Forty-five nonprofit organizations in the Washington region have received a combined $5.8 million in federal homeland security grant funds.
The majority of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program funds went to local Jewish organizations; of the 45 National Capital Region recipients, 27 were Jewish organizations, which received a total of $3.4 million.
“The grant program is a way for NGOs [non-government organizations] and houses of worship to pay for capital improvements for security purposes,” said Ron Halber, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. “It’s a great program.”
These funds were awarded by the Homeland Security Emergency Management Agency, through the United States Department of Homeland Security 2021 Nonprofit Security Grant Program. HSEMA processes the awarding of grants to organizations in the National Capital Region urban area, which includes Washington, D.C., Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince Williams counties and the city of Alexandria in Virginia.
Organizations in Maryland and Virginia outside these jurisdictions generally receive the grants through the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and Virginia Emergency Management Agency, respectively, although Ohr HaTorah, located in Silver Spring, recently received $38,494 through MEMA, according to a recent MEMA press release.
According to FEMA’s website, the intent of this grant is for nonprofits to combine their activities with “broader state and local preparedness efforts,” as well as to “promote coordination and collaboration in emergency preparedness activities among public and private community representatives, as well as state and local government agencies.” A total of $180 million was awarded nationally this year to strengthen security for nonprofits and institutions deemed vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
This year’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program recipients for the National Capital Region are as follows:
| Name of Nonprofit Organization | State | FEMA Funded Amount |
| Adas Israel Congregation | DC | $150,000 |
| All Souls Church | DC | $90,000 |
| American Friends of Lubavitch | DC | $150,000 |
| Chevra Tifereth Israel | DC | $72,000 |
| Chinese Community Church | DC | $129,000 |
| Church of the Reformation | DC | $150,000 |
| Church of the Resurrection | DC | $135,000 |
| Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington | DC | $56,000 |
| Hillel Foundation for Jewish Campus Life | DC | $84,325 |
| Jones Memorial United Methodist Church | DC | $150,000 |
| Kesher Israel Congregation. | DC | $144,000 |
| Metropolitan Community Church of Washington | DC | $41,000 |
| Mount Airy Baptist Church | DC | $116,200 |
| Northwest Community Church | DC | $118,850 |
| Peace Baptist Church | DC | $150,000 |
| Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church | DC | $114,150 |
| Shaw Community Ministry, Inc | DC | $150,000 |
| Sixth & I Historic Synagogue | DC | $150,000 |
| Tabernacle Baptist Church | DC | $150,000 |
| Temple Sinai | DC | $150,000 |
| The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church | DC | $111,000 |
| Washington Hebrew Congregation | DC | $100,000 |
| Washington National Cathedral | DC | $150,000 |
| Bnai Shalom of Olney | MD | $150,000 |
| Chabad Israeli Center of Rockville | MD | $150,000 |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Upper Montgomery Co. | MD | $150,000 |
| CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER TEMPLE HILLS | MD | $150,000 |
| Idara-e-Jaferia | MD | $150,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Greater Washington | MD | $150,000 |
| Seven Locks Jewish Community | MD | $150,000 |
| Simcha Educational Center | MD | $150,000 |
| Torah School of Greater Washington | MD | $150,000 |
| Young Israel Shomrai Emunah | MD | $150,000 |
| Southeast Hebrew Congregation | MD | $149,950 |
| Bender Jewish Community Center of GW | MD | $149,509 |
| Mill Creek Parish United Methodist Church | MD | $147,500 |
| Oseh Shalom Inc. | MD | $146,504 |
| Union United Methodist Church | MD | $140,500 |
| Beth Sholom Congregation | MD | $138,000 |
| Congregation Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim | MD | $130,000 |
| Congregation Or Chadash | MD | $104,000 |
| HIAS | MD | $54,682 |
| Beth El Hebrew Congregation | VA | $150,000 |
| Chabad Jewish Center of Reston-Herndon | VA | $135,000 |
| Congregation Adat Reyim | VA | $58,260 |
| $5,815,430.00 |
