DHS Grant Funding Information

I received an email today asking for information regarding federal grants for churches. In my experience it has been hard for churches to receive federal grants; however, below is some information directly from the DHS website on the topic. There is no guarantee that 2012 funding will follow the same guidelines. 

From: http://www.dhs.gov/xbsnss/gc_1306941315912.shtm

Private Sector Partnership: FY 2011 Grant Guidance Update

On This Page:

• Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)
• Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG)
• Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP)
• Supplemental Highlights

The FY2011 Homeland Security Grant Guidances were released May 19, 2011. We encourage our private partners to pay particular attention to the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and the Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) grant guidance language that has been incorporated to highlight Private Sector partnerships.

Read supplemental guidance (PDF, 6 pages, 64 KB) included with this rollout.

Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP)

The HSGP guidance references Private Sector (PS) partnerships throughout, starting with the PS participation with Fusion Centers (Pages 7,9,10,12); their involvement with Citizen Corps Program (CCP) (Pages 22,34) as well as attending trainings and exercises (Pages 38,39,71,74,75,77). It also addresses how National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation should be incorporated in the PS (Page 40). All allowable planning and organization activities are listed below: see pages 63, 64, 65, 68, and 80.

Excerpts

• Page 7: Priority Three – Maturation and Enhancement of State and Major Urban Area Fusion Centers
• One of the Department’s priorities in FY 2011 is to support recognized state and major urban area fusion centers and the maturation of the Information Sharing Environment (ISE). Fusion centers serve as focal points within the state and local environment for the receipt, analysis, gathering, and sharing of threat-related information between the federal government and state, local, tribal, territorial (SLTT) and private sector partners.
• Page 9: Fusion centers leveraging State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and/or Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant funds are required to demonstrate, at a minimum, the following fundamental capabilities:
• Analyze: A written plan, policy, or Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) describing fusion center business processes for assessing the local implications of threat-related information provided by federal partners (DHS, FBI, etc.) through a formal risk analysis process. This process should determine what critical information needs to be provided to SLTT and private sector partners to support prevention, protection, and other response-related operational planning efforts, and to inform these partners of behaviors and circumstances that may serve as pre-incident indicators of an emerging threat
• Disseminate: A written plan, policy, or SOP describing fusion center business processes for disseminating critical information to SLTT and private sector partners in the fusion center’s area of responsibility
• Page 10:
• Percentage of fusion centers with documented plans, policies, or SOPs describing fusion center business processes for disseminating information to SLTT and private sector partners in accordance with the metrics established by the DHS Office of Intelligence & Analysis (I&A)
• Page 12: "Fusion centers leveraging SHSP and/or UASI grant funds are required to demonstrate, at a minimum, the following fundamental capabilities:
• Analyze: A written plan, policy, or SOP describing fusion center business processes for assessing the local implications of threat-related information provided by federal partners (DHS, FBI, etc.) through a formal risk analysis process. This process should determine what critical information needs to be provided to SLTT and private sector partners to support prevention, protection, and other response-related operational planning efforts, and to inform these partners of behaviors and circumstances that may serve as pre-incident indicators of an emerging threat
• Disseminate: A written plan, policy, or SOP describing fusion center business processes for disseminating critical information to SLTT and private sector partners in the fusion center’s area of responsibility
• Page 22: Citizen Corps Program Requirements
• State and territory responsibilities. Citizen preparedness and participation must be coordinated by an integrated body of government and nongovernmental representatives. States and local government recipients and sub-grantees of HSGP funds, including urban areas, must have such a body to serve as their Citizen Corps Council with membership that includes, but is not limited to:
• representatives from emergency management, homeland security, law enforcement, fire service, emergency medical services/public health or their designee
• elected officials
• the private sector (especially privately owned critical infrastructure)
• private nonprofits
• nongovernmental organizations (including faith-based, community-based, and voluntary organizations)
• advocacy groups for children, seniors, people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Representatives from existing Citizen Corps partners and affiliates active in the community should also be included on these Citizen Corps Councils. Furthermore, Citizen Corps Councils should include a Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) representative, where applicable, along with advocates and specialists representing the unique needs of infants and children and representatives from the disability community.

• Page 34: Organizational Activities (SHSP and UASI only) including:
• Structures and mechanisms for information sharing between the public and private sector
• Tools, resources and activities that facilitate shared situational awareness between the public and private sectors
• Page 38: Training Activities (SHSP, UASI, MMRS, CCP)
• Allowable training topics include, but are not limited to:
• Chemical, biological, radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) terrorism
• cyber/agriculture/food security
• intelligence gathering and analysis
• National Incident Management System (NIMS)-related training
• citizen community and private sector preparedness
• public-private partnership
• interoperable and emergency communications
• training for volunteers and children and individuals with disabilities in disasters, pediatric medical surge
• evacuation, tracking (including patients), and sheltering with particular emphasis on children
• keeping children with parents or guardians
• addressing needs of unaccompanied minors
• integrating individuals with disabilities and accessibility and functional needs (i.e., those with language barriers).

Read more: Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans (PDF, 124 pages, 1.86 MB)

• Page 39: Exercise Activities (SHSP, UASI, MMRS, CCP)
• Exercise activities should involve the whole community team to include:
• federal partners
• state, local, and tribal leaders
• the private sector
• non-governmental organizations
• faith-based and community organizations,
• and most importantly, the general public.

Exercises conducted with FEMA support should be managed and executed in accordance with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP).

Read more about HSEEP Guidance for exercise design, development, conduct, evaluation, and improvement planning.

• Page 40:
• States and urban areas are encouraged to exercise their capabilities with regard to improving existing preparedness for catastrophic events and associated response operations through more effective collaboration with all members of a community, to include federal, state, and local government partners, as well as the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and the citizens in and around an impacted area. This also includes consideration for infants and children across all aspects of response and recovery, including pediatric medical surge capabilities, integrating child congregate care systems (e.g. schools, child care, juvenile justice facilities, or group homes), and integrating the accessibility and functional needs of children and adults with disabilities.
  
  States and urban areas are encouraged to include the private sector in exercises to maximize situational awareness and ensure efficient and effective use of all available resources during an emergency.
• Page 49: National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation
• In accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-5, Management of Domestic Incidents, the adoption of the NIMS is a requirement to receive federal preparedness assistance, through grants, contracts, and other activities. The NIMS provides a consistent nationwide template to enable all levels of government, tribal nations, non-governmental organizations including voluntary organizations, and private sector partners to work together to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents, regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity.
  
  All state, tribal nation, and local government grantees should update their respective NIMSCAST assessments and, if necessary, submit a Corrective Action Plan via NIMSCAST for FY 2010. Corrective Action Plans are only required if a jurisdiction fails to meet one of the NIMS implementation activities.
  
  For comprehensive information concerning NIMS implementation for states, tribal nations, local governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector, please visit the FEMA NIMS Resource Center.
• Page 68: Organization Activities Information
• Structures and mechanisms for information sharing between the public and private sector:
• Tools, software, programs, and other mechanisms that support two-way information
  sharing during normal and emergency operations
• Means to receive input or feedback from the private sector, and encourage
  participation from civic leaders from all sectors
• Regular and timely communications on subjects relating to all phases of emergency
  management, such as newsletters, emails, and alerts
• Tools, resources and activities that facilitate shared situational awareness between the public and private sectors
• Web-based and new media platforms that allow real-time information exchange
• Asset mapping, such as participation in FEMA’s Total Asset Visibility and LogViz initiative
• A seat(s) in the emergency operation center, or virtual EOC
• Pages 71-72: Training Information and Requirements
• Types of Training. FEMA resources include a number of different training sources:
• Joint Training and Exercises with the Public and Private Sectors. These courses are sponsored and coordinated by private sector entities to enhance public-private partnerships for training personnel to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism or catastrophic events.
• Pages 74-75:
• Joint Training and Exercises with the Public and Private Sectors. Trainings and exercises designed to enhance private sector and public sector coordination are allowable. Overtime pay for first responders and emergency managers who participate in public-private training and exercises is allowable. In addition, states, territories, tribes, and local units of government are encouraged to incorporate the private sector in government-sponsored training and exercises.
  
  Any training supported with these CCP funds should be delivered with specific consideration to include all ages, ethnic and cultural groups, persons with disabilities, and access and functional needs populations at venues throughout the community, to include schools, neighborhoods, places of worship, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and government locations.
• Page 77: Exercise Requirements
• Role of Non-Governmental Entities in Exercises. Non-governmental participation in all levels of exercises is strongly encouraged. Leaders from non-governmental entities should be included in the planning, conduct, and evaluation of an exercise. State, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions are encouraged to develop exercises that test the integration and use of non-governmental resources provided by non-governmental entities, defined as the private sector and private non-profit, faith-based, community, disability, volunteer, and other non-governmental organizations. Non-governmental participation in exercises should be coordinated with the local Citizen Corps Council(s) and other partner agencies. The scenarios used in HSGP-funded exercises must focus on validating existing capabilities, must comply with and be large enough in scope and size to exercise multiple activities and warrant involvement from multiple jurisdictions and disciplines and non-governmental organizations, and take into account the needs and requirements for individuals with disabilities.
• Pages 80-81
• Integrating and coordinating private sector participation with fusion center activities
• Building information sharing capacities (especially among law enforcement, non-law enforcement, other government agencies, and the private sector)