The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced funding opportunities for ten FY 2016 preparedness grants totaling more than $1.6 billion. The grant programs provide funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as transportation authorities, nonprofit organizations and the private sector to improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. Among the ten grant programs are:
Emergency Management Performance Grants – More than $350 million to assist state, local, tribal, territorial governments in enhancing and sustaining all-hazards emergency management capabilities.
Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) – $580 million to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 29 high-threat, high-density areas. States and urban areas are required to dedicate 25 percent of UASI funds to law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.
Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program – $10 million to eligible tribal nations to implement preparedness initiatives to help strengthen the nation against risks associated with potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.
According to DHS, the FY 2016 grant guidance will continue to focus on the nation’s highest risk areas, including urban areas that face the most significant threats. UASI grants are intended to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities by funding 29 high-threat, high-density urban areas. This reflects congressional direction to limit FY 2016 UASI funding to those urban areas that represent up to 85 percent of the nationwide risk.
Further from DHS:
Consistent with previous grant guidance, dedicated funding is provided for law enforcement and terrorism prevention throughout the country to prepare for, prevent and respond to pre-operational activity and other crimes that are precursors or indicators of terrorist activity.
Grant recipients are encouraged to use grant funding to maintain and sustain current critical core capabilities through investments in training and exercises, updates to current planning and procedures, and lifecycle replacement of equipment. New capabilities that are built using homeland security grant funding must be deployable if needed to support regional and national efforts. All capabilities being built or sustained must have a clear linkage to the core capabilities in the National Preparedness Goal.
For further information, visit www.fema.gov/grants.