In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is providing $274.5 million for facility hardening and other physical and cybersecurity enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist or other extremist attack.
Overview
The FY 2025 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is one of the grant programs that support the DHS/Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the ability of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, to prevent, protect against, prepare for, and respond to terrorist or other extremist attacks. These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS to help strengthen the nation’s communities against potential terrorist or other extremist attacks.
Funding
In FY 2025, the total amount of funds available under NSGP is $274.5 million, of which $137.25 million is for NSGP- Urban Area (UA) and $137.25 million is for NSGP-State (S). NSGP-UA funding will be awarded to nonprofit organizations located within one of the FY 2025 designated high-risk urban areas. NSGP-S funding is for nonprofit organizations located outside the FY 2025 designated high-risk urban areas. The FY 2025 NSGP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) includes a list of the FY 2025 high-risk urban areas.
Eligibility
The State Administrative Agency (SAA) is the only entity eligible to apply for FY 2025 NSGP funds. The SAA applies to FEMA on behalf of eligible nonprofit organizations (subapplicants) that are at high risk of terrorist or other extremist attack. Eligible nonprofit organizations are those organizations described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code. For NSGP-UA, nonprofit organizations must be located within one of the FY 2025 designated high-risk urban areas listed in the FY 2025 NSGP NOFO. For NSGP-S, nonprofit organizations may be located anywhere within a state or territory outside of a designated high-risk urban area.
Management and Administration
SAAs can use up to 5% of their total NSGP-S and NSGP-UA awards for management and administration (M&A) purposes. Nonprofit organization subrecipients may also continue to use up to 5% of their subaward for M&A purposes.
Funding Guidelines
FY 2025 NSGP allowable costs are focused on security-related activities. Funding can be used for contracted security personnel; security-related planning, exercises, and training; and the acquisition and installation of security equipment (including improvements) and cybersecurity measures on real property (including buildings) owned or leased by the nonprofit organization at the time of application.
Starting in FY 2024, there is no longer a requirement to submit a waiver related to the Personnel Reimbursement for Intelligence Cooperation and Enhancement of Homeland Security Act of 2008 (PRICE Act) for contracted security personnel costs under NSGP. Please refer to Appendix A of the NSGP NOFO for more information on contracted security personnel costs.
National Priority Areas (NPAs) for NSGP
The NSGP reflects DHS’s commitment to risk-informed investment, collaboration, and resilience. To ensure that priorities reflect the current threat environment, FEMA’s Preparedness Grant Programs are guided by annually designated National Priority Areas (NPAs). The FY 2025 NPAs are:
- Enhancing Protection of Soft Targets/Crowded Places
- Supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and Fusion Centers
- Enhancing and Integrating Cybersecurity Resiliency
- Enhancing Election Security
- Supporting Border Crisis Response and Enforcement
Application Process
Applying for an award under the NSGP is a multi-step process. Applicants (SAAs only) are encouraged to register early in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and the FEMA Grants Outcomes (FEMA GO) system, as the registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines. Please refer to Section 5 in the FY 2025 NSGP NOFO for detailed information and instructions.
All application materials will be posted on Grants.gov. Eligible applicants should submit their application through FEMA GO. Applicants needing technical support with the FEMA GO System should contact FEMAGO@fema.dhs.gov or (877) 585-3242, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
Completed applications must be submitted in the FEMA GO system no later than 5 p.m. ET on Aug. 11, 2025.
Because of the timing of the FY 2025 NSGP, the NSGP-S and NSGP-UA funding will be issued as risk-based allocations to each state and territory. Subawards will still be governed by the standard competitive process. However, this will occur after award of the state- and territory-based allocations to ensure that all funds can be obligated before the fiscal year ends. More information will be released on the FY 2025 subapplication process later.
NSGP Resources
There are a variety of resources available to address programmatic, technical, and financial questions, which can assist with NSGP applications:
- The FY 2025 NSGP NOFO is located online at www.grants.gov .
- The FY 2025 Preparedness Grants Manual is located online at /grants/preparedness/manual.
- For additional resources on FEMA preparedness grant programs, visit Preparedness Grants | FEMA.gov.
- For additional resources on FEMA procurement and grant processes, visit Contracting with Federal Funds for Goods and Services Before, During and After Disasters | FEMA.gov.
- For additional program-specific information, please contact the FEMA Grants News at (800) 368-6498 or fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov. FEMA Grants News hours of operation are from 9 a.m. - 5p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
- For support regarding financial grants management and budgetary technical assistance, applicants may contact the FEMA Award Administration Help Desk at ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.
To contact the FEMA staff overseeing the NSGP, email FEMA-NSGP@fema.dhs.gov