A bipartisan collection of 36 House members wrote on Friday to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, asking for the removal of Nonprofit Security Grant Program guidelines that may deter applicants from accepting funding meant to protect religious institutions.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, provides funding for nonprofits to help secure their buildings, train staff and constituents on emergency preparation, and promote cooperation with state and local government agencies.
The Congress members, led by Reps. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) wrote to Mullin about a previous letter to Kristi Noem, then serving as homeland security secretary, about new NSGP compliance requirements established in 2025, which would “divert limited funds and burden the institutions the NSGP is meant to protect,” the letter to Mullin reads.
“At that time, we urged DHS to issue clarifying guidance and, where appropriate, waive any terms and conditions unrelated to the grant’s core security purpose,” the letter says, adding that Noem replied in February that DHS and FEMA were “actively developing clarifying guidance tailored for the NSGP, including examples relevant to houses of worship and other faith-based nonprofits.”
However, no guidance has been published, and the same compliance requirements remained in the FY 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity issued by FEMA in June, along with an additional ground for termination giving FEMA to end an award if determined it no longer advances the national interest.
“This vague and expansive standard gives applicants little guidance about what is expected of them and raises concerns about mid-project terminations without warning,” the Congress members wrote to Mullin. “As NSGP requires organizations to front the costs of their security projects, the possibility of mid-award termination and, therefore, no reimbursement, may deter applicants from accepting the grant, leaving their institution vulnerable to attack.”
The Congress members recalled that Mullin testified during his confirmation hearing that he would work to “streamline the process” for grants, including the NSGP, urging him to revise the terms of the latest Notice of Funding Opportunity “and issue new guidance that removes or waives terms and conditions unrelated to the security of grant recipients, eliminates the new overly broad termination authority and ensures that the NSGP remains accessible to all eligible faith-based and community organizations.”
“American religious groups, and especially Jewish communities, have seen record increases in violent incidents and hate-filled threats,” Schneider said in a statement. “I’m grateful to partner with Rep. Tenney to push back against onerous new rules that make our synagogues, churches and mosques less safe. We will continue to root out hate and discrimination in all forms, so everyone can observe their faith safely and without threat of harm.”
Tenney added, “As threats against houses of worship and community organizations continue to rise, it is important that these institutions have confidence that the program will provide the support they were awarded. Our letter encourages DHS to provide that certainty by ensuring the program remains focused on its core mission of enhancing security for vulnerable communities.”
