the Department of Homeland Security announced final allocations of $605 million in six Fiscal Year 2023 competitive preparedness grant programs. These allocations, together with the almost $1.4 billion in non-competitive grant funding announced earlier this year, total more than $2 billion in FY 2023 to help prepare our nation against threats and natural disasters.
The grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector to build and sustain capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism and other disasters. The total amount for each grant program is set by Congress and the allocations are made by the Department.
“DHS remains committed to strengthening America’s security and resilience,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “This year, DHS will prioritize six critical areas: cybersecurity, soft targets and crowded places, intelligence and information sharing, domestic violent extremism, community preparedness and resilience, and election security. The grants announced today will support our communities and help improve our readiness to prepare, respond to, and recover from major disasters, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies.”
Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2023
The following grants are competitive, with allocations announced today:
Operation Stonegarden: provides $90 million to enhance cooperation and coordination among state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the United States land and water borders.
Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program: provides $15 million to eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.
Nonprofit Security Grant Program: provides $305 million to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. This year, $152.5 million is provided to nonprofits in Urban Area Security Initiative-designated areas, and $152.5 million is provided to nonprofits outside those designated urban areas located in any state or territory.
Port Security Grant Program: provides $100 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management, and maintain or re-establish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.
Transit Security Grant Program: provides $93 million to owners and operators of public transit systems to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: provides $2 million to owners and operators of intercity bus systems to protect surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.
The following non-competitive grants were announced earlier this year to recipients based on a number of factors:
State Homeland Security Program: provides $415 million to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based state homeland security strategies to address capability targets. Awards are based on statutory minimums and relative risk as determined by DHS/FEMA’s risk methodology.
Urban Area Security Initiative: provides $615 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 31 high-threat, high-density areas. Awards are based on relative risk as determined by risk methodology.
Emergency Management Performance Grant: provides $355.1 million to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies in obtaining the resources required to support the National Preparedness Goal’s associated mission areas and core capabilities to build a culture of preparedness.
Intercity Passenger Rail: provides $10 million to Amtrak to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system. Award made per congressional direction.
Further information on preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and www.fema.gov/grants.
Orginally published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Click HERE for source.
