Homeland Security Grants

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Homeland Security Grants (FY2010 HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS)

$4.17 billion, nearly $300 million above the request, for grants to first responders and partners in homeland security, including:

• State Grants: $950 million, matching the request and 2009, for grants used to plan, equip and train local first responders to respond to terrorist attacks and catastrophic incidents, including $60 million for Operation Stonegarden.
• Urban Area Security Grants: $887 million, matching the request and $50 million above 2009, to help high-risk urban communities prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks.
• Rail/Transit Security Grants: $300 million, $50 million above the request, to protect critical transit infrastructure, including freight rail, Amtrak and ferry systems in high-threat areas.
• Port Security Grants: $300 million, $50 million above the request, to assist ports in enhancing maritime domain awareness and enhancing risk management capabilities to prevent, detect, and respond to terrorist attacks.
• Emergency Management Performance Grants: $340 million, $25 million above the request and 2009, for all-hazard grants for state and local emergency managers.
• Fire Grants (including SAFER): $810 million, $220 million above the request and $35 million above 2009, to help local fire departments address communication, equipment and staffing problems. Of this total, $420 million is for SAFER, as requested, and $390 million is for fire grants.
• Metropolitan Medical Response System: $41 million, $1 million above the request, to help high-threat communities respond to mass casualty incidents.
• Interoperable Communications: $50 million, matching the request and 2009, for help firefighters and emergency responders talk to each other during a crisis.
• Emergency Operations Centers: $60 million, $25 million above 2009, to equip and upgrade central command facilities used by emergency personnel during disasters.

Major Homeland Security Grant Programs

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) - $1.7 billion. FY 2009 HSGP funding priorities are intended for either states or urban areas, and reflect capabilities that are most critical to build in those jurisdictions. At least 25 percent of the total FY 2009 HSGP funding must be dedicated for activities involving planning, training and exercises in building or sustaining capabilities. HSGP is comprised of the following major four homeland security grant programs:

State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)

$861.3 million to strengthen and build state, territorial and local preparedness capabilities through planning, equipment, training and exercise activities.

Purpose: This core assistance program provides funds to build capabilities at the state and local levels and to implement the goals and objectives included in state homeland security strategies and initiatives in the State Preparedness Report.

Eligible Applicants: Eligible entities for SHSP are all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Awards: Funds will be allocated based on risk analysis and the anticipated effectiveness of proposed investments by the applicants.

Program Awards and Funding Minimum: Each state will receive a minimum allocation under SHSP using the thresholds established in the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-053) (9/11 Act). All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will receive 0.365 percent of the total funds allocated for grants under Sections 2003 and 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 as amended by the 9/11 Act for SHSP and UASI programs. Four territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands) will receive a minimum allocation of 0.08 percent of the total funds allocated for grants under Sections 2003 and 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 as amended by the 9/11 Act for SHSP and UASI programs.

Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)

$798.6 million to enhance regional preparedness by strengthening capabilities in 62 high-threat, high-density urban areas across the country. The seven highest risk urban areas will compete for approximately $439 million, or 55 percent of all available funds, while the remaining areas will compete for about $359 million, or 45 percent of the funds.

Purpose: The UASI program focuses on enhancing regional preparedness in major metropolitan areas. The UASI program directly supports the National Priority on expanding regional collaboration in the National Preparedness Guidelines and is intended to assist participating jurisdictions in developing integrated regional systems for prevention, protection, response and recovery.

Eligible Applicants: The 62 highest risk Urban Areas are eligible for funding under the FY 2009 UASI program.

Program Awards: The seven highest risk urban areas, designated Tier 1 Urban Areas, will compete for approximately $439 million or 55 percent of available funds. The remaining urban areas, designated Tier 2 Urban Areas, will compete for approximately $359 million or 45 percent of available funds. Funds will be allocated based on risk analysis and the anticipated effectiveness of proposed investments by the applicants.

Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS)

$39.8 million is divided evenly among 124 MMRS jurisdictions to enhance and sustain comprehensive regional mass casualty incident response and preparedness capabilities.

Purpose: The MMRS program supports the integration of emergency management, health, and medical systems into a coordinated response to mass casualty incidents caused by any hazard. Successful MMRS grantees reduce the consequences of a mass casualty incident during the initial period of a response by having augmented existing local operational response systems before the incident occurs.

Eligible Applicants: As with previous years, 124 cities are eligible for MMRS funding.

Program Awards: Each of the 124 MMRS jurisdictions will receive $321,221 to establish or sustain local capabilities.

Citizen Corps Program (CCP)

$14.6 million for states and territories to bring community and government leaders together to engage citizens in community preparedness, response and recovery activities.

Purpose: The Citizen Corps mission is to bring community and government leaders together to coordinate community involvement in emergency preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery.

Eligible Applicants: CCP eligibility mirrors that of SHSP: all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Program Awards and Funding Minimum: CCP allocations are determined using the USA PATRIOT Act formula, which specifies that all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico will receive a minimum of 0.75 percent of the total available grant funding, and that four territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands) will receive a minimum of 0.25 percent of the total available grant funding. The balance of CCP funds will be distributed on a population-share basis. In addition to CCP allocations, states and urban areas are encouraged to fully leverage HSGP resources to accomplish the Citizen Corps mission.

Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities

Although the FY 2009 DHS Appropriations Act did not provide a separate appropriation for a Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, the 9/11 Act requires grantees to dedicate at least 25 percent from both SHSP and UASI funds for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.)

Click here to download Overview of Homeland Security Grants 2009.

Homeland Security Grants: Press Digest