DHS announces grant guidance for FY 2015 preparedness grants

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced on April 2 the release of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Notices of Funding Opportunity for nine DHS preparedness grant programs totaling more than $1.6 billion. The grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, to improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The grants reflect the Department’s focus on implementation of an all-of-nation, whole-community approach to the building, sustainment, and delivery of those core capabilities essential to achieving a secure and resilient nation.

“The FY 2015 homeland security grants demonstrate the Department’s continued commitment to strengthening our nation’s ability to prepare and respond to a wide variety of emergencies,” said Secretary Johnson. “These grant programs reflect the Department’s strong partnerships across all levels of government and the private sector in order to ensure we remain vigilant in an ever-changing threat environment.”

The FY 2015 grant guidance will continue to focus on the nation’s highest risk areas, including urban areas that face the most significant threats.  For FY 2015, the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) will enhance regional preparedness and capabilities by funding 28 high-threat, high-density urban areas. This represents Congressional intent to limit FY 2015 UASI funding to those Urban Areas that represent up to 85% of the nationwide risk, as stated in the Explanatory Statement accompanying the Department’s appropriations act.

Based on consistent feedback from our state, local, tribal and territorial partners regarding the challenges created by a two-year period of performance, the Secretary addressed this concern in the FY 2015 grant guidance by increasing the period of performance for grant awards from two years to three years for all FY 2015 grant programs, except the Assistance to Fire Fighters Grants and the Emergency Management Performance Grant.

Consistent with previous grant guidance, dedicated funding is provided for law enforcement and terrorism prevention throughout the country to prepare for, prevent and respond to pre-operational activity and other crimes that are precursors or indicators of terrorist activity.

Grantees are encouraged to utilize grant funding to maintain and sustain current critical core capabilities through investments in training and exercises, updates to current planning and procedures, and lifecycle replacement of equipment.  New capabilities that are built using homeland security grant funding must be deployable if needed to support regional and national efforts.  All capabilities being built or sustained must have a clear linkage to the core capabilities in the National Preparedness Goal.

Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2015

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.

• State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)—provides more than $402 millionto all states and territories to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based State Homeland Security Strategies to address capability targets.
• Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)—provides $587 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities the nation’s 28 highest-risk, highest-threat, highest-density urban areas.
• Operation Stonegarden (OPSG)—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.

Since the 9/11 Act, FEMA has required states to ensure that at least 25 percent (25%) of the total funds awarded to them under SHSP and UASI are dedicated toward law enforcement terrorism prevention activities (LETPA).  The total LETPA allocation can be satisfied from SHSP, UASI or both. In addition, states must obligate at least 80 percent (80%) of the funds awarded under SHSP and UASI to local or tribal units of government within 45 days of receipt of the funds.

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)—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.

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—provides $13 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 FY 2015 UASI-eligible urban areas.

Intercity Passenger Rail – Amtrak (IPR) Program—provides more than $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.

Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)—provides more than $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)—provides more than $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.

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)—provides $3 million to owners and operators of intercity bus systems to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.

All preparedness Notices of Funding Opportunity can be found at www.grants.gov. There are some key changes to DHS grant programs this year including a 36-month period of performance and compliance with the requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200.  Please see the Notice of Funding Opportunity – Key Changes – for each grant program.

The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) applications, announced on March 25, 2015, are due no later than April 24, 2015.  All other preparedness grant applications – excluding Fire Grant programs – are due no later than May 19, 2015.  Final submissions must be made through the Non-Disaster Grants system located at https://portal.fema.gov.

Further information on DHS’s preparedness grant programs is available at www.dhs.gov and http://www.fema.gov/grants.