Cook County, Chicago Encourage At-Risk Nonprofits to Apply for Funding to Enhance Safety and Security

The City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) and Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) encourage nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attacks in Chicago and Cook County to apply for security enhancement/target hardening funding through the competitive Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which is offered by the Grants Program Directorate/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“We urge nonprofit organizations to pursue this funding opportunity to strengthen protective measures for their facilities, particularly amid increasing threats to houses of worship and other organizations in urban areas,” said OEMC Executive Director Rich Guidice. “Preparing and remaining vigilant involves the whole community, and we support all efforts to keep the residents of Chicago and Cook County safe.”

 Eligible nonprofit entities within the City of Chicago and Cook County are advised to prepare their grant requests and stay tuned for the official release of the funding opportunity in the coming weeks.  Allowable costs under this program include: development of plans, access control, surveillance equipment and physical protective measures.

“It is critical that all of us actively participate in securing our community,” said William Barnes, executive director of DHSEM. “This is a good opportunity for nonprofits in our Urban Area to apply for funds that will help safeguard vulnerable facilities.”

DHS will provide a total of $60 million ($50 million for nonprofits located in urban areas and $10 million for state nonprofits) under this program in FY2019 nationally to eligible 501(C) (3) organizations who are deemed at high risk of a potential terrorist attack. In FY2018 the maximum funding request per applicant was capped at $150,000 for eligible 501 (c) (3) organizations located in the Chicago Urban Area of Cook County and the City of Chicago.  The FY2019 maximum funding amount will be listed in the 2019 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) which will be released no later than April 16, 2019. 

Additional information can be found at  https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/oem/provdrs/2019-nonprofit-security-grant-program-application-information-so.html.  All other detailed information and the FY2019 application will be released with the NOFO in the coming weeks.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), as the State Administrative Agency (SAA), will collect applications and administer grants awarded to applicants in the Chicago Urban Area by the Grants Program Directorate/FEMA.