Grant Guidance for $2.7B in FY 2010

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the release of fiscal year 2010 grant application guidance kits for 13 DHS grant programs totaling more than $2.7b—funds for state, local, tribal and territorial governments and private sector entities to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

“These grants play a major role in our efforts to work with our state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners to build a national culture of readiness and resilience,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This year’s guidance focuses on maximizing efficiency and value while prioritizing risk in awarding grants to strengthen our nation’s security.”

The grant program guidance kits announced also incorporate the input of DHS’ state, local, tribal and territorial and private sector partners and include specific steps undertaken by DHS to improve the ability of state and local partners to apply for and utilize grant funding.

The guidance announced by Secretary Napolitano today has increased tribal funding, reduced administrative paperwork for state and local government and enabled local jurisdictions to use preparedness funding for ongoing maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades and user fees for equipment purchased with previous DHS grants.

These 13 preparedness grant programs may fund a variety of activities including planning, organization, equipment purchases, training and exercises:
•    Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)—$1.78b targeted for states or urban areas to build capabilities critical to security. HSGP consists of five programs:
o    State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)—$842m to build capabilities at the state and local levels to implement the state homeland security goals and objectives identified in the State Preparedness Report. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of SHSP funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention-oriented planning, organization, training, exercise and equipment activities.
o    Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)—$832.5m to enhance regional preparedness by strengthening capabilities in 64 high-threat, high-density urban areas across the country. The 9/11 Act requires states to dedicate 25 percent of UASI funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention-oriented activities.
o    Operation Stonegarden (OPSG)—$60m to enhance law enforcement and border security operations in states that border Canada (including Alaska) or Mexico and states and territories with international water borders.
o    Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS)—$39.3m to enhance and sustain comprehensive regional mass casualty incident response and preparedness capabilities, divided evenly among 124 MMRS jurisdictions.
o    Citizen Corps Program (CCP)—$12.4m to engage citizens in community preparedness, planning, mitigation, response and recovery activities.
•    Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)—Up to $10m available to eligible tribal applicants to help strengthen the United States against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks.
•    UASI Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)—$19m to support target-hardening activities at nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist attack.
•    Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG) Program—$329m to assist state and local governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.
•    Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP)—$48m to assist governments in carrying out initiatives identified in Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans and improve interoperable emergency communications used to respond to natural disasters and acts of terrorism.
•    Regional Catastrophic Preparedness Grant Program (RCPGP)—$ 33.6m to enhance catastrophic incident preparedness in high-risk, high-consequence urban areas and their surrounding regions and support coordination of regional all-hazard planning for catastrophic events, including the development of integrated planning communities, plans, protocols and procedures to manage a catastrophic event.
•    Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Grant Program—$57.6m to support the construction or renovation of Emergency Operations Centers to improve state, local or tribal emergency management and preparedness capabilities to ensure continuity of operations during disasters.
•    Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP)—$48m to increase preparedness capabilities for safeguarding critical infrastructure sites and key resource assets, such as chemical facilities and nuclear power plants, through planning and equipment acquisition.
•    Driver’s License Security Grant Program (DLSGP)—$48m to help states and territories improve security of state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in order to prevent terrorism, reduce fraud and enhance the reliability and accuracy of personal identification documents.
•    Port Security Grant Program (PSGP)—$288m 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; conduct training and exercises; and implement the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).
•    Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP)—$11.5m to support security measures including plans, facility security upgrades and vehicle and driver protection for fixed-route intercity and charter bus services.
•    Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP)—$15m to protect critical freight rail systems infrastructure from acts of terrorism and major disasters, as well as other emergencies resulting from railroad cars transporting toxic inhalation hazardous materials.
•    Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak)—$20m to protect critical surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from terrorism, major disasters and other emergencies within the Amtrak rail system.

EMPG Program applications are due no later than January 22, 2010. IECGP, FRSGP, PSGP, IPR (Amtrak), IBSGP, EOC, BZPP, and DLSGP applications are due no later than February 12, 2010. Applications for HSGP, THSGP, NSGP, and RCPGP are due no later than April 19, 2010.

The FY 2010 application guidance packages reflect DHS’ strategic priorities, as well as the National Preparedness Guidelines and the National Response Framework.

DHS oversees more than 50 grant and financial assistance programs representing approximately $4 billion in non-disaster grant funding annually to help state, local, tribal and private sector entities strengthen the nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

Further information on preparedness grant programs is available at: www.dhs.gov and www.fema.gov/grants