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Brooklyn and Rockland institutions now eligible for snow reimbursements

March 23, 2011
FEMA just added four new counties to their original disaster declaration resulting from the December 26th blizzard, including Columbia, Dutchess, Kings and Rockland counties. See their announcement here.Qualifying nonprofits may receive an 87.5% reimbursement of their direct and documented snow removal costs.

Although there may be an extension of the deadline, organizations should work under the assumption that initial paperwork must be submitted by April 6th. To start the process, download two short forms: a Request for Public Assistance (PDF) and a PNP Facility Questionnaire (PDF). Fill them out and submit them by post or fax.
  • Mail. Public Assistance Section, NY State Office of Emergency Management, 1220 Washington Ave, Bldg 22, Suite 101, Albany NY 12226-2251.
  • Fax. (518) 322-4984

See more information and details on our previous posting here. If you have further questions check out the Disaster Fact Sheet (PDF) and the Applicant Handbook (PDF). If you still have questions email Shannon Green at the NY State Office of Emergency Management (sgreen@dhses.ny.gov).

Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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Another stopgap measure? Draft your responses now.

March 17, 2011
Pressure is growing in Congress for House and Senate leaders to resolve their differences on a long-term spending bill for FY2011. 
The sixth and likely final short-term stop-gap spending measure (Continuing Resolution) for FY2011 is expected to be approved and signed into law by the President by the end of this week.  It will remain in effect until April 8th.
The parties appear to be about $30 billion apart on spending cuts for FY2011.  They will need to bridge this gap during the 3 weeks allotted for in the CR.  Once the President signs the bill there probably will be an abbreviated application period for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. We are, therefore, advising interested communities and institutions to take advantage of the pending 3-week period to complete or update required risk assessments and to draft initial application responses, utilizing last year’s (FY2010) program guidance. We want to ensure that people optimize their drafting time and minimize the potential down time that might occur during the Passover Holiday.
The Jewish Federations of North America and JCRC have both established web sites with last year’s guideline materials for your immediate use.  We shall update these materials and post new ones, as additional details regarding the specific FY2011 guidelines become available.  Modifications can always be made to draft applications once the FY2011 guidelines are published by the Department of Homeland Security.
To link to our web page, go to: www.jcrcny.org/securitygrants and/org www.jewishfederations.org/homelandsecurity.
Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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Funds available for Dec 26 blizzard snow removal

March 15, 2011

New York State recently received a disaster declaration for the blizzard/snow event that occurred on December 26th, 2011. Qualifying organizations affected by the blizzard will be reimbursed for 87.5% of their direct and documented snow removal costs covering a 48 hour period between December 26-27 (you might be able to choose a 48 hour period which includes part of December 28th). The costs must be deemed reasonable and necessary to qualify.

  • Should my organization apply for reimbursement? Add up your direct and documented snow removal costs, such as overtime, temporary employees, contractors, equipment rental and ice melter. The process will take some paperwork so your organization will have to determine whether you have sufficient expenses to warrant the work involved.
  • How do I submit an application? The first step is simple. Download two short forms: a Request for Public Assistance (PDF) and a PNP Facility Questionnaire (PDF). Fill them out and submit them.
    • Mail. Public Assistance Section, NY State Office of Emergency Management, 1220 Washington Ave, Bldg 22, Suite 101, Albany NY 12226-2251.
    • Fax. (518) 322-4984
  • When are these forms due? Organizations in Nassua, Suffolk and Richmond must submit these forms by Friday, March 18th. Those in the Bronx and Queens must submit by April 6th. Although Brooklyn is not yet officially included, organizations should plan to submit by April 6th.
  • Who is eligible? Certain nonprofit organizations in Nassau, Suffolk, Bronx, Queens and Richmond counties. NY officials have petitioned to include Brooklyn.
  • What kind of nonprofits are included? Eligible private non-profit facilities fall into two groups and the application process might be slightly different for these categories:
    • critical. non-profit educational, utility, emergency, medical or custodial care facility, including a facility for the aged or disabled, and other facility providing essential governmental type services to the general public, and such facilities on Indian reservations.”
    • non-critical. Museums, zoos, community centers, libraries,homeless shelters, senior citizen centers, rehabilitation facilities, shelter workshops and facilities which provide health and safety services of a governmental nature. All such facilities must be open to the general public.”
    • non-governmental. Reimbursements will be given to organizations providing “services of governmental nature”. Other types of organizations, including houses of worship, do not seem to qualify.
  • What will happen next? After you submit the Request for Public Assistance you will be contacted by a public assistance coordinator/liaison(PAC/PAL) assigned to your organization. These knowledgeable (PAC/PAL) team members  will get you the additional forms needed to complete your application and assist you at every step of the process.
  • Further questions? Check out the Disaster Fact Sheet (PDF) and the Applicant Handbook (PDF). If your questions are not answered, email Shannon Green at the NY State Office of Emergency Management (sgreen@dhses.ny.gov).
Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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Still no budget, still no grant process

March 10, 2011

Rob Goldberg’s latest budget and appropriations activities update:
The current fiscal year (FY2011) budget remains unfinished — a delay of nearly 6 months and counting.  Until the process is completed, the Department of Homeland Security will not commence the next round of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.  Through the current temporary spending measure that is in place, which expires on March 18, the NSGP program is being funded at $19 million.  However, this amount could change as the process remains fluid.
Once the FY2011 appropriations are finalized for FY2011, we expect that the Department of Homeland Security will move within 30 days to implement the state and local grant programs at whatever levels of funding are allocated, including the NSGP program.  At this speed, it would be prudent for likely applicants to have the required vulnerability assessments completed ahead of time.  Attached is a memo that provides information on the scope of eligible equipment (target hardening improvements and training) permitted as of FY2010, and the critical risk-related information/details that should be incorporated into the risk assessment, for grant drafting and scoring purposes.
Budget/Appropriations Update:
The Senate voted yesterday on 2 versions of a year-end funding measure (Continuing Resolution or CR) for FY2011. One, the House-passed Republican proposal (HR 1), would cut nearly $60 billion in spending.  The other, a Senate Democratic proposal, would cut less than $5 billion. Both measures were rejected, as expected. The GOP bill failed 44-56 and the Democratic alternative was defeated 42-58. These were intended at test votes to jump start negotiations.
By rejecting the House bill and with difficult negotiations ahead, the House is preparing another short term Continuing Resolution, which will be posted tomorrow.  The draft is expected to extend federal government operations for another 3 week period and include $6 billion in discretionary spending cuts.  The cuts would add to the $4 billion in cuts already made in the current CR, adding further budget distance between the parties and the chambers.
Earlier this week, the Administration indicated that the President would not support more than one additional short term funding extension, adding the prospect for a government shut down should Congress fail to finalize FY2011 appropriations over the next month. The President supports substantial spending cuts, but is publicly vague on the specifics of the cuts he would support.
Moving forward, Senate Democrats are expected to press for broadening the cuts to include mandatory spending programs, as well as revenue increasing measures.  House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), has dismissed these strategies.
Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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JDC AIDS CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

March 08, 2011

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is working with the Jewish community of Christchurch, New Zealand to aid survivors of the city’s devastating earthquake. JDC funding will contribute to Christchurch Jewish community efforts to repair a damaged local synagogue and homes, replace household goods, provide financial stipends and temporary relocation costs, and support community-service or children’s programs for the wider community.

“As we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of Christchurch locals and Israelis lost in the earthquake, we‚re cooperating with the Jewish community to ensure that people on the ground can start to rebuild their lives. As we have done in the past, JDC is delivering much-needed assistance to Jews and others in the wake of a disaster” said JDC CEO Steven Schwager.

In addition to lost property, damaged homes, and businesses, the Jewish community’s synagogue was damaged and the Chabad House was destroyed by the 6.3 earthquake that struck on February 22. Christchurch, New Zealand‚s second largest city, is located in the Canterbury Province which is home to 600 Jews. Jewish settlement in the region dates back to the early 1860’s.

“It means a lot to us to know that we are not forgotten, even though we are just a small community far away” said Bettina Wallace, acting president of the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation.

Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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Nonprofit Security Grant Update III

February 15, 2011
Rob Goldberg of the Washington Office of JFNA explains:

As many of you know, the President published his budget recommendations for the fiscal year 2012 budget cycle, which begins October 1st.  With this measure, Congress commences its consideration of the budget and appropriations processes for the session.  Meanwhile, Congress has not yet completed work on the current FY2011 appropriations, leaving the Nonprofit Security Grant Program in limbo (along with many other federally funded programs).

Consequently, the federal government, since October 1, 2010, has been operating under temporary spending measures called Continuing Resolutions (CRs).  The current CR expires on March 4th.  Ahead of this deadline, Republican leaders of the House of Representatives have drafted a long-term CR that they will bring to the floor for consideration this week.  The CR would fund the federal government for the remaining 7 months of the fiscal year at nearly $60 billion below actual FY2010 spending levels and at $100 billion below the President’s budget request for FY2011.  The draft CR, in conjunction with an earlier CR that expired in December 2010, would fund the Nonprofit Security Program at $19 million.  This is the same amount we were able to secure for the program in FY2010, and $5 million above the FY2009 funding level. 
The draft CR is expected to pass the House when it comes to a vote.  However, it is also believed that the measure will receive stiff opposition from the Democratic majority when it reaches the Senate body.  In the event that the Senate passes a widely disparate version of the CR that cannot be easily reconciled with the House body, or the Senate simply fails to pass the CR at all, Congress will face a significant dilemma.  It will have to agree to pass an additional short term CR that would provide more time for a consensus measure to be reached between the chambers, or it will face the possibility of allowing for a government shut down when the current CR expires on March 4th.  Often under such time pressures, Congress finds the comity necessary to achieve workable solutions.  In this case, the FY2011 funding impasse presents an early and potentially devastating challenge for the newly divided Congress to overcome.
So, the fate of the NSGP allocation for FY2011 remains tide to the overall resolution of the outstanding appropriations process for FY2011, under conditions where a showdown in Congress is expected in a matter of days. We will continue to work to ensure that the NSGP allocation remains in tact, in accordance with our significant efforts to protect federal social services funding streams of critical importance to the Federation movement.
Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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Hopefully, the nonprofit grant process will begin before Pesach; get started now

February 09, 2011

Status Update. (from Rob Goldberg, JFNA Washington Office)As you may be aware, Congress has not completed the fiscal year 2011 Appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began on October 1, 2010 and expires on September 30, 2011. This week, the House will determine its overall spending levels for the remainder of FY2011. Using the figure established, the House Appropriations Committee will then determine funding levels for each appropriations bill (there are 12, including DHS).

As the subcommittees receive their spending levels, they will apportion their spending priorities – what gets funded at what level? The results of these efforts will become the substance of the next long-term Continuing Resolution (CR), covering 7 months and terminating at the end of the FY11 fiscal year. The House will then take up the CR on the Floor. It appears that consideration of the CR will include an open rule, where specific provisions of the resolution can be amended. This could get pretty complicated as members try to protect funding for projects (including those that previously might have been funded through earmarks).

Once the House completes the CR it will go to the Senate for consideration. The Senate may be apt to oppose the House on a number of funding reductions. It remains to be seen how the Senate leadership will handle Floor proceedings. There is a gentlemen’s agreement in effect that promotes an open rule where amendments are permitted. Whatever differences that come out of the separate House and Senate deliberations will need to be reconciled before completion/passage of the CR.

The current CR expires on March 4th. Time is ticking by, creating pressure for Congress to complete the process of the next CR. The more open the CR is to the amendment process, the longer deliberations will take. With respect to Nonprofit Security grants, and other funding priorities of the Federations, the program’s allocations will be determined as part of the overall CR process. The House has telegraphed that its version of the CR will contain some $36 billion in cuts. The Jewish Federations has been pressing appropriators to maintain our funding priorities at the highest possible levels, including for NSGP. Once the CR is enacted, we expect that the Department of Homeland Security will commence the grant process within 25 days.

If all goes well, that means that the  New York grant application will be ready sometime around Pesach.

Get started now. We don’t know when the grant will be due and there’s a possibility that the application period will be shorter than last year. Although DHS hasn’t circulated its grant guidance, we assume that it will require most of the same elements as in years past and you can begin the information-gathering process now, including:

  1. Get a vulnerability assessment
  2. Get a DUNS Number (If you did this for previous grants you don’t need a new one)
  3. Check out the JCRC-NY grant assistance website (https://jcrcny2022.wpengine.com/securitygrants) and look at the requirements from last year’s Investment Justification. Put together the information ahead  of time.
Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.

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Security grants update

January 18, 2011
 January 18, 2011
Dear Homeland Security Grantees and Other Interested Parties:
As you may be aware, Congress has not completed the fiscal year 2011 Appropriations bills for the fiscal year that began on October 1, 2010 and expires on September 30, 2011.
A stopgap spending measures (Continuing Resolution or CR) is currently in place that extends government funding until March 4, 2011.  Congress has approximately 15 legislative days remaining to complete work on the pending appropriations.
To begin, the House Budget Committee will set spending levels for the rest of the fiscal year (the first 5 months were set in the CR at FY2010 levels).  There are a couple of ways for Congress to fund the remaining seven months.  They could pass another stopgap measure that encompasses the rest of the year at current rates (the FY2010 level) or less (a cut in spending). They also may separate out a number of funding areas to take up as stand alone legislation for Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.  These areas may require a greater level of specificity and flexibility that could not be accomplished through a Continuing Resolution.
With a slow start and few legislative days remaining before the current CR expires, Congress will be under increasing pressure to finish the FY2011 funding cycle.  Adding to the challenge is a divided Congress, led by Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) was funded at $19 million in FY2010.  We can expect that $19 million would be our top number in FY2011, or less, as part of overall spending reductions.  Once Congress completes its work (on homeland security appropriations) and the President signs the legislation into law, we expect that the next round of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, at whatever level has been appropriated, will commence within 25 days from enactment.
We look forward to updating you on the legislative front and next steps in the grant process, once pertinent information becomes available to us.  We expect that our technical assistance work will ramp up and coincide with the release of Department of Homeland Security’s guidance on the FY11 NSGP program.
Stay tuned.
Sincerely,
Rob Goldberg
Senior Director of Legislative Affairs
Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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Incendiary Packages Target Government Buildings in Maryland

January 07, 2011

NYPD SHIELD Terrorism Assessment
Open Source Assessment
January 6, 2011 Information cutoff: 4:00 PM
NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau Terrorism Threat Analysis Group

Key points. Two packages ignited shortly after being opened in two separate government buildings in Maryland. Investigators are examining two additional suspicious packages in a courthouse and a state office building in Baltimore.

The first device ignited in the mailroom of the Jeffrey Building, located in the state capital of Annapolis. A second device ignited at the state’s Department of Transportation headquarters, located in Hanover, Maryland. Two people suffered minor burn-related injuries. No claim of responsibility has been made.

Details of Incident. On Thursday, January 6, 2011, two incendiary devices concealed in packages ignited in two government office buildings in Maryland. At approximately 12:30 pm, a package addressed to Governor O’Malley ignited when it was opened in the mailroom of the Jeffrey Building located at 16 Francis Street in Annapolis. The mailroom attendant who opened the package suffered minor burns on his hands. The Jeffrey Building houses several different offices of the Maryland state government, including Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of State.

At approximately 12:45 pm, a second package of similar size and color ignited when it was opened in the mailroom of the Maryland Department of Transportation, located in Hanover, MD. The state employee who opened the package suffered minor burns, and several others were transported to medical facilities as a precautionary measure.
Both ignitions included a brief flash of fire, smoke, and an odor. Officials evacuated both buildings following the incidents. No claim of responsibility has been made regarding these incendiary devices.

Conclusions. Several factors suggest that the two devices that ignited may be linked: reports indicate that the packages were of a similar shape and color; both packages targeted government officials and buildings; and the devices ignited within approximately 15 minutes of each other. Moreover, the two devices that ignited appear to have been either poorly constructed or not intended to cause severe injury. The deliberate targeting of Maryland’s governor and state office buildings suggests that these attacks may have been motivated by anti-government sentiment.

Implications for New York City.

  • New York City remains a major target for terrorist groups and individual domestic terrorists. 
  • Explosive and incendiary devices concealed as packages have been used in the past by international and domestic terrorists and anarchists in attacks against civilians and government personnel.
  • Mailroom personnel, especially those working in government offices (JCRC comment: and Jewish organizations), should remain vigilant and keep an eye out for unusual activity and suspicious packages.

JCRC comments: Later reports indicate that the standard yellow padded envelopes had both excess postage and a fictional return address. Both are  standard indicators of suspicious mail. See JCRC’s guidance on screening suspicious packages and mail here.

    Sources
    1. WP Editors. “Incendiary Devices at Md. Buildings.” Washington Post. January 6, 2011.
    2. M. Dresser, T. Bishop, J. Bykowicz “Explosive Devices Cause Injuries At Two Maryland State Buildings; One Addressed To O’Malley.” Baltimore Sun. January 6. 2011
    3. This Just In. Explosions at Maryland State Offices Injure 1. CNN. January 6, 2011.

    Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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    UK terror arrests a reminder: threat is real

    December 29, 2010

    The UK Christmas bombing campaign by nine alleged terrorists primarily targeted iconic sites such as the London Stock Exchange, Big Ben, the Millennium Wheel and the American Embassy in London. The religious sites on their list included Westminster Abbey and two British synagogues and rabbis (The CST is the lead British organization dealing with Jewish security, see their information here).

    Prosecutors reported that the group had conducted pre-operational surveillance of some of their potential targets and had tested explosives.

    This plot echoes many of the “homegrown terror” plots here in the U.S. and is a reminder that:

    • Anti-Semitism is a core component of Jihadist ideology.
    • Anti-Semitism is a common tool in the radicalization process.
    • Jewish-affiliated targets may be preferable for less sophisticated terrorists.
    • Jewish institutions may not be priority targets, but may become secondary targets or targets of convenience.
    Jewish organizations should continue to operate with heightened vigilance. Review our security resources for suggestions and guidance at: https://jcrcny2022.wpengine.com/securityresources. Timely articles include Tips on detecting hostile surveillance from our partners at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and JCRC’s Sample Building Access Policies and Procedures.
    Get more information to secure your Jewish institution at www.jcrcny.org/security.
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