Protecting Houses of Worship in 2022: Highlighting Grant Programs to Maintain Secure Worship Spaces

At this time of year, security specialists, emergency managers, and other homeland security stakeholders tackle with a horrific rise in threats and attacks against houses of worship. This past May, a violent attack was perpetrated upon a community of Taiwanese church goers in Laguna Woods California that killed one and injured 5. Just last month, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) issued a “broad threat” to synagogues in New Jersey. The FBI also released a statement to Congress, in part, detailing the threat landscape against houses of worship and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). That letter concludes with the FBI stating that these spaces “require robust protection efforts.” Leaders of houses of worship have heard this call for years and have a tough task of keeping their spaces safe but also welcoming to worshippers.

These sites are categorized as soft targets. The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) defines a soft target as “locations that are easily accessible to large numbers of people and that have limited security or protective measures in place making them vulnerable to attack.” A multitude of governmental agencies have issued resource pages for houses of worship to begin to understand, assess, and implement a plan for improving security and emergency management protocols. Here are just a few.

1. CISA has dedicated tools and resources for houses of worship to “supports efforts to maintain safe and secure houses of worship.” These resources include conducting threat assessments and how to implement and continuously improve security measures.
2. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) hosts a wealth of resources through their Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
3. The FBI’s Community Outreach Division has a comprehensive document on programming and partnership opportunities.
4. The Department of Justice’s Community Relation Services has a guide on resources and information for houses of worship on implementing security protocols and educational trainings.
5. Always check in with your state and local law enforcement agencies for more resources available in your state and locality.

These resources have served communities greatly in starting the process of implementing security equipment, programs, training, and more. However, one of the most asked questions in regards to getting these systems installed is how to fund them. In this blog, I will go through a couple of programs that look to invest in houses of worship and the necessary projects for these spaces to become more safe and secure.

Grant Programs for Houses of Worship

On the federal level, the most well-known program that houses of worship are able to utilize to fund security technology and equipment improvements is the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, allocated by FEMA. Though a federal program, each state is individually responsible for taking applications and allocating the funds to awarded entities. Here is a quick breakdown of the program.

Title of Program	The Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Deadline	N/A, the program is closed for applications at this time. For the most current information, please refer to your state’s Homeland Security agency.
Type of Grant	Competitive
Description of the Program	This grant provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack. The intent is to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It is also designed to promote coordination and collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives, as well as state and local government agencies.
Who is Eligible to Apply	Nonprofit organizations
How Much Can an Entity Apply For	Each state receives a separate allocation of funding, therefore the individual funding max differs state to state. Please refer to your state’s Homeland Security agency for the most up to date information.
Total Funding Available	Dependent upon the federal fiscal budget and the state allocation amount. Please refer to your state’s Homeland Security agency for the most up to date information.
Link to the Current Grant Program	Visit the FEMA site for more information

On the state level, some states have taken the same principles of the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program and created their own grants for houses of worship in their state. I will break down a couple of those programs below.

Massachusetts

Title of Program	SFY23 Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Deadline	December 30, 2022, 4 PM
Type of Grant	Competitive
Description of the Program	This grant opportunity is designed for nonprofit organizations to address critical infrastructure equipment and technology needs as it relates to building security and the safety of attendees and staff.
Who is Eligible to Apply	Nonprofit organizations
How Much Can an Entity Apply For	Up to $100,000
Total Funding Available	$2,850,000
Award Notification	January 2023
Performance Period	January 2023 – June 30, 2023
Link to the Current Grant Program	Visit Mass.gov for more information

New Jersey

Title of Program	New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NJ NSGP)
Deadline	N/A, the program is closed for applications at this time.
Type of Grant	Competitive
Description of the Program	Provide funding to eligible nonprofit organizations across New Jersey, at the greatest risk of terrorist attacks.
Who is Eligible to Apply	Nonprofit organizations
How Much Can an Entity Apply For	$50,000
Total Funding Available	Dependent upon the fiscal budget
Link to the Current Grant Program	Visit the New Jersey Nonprofit Security Grant Program site

California

Title of Program	California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Deadline	N/A, the program is closed for applications at this time.
Type of Grant	Competitive
Description of the Program	The purpose of the CSNSGP is to provide funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk for violent attacks and hate crimes due to ideology, beliefs, or mission.
Who is Eligible to Apply	Nonprofit organizations
How Much Can an Entity Apply For	$200,000
Total Funding Available	Dependent upon the fiscal budget
Link to the Current Grant Program	Visit the California site

Rave Mobile Safety continues to be a proud partner with many houses of worship to prepare better, respond faster and communicate more effectively during emergencies, in crisis situations, or for planned events. For more questions on this topic and about how Rave can help, please contact us.