DHS Announces 2018 Preparedness Grant Opportunities
The preparedness grants, aimed to improve the nation’s readiness in preventing and responding to emergencies, total over $1.6 billion.
The Department of Homeland Security has announced the release of Fiscal Year 2018 Notices of Funding Opportunity for preparedness grant programs totaling over $1.6 billion.
The grant programs aim to improve the country’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies, according to the press release.
It will provide funding to state, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as to transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations and the private sector.
“The administration remains committed to strengthening the security and resilience of our state and local communities,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen. “The DHS grant programs are flexible by design and will be used to help address evolving threats. They will go toward building and sustaining capabilities across all levels of government and the whole community to maximize preparedness.”
The focus of the grant guidance will be on high-risk locations such as urban areas, as urban areas represent up to 85 percent of the nationwide risk.
The Urban Area Security Initiative will enhance preparedness by funding 32 high-threat, high-density urban areas.
Here’s how the grant money will be distributed:
- The Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) will allocate more than $350 million to assist governments in “enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.”
- The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) will provide $402 million to “support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based State Homeland Security Strategies to address capability targets.” Under this program, states will be required to dedicate 25 percent to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.
- The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) will give $580 million to enhance regional preparedness in the 32 high-threat urban areas. Under the initiative, states and urban areas are required to dedicate 25 percent of funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities as well.
- Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) will distribute $85 million to enhance coordination between governments and state and federal law enforcement agencies to “jointly enhance security along the United States land and water borders.”
Grant recipients are encouraged to use grant funding to maintain and sustain current critical core capabilities through investments in training and exercises, updates to current planning and procedures, and lifecycle replacement of equipment, says the release.
Additional funds will also be given to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), the Intercity Passenger Rail – Amtrak Program (IPR), the Port Security Grant Program (PSGP), the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) and the Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP).
Click here to see how the additional funds will be allocated.
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