FEMA security grants for houses of worship (NSGP, FY26)

If your congregation has ever worried about safety, this is the one to know. FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) pays for physical and cybersecurity hardening of buildings at risk of a terrorist or violent attack — and houses of worship are not just eligible, they’re structurally advantaged. You can do this, and a first-time applicant is in a strong position.

What it pays for

Allowable costs fall into planning, equipment, training, or exercises. The most-funded equipment categories are video and security camera systems and impact-resistant doors and gates — exactly the target hardening a church, mosque, or synagogue needs. The NOFO names “houses of worship” first on its list of eligible organizations.

Why a church has an edge

Two things stack in your favor:

• The ×3 multiplier. Your state’s score for your application is multiplied by three because houses of worship are treated as ideology-based/religious entities at elevated risk.
• First-timers get +15. If your congregation has never applied, you get a 15-point bonus on top.

A church that has never applied is advantaged twice at once.

The deadline trap — read this

The date you’ll see quoted, July 24, 2026, is the deadline for your state to send applications to FEMA — not your deadline. You apply through your State Administrative Agency (SAA), and every SAA sets its own earlier cutoff (several states this year fell around mid-July). Your real deadline is your state’s, and it’s sooner than the federal one — so find yours today. State deadlines vary, which is exactly the kind of thing the government-funding app can surface for you.

What you’ll need to submit

Through your SAA: an Investment Justification, a vulnerability assessment for each physical address (missing one can get the application rejected), and a mission statement. You’ll also need a free SAM.gov / UEI registration. On the 501(c)(3) question, the NOFO is explicit: automatically-exempt churches “are not required to provide recognition of exemption,” and the state may not require it.

One caution: FEMA's own program landing page still headlines the FY25 numbers ($274.5M). The FY26 figures above come from the current Grants.gov NOFO listing (accessed 2026-07-04) — always check the current-year NOFO, not the agency landing page. See The Live-or-Dead Check.