DHS Offers Grants to Nonprofits
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY OFFERS GRANTS TO NONPROFITS
BALTIMORE (November 19, 2008) – Once again the Department of Homeland Security is making grants available to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations to make their high-risk facilities more secure against terrorist attacks. The $15 million program seeks to integrate nonprofit preparedness activities with broader state and local preparedness efforts. It is also designed to promote coordination and collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives and state and local governments. The DHS grant program will provide a total of $15 million to high-risk nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S.
Applications must be submitted electronically to the Baltimore Urban Area Work Group (UAWG) through the appropriate local UAWG law enforcement representative as listed below. Deadline for submission is Tuesday, January 13. Incomplete applications may not be considered. The UAWG will score applications before forwarding them to DHS.
Criteria for determining eligible applicants who are at high risk of terrorist attack include, but are not limited to:
- Identification and substantiation (e.g. police reports or insurance claims) of prior threats or attacks against the nonprofit organization or closely related organizations (within or outside the U.S.) by a terrorist organization, network, or cell
- Symbolic value of the site(s) as a highly recognized national or historical institution that renders the site a possible target of international terrorism
- Role of the applicant nonprofit organization in responding to or recovering from international terrorist attacks
- Findings from previously conducted risk assessments including threat or vulnerability
Guidelines for preparing and submitting the grant application are available at www.baltometro.org.
Grants are limited to no more than $75,000, and require a 25 percent match in cash or activities such as special training in the operation of grant-funded improvements.
In addition, all projects must comply with Environmental and Historic Preservation laws. All grantees will be required to develop an environmental planning and historic preservation Statement of Work (SOW), which must be submitted to FEMA for certification prior to the initiation of projects.
Eligible enhancements include such things as closed circuit television systems for perimeters of community facilities; vehicle barriers, lighting and fencing for perimeter security; and personal identification systems to limit unauthorized access to facilities.
The UAWG is composed of emergency management officials from the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s member jurisdictions, which include Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties, plus the City of Annapolis.
"Nonprofit groups often don't have the money for this type of security, so making these grants available is a huge help to many organizations," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, the BMC Chair. "And if these grants can provide additional security to nonprofits, that protection will allow local law enforcement to redeploy the resources to other areas."
The grant application and guidelines are also available online at www.baltometro.org. Questions may be directed to the appropriate local law enforcement representative.
UAWG Law Enforcement Representatives
Anne Arundel County: Lt. Eric Hodge, ehodge@aacounty.org, 410-222-8651
Annapolis City: Sgt. David Garcia, dgarcia@annapolis.gov, 410-268-9000
Baltimore City: Lt. Rodney Giacomelli, rodney.Giocomelli@baltimorepolice.org, 410-396-2028
Baltimore County: Major Jeffrey Caslin, jcaslin@baltimorecountymd.gov, 410-887-5672
Carroll County: Sgt. James Fisher, jfisher@ccg.carr.org, 410-386-2255
Harford County: Det. Kevin Taylor, taylork@harfordsheriff.org, 410-6384492
Howard County: Lt. Michael Price, mprice@howardcountymd.gov, 410-313-3281
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Last Updated on Friday, 18 December 2009 16:03