WASHINGTON – On August 19, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is awarding $110 million to more than 600 faith-based organizations and other nonprofits across the United States. The funds, administered through FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), are intended to help houses of worship, schools, and community centers strengthen their defenses against violent attacks, and DHS emphasized that any faith-based organization is eligible to apply.
“This money… may be used on security enhancements, like security cameras, additional warning and alert systems, gates and lighting, access control systems and training programs for staff,” DHS explained in its announcement.
Secretary of Homeland Security, former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, followed the announcement with remarks on Friday, August 29. “In the face of violent criminals and radical organizations intent on hurting American communities, the Trump Administration is helping houses of worship, schools and community centers to harden their defenses against attacks and protect themselves,” Noem wrote in a statement posted on X.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program was created to support target hardening and other physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations at risk of terrorist attack. The program is intended to integrate nonprofit preparedness with broader state and local planning while promoting coordination among public, private, and government stakeholders.
“Whether they pray in a church, a mosque, or a synagogue, all Americans should be able to practice their religion without fear of terrorism and violence,” a DHS senior official said. “Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is laser-focused on ensuring the safety of the American people. Instead of using grant money to fund climate change initiatives and political pet projects, we are using this money to protect American communities — especially places where people gather in prayer.”
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem [DHS: Public domain}
The latest allocations represent the final round of $210 million appropriated by Congress in the National Security Supplemental. The first round, announced in June 2025, dedicated $100 million to more than 500 Jewish organizations following the terror attack in Boulder, Colorado, and the murder of two Israeli Embassy staffers. While Jewish institutions received significant support in that cycle due to documented threats, DHS made clear that all faith-based organizations were eligible to apply.
The announcement comes in response to the attack at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, which killed two children and injured 17 others. Noem noted that the incident reinforced the urgency of securing spaces where communities gather for education and worship.
Officials also emphasized the importance of accountability in the use of taxpayer funds. DHS and FEMA reported a review of grant programs “to root out waste, fraud and abuse.” According to Noem, the Trump-Vance administration has barred recipients from using federal funds for “luxury hotels, climate change pet projects or radical organizations with unseemly ties.”
Seal of the United States Department of Homeland Security [Public Domain
Catholic advocacy groups, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and the Anti-Defamation League have each reported sharp rises in violence directed toward their communities.
The Wild Hunt has also reported on threats to Pagan communities and recently added a reporting button for incidents of anti-Pagan violence on its homepage.
FEMA’s criteria are explicit. Funding is available to any nonprofit or faith-based organization that can demonstrate a credible risk of terrorist attack, regardless of its specific religious identity.
FEMA’s program documents make clear that no single faith is identified as higher or lower risk. Selection depends on whether an organization can show it faces credible threats, not its theology or membership.
We certainly would expect, therefore, that any Pagan temple, grove, or learning center that can document vulnerabilities is eligible for the same kind of support.
For organizations considering the next grant cycle, FEMA outlines four key steps:
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Identify your State Administrative Agency (SAA). All applications are submitted through state contacts, who set deadlines and requirements.
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Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). This federal ID, managed through sam.gov, replaced the older DUNS number in 2022.
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Prepare subapplication materials. These include a mission statement, a vulnerability assessment, and an Investment Justification linking requested equipment to identified risks.
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Submit through your SAA. The agency consolidates applications before forwarding them to FEMA.
Following these steps ensures that even small or under-resourced congregations, groups, groves, perhaps even covens, can access federal support.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is one of the most important federal tools available to protect religious freedom in practice, not just in principle. By funding security measures for at-risk organizations, FEMA and DHS acknowledge that violence threatens the ability of all Americans to gather in worship and community.
As violence against religious communities continues to rise, the eligibility of all traditions, including Pagan ones, must be emphasized. Pagan organizations that face credible threats have the same right as their Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist neighbors to seek protection through these grants.
Details and guidance on the grant program are available through DHS.
“No American should practice their religion under the shadow of fear,” DHS reminded in its announcement. Pagans of all traditions likewise deserve to worship in safety and with full access to resources that protect our community.
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