Funding Allocations for FY 2023 Preparedness Grants Announced by DHS

WASHINGTON— The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently unveiled its final allocations for the Fiscal Year 2023 competitive preparedness grant programs, amounting to a significant $605 million. Combined with the earlier announcement of nearly $1.4 billion in non-competitive grant funding, the total investment for FY 2023 surpasses an impressive $2 billion. This substantial funding aims to bolster the nation’s readiness to combat potential threats, acts of terrorism, and natural disasters.

The competitive grant programs target a diverse range of recipients, including state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector. Their purpose is to provide the necessary resources for enhancing capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from various emergencies and catastrophes.

In line with its commitment to prioritize key areas of national security, DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas stated that this year, the department would focus on six critical domains: cybersecurity, soft targets, and crowded places, intelligence and information sharing, domestic violent extremism, community preparedness and resilience, and election security. The grant allocations announced today are geared toward supporting communities and improving their readiness to handle major disasters, terrorist attacks, and other emergency situations.

The Preparedness Grant Program Allocations for Fiscal Year 2023 encompass several competitive grants, each dedicated to specific aspects of national security:

1. Operation Stonegarden: This grant program allocates $90 million to enhance cooperation and coordination among various law enforcement agencies, including state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal entities, in their efforts to enhance security along the United States’ land and water borders.
2. Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program: An allocation of $15 million is reserved for eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives, thereby strengthening the nation’s resilience against potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.
3. Nonprofit Security Grant Program: With an impressive $305 million in funding, this program aims to support target hardening and physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations deemed at high risk of terrorist attacks. Specifically, $152.5 million is designated for nonprofits in Urban Area Security Initiative-designated areas, and the remaining $152.5 million is for nonprofits outside those designated urban areas located in any state or territory.
4. Port Security Grant Program: With a focus on critical port infrastructure, this program provides $100 million to safeguard against terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, and improve port-wide maritime security risk management. It also aims to maintain or re-establish maritime security mitigation protocols that support port recovery and resiliency capabilities.
5. Transit Security Grant Program: Public transit systems receive a significant boost with $93 million in funding to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism while increasing the resilience of transit infrastructure.
6. Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: To further safeguard surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from terrorist threats, $2 million is allocated to owners and operators of intercity bus systems. The program also seeks to enhance the resilience of transit infrastructure.

In addition to the competitive grants, the DHS earlier announced non-competitive grants based on various factors:

1. State Homeland Security Program: A total of $415 million was allocated to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based state homeland security strategies. The grants are distributed based on statutory minimums and relative risk, as determined by DHS/FEMA’s risk methodology.
2. Urban Area Security Initiative: To enhance regional preparedness and capabilities, $615 million was provided to 31 high-threat, high-density areas. Awards are based on relative risk, as determined by risk methodology.
3. Emergency Management Performance Grant: This program allocates $355.1 million to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies in obtaining the resources required to support the National Preparedness Goal’s associated mission areas and core capabilities, thereby building a culture of preparedness.
4. Intercity Passenger Rail: Amtrak receives $10 million in funding to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism, while also increasing the resilience of the Amtrak rail system, as directed by Congress.

For more detailed information on preparedness grant programs, interested parties can visit the official websites of the DHS (www.dhs.gov) and FEMA (www.fema.gov/grants). The DHS remains steadfast in its mission to bolster America’s security and resilience, ensuring that the nation is well-equipped to face any potential challenges that may arise.