DHS allocates $350M for six competitive preparedness grant programs

Building on non-competitive grant funding already provided to various preparedness efforts throughout the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced $350 million will be divided between six competitive preparedness grant programs this year.

Those funds will support DHS partners at the state, local, tribal, and territorial level in dealing with prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery from emergencies, be they natural or terrorist-caused. Such funds emphasize urban areas, which will be assisted by the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). 

The preparedness grant program allocations for fiscal year 2019 bolsters a wide variety of federal and state safety initiatives.

The Homeland Security Grant Program provides more than $1 billion for states and urban areas to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other threats.

The Emergency Management Performance Grant provides more than $350 million to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program provides $10 million for tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to prevent terrorism and other risks.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides $60 million to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations at high risk of terrorist attacks. Currently split between urban nonprofits ($50 million) and any other nonprofits ($10 million).

Intercity Passenger Rail – Amtrak Program provides $10 million to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and travelers from terrorism and increase rail system resilience.

Port Security Grant Program provides $100 million to protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, improve port-wide maritime security risk management and maintain or reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.

Transit Security Grant Program provides $88 million to transit system owners/operators to protect critical surface transportation and travelers from terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program provides $2 million to owners/operators of intercity bus systems to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and travelers from terrorism and increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.