Status
This year’s budget includes $13 million in federal funding to help protect high-risk non-profit institutions from terrorist attacks. This is a $3 million increase over the fiscal year 2013 funding levels for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. We don’t know when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will release the guidance on the program (best guess mid to late March), but we don’t expect any major changes. Get started now!
The newest requirement
Pre-qualify with NY State. Applications from New York nonprofit organizations that have not “pre-qualified” will not be considered, so start this process immediately. See the Grants Gateway at http://grantsreform.ny.gov/grantees. We requested a webinar on pre-qualification to assist you. Stay tuned.
- Documents. Here is a quick summary of the necessary documents (the official website contains the definitive information). Make sure to check the required list of documents at Documents and Questions. There is more information at FAQs About Prequalification and a full manual. You will need:
- Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent document.
- IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter. As long as your organization is seeking tax exempt status and can show that it
has applied for either a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax exemption from the IRS, then by uploading a copy of your application form or a copy of the receipt letter from the IRS, everything
should be fine. Also, we recognize that some tax exempt organizations are not required to
file for a 501(c)(3), so they will not be penalized for not producing this document. [JCRC comment: Houses of worship are not required to file for 501(c)(3) recognition. They should simply state, on organizational letterhead: As a religious corporation they are not required to secure an IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.] - IRS 990. Houses of worship and some other religious corporations are not required to file an IRS 990. [JCRC comment: Houses of worship are not required to file for 501(c)(3) recognition. They should simply state, on organizational letterhead: As a religious corporation they are not required to file IRS Form 990.]
- Audit/Reviews and Findings.In NY, organizations with revenues greater than $250K
must provide an independently audited financial statement. Organizations with revenues of less than $250K but greater than $100K, must provide a financial statement reviewed by a CPA. Organizations with revenues of less than $100K need only provide a copy of the most recent internal financial report. [JCRC comment: This is a requirement, if your organization’s revenues exceed $250,000 there is no alternative. We are afraid that this will disqualify many organizations.] - CHAR500 or CHAR410. All not-for-profit organizations must file either a CHAR 410 (for newly formed entities within the first year of operations) or a recent CHAR 500 with the NY State
Charities Bureau. [JCRC comment: There is a form to request an exemption (Schedule E).] - Board of Directors Profile. A sample profile template can be found here. This document should include board member names and affiliations, a list of the board committees and chairs, and a list of board officers.
- Senior Leadership Resumes. Not-for-profits must upload the resumes or CVs of their Senior Leadership team. The positions included should be Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director, President, or other high ranking officials. Individuals should upload their own resume or CV.
- Corporate Bylaws
There are also questions about governance, etc.
The Grant itself
Vulnerability assessment. We expect that the “Investment Justification” will again be based on a “previously conducted vulnerability assessment.” See Getting a vulnerability assessment for more details and suggestions.
- Read and understand the Investment Justification. Download the Investment Justification from last year here. There will be some changes, but they are usually minor. You can find JCRC-NY’s guidance on each section on the “Security Grants” webpage (and below). Note: many applicants lost points last year because they did not properly respond to the questions.
Update Jan. 16: U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 includes $13 million in federal funding to help protect high-risk non-profit institutions from terrorist attacks. This is a $3 million increase over the fiscal year 2013 funding levels. The spending bill has passed the House of Representatives, and is currently being debated by the Senate.
The federal funding would go to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness to distribute to high-risk non-profit organizations. The non-profits have used past federal funds for much-needed security enhancements, such as concrete barriers.
“This is a federal investment in added security to help protect organizations at risk,” Senator Mikulski said. “I have fought for these funds in the past, and I will keep fighting to protect institutions that are vital to our communities and the physical, social, spiritual and educational well-being of all Americans.”
In 2004, Senator Mikulski and then-Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) sponsored the High Risk Nonprofit Security Enhancement Act of 2004. She has fought to put these funds in the federal checkbook for this program since.
“Many of our nation’s non-profit organizations are on the frontlines working hard to develop and nurture communities,” Senator Mikulski said. “They should know that I will continue to be on their side.”
(January 9, 2014)
Thanks to the incredible work of a coalition led by The Jewish Federations of North America/JFNA (with JCRC-NY and UJA-Federation playing active roles) there is likely to be another round of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). The JFNA Washington Office, directed by William Daroff, and its Senior Director, Legislative Affairs, Rob Goldberg deserve our most heartfelt gratitude.
Thanks
New York institutions continue to be successful. We thank all of those at NY DHSES who worked so hard to make this happen: Commissioner Jerome Hauer, Shelley Wahrlich, Valerie Bloomer and Dov Horwitz.