Religious leaders from multiple faiths and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are pressing Congress to sharply expand funding for a federal program that helps houses of worship upgrade security. The push, timed with an advocacy fly‑in to Capitol Hill by more than 400 Jewish leaders, comes amid recent deadly attacks on congregations and concerns that nonprofit applicants face burdensome rules and reimbursement delays.
At a recent Shabbat service in West Bloomfield, Mich., Rabbi Jen Lader described plans to lobby lawmakers for more money for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), administered by FEMA under the Department of Homeland Security. Lader referenced the March attack on her congregation, Temple Israel, saying the synagogue’s security personnel and training helped prevent greater loss of life.
“We are not asking Congress to just protect Jews – we are asking Congress to protect every community of Americans that gathers to pray,” she said. “If we had not had those resources and that funding, this would have been a really different story.”
The advocacy push coincided with fresh violence: one day after the fly‑in, two teenagers attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three people and later themselves. “Is it a matter of when or if? Are we prepared?” asked Fadi Hammami, co‑president of the Islamic Association of Greater Hartford. Hammami said his organization first applied to NSGP in 2019 and received $50,000 in 2021, which they used for stronger doors, cameras and alarms.
But Hammami and other faith leaders say the program’s reimbursement structure and administrative complexity have discouraged many smaller congregations from applying. Under the current process nonprofits must wait for approval to begin projects and typically must front the costs before being reimbursed. Some states offer advances, but FEMA operates on a reimbursement basis.
“We are one of the bigger associations and we had some reserves to apply before we could get reimbursed,” Hammami said. “A lot of smaller Islamic centers do not have that amount of cash.”
Security specialists who help congregations apply say the paperwork and coordination with state administrative agencies can be cumbersome and slow. Shane Dennis, community security director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor, described typical assessments: fencing and parking lot access, number of entrances, lighting and camera coverage, interior door locks and safe‑room locations. Individual houses of worship can request up to $200,000; nonprofits with multiple sites can request funding for up to three locations, to a maximum of $600,000 per state. Yet many applicants request smaller, “low‑hanging fruit” upgrades such as better locks or clear door labeling to help first responders.
The program has grown since its 2005 launch. For fiscal year 2025, NSGP received $274.5 million in congressional appropriations, but distribution was delayed by an extended DHS shutdown; FEMA expects to announce FY2025 awards in June. In FY2024, FEMA received roughly 12,000 NSGP applications and funded about 4,000 — near a one‑third award rate.
On Capitol Hill, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D‑N.J.) and other lawmakers have pushed to increase NSGP funding substantially. A bill introduced this week would raise congressional funding to $1 billion, boost resources for state grant administrators, require reimbursement processing within 90 days of appropriations, and relax limits on using funds to hire security personnel.
The NSGP was originally designed to harden physical defenses — bollards, locks, cameras — rather than to pay for on‑site security staff. In 2019, the program was expanded to allow funds for off‑duty law enforcement contracted as private security, but it still does not permit hiring full‑time public safety officers as employees. Advocates say paying for institution‑employed guards would be more effective because those personnel know the building, families and normal patterns.
“The security guards at Temple Israel and the Islamic Center in San Diego were the difference between saving lives and not,” said Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, which organized the fly‑in. “Security guards who work for the institution are so much more effective — they know the buildings, the families, the employees.”
Local leaders say delays and denials can leave communities exposed. Jerry Sorokin, executive director of Beth Israel Congregation in Ann Arbor, applied in 2024 to install bollards at a school entrance but could not begin the project until grant approval. After months of waiting and a denial, the congregation was set back — and when the Temple Israel attack occurred, Sorokin immediately rented bollards out of urgency and concern.
Beyond administrative hurdles, some religious groups have raised questions about application conditions. In January, lawmakers sent a letter to then‑DHS Secretary Kristi Noem asking for clarification after applicants reported unclear language suggesting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement might be required as a condition of grant awards. Applicants worried that applying could make houses of worship less safe for undocumented members.
New guidance is expected from DHS under its current leadership. The Council on American‑Islamic Relations (CAIR) also sent a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin after the San Diego attack, asking for a briefing for Muslim leaders and for assurances that Muslim communities will have equal access to NSGP funds. CAIR’s government affairs director, Robert McCaw, said CAIR had used NSGP money in the past to harden its headquarters and urged the department to ensure no groups are blocked.
FEMA told reporters that DHS has not blocked NSGP funds to Muslim groups and encouraged all eligible entities to apply. Victoria Barton, FEMA associate administrator for the Office of External Affairs, said the agency is working to distribute FY2025 funds as quickly as possible and that the recent DHS shutdown caused delays.
Advocates and lawmakers argue that a significant funding increase, reduced administrative friction, faster reimbursements and clearer guidance on eligibility would help more houses of worship strengthen defenses before tragedy strikes. For now, congregations large and small are grappling with how to balance competing budget priorities while trying to ensure their members can gather safely.