Grant Details

The NSGP provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. The program seeks to integrate the preparedness activities of nonprofit organizations with broader state and local preparedness efforts. The NSGP also serves to promote emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration activities between public and private community representatives as well as state and local government agencies. 

The objective of NSGP is to provide funding for physical and cyber security enhancements and other security-related activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. The NSGP also seeks to integrate the preparedness activities of nonprofit organizations with broader state and local preparedness efforts. 

Given the evolving threat landscape, it is incumbent upon DHS/FEMA to continuously evaluate the national risk profile and set priorities that help ensure appropriate allocation of scarce security dollars. In assessing the national risk profile, one area attracts the most concern:

• Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.

Likewise, there are several enduring security needs that crosscut the homeland security enterprise. The following are second-tier priorities that help recipients implement a comprehensive approach to securing communities:

• Effective planning;
• Training and awareness campaigns; and
• Exercises

Allowable NSGP costs include: 

• Planning
• Equipment - Eligible costs must focus on facility hardening and physical & cybersecurity enhancements. This equipment is limited to select items, which can be found in the federal application guidance and in the DHS Authorized Equipment List (AEL) at: https://www.fema.gov/grants/tools/authorized-equipment-list
• Training & Exercises
• Maintenance and Sustainment 
• Contracted Security Personnel
• Management and Administration (M&A) fees - Costs directly relating to the management and administration of IBSGP funds, such as financial management and monitoring. M&A costs may not exceed five percent (5%) of the total grant award.

A key change of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program - National Security Supplemental:

Additional Review Points will be awarded.

• By a factor of four for nonprofit organizations facing heightened threat resulting from the Israel-Hamas war(subapplicants must draw a clear connection between the heightened threat they face and the Israel-Hamas war in their project narratives to qualify for this multiplier);
• By a factor of three for ideology-based/spiritual/religious entities (e.g., houses of worship, ideology-based/spiritual/religious educational institutions, ideology-based/spiritual/religious medical facilities);
• By a factor of two for secular educational and medical institutions; and
• By a factor of one for all other nonprofit organizations.