U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced grants of $19 million in the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to non-profit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack.

New York organizations fared particularly well, with 83 winners (71 in NYC) qualifying for $4,995,121 in federal funding to support target-hardening activities. New York applicants gleaned 30% of the grants (273). The number of New York winners grew by nearly 15% (compared to 2009) and the NY total grant amount increased by $380,000.

All applicants, whether successful or not, will be officially notified of their status by the the New York Office of Homeland Security (NY OHS).

We owe a special debt of gratitude to those dedicated public servants who actually administer the grants and answer our questions, especially Shelley Wahrlich, Steve Tierney and Valerie Bloomer. This program could not be successful without their dedication, patience and expertise. Thanks to Governor David Paterson, Acting NY Director of the Office of Homeland Security James Sherry and the entire NY Office of Homeland Security staff for their continuing, tremendous support for the Nonprofit Homeland Security Grant Program.

See the NYPD Shield report on the arrest of Faisal Shahzad here.

Read the NYPD summary here. While there is no information indicating any connection to the Jewish community, the NYPD conclusions are relevant and Jewish organizations should factor these considerations into their security planning:

• Vehicles loaded with incendiary materials are easy to procure and could potentially cause significant damage.
• But as was the case in London and Times Square, timed ignition of incendiary devices is difficult at best.
• Ordinary automotive vehicles draw little attention, however, vehicles operated in out of the ordinary ways, such as left running unattended or parked in a hurried manner, call for attention.
• If You See Something, Say Something! Report suspicious activity to: 1-888-NYC-SAFE (1-888-692-7233)

New York State is fortunate to be the home of thousands of not‐for‐profit institutions (NFPs) that enrich our lives and provide vital services to our residents. These institutions provide the State with valuable and essential medical, religious, educational, social, cultural and recreational services that all New Yorkers benefit from. New York State is committed to working with the NFP community to identify its security needs and develop solutions to security vulnerabilities.

Read about the security needs of New York State not-for-profit institutions and what resources and strategies are available to assist with providing security here.

If you are donating to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti, you may be able to claim those donations on your 2009 tax return. Here are 10 important facts the Internal Revenue Service wants you to know about this special provision.

1. A new law allows you to claim donations for Haitian relief on your 2009 tax return, which you will be filing this year.
2. The contributions must be made specifically for the relief of victims in areas affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti.
3. To be eligible for a deduction on the 2009 tax return, donations must be made after Jan. 11, 2010 and before March 1, 2010.
4. In order to be deductible, contributions must be made to qualified charities and can not be designated for the benefit of specific individuals or families.
5. The new law applies only to cash contributions.
6. Cash contributions made by text message, check, credit card or debit card may be claimed on your federal tax return.
7. You must itemize your deductions in order to claim these donations on your tax return.
8. You have the option of deducting these contributions on either your 2009 or 2010 tax return, but not both.
9. Contributions made to foreign organizations generally are not deductible. You can find out more about organizations helping Haitian earthquake victims from agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development ( www.usaid.gov).
10. Federal law requires that you keep a record of any deductible donations you make. For donations by text message, a telephone bill will meet the record-keeping requirement if it shows the name of the organization receiving your donation, the date of the contribution, and the amount given. For cash contributions made by other means, be sure to keep a bank record, such as a cancelled check or a receipt from the charity. Receipts should show the name of the charity, the date and amount of the contribution.

For more information see IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions and Publication 3833 , Disaster Relief: Providing Assistance through Charitable Organizations. To determine if an organization is a qualified charity visit IRS.gov, keyword “Search for Charities”. Note that some organizations, such as churches or governments, may be qualified even though they are not listed on IRS.gov.