ICYMI: SCN And Leading Jewish Organizations Respond To Significant NSGP Cuts

This week, the Secure Community Network (SCN), in collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jewish Committee (AJC), Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), and Orthodox Union (OU), issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over Congress’s decision to reduce funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) by $30.5 million for fiscal year 2024. The statement calls for supplemental NSGP funding in 2024 to make up for the reduced allocation as well as an increase in NSGP funding for FY2025.

Why Does This Matter?

• The NSGP provides essential security funding to nonprofit organizations, including synagogues, community centers, and schools.
• Year after year, the demand for security funding surpassed the allocated funds. Last year, over $600 million was requested, while only $305 million was allocated.
• With applications expected to rise, particularly after the horrific 07 October attacks and subsequent increase in threats and violence targeting the American Jewish community, even more vulnerable organizations will be left without access to critical security resources.

SCN Can Help:

• Strengthen your application: SCN assists organizations with a wide variety of resources to provide guidance and instruction on the NSGP application process. Access those resources and more information here.
• Navigate the process: For more information on the NSGP, sign up here to be added to an electronic mailing list for NSGP webinars and resource materials.

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Jewish Communal Groups Reiterate Concerns About Security Grant Funding Cut

In a new joint statement on Wednesday, Jewish communal groups again expressed concerns about Congress’ decision last week to cut funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program by more than $30 million in 2024 — by about 10% from the previous fiscal year.

The cut in NSGP funding presents a significant challenge to the safety of our communities at a time when threats to religious and nonprofit organizations are at a record high,” the Secure Community Network, Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, The Jewish Federations of North America, and Orthodox Union said in the statement.

The funding cut will bring the program down to $274.5 million for the year; it has been severely underfunded for years, only fulfilling 42% of requests in 2023, and applications are likely to increase significantly post-Oct. 7. Jewish groups had been pushing for a significant funding increase, to $500 million.

“The NSGP’s importance has grown in the wake of the horrific events of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, emphasizing the need for robust security measures in vulnerable communities as incidents against the Jewish community rise across the U.S.,” they said.

They urged Congress to “prioritize additional funding to make the NSGP program whole,” urging that any national security supplemental bill “must include funding for the NSGP and there must be increased funding for NSGP in the FY2025 appropriations bill.”

They also urged organizations, including potential NSGP applicants, to prioritize “preparedness, high-quality application submissions, and the continued advocacy for the protection of all communities against hate and violence.”

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Jewish Groups Call For Nonprofit Security Funding In Foreign Aid Bill, 2025 Budget

 America’s largest Jewish organizations issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling for additional short- and long-term support for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, whose funding was cut by 10% in the recently passed 2024 spending bill.

“The cut in Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding presents a significant challenge to the safety and security of our communities at a time when threats to religious and nonprofit organizations are at a record high,” the groups stated. “The security measures these funds have supported at Jewish facilities across the country have saved lives and prevented tragedy.”

The signatories are the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, The Jewish Federations of North America, the American Jewish Committee, Secure Community Network, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Orthodox Union.

The program is designed to bolster security for synagogues, day schools, and other at-risk locations and is a key priority for U.S. Jewish groups. It is also significantly oversubscribed. Last year, funding requests ($600 million) were nearly twice the amount of money available, according to the Secure Community Network, the official security initiative of the organized North American Jewish community.

Wednesday’s statement urged lawmakers to restore funding to the program through a one-off expenditure in Biden’s foreign aid supplemental spending request and in the fiscal year 2025 spending bills.

“We urge Congress to prioritize additional funding to make the Nonprofit Security Grant Program program whole,” the groups stated. “Any national security supplemental must include funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program and there must be increased funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the FY2025 appropriations bill.”

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Major US Jewish Groups Object To Federal Security Funding Cuts

Seven major Jewish organizations that lobbied for federal security grants have decried $30.5 million in cuts to the program.

The cut from last year’s $305 million budgeted for the nonprofit security grant program, run through the Department of Homeland Security, comes as reports of antisemitic attacks and threats have risen during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

“These funds are not just grants; they are lifelines that have fortified vital institutions against hate and violence,” said the statement released Tuesday by The Jewish Federations of North America, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, Secure Community Network, Orthodox Union, and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. “The security measures these funds have supported at Jewish facilities across the country have saved lives and prevented tragedy.”

“The NSGP’s importance has grown in the wake of the horrific events of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, emphasizing the need for robust security measures in vulnerable communities as incidents against the Jewish community rise across the U.S.,” it said.

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