DHS announces the Countering Violent Extremism Grant Program

On July 6, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Grant Program, with $10 million in available funds. This is the first federal assistance program devoted exclusively to providing local communities with the resources to counter violent extremism in the homeland.

“As I have said before, given the nature of the evolving terrorist threat, building bridges to local communities is as important as any of our other homeland security missions,” said Secretary Johnson. “This new grant program is an important step forward in these efforts and reflects the Department’s continued commitment to protect the homeland and uphold our values.”

In addition to state, local and tribal governments, non-profit organizations and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply. These grants will help scale community-led initiatives across the country to address the evolving terrorist threat, including international and domestic terrorism. Specifically, funding will support training, community engagements, and activities that challenge violent extremist narratives used to recruit and radicalize individuals to violence.

The Department’s efforts to partner with local communities are a central part of its CVE mission. These grants will empower local communities to provide resources to friends, families and peers who may know someone on the path toward violent extremism, encouraging community-based solutions to deter an individual well before criminal or terrorist action, which would require the attention of law enforcement.

This grant program was developed by the DHS Office for Community Partnerships in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Office for Community Partnerships builds relationships with local communities and leads the Department’s CVE mission, focusing efforts to find innovative ways to discourage violent extremism and undercut terrorist narratives.

Source: DHS