TRENTON, NJ — Gov. Mikie Sherrill is highlighting another $7 million in state funding for New Jersey’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program, saying the money is intended to help protect communities during a period of heightened concern over threats and hate crimes.
Sherrill referenced the funding this week while speaking about the safety of Jewish New Jerseyans observing the High Holidays. But the program is not limited to Jewish organizations. It is open to eligible tax-exempt nonprofit organizations across New Jersey that are considered at elevated risk of a terrorist attack.
That can include faith-based organizations and other nonprofit institutions that can document a credible security risk. Applicants must submit a vulnerability risk assessment, photographs of the facility, and proof of tax-exempt status. Applications are evaluated based on the level of threat, the organization’s vulnerabilities and the potential consequences of an attack.
The $7 million is divided between two types of grants. One program provides up to $20,000 for additional active-duty law enforcement officers or registered security officers. The second provides up to $100,000 for approved security equipment and physical improvements, such as cameras, access-control systems and other protective measures.
The grants are competitive. NJOHSP says it has received more than 500 applications in each of the past several funding cycles, meaning not every eligible organization that applies will receive money. The state also gives preference in some cases to organizations that have not recently received state or federal target-hardening grants.
Applications for the FY2027 round opened on July 13 and closed on September 11. The state has not yet published the final list of organizations receiving this year’s $7 million, so the money should not be described as already distributed to specific institutions.
Since the program began, New Jersey says it has awarded more than $38 million to more than 700 nonprofit organizations for security improvements.
Sherrill’s announcement places the program in the context of protecting people while they worship, but the funding itself is broader: eligible nonprofits across the state compete for grants based on documented security needs, regardless of religious affiliation.
Sources: New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness | New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
By NJ RADAR Team