On April 16, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced more than $1.8 billion in funding for eight fiscal year 2024 preparedness grant programs. These announcements are widely known, broadly disseminated, and make a measurable difference to the safety and security of our nation. Yet, there are still some State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (SLTT) governments who have not yet applied for and leveraged these fundings in meaningful ways. This may be the most important thing you read this year. As with most things, sometimes it helps to break things down into the foundational issues of Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How. And stick with this through the How. It is easier than you may think.
Who
Emergency managers are a key stakeholder and beneficiary, but they are not the only ones. Firefighters, emergency medical services, frontline and emergency responders, law-enforcement entities, high-threat/high-density areas, Amtrak rails systems, land and water borders, tribal nations, non-profits, port security, public transit systems, intercity bus systems, and more can all benefit from this funding.
In fact, in recent years, Congress has dramatically increased the amount of funding available to nonprofit entities to support critical target hardening or other physical security enhancements to organizations that are at a high risk of terrorist attacks. All registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible to apply for funds, including houses of worship, hospitals, and private institutions of higher learning. To promote equity and an equal distribution of funds, DHS and FEMA prioritize organizations that serve disadvantaged communities as well as first time applicants. Nonprofit organizations can visit FEMA.gov for more information on how to apply.
Ultimately, the American people become safer from threats as their increase in preparedness contributes directly to greater resilience.
What
There was one announcement on April 16 and another on April 25, but there were nine separate and distinct grants announced, with different funding levels, different criteria, and different targets. Each of the Who listed above benefits from committing resources in pursuit of eligible grants. If you are not sure, Grants.Gov has clear guidance on eligibility.
Collectively, these grants address six national priority areas in the fiscal year 2024 grant cycle: cybersecurity; soft targets and crowded places; intelligence and information sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. These national priority areas help focus spending to address the current threat environment.
Why
Preparedness is not an effort that works in a vacuum. Preparedness, Mitigation, and Resilience are interconnected. Through these preparedness grants, communities can leverage dollars as part of the critical fabric to increase resilience to include infrastructure identification and vulnerability analysis. The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), for example, identifies allowable costs that support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across the Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery mission areas designed to keep us all safer.
When
Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for these preparedness grants, which identify dates for application and eligibility requirements, are posted on FEMA’s Preparedness Grants page, by clicking on each available grant. NOFOs can also be found at Grants.gov. While the grant deadline to FEMA may be June 24, 2024, each state has its own process and requirements, so please check with your State Administrative Agency to confirm deadlines and any other application requirements.
Where
The Preparedness Grants have both geographical and non-geographical components. The information and explanations can be found in great detail at Grants.Gov and FEMA Grants in the program’s NOFO.
How
How is the most common question. This is the needle and thread that pulls all of the fabric together. It can appear daunting, but these grants are worth the time and investment in applying. I often get asked about how to apply for these grants. A brand new FEMA system allows for simple, user-friendly, one-stop shopping, by following five clearly outlined steps on How to Apply for a Federal Funding Opportunity. If that process is still confusing, there is another place you can go to learn How to Get Help when using the Grants.Gov system, complete with a user’s guide, videos, a self-help knowledge base, and even a Grants Chatbot. Finally, you can even apply for a Grant using Workspace, which is easier, more efficient, and allows for a grants team to simultaneously access and edit different forms within an application. Plus, the forms can be filled out online or offline — your choice.
FEMA has prepared a tremendous number of tools to help apply for and administer grants, including Technical Assistance webinars, resource guides, and an email help desk that can be reached at [email protected]. All these resources, plus many others, can be found at FEMA’s How to Apply page.
In the end, you simply need the will, commitment, and a champion within your organization to leverage these grants to maximize mitigation, increase resilience, and make your community safer.
Further information on DHS’s preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and http://www.fema.gov/grants.
