10/28/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/28/2024 15:15
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The Nonprofit Security Grant Program - National Security Supplemental (NSGP-NSS) supplements one of three grant programs that support the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) focus on enhancing the ability of state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, to prevent, protect against, prepare for, and respond to terrorist or other extremist attacks. These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS to help strengthen the nation's communities against potential terrorist or other extremist attacks. The NSGP provides funding to nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack for facility hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities. The NSGP-NSS was authorized by Congress to bolster nonprofit security and protect those organizations facing an elevated threat level due to the Israel-Hamas war.
The total amount of funding available under the NSGP-NSS is $210 million:
NSGP-NSS-UA provides funding to nonprofit organizations and consortium of nonprofit organizations located within an FY 2024 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)-designated high-risk urban area. NSGP-NSS-S provides funding for nonprofit organizations and consortium of nonprofit organizations located outside of fiscal year (FY) 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban areas.
The NSGP-NSS Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) includes a list of the FY 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban areas.
The NSGP-NSS NOFO was released on Oct. 28, 2024, and is available online at www.fema.gov/grants as well as on www.grants.gov.
The State Administrative Agency (SAA) is the only entity eligible to apply for NSGP-NSS funds. The SAA applies to FEMA on behalf of eligible nonprofit organizations and consortia of nonprofit organizations (subapplicants) that are at high risk of terrorist or other extremist attack.
Eligible nonprofit organizations and consortia must apply to their SAA for NSGP-NSS funds. Nonprofit organizations and consortia may not apply to FEMA directly.
The SAA is the only eligible applicant and submits applications to FEMA on behalf of subapplicants. Contact your SAA for information on how to apply.
The application period started when the NSGP-NSS NOFO was released on Oct. 28, 2024, and will be open for 88 days. The application deadline for subapplicants is determined by your SAA. Contact your SAAfor details on the application deadline.
The POP is the amount of time you have to complete your proposed projects. For the NSGP-NSS, the POP for the SAA is 36 months. SAAs generally impose a shorter POP for nonprofit organizations and consortium, so it is important to check with your SAA. The POP also includes any Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) considerations required for the project, if applicable. For more information on the EHP process, consult the Subapplicant Quick Start Guide.
The NSGP-NSS is a reimbursement grant. Only expenditures incurred during the POP listed in your subaward documentation from the SAA are allowable.
To be eligible for the NSGP-NSS, a nonprofit organization and all nonprofit organizations within a consortium must:
No. If successful, the lead consortium member will accept the subaward on behalf of the consortium, implement the approved projects/contracts for all consortium member sites, and manage the subaward throughout the period of performance, to include ensuring that all terms and conditions of the subaward are met.
If the physical address of the nonprofit organization for which you are applying is within a FY 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban area, then you must apply to NSGP-NSS-UA. If the physical address of the nonprofit organization for which you are applying is outside of a FY 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban area, then you must apply to NSGP-NSS-S. If you are unsure whether your nonprofit organization's physical address is located within or outside of a FY 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban area, contact your SAA. SAAs and nonprofit organizations should be aware that city limits do not always equate to the UASI footprint.
For consortium applications, all nonprofit organizations within a consortium application must be eligible under the applied-for funding stream. For example, if a consortium applies to the SAA to receive funding under NSGP-NSS-UA, all nonprofit organizations within the consortium must be located within the same FY 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban areas.
There is no prohibition on applying to the NSGP-NSS if you have received previous NSGP funding or been rejected from receiving NSGP funding in past years.
Several states have state-led programs very similar to the federal DHS/FEMA NSGP-NSS. There is no prohibition at the federal level to apply for both programs. Please contact the SAA concerning the state program for any restrictions.
Nonprofit organization subapplicants with one site may apply for up to $200,000 for that site. Subapplicants with multiple sites may apply for up to $200,000 per site for up to three sites per NSGP-NSS-UA and NSGP-NSS-S funding stream, for a maximum of $600,000 per nonprofit organization per state. Each unique site must have a unique Vulnerability Assessment and completed Investment Justification (IJ). If a nonprofit organization has physical locations both within and outside of a FY 2024 UASI-designated high-risk urban area, they may apply to both funding streams (NSGP-NSS-S and NSGP-NSS-UA) but may not exceed a total of six applications for a total of $600,000 in requested funding per state. In states with no urban area, no more than three applications per nonprofit organization are allowable.
Consortium applications are also permitted for the NSGP-NSS. Consortium may apply for a maximum of $1,000,000. Awards over $250,000 must comply with the Build America, Buy America Act (BABAA). For more information, see the NSGP-NSS NOFO. The $200,000 per site maximum still applies for each individual nonprofit organization within the consortium. Total funding available for consortium applications is limited to 25% of the NSGP-NSS award allocation, or $52,500,000.
Applications that are received for the wrong funding stream (NSGP-NSS-UA or NSGP-NSS-S) will be deemed ineligible.
The NSGP-NSS defines a "site" as a singular address or physical building. If a nonprofit organization has multiple buildings at the same address, each building can be identified by name (e.g., "Building A," "Building B"). Each site applying for funding must have its own unique Vulnerability Assessment and application.
Each eligible nonprofit organization must submit the following to their SAA:
A vulnerability assessment specific to the location/facility for which the nonprofit organization is applying. Currently, there are no other FEMA-specific requirements for the Vulnerability Assessment, but SAAs may have state-specific requirements. Consortium applications must include Vulnerability Assessment(s). They can be either one shared and collective assessment or separate/individual ones for every site.
The IJ is a required application form used to apply for NSGP-NSS funds. It includes sections on the nonprofit organization's risks, vulnerabilities, and the proposed projects that are intended to address or mitigate the identified risks and vulnerabilities. Proposed projects must be for the locations that the nonprofit organization occupies at the time of application. The IJ must:
The IJ, and in the case of consortium applications, the Consortium Workbook, are the only documents submitted to FEMA by the SAA for applications. As a result, it is important to avoid referencing out to any external materials in your IJ. Consortium IJs should contain references to the required Consortium Workbooks. Please consult the Subapplicant Quick Start Guide or the NSGP-NSS Consortium Application Guide for more information on completing the IJ.
A Mission Statement and any mission-implementing policies or practices that may elevate the organization's risk must also be submitted to the SAA. The SAA will use the Mission Statement, along with the information provided in the IJ, to determine the central purpose of the organization and will validate the nonprofit 'organization type' selected by the nonprofit organization in the IJ. The organization type may be one of the following: 1. Ideology-based/Spiritual/Religious (Houses of Worship, Religious Schools, etc.), 2. Educational (Secular), 3. Medical (Secular), or 4. Other.
Some SAAs may allow supporting documentation related to actual incidents that have occurred at the location/facility, if applicable. This documentation could include items such as police reports, insurance claims, or photographs; include a brief description of the items you are submitting in your IJ. Be sure to check with your SAA if optional supporting documentation is allowed.
Contact your SAA to get information on any additional requirements.
A consortium application is an opportunity for an eligible nonprofit organization to act as a lead and apply for funding on behalf of itself and any number of other participating NSGP-NSS eligible nonprofit organizations. A consortium of nonprofit organizations must fill out one IJ (done by the consortium lead nonprofit organization) and the Consortium Workbook, in addition to the Vulnerability Assessment(s) and Mission Statements. All nonprofit organizations in the consortium application must be compliant with the NSGP-NSS eligibility requirements. Nonprofit organizations may not apply individually and as part of a consortium. The lead nonprofit organization and its partners must be the intended beneficiaries of the requested funding. The lead nonprofit organization shall not distribute grant-funded assets or provide grant-funded contractual services to non-compliant partner nonprofit organizations or other ineligible organizations. If successful, the lead consortium member will accept the subaward on behalf of the consortium, implement the approved projects/contracts for all consortium member sites, and manage the subaward throughout the period of performance, to include ensuring that all terms and conditions of the subaward are met.
For additional information on consortium applications, please consult the NSGP-NSS Consortium Application Guide.
Ways an organization can demonstrate that it is at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack include but are not limited to:
As noted in question 20, organizations that are at heightened risk due to their ideology, beliefs, or mission are prioritized in the final scoring process. Organizations that are at heightened risk resulting from the Israel-Hamas war will also be prioritized during the final scoring process.
If you are an organization that has any form of religious affiliation, you are encouraged to select "Ideology-based/Spiritual/Religious" as your nonprofit category to ensure your organization is prioritized correctly in scoring.
Allowable costs include contract security, as well as planning, equipment, training, and exercises. Below are some examples:
For a complete description on allowable activities, see the NSGP-NSS NOFO and the FY 2024 Preparedness Grants Manual.
Subrecipients may use up to 5% of their subaward for M&A purposes. M&A expenses must be based on actual expenses or known contractual costs. Requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement. M&A costs for the NSGP-NSS are calculated as up to 5% of the total federal award allocated to the subrecipient, not on final expenditures at close out.
NSGP-NSS allows for states and territories to utilize up to 2% of the total grant awarded to provide outreach and technical assistance to eligible nonprofit organizations. Outreach and technical assistance sourced with this additional funding should prioritize rural and underserved communities and nonprofit organizations that are traditionally underrepresented in the program. If a state would like to receive this funding, they must indicate that in their FEMA GO application.
No, but any work funded by the NSGP-NSS must be permissible to the owner.
Nonprofit organizations must be occupying and fully operational out of the facility listed in their Vulnerability Assessment and IJ at the time of application to be eligible for funding.
Please consult the Subapplicant Quick Start Guide for more information on UEIs.
Nonprofit organizations should base their cost requests on reasonable estimates, which can include rough estimates received from vendors prior to applying, an online search of quotes for similar projects, etc., and organizations are encouraged to reasonably incorporate the potential for price changes. Nonprofit organizations are NOT required or expected to use exact numbers; educated estimates are acceptable. The same vendors can bid on the final project unless there is a conflict of interest. Policies and procedures on managing conflicts of interest for preparedness grants can be found in the Preparedness Grants Manual.
Nonprofit organizations must ALWAYS abide by federal and state procurement guidelines.
As stated in question 28, nonprofit organizations must ALWAYS abide by federal and state procurement guidelines. Your SAA as the grant recipient will provide information for how procurement is managed in your specific state. States interpret federal guidance and integrate this guidance into their state guidance. For more information on federal procurement, please see Resource Library: Purchasing Under a FEMA Award | FEMA.gov and Procurement Under Grants Training | FEMA.gov.
NSGP-NSS applications will be scored by the SAA in coordination with its state, territory, and urban area partners, as applicable. The SAA will submit a prioritized list of IJs with all scores to FEMA. FEMA will not undertake a full scoring of each individual IJ as in previous years. In the final scoring process, organizations that are at risk due to their ideology, beliefs, or mission are prioritized. Organizations facing a heightened threat resulting from the Israel-Hamas war will also be prioritized during the final scoring process. Additionally, organizations that are located in a disadvantaged community (based on the Climate and Economic Justice and Screening Tool) are prioritized.
Consortia applications and individual nonprofit organization applications are scored, ranked, and prioritized separately.
Based on the review process described above, FEMA will then make funding recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security. All final funding determinations will be made by the Secretary, who retains the discretion to consider other factors and information in addition to FEMA's funding recommendations. For additional information on how IJs are reviewed and scored at the SAA and federal levels, please refer to the NSGP-NSS NOFO.
Yes, there is a security review performed by the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis on prospective subrecipient nonprofit organizations. This review takes place after the competitive scoring and selection process is complete. The information provided is limited to the organization's name and physical address, as submitted by the nonprofit organization.
There are no requirements for information sharing between nonprofit organizations and federal, state, local, tribal and/or territorial law enforcement. However, the NSGP-NSS seeks to bring nonprofit organizations into broader state and local preparedness efforts, including with law enforcement, by removing barriers to communication and being more inclusive.
Please consult the Subapplicant Quick Start Guide for more information on EHP.
FEMA/DHS oversight and involvement is limited to monitoring the appropriate use and stewardship of federal grant dollars. Please note that some federal requirements apply to the life of the equipment or property purchased using federal grant funds.