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Communal Security Initiative Physical Infrastructure Grants 

 
Physical security and access control play an important role in helping institutions of all shapes and sizes as they work toward achieving a balance between “open and welcoming” and “safe and secure.” The CJP Communal Security Initiative (CSI) recognizes that the purchase, installation, and maintenance of physical security systems involves financial costs, and for this reason we would like to share to three types of grants for which your organization may be eligible: 

  1. CJP CSI Physical Security Infrastructure Grants for synagogues, Chabads, and Jewish day schools in the CJP catchment area 
  2. Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program grants
  3. Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program grants 

 

1. CJP CSI Physical Security Grants: 

In 2020, CJP offered nearly $1 million towards physical security infrastructure grants for synagogues, Chabads, Jewish day schools, JCCs, and early learning centers in the Greater Boston area. Please contact us for more information on future opportunities for these grants, eligibility, and application guidelines at CommunalSecurity@CJP.org. 

For the Federal and Commonwealth Nonprofit grant cycle, CJP CSI offers eligible institutions $3,000 reimbursement funding to help defray the costs of hiring a professional grant writer to prepare Commonwealth or Federal security grant applications. 

 
CJP CSI $3,000 Grant Eligibility Guidelines

  • Synagogues, Chabads, and Hillels in the CJP catchment area are eligible for reimbursement of $3,000 toward the cost of hiring a professional grant writer
  • Other institutions functioning as synagogues and located in the CJP catchment area may also be eligible for this reimbursable grant. Please complete this application form and await CSI response.
  • Jewish organizations in neighboring communities may also be eligible for this reimbursable grant. If you are located outside the CJP Catchment area, please inquire about eligibility using the application form linked above and await CSI response.
  • Funds are limited and requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
  • Institutions which successfully applied for and were awarded either the Commonwealth or Federal Nonprofit Security Grants from 2018 through 2021 are ineligible to receive the CJP CSI Application Support Grant.

 

2. 2022 Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program

In 2021, the Commonwealth Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS) Office of Grants and Research (OGR) offered nearly $950,000 in funds to places of worship, faith-based community centers, and other similar institutions to enhance facility safety and security.   

The Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program is currently closed. For future eligibility and additional information, please visit the Office of Grants and Research. 

This year, for the first time, qualifying organizations from across the Commonwealth, including those located in the Metropolitan Boston Homeland Security Region  (Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop) were eligible to apply for this grant. We are extremely grateful to our partners at JCRC Boston and in the broader community, who have lobbied tirelessly for the creation and expansion of this grant program. We encourage all eligible organizations to apply in the future.

Please note that nonprofit organizations must apply directly to their State Administrative Agency. In Massachusetts, this is the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS). 

Additional Grant-Related Resources: 

We invite you to visit this page again in the coming months and to join the CSI mailing list to receive regular updates on this and other security funding opportunities. 

 
3. 2022 Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (Currently Open-Resources Updated 05/17/2022) 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) has made $250.15 million in funding support available for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high-risk of terrorist attack. The maximum funding available per institution is $150,000 through the NSGP-UA (urban area) grant and $150,000 through the NSGP-S (statewide) grant. Please review the List of FY22 NSGP Key Changes as you are preparing your application. The deadline to submit is May 27, 2022.

Please note: FEMA has changed their guidelines and Nonprofits have to have a UEI# (Unique Entity Identifier, formerly DUNS #) AND be registered in SAM.gov- SAM.gov | Duns - Sam UEI

EOPSS has released important guidelines to Massachusetts applicants which are available on the EOPSS website. Please review some relevant resources below related to the grant program from EOPSS and the Secure Community Network:

You may also wish to review the Frequently Asked Questions for Nonprofit Organizations document. 

For questions regarding the application process, contact Carrie Clifton, Massachusetts State Coordinator for the Federal NSGP carrie.t.clifton@mass.gov.