Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23) led more than seventy of his colleagues urging the Trump Administration to reinstate longstanding information-sharing around the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the program offers critical security resources to nonprofit organizations across South Florida, including synagogues and other religious institutions.
Joining Moskowitz to lead the bipartisan effort were Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11).
More specifically, the group called on the Administration to share with Congress its list of NSGP grant awardees as they are determined, as has been prior practice. Included in the most recent set of awards decided in June were nearly $95 million in grant resources for 512 Jewish faith-based organizations. FEMA, however, has failed to share details of the awards to Congressional offices, preventing recipient organizations from being able to plan for their security needs.
In their letter, the Representatives urged Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson to “work with Congress and immediately share the list of awardees from June, as has been the normal course of business.” Failing to do so, they warned, would leave organizations “in limbo as they have no way to plan to effectuate the security upgrades they need or know what to apply for” in other upcoming grant deadlines.
As the Representatives note, the timely notice of these resources is especially important as faith-based communities like synagogues face historic levels of hate and violence. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is “one of the most effective and critical programs” for protecting these communities from attack—with a direct return on investment for its resources—and “it is imperative that eligible nonprofit organizations, including Jewish faith-based organizations, have the information they need” to secure the proper security resources.
The group closed by requesting a full list of awardees to ensure that recipients are notified of their intent to receive the funding.
Moskowitz’s push for transparency in FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program follows his successful efforts in March to keep the program alive. The program has a demonstrated history of lifesaving support through funds it provides for tools like bollards, reinforced doors, CCTV cameras, and emergency alert systems that have helped keep communities safe.
Moskowitz has been a leading voice in Congress calling out the urgent threats to Jewish communities across the United States. He has urged colleagues to take action against the rise in antisemitism, including through bills like his Antisemitism Awareness Act to protect Jewish students and his push to increase funding for Jewish security resources.
For the group’s full letter to Administration officials, click HERE.
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