The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced last week that its Preparedness Grants - which help states, cities, tribal and territorial governments, non-profit agencies, as well as the private sector prevent, respond to and recover from potential terror attacks, major disasters and other emergencies - were reduced by nearly $1 billion in the 2012 fiscal year and $1.5 billion below President Obama’s request for the year.
However, the agency’s final allocations for seven of the grants for the year totaled more than $1.3 billion. According to a statement, the FY 2012 grants focus on the country’s highest risk areas and grantees are encouraged to use the funding to maintain and sustain current capabilities.
Among the grant program allocations for the 2012 fiscal year include:
- The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) provides more than $830 million for states and urban areas to prevent and respond to acts of terrorism and other threats. Among the initiatives funded by this grant program include: The State Homeland Security Program, which provides $294 million to support the implementation of state homeland security strategies and strengthen preparedness capabilities; the Urban Areas Security Initiative, which provides more than $490 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 31 high-threat, high-density areas; and Operation Stonegarden, which provides more than $46 million to enhance cooperation and coordination among federal, state, territorial, tribal and local law enforcement agencies and to jointly enhance security along the nation’s land and water borders.
- The Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) Program provides more than $339 million to assist state and local governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.
- The Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP ) provides $6 million to eligible tribal applicants to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risk associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.
- The Non-profit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides $10 million to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations determined to be at high risk of a terrorist attack and located within one of the FY 2012 UASI-eligible urban areas.
- The Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak) Program provides $10 million to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from terrorism and increase the resilience of the Amtrak rail system.
- The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) provides more than $97 million to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, and strengthen risk management capabilities in order to protect against improvised explosive devices and other non-conventional weapons.
- The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) provides more than $87 million to owners and operators of transit systems to protect critical surface transportation and the traveling public from acts of terrorism and to increase the resilience of transit infrastructure.
To learn more about these grants or to apply, visit www.dhs.gov or www.fema.gov/grants.
