House committee advances $180m. for security grants

Program allows houses of worship, nonprofits to apply for grants

WASHINGTON – The House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee approved on Wednesday an advance on the 2022 Appropriations Bill, including $180 million for the Nonprofit Security Grants Program.

The program allows houses of worship and other nonprofits to apply for grants of up to $100 thousand for each institute. The money can be used for security measures such as fencing, cameras, stronger doors, and the hiring of security personnel.

Last December, Congress doubled the budget of the NSGP from $90 million to $180 million for the fiscal year 2021. Several Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Federations of North America and the secure community network (SCN) advocated increasing the project’s funding in light of antisemitic attacks in several states across the US.

“At a time when three-quarters of American Jews believe that antisemitism is on the rise, Jewish Federations are working hard to secure our communities,” JFNA CEO Eric Fingerhut said in a statement.

“We thank Congress for its continued funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which has been an important tool to help secure the Jewish community in the face of rising antisemitism, and continue to urge further funding,” he said.

The security grants, a FEMA program, has been tripled since 2019, from $60 million to $180 million. “Given the current environment, Federations respectfully but strenuously urge support for further substantial increases in funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in fiscal year 2022,” JFNA said in a statement.