DHS announces grant allocations for fiscal year 2016 preparedness grants

As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ongoing efforts to support state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, Secretary Jeh Johnson announced on June 29 final allocations of $275 million for six Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 DHS competitive preparedness grant programs. These allocations, in addition to the more than $1.3 billion in non-competitive grant funding announced by Secretary Johnson in February, total more than $1.6 billion in FY 2016 to assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector with their preparedness efforts.

“In an ever-changing threat environment, our homeland security grants demonstrate the Department’s continued commitment to strengthening the nation’s preparedness and ability to respond to a wide variety of emergencies,” said Secretary Johnson. “These 2016 homeland security grant allocations will support our partners at all levels of government and the private sector, ensuring we remain vigilant and keep the homeland secure.”

Together with previous grant funding awarded since 2002, DHS has awarded more than $47 billion to these partners. Preparedness grants strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies in support of the National Preparedness Goal and the National Preparedness System.

The FY 2016 grants focus on the nation’s highest risk areas, including urban areas that continue to face the most significant threats. Consistent with previous grant guidance, dedicated funding is provided for law enforcement and terrorism prevention activities throughout the country to prepare for, prevent, and respond to pre-operational activity and other crimes that are precursors or indicators of terrorist activity.

Competitive Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2016:

Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)—a competitive grant that 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 reestablish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.

Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP)—a competitive grant that provides $87 million to owners and operators of transit systems to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

Operation Stonegarden (OPSG)—a competitive grant that provides $55 million to enhance cooperation and coordination among local, tribal, territorial, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to jointly enhance security along the United States’ land and water borders where there are ongoing Customs and Border Protection missions.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—a competitive grant that provides $20 million to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack and located within one of the 29 Fiscal Year 2016 UASI-eligible urban areas.

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)—a competitive grant that provides $10 million to eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)—a competitive grant that provides $3 million to assist operators of fixed-route intercity and charter bus services within high-threat urban areas to protect bus systems and the traveling public from acts of terrorism, major disasters and other emergencies.

In addition to the competitive grants announced today, in February 2016, Secretary Johnson announced more than $1.3 billion in preparedness grant program funding.

Non-Competitive Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2016:

Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program— a non-competitive grant that provides more than $350 million to assist local, tribal, territorial, and state governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.

Intercity Passenger Rail – Amtrak (IPR) Program—a non-competitive grant that provides $10 million to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system.

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—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 HSGP grants are:

• State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)—a non-competitive grant that provides $402 millionto support the implementation of the National Preparedness System to build and strengthen preparedness capabilities at all levels.
• Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)—a non-competitive grant that provides $580 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 29 high-threat, high-density areas.

Awards made to the states and urban areas for HSGP carry pass-through requirements.  Pass-through is defined as an obligation on the part of the State Administrative Agency (SAA) to make funds available to local units of government, combinations of local units, tribal governments, or other specific groups or organizations.  The SAA must obligate at least 80 percent (80%) of the funds awarded under SHSP and UASI to local or tribal units of government.

Per section 2006 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended (6 U.S.C. § 607), DHS/FEMA is required to ensure that at least 25 percent of grant funding must be used for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.

Source: DHS