and save the file to your desktop.
  • If using the Firefox web browser, the IJ will be viewable when you open it, however, you must download and save it as a PDF before you start working on it, otherwise errors may occur.
  • Navigate to your desktop where the file has been saved and open the document from here.
  • If the file does not open normally, right-click the file on your desktop and select “Open with”, then select Adobe (acrobat, reader, etc.), then the file should open.
  • Please keep the file saved on your desktop/local hard drive and do not save to any cloud-based storage, as future accessibility issues may occur. The IJ will also need to be uploaded/submitted with your application in this fillable-PDF format with all fillable fields and drop-downs enabled.

If you continue to experience difficulty downloading the IJ, please e-mail Grant.Info@dhses.ny.gov and we can further assist you.

Additional Grant Resources 2024

Get started now!

Get more information on prequalification and CSI NYS and federal security grant tips from 2023. Our information is that there will be few changes in 2024 so you can get started early.

Use SFS to prequalify

New York State is transitioning the required prequalification from Grants Gateway to the Statewide Financial System (SFS). Click here for more guidance.

Update your assessment

CSI will assess a facility once every three years. If your organization already has a CSI assessment, click here to learn how to update your existing assessment so that the information is accurate and current.

NY DHSES NSGP Getting Started Presentation a/o February 20, 2024

Click on the image above to see CSI’s latest tips to complete the NSGP application package.

NSGP 2023 Tips Tutorial

Watch the 2024 CSI Consultants’ Corner, “Tips to complete the Hate Crimes grant application.

NSGP 2023 Tips Tutorial

NSGP guidance documents

NY DHSES Request for Applications (RFA) will be available soon and will have the definitive information. Here are the latest links, get started now!

Both the federal and NY State grant programs are reimbursement grants. Bridge loans are available to Jewish organizations in NYC, Westchester, and Long Island.

  • If your organization is awarded a grant, you will have to advance the funds for the items purchased and submit proof of installation and payment in order to be reimbursed.
  • You will only be reimbursed for items purchased (according to NY State rules) and installed after you sign your contract.
  • Jewish organizations in the NYC area may apply to the HFLS Security Infrastructure Fund for a bridge loan to cover these costs. Click here for more information and to apply.

For security grant assistance for past years, click here.

 Archived NSGP Tutorials

While the details of the grant will not be known until the Guidance is released, consult these tutorials from the NY Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and CSI. We don’t anticipate many changes. Click on the images below for guidance to get started now!

Basic application information, including prequalification. NY application packages (found here) are due on April 15@5PM. Click here for the March 19th FAQs.
CSI Guidance to prepare the Investment Justification, updated March 22nd.
Information from DHS CISA

Feb. 8th Webinar transcript

Today, vaccines are the light at the end of the COVID shutdown tunnel. Hopefully, life will begin to return to normal in the coming months.

In preparation, the Community Security Initiative (a joint program of UJA-Federation and JCRC-NY) has been closely monitoring increasing anti-Semitic activity on the internet and in our communities. The presence of anti-Semitic images and memes among the January 6th attackers on the Capitol was shocking. Jewish institutions are soft targets that continue to be at risk.

The Community Security Initiative (CSI) was created to secure our institutions in New York City, Long Island and Westchester and to protect our people. Now is the time to take substantial steps to protect your synagogue, school, Jewish community center or Jewish institution.

Through the significant efforts of NY’s Congressional delegation – led by Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Appropriations Chair Lowey and Representative Meng – the FY2021 federal budget doubled the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) allocation to $180 million. We expect that the federal guidance will be published sometime around February 26th and that the NY Division of Homeland Security will release its Request for Applications soon thereafter. We expect that NY applicants will have 4-8 weeks (spanning Pesach) to complete their applications. We urge organizations contemplating an application to get started now.

In order to win a grant, you must:

  1. be pre-qualified and comply with other New York-specific requirements;
  2. submit an up-to-date security assessment (professional assessments are more likely to be successful); and
  3. complete a specialized NSGP grant application, known as an Investment Justification.CSI is here to help you with all these issues and offer additional assistance over the next few weeks.

To begin, we recommend you:

  1. Review information on the New York requirements and tutorials are available below; and
  2. attend a training session during the week of February 21st (date to be determined) that the Community Security Initiative plans to co-sponsor, with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand.

What can you do to get ready for the 2021 federal grant? (view a recording of our December 15, 2020 webinar, “Getting a security grant in New York: the basics” here and a PDF of the presentation here.

Apply for a professional security assessment

With generous support from UJA, the Community Security Initiative will make available professional security assessments so that you can immediately start safeguarding your institution and be ready to apply for the upcoming grants. Organizations that are professionally assessed are significantly more likely to receive funding than those that do not. These assessments will be delivered to our institutions at no cost to them.

Due to the COVID situation, we plan to do virtual assessments and will require the assistance of an individual onsite to walk through the facility with the cameras on their cell phone to allow our regional security managers to “see” the problems in real time. Apply for a professional assessment now.


Older grants

New York State status (SCAHC)

New York State has not yet announced the results of the Spring 2020 round of the SCAHC grants.

  1. Prequalify. To apply for any grant in New York State, not-for-profit organizations must be prequalified in order to do business with New York State (including applying for federal grants). Most of the process requires that corporate documents be uploaded into a “Document Vault”. If your organization is not yet prequalified, click to: https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/get-prequalified. JCRC-NY has a dedicated webpage with FAQ’s on prequalifying here. Note: some information (mostly financial) in a Document Vault expires after one year. We recommend that you check whether anything has expired well before the grant deadline.
  2. DUNS. You will need a DUNS number to apply. Learn how here.
  3. Get an assessment. More information coming soon.
  4. Investment Justification. The most important part of the application package is the Investment Justification. We suspect that it will be substantially similar to the 2020 document. Start to work on your answers by downloading the 2020 Investment Justification and start to complete it. Get it here. Caution: Do not try to submit the 2020 form in 2021. Simply cut and past the information from the 2020 form into the 2021 edition. For help, scroll down for links to the 2020 presentations.
  5. E-Grants. 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
  6. Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire. 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.

Information from the 2020 grant cycle. Note: The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NY DHSES) administers the grants.

UASI

Federal Grant

Hate Crime

New York State Grant

In New York, federal Request for Applications due on April 2, 2020 (new) 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:

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:

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.

Previous grants

Updated April 25, 2019| U.S. DHS posted its Fiscal Year 2019 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). There are three key changes:

  • Grant amount. The maximum award this year will be $100,000.
  • Stacking the deck for new applicants. This year 10 bonus points will be added to the scores of organizations that never received NSGP funding. This effectively gives a serious advantage to newbies.
  • Security guards. Hiring of contracted security personnel is now allowed under this program (see the FEMA update here).
    • Note: Recipients of NSGP funding may use the grant to pay for contracted security personnel over the entire three year period of the grant. However, grantees should not assume that they will be successful applicants in coming years (you might not win a grant or this program may not exist in coming years) so you should be able to sustain this capability in future years without NSGP funding.
    • NSGP funds may not be used to purchase equipment for contracted security guards. These costs should be classified as organization costs.
    • Subrecipients (grantees) may not use NSGP funding to hire full or part-time employees that are currently, or will be placed on a nonprofit’s payroll.
    • Rob Goldberg of JFNA reports after speaking with FEMA, that the blanket waiver WILL be in place and interested organizations may now request up to 100% of their total award towards the cost of contacted security personnel.
    • JCRC comment: Make a case for security guards through an identified vulnerability included in your assessment (e.g., failure to review or monitor CCTV recordings for possible instances of hostile surveillance, inadequate access control measures and an inability to interdict a hostile intruder, and or the lack of security guards during all hours of operation) and add “Contracted security guards” as an “Item to be purchased” in IV. Target Hardening (Note: there is no AEL number for Contracted security guards).

A case can readily be made for additional contracted security guards, additional hours or an upgrading replacement (e.g., unarmed to armed) of the existing guards.

Finally, we think that it is appropriate to remind you that security guards are no panacea. Security planning should entail a well-considered mix of personnel, plans, procedures, training, drills and exercises and security hardware. The judges tend to look at your assessments to see if you are addressing the most important vulnerabilities.

The New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NY DHSES) posted its New York-specific Request for Applications here. Check their website and ours for updates.

No news yet on NY Hate Crimes grants

Please be advised that the NY DHSES is still processing the submissions from the December Securing Communities against Hate Crimes (SCAHC). We advise you to prepare two lists of priorities for your Investment Justification: 1) assuming that you receive the SCAHC grant; and 2) if you do not. NY DHSES is making every effort to let the December applicants know ASAP.

Getting ready for the grant
All organizations planning to submit for a grant this year should get started now, because the actual application may not be available until the last minute. Here’s what you should do:

  1. Get an assessment. If you don’t already have one, or have scheduled one, do so immediately. Since November, JCRC-NY, through a generous grant from UJA-Federation and the Paul E. Singer Foundation, has arranged for scores of professional security assessments for Jewish organizations. These assessments cover most of what is required on the federal Investment Justification (the major component of the application). By implementing the recommendations from the report, you should go a long way towards making your facility safer. Applications accompanied by self-assessments will be accepted. For more guidance click to: /security-assessment/.
  2. Prequalify. Your Nonprofit Security Grant Program will not be accepted unless your organization is “Prequalified.” See more information at: /document-vault-faqs/. If you submitted for a grant last year you are prequalified, but you may have to update some documents.
  3. E-Grants. NY grants must be submitted through the E-Grants system. Previous applicants already have an account. Otherwise, click here to apply for an account. N.B. JCRC-NY cannot answer questions about your E-Grants submissions. Contact DHSES at 1-866-837-9133 or Grant.Info@dhses.ny.gov.
  4. Investment Justification. This is the key component of the application. We don’t expect significant changes this year. Download the 2018 template here and answer all of the questions to the best of your ability now, so that you will be able to adapt your answers (if necessary) and cut and paste them into the 2019 Investment Justification, even if the application window is very brief.
  5. Help with the vulnerability and facility hardening sections. See our document, Tying together the risk and target hardening language. Select and build on our language to complete the most challenging sections of the Investment Justification.
  6. More help. Click here for the multi-year FAQ‘s on the NSGP distributed by FEMA. There are some interesting details in the FAQ’s.

    Get a head start on the application by reviewing the FY 2018 NSGP Investment Justification (IJ) questions and preparing your answers. Download a copy at: Investment Justification2019, JCRC-NY’s 2019 Tutorial (PDF of PowerPoint), JCRC-NY’s Tying together the risk and target hardening language and JFNA’s Threat Chronology.

    See our 2018 Tutorial (PDF of PowerPoint), Tying together the risk and target hardening language and JFNA’s Threat Chronology.

Good luck!

2018 Nonprofit Security Grant Program: results

Congratulations to the 112 NSGP 2018 grantees and the 5 upstate winners. Our friends at NY DHSES (thank you Commissioner Roger Parrino, Shelley Wahrlich, Eric Abramson, Marianne Lindsay and everyone else) sent an email to every applicant to notify them of their status.

Here is a chart showing NY’s funding history:

See our past posts below:

The 2018 Grant

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released its Notice of Funding Opportunity.

  • In FY 2018, Congress appropriated $50 million for nonprofit security through the Urban Area Security Initiative (NSGP-UA) for 32 regions, including New York City (including Long Island and Westchester). There is a supplemental program (NSGP-S) of $10 million (with grants up to $100,000) covering areas outside of the designated regions.
  • Each eligible organization can apply for equipment totaling $150,000.
  • Target hardening proposals can now include equipment, planning and training.
  • Should I apply to NSGP-UA or NSGP-S?
    If your nonprofit organization is physically located within a FY 2018 UASI-designated urban area, then you may apply to NSGP-UA; if your nonprofit organization is not physically located within a FY 2018 UASI-designated urban area then you may apply to NSGP-S. You may not apply to both programs. For more information about the NSGP-S (supplemental) program for organizations outside of the 32 designated areas, see the JFNA preliminary memorandum here.

NY Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services materials

Help with grant applications

If you’ve read the materials on this webpage and still have questions? Click here.


Getting started


The process and application is likely to be quite similar to last year’s RFA (Request for Applications) :

  • Prequalification. Plan to complete your prequalification ASAP. New York State will not accept applications for grants unless the 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/. Updated
    • 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.
  • E-Grants. Grant applications must be submitted to the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) via the automated DHSES E-Grants System operated by DHSES. The system allows an agency to complete an application electronically and submit it over the Internet. If upon reading this RFA you are interested in completing a grant application, and you have not previously been registered to use the DHSES E-Grants system, your agency will need to register and be assigned a username and password. The Registration Request Form can be found at the following Internet address: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/grants/forms-egrants.cfm . Send the completed registration form to: grant.info@dhses.ny.gov
    Organizations should use their legal name in the E-Grants system as the Grantee under the “Participant” tab. This should match the name used on the Investment Justification form.
    Instructions for use of the E-Grants system by a nonprofit organization can be found at: http://www.dhses.ny.gov/grants/nonprofit/index.cfm
    Should you have difficulty in accessing or using the E-Grants system, please call 1-866-837-9133 for assistance.
  • Risk/vulnerability assessment. The federal grant requires organizations to submit an assessment and the state grant asks for much of the same information. Learn more about the options to get a risk assessment or to conduct one yourself here. Use this information to complete the “Vulnerability” section on the Investment Justification.
  • Look at the 2017 Investment Justification. Click here to see and download an example of what the application looks like. We expect very few changes. We will post the 2018 Invesment Justification as soon as it is available.
  • Learn about risk and threats. Review JCRC-NY’s Selective Threat Scan and the JFNA Threat Chronology for help on how to answer the questions on threats and consequences.
  • Equipment. Click here to see the Authorized Equipment List from 2017. We do not expect many changes.
  • Subscribe. Click here to add your name to the JCRC-NY Security and Emergency Preparedness Alert list, which will notify you about additional details when they become available.
  • 2018 Background.

Through the efforts of an amazing coalition (led by JFNA and including JCRC-NY and UJA-Federation of New York), we were able to secure $50 million for the ongoing Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) of the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) (Click here for 2017’s list of eligible areas, we do not expect changes).

Additionally, another $10 million for nonprofit security under the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP). All 56 states and territories (including the District of Columbia) are eligible to apply for SHSP funds. How those funds will be allocated is still unknown.

In speaking with FEMA, we understand that the guidelines for these programs will be published the week of May 21. NY’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services will release its package a few days earlier. As we feared, we believe that there will be a very narrow window until the deadline so

With respect to the UASI-NSGP program, we expect that the program roll-out and requirements will be similar to those established in past years. With respect to the SHSP-NSGP program, which is new, we will have to wait for FEMA to publish its guidelines before we will know what the framework and permissible activities will be under this new program, which could be different than those under the UASI-NSGP program.

As we learn more about the specifics of both program roll-outs, we look forward to updating you further.

People always complain that they aren’t given enough time to complete their applications so we advise you to click to scroll down and follow the instructions to get started now. Please scroll down for the JCRC-NY’s suggestions.

The projected increase in the grant allocation would not be possible without our Congressional champions. A major push for the $50 million came in a bipartisan “Dear Colleague” letter to the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee (including the Ranking Member, our own Rep. Nita Lowey) circulated by Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. and our own Dan Donovan, Jr. Our New York delegation figured prominently among the signers, including: Representatives Yvette Clarke, Joseph Crowley, Eliot Engel, Adriano Espaillat, John Faso, Hakeem Jeffries, John Katko, Peter King, Carolyn Maloney, Gregory Meeks, Jerrold Nadler, Thomas Suozzi, Kathleen Rice, Claudia Tenney and Nydia Velázquez. Of course, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Democratic Leader Charles Schumer were helpful in the Senate. Please contact their offices to let them know that you appreciate their leadership.

JCRC-NY and UJA-Federation are key members of the dynamic coalition that pushes for this legislation year-after-year. The linchpin of this effort is Rob Goldberg of the Washington, DC office of the Jewish Federations of North America. Our friend, William Daroff, the senior vice president for public policy and director of the Washington office of The Jewish Federations of North America, plays an important role.

  • New York State grant. The NY State Division of Homeland Security is currently reviewing the submissions for the FY 2017-18 Securing Communities Against Hate Crime Program (SCAHC). They anticipate that they will notify the applicants of the results soon. All of the eligible applicants that appropriately and accurately responded to the Request for Applications are likely to receive grants.

For 2017 grantees

  • How much money did we get? We don’t have that information (it will be in the official notification letter). However, doing the math, the average of all of the grants was $73,888. It is highly likely that the grantees will receive the requested amounts.
  • Can we start to spend money yet? Don’t spend any money yet, there are several more hoops to jump through. Significantly:
    • Official notification. Our friends at NY DHSES are the official gatekeepers for the grants. You are not really a grantee until they tell you that you are. When they are officially notified by U.S. DHS they will send out communications to all applicants, both those who were successful and those who were not. The communication will include the definitive list of “next steps”.
    • Contracts. Once you’ve done your EHP (see below) and jumped through a few hoops, NY DHSES will send you a contract. Only when the contract is fully signed by your organization and NY State officials can you begin the procurement process. And yes, there are rules for that, too.
      NY will not reimburse you for items purchased before you have a fully signed contract.
    • Environmental and Historical Preservation submissions. The Request for Applications explained:

      As a Federal Agency, DHS/FEMA is required to consider the effects of its actions on the environment and/or historic properties to ensure that all activities and programs funded by the agency, including grant-funded projects, comply with Federal EHP regulations, laws and Executive Orders, as applicable. Grantees proposing projects that have the potential to impact the environment, including but not limited to the modification or renovation of existing buildings, structures and facilities, or new construction including replacement of facilities, must participate in the DHS/FEMA EHP review process. Much of the equipment purchased with NSGP funds require Environmental and Historic Preservation (EHP) review. The EHP review process involves the submission of a detailed project description that explains the goals and objectives of the proposed project along with supporting documentation so that DHS/FEMA may determine whether the proposed project has the potential to impact environmental resources and/or historic properties. In some cases, DHS/FEMA is also required to consult with other regulatory agencies and the public in order to complete the review process. The EHP review process must be completed before funds are released to carry out the proposed project. DHS/FEMA will not fund projects that are initiated without the required EHP review completed and approved.

    • If you have time now, there is no reason not to get started on your submission. Check out the EHP Screening Form Tutorial and EHP Instructional Assistance for Nonprofits and begin to fill out the EHP Screening Form FFN-024-0-1 (fillable).
  • When can we start our project? If you keep on top of the process and submit all of the correct paperwork, plan on being able to start spending money in January, 2017.
  • At this point, it’s best to direct your questions to the mavens at DHSES at 1-866-837-9133 or e-mail at grants@dhses.ny.gov.

For the most up-to-date grants info/securitygrants