The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) has now opened the application period for the fiscal year 2026 federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) and is urging eligible organizations to begin preparing materials immediately as there will just a brief time period to apply.

The application window is currently scheduled to close at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, according to NJOHSP.

The office said it is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to request an extension of the deadline, but cautioned that approval is not guaranteed.

The NSGP was created in 2005 to address the various security threats facing nonprofits at high risk of terrorist attack. Its funding goes to procuring security enhancements and to hardening vulnerable targets and has provided more than $2 billion to nonprofits across the country since its inception.

The grant is available for Shuls, schools and all nonprofit organizations.

“We are grateful that the NSGP application process is now open and that this vital program continues to receive strong federal support,” Shlomo Schorr, Legislative Director of Agudath Israel of America’s New Jersey office, stated to TLS.

“At a time when nonprofit institutions are confronting heightened threats, these grants play an essential role in safeguarding our shuls, schools, and other community organizations. Security at our institutions is not optional — it is a necessity.”

A complete NSGP application requires three documents: an Investment Justification (IJ), a Vulnerability Risk Assessment (VRA), and, where applicable, a copy of the organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.

The NSGP is a competitive federal grant program and that all awards depend on the availability of federal funding.

“We will continue to advocate aggressively at every level of government to expand and strengthen the various state and federal security grant programs,” Schorr added. “Protecting our communities must remain a federal and state priority.”

Additional program details, application guidance and access to the online application portal are available on NJOHSP’s website.