---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 609a"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "609a"
heading: "Nonprofit Security Grant Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/609a"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter XV — Homeland Security Grants"
  - "Part A — Grants to States and High-Risk Urban Areas"
---

# §609a. Nonprofit Security Grant Program

- (a) **Establishment—** There is established in the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) a program to be known as the “Nonprofit Security Grant Program” (in this section referred to as the “Program”). Under the Program, the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), acting through the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1), shall make grants to eligible nonprofit organizations described in [subsection (b)](#b), through the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) in which such organizations are located, for target hardening and other security enhancements to protect against terrorist attacks or other threats.
- (b) **Eligible recipients—** Eligible nonprofit organizations described in this subsection are organizations that are—
  - (1) described in [section 501(c)(3) of title 26](/usc/26/501.md?p=c-3) and exempt from tax under [section 501(a)](/usc/26/501.md?p=a) of such title; and
  - (2) determined by the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) to be at risk of terrorist attacks or other threats.
- (c) **Permitted uses—**
  - (1) **In general—** The recipient of a grant under this section may use such grant for any of the following uses:
    - (A) Target hardening activities, including physical security enhancement equipment, inspection and screening systems, and alteration or remodeling of existing buildings or physical facilities.
    - (B) Fees for security training relating to physical security and cybersecurity, target hardening, [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18) awareness, and employee awareness.
    - (C) Facility security [personnel](/usc/6/101.md?p=15) costs.
    - (D) Expenses directly related to the administration of the grant, except that those expenses may not exceed 5 percent of the amount of the grant.
    - (E) Any other appropriate activity, including cybersecurity resilience activities, as determined by the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1).
  - (2) **Retention—** Each [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) through which a recipient receives a grant under this section may retain not more than 5 percent of each grant for expenses directly related to the administration of the grant.
  - (3) **Outreach and technical assistance—**
    - (A) **In general—** If the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) establishes target allocations in determining award amounts under the Program, a [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) may request a project to use a portion of the target allocation for outreach and technical assistance if the [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) does not receive enough eligible applications from nonprofit organizations located outside [high-risk urban areas](/usc/6/601.md?p=6).
    - (B) **Priority—** Any outreach or technical assistance described in [subparagraph (A)](#c-3-A) should prioritize underserved communities and nonprofit organizations that are traditionally underrepresented in the Program.
    - (C) **Parameters—** In determining grant guidelines under [subsection (g)](#g), the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) may determine the parameters for outreach and technical assistance.
- (d) **Period of performance—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) shall make [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) provided under this section available for use by a recipient of a grant for a period of not less than 36 months.
- (e) **Report—** The [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) shall annually for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2028 submit to the Committee on [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on [Homeland](/usc/6/101.md?p=1) Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report containing information on the following:
  - (1) The expenditure by each grant recipient of grant [funds](/usc/6/677a.md?p=5) made under this section.
  - (2) The number of applications submitted by eligible nonprofit organizations to each [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17).
  - (3) The number of applications submitted by each [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) to the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1).
  - (4) The operations of the program office of the Program, including staffing resources and efforts with respect to subparagraphs [(A)](#c-1-A) through [(D)](#c-1-D) of subsection (c)(1).
- (f) **Administration—** Not later than 120 days after December 23, 2022, the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) shall ensure that within the Federal [Emergency Management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) a program office for the Program (in this subsection referred to as the “program office”) shall—
  - (1) be headed by a senior official of the [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1); and
  - (2) administer the Program (including, where appropriate, in coordination with [States](/usc/6/101.md?p=17)), including relating to—
    - (A) outreach, engagement, education, and technical assistance and support to eligible nonprofit organizations described in [subsection (b)](#b), with particular attention to those organizations in underserved communities, before, during, and after the awarding of grants, including web-based training videos for eligible nonprofit organizations that provide guidance on preparing an application and the environmental planning and historic preservation process;
    - (B) the establishment of mechanisms to ensure program office processes are conducted in accordance with constitutional, statutory, and regulatory requirements that protect civil rights and civil liberties and advance equal access for members of underserved communities;
    - (C) the establishment of mechanisms for the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) to provide feedback to eligible nonprofit organizations that do not receive grants;
    - (D) the establishment of mechanisms to identify and collect data to measure the effectiveness of grants under the Program;
    - (E) the establishment and enforcement of standardized baseline operational requirements for [States](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), including requirements for [States](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) to eliminate or prevent any administrative or operational obstacles that may impact eligible nonprofit organizations described in [subsection (b)](#b) from receiving grants under the Program;
    - (F) carrying out efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, including through audits of grantees; and
    - (G) promoting diversity in the types and locations of eligible nonprofit organizations that are applying for grants under the Program.
- (g) **Grant guidelines—** For each fiscal year, before awarding grants under this section, the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1)—
  - (1) shall publish guidelines, including a notice of funding opportunity or similar announcement, as the [Administrator](/usc/6/601.md?p=1) determines appropriate; and
  - (2) may prohibit [States](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) from closing application processes before the publication of those guidelines.
- (h) **Paperwork Reduction Act—** [Chapter 35](/usc/44/chch35.md) of title 44 (commonly known as the “Paperwork Reduction Act”) shall not apply to any changes to the application materials, Program forms, or other core Program documentation intended to enhance participation by eligible nonprofit organizations in the Program.
- (i) **Authorization of appropriations—**
  - (1) **In general—** There is authorized to be appropriated $360,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028 for grants under this section, of which—
    - (A) $180,000,000 each such fiscal year shall be for recipients in [high-risk urban areas](/usc/6/601.md?p=6) that receive funding under section 2003; and
    - (B) $180,000,000 each such fiscal year shall be for recipients in jurisdictions that do not so receive such funding.
  - (2) **Operations and support—** There is authorized to be appropriated $18,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2028 for Operations and Support at the Federal [Emergency Management](/usc/6/701.md?p=7) [Agency](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) for costs incurred for the management and administration (including evaluation) of this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title XX, § 2009, as added Pub. L. 116–108, § 2(a), Jan. 24, 2020, 133 Stat. 3294; amended Pub. L. 117–263, div. G, title LXXI, § 7101(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3616.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(1), inserted “or other threats” before period at end.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(2)(A), struck out “(a)” after “this subsection” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(2)(B), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “determined to be at risk of a terrorist attack by the Administrator.”

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(3)(A), (B), (D), (E), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and inserted heading, redesignated former pars. (1) to (3) as subpars. (A), (B), and (E), respectively, of par. (1) and realigned margins, added subpars. (C) and (D) of par. (1), and added pars. (2) and (3).

Subsec. (c)(1)(A). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(3)(C), substituted “equipment, inspection and screening systems, and alteration or remodeling of existing buildings or physical facilities” for “equipment and inspection and screening systems”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(4)(B), (C), substituted “on the following:” and “(1) The expenditure” for “on the expenditure” and added pars. (2) to (4).

Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(4)(A), substituted “2022 through 2028” for “2020 through 2024”.

Subsecs. (f) to (i). Pub. L. 117–263, § 7101(a)(5), added subsecs. (f) to (i) and struck out former subsec. (f) which related to authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 2020 through 2024.