Nonprofit Security Grants: Prepare Now for Next Round

Last weekend’s alarming headlines of violence here at home and around the world sadly confirm that America’s 501(c)(3)s are vulnerable targets.

Organizations, large and small, generally understand that they should regularly review and upgrade their security precautions and safety protocols including, particularly, for their property and at their events. However, that’s no simple or inexpensive task. It takes time and money as well as specialized knowledge and expertise.

Grant Funds Available

There is substantial government money available to help with these urgent needs. The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) under the jurisdiction of FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security offers hundreds of millions of dollars each year ” … to pay for cameras, access control, hardening projects, training, and more.” Eligible organizations may receive from $150,000 to $ 200,000 for a single site, up to a total of $600,000 for three locations.

There is additional money from many state and local government programs, “… often designed to complement or extend NSGP by reaching organizations that are not funded at the federal level or that need additional assistance.” The largest one in the nation is the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program (CSNSGP). For FY 2025-26, the total amount allocated was $76 million.

These annual federal and state funding opportunities are separate and distinct, with different time (i.e., application) tracks, eligibility criteria, and procedures. Nevertheless, because of a quirk in how the nationwide FEMA program was created, the prospective applicants do not deal directly with FEMA but instead apply via dedicated state portals.

Several months ago, we wrote about these programs when a crisis arose. In mid-March, the federal program was swept up in the widespread frenzy of funding freezes. However, cooler heads prevailed. By early May 2025, there were reports of the spigots being turned back on for distribution of previously allocated monies for FY 2025. See Nonprofit Security Grant Program: Bipartisan Push to Unfreeze It (April 3, 2025) and Update on Nonprofit Security Grant Program (May 28, 2025).

The federal program’s 2025 funding cycle ended in October. California’s program for FY 2025-26 closed just days ago.

Now, as we approach the end of the calendar year, and in light of the myriad security threats all around us, it’s not too early, according to experts, for the charitable sector to begin gearing up for the next federal and state funding opportunities.

Complex Application Requirements 

The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is a challenging and document-intensive process. And it’s now so popular – and needed – that it is highly competitive. Organizations with the best and most well-supported applications have an edge. See: Nonprofit Security Grants in 2026: A Practical Guide to Federal and State Funding (updated December 15, 2025) Omnilert.com. See also: Complete Guide to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) (current) avigilon.com.

The federal NSGP grant program requires extensive preliminary steps ahead of, and in addition to, the the formal multi-step application process. In particular,  “… before requesting funding for security enhancements, an organization must “…conduct a comprehensive security needs assessment. This foundational step helps nonprofit organizations identify their unique vulnerabilities and prioritize the physical security enhancements that will have the greatest impact.” There are guidelines from FEMA explaining how to conduct these assessments, “which are a critical part of the application process for the NSGP and similar state programs.”

Timing Issues

“Exact dates for the 2026 cycle will depend on congressional appropriations and state-level decisions, but recent trends give a good sense of what to expect. For NSGP, FEMA typically releases the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in late spring or summer. “It is crucial to track fiscal year deadlines such as those for the upcoming FY 2026, and ensure that all application materials are submitted on time to be considered for funding.”

“State nonprofit security grants may operate on different schedules. Some open calls for applications early in the calendar year; others align them with state budget cycles and open later.”  California’s, for example, cannot proceed until (at least) the completion of the FY 2026-27 budget process at the end of June. The legislative session ends several months later.

“Application windows can be as short as a few weeks, so it is important to prepare your assessment and narrative materials ahead of time and subscribe to any state grant alerts available.”

In our Update on Nonprofit Security Grant Program (May 28, 2025), we included several paragraphs of information and explanation about the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program (albeit in the context of the 2025 funding cycle facts and figures.)

According to the Omnilert experts, “[f]or 2026, a good planning rhythm is to begin or update your vulnerability assessments and security plan in late 2025 or very early 2026, then track federal and state announcements so you can quickly tailor and submit your application when each program opens.”

Similarly, the experts at Avigilon “recommend that any interested applicants for the FY 2026 funding should begin preparations now including the preliminary planning and initial paperwork. Completing assessments, compiling required details and correctly formatting applications for … security grants can be time-consuming, so applicants should begin as early as possible. Applicants preparing for the 2026 cycle should begin preparations in late 2025.”

Conclusion

Coming up next: We’ll take a more in-depth look at the nuts and bolts of the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program, including: coverage amounts, inclusions/exclusions, and details of the mind-numbingly complex application process.

– Linda J. Rosenthal, J.D., FPLG Information & Research Director