Citing a climate of growing fear and a persistent rise in acts of hate across America, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced a new, $1 billion dollar push aimed at countering, curtailing, and overcoming the fear –and the threats– currently targeted at places of worship and gathering, like religious schools, religious-affiliated community and senior centers, churches synagogues, mosques, gurdwaras and more. Schumer announced a $1 billion dollar effort to surge federal dollars to FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) that helps New York and national nonprofits, like churches and synagogues, mosques and more prepare for and mitigate against potential terror and hate attacks by providing critical funding to support physical security enhancements to locations that are at high risk of an attack.
“The persistent cascade of intolerance and even violence as the state of hate in America rises to a boiling point demands a much stronger federal response, because we are in a crisis,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “In many ways, the vulnerability and increased danger in houses of worship, academic institutions, and not-for-profits has never been higher. That is why I am announcing a $1 billion dollar push to counter, contain and ultimately crush the fear –and the threats—currently plaguing places of worship, like religious schools, churches, synagogues, mosques and more.”
Schumer said the federal program NSGP program that he helped establish and build up has improved efforts to keep at-risk nonprofit organizations safe by promoting emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration activities between public and private community representatives, as well as with state and local government and law enforcement agencies. Synagogues, churches, mosques, schools, gurdwaras, HBCU’s and other faith-based community centers, like JCCs, are just a few examples of nonprofit organizations that can apply for NSGP funds. Schumer said his $1B plan for increased safety and security will also surge staff at FEMA to more quickly administer the program. Schumer revealed, that at present, FEMA only has a single, one, staff person who administers NSGP and that more staff is needed to achieve the mission of curtailing the rise in hate acts across the nation.
“At-risk religious-based organizations across New York and the nation not only want more help—they desperately need it,” added Schumer.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides funding to improve the security of nonprofit organizations at risk of being targeted for terror attacks. Synagogues, churches, mosques, schools and other faith-based community centers, like HBCU’s, JCCs, are some examples of nonprofit organizations that could apply for these funds, administered by FEMA
