New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness
NJ Nonprofit Security Grant Program
The State of New Jersey funds security improvements for nonprofit organizations at risk — houses of worship, schools, daycares and community organizations. Two separate grants, two very different things paid for, one application effort. We prepare all of it.
Two grants in one program.
Physical security equipment, bought and installed at your building.
Contracted security personnel at your facility — a guard at the door rather than a camera above it.
You may apply for both. If you're successful, the State awards you one of them — you tell them which you'd prefer. So why submit two? Because they're two separate applications, each considered on its own. Submitting both puts your organization in front of the reviewers twice instead of once. If one isn't selected, the other may still come through.
The second application builds directly on the work already done for the first, so it's a small addition rather than a second full project.
What the equipment grant covers.
Equipment must appear on the State's approved equipment list. We handle that matching — you tell us what your facility needs, we translate it into the State's official codes.
Entrances and doors
- Reinforced and impact-resistant doors and gates
- Electronic access control, buzzers, keypads, card and fob systems
- Secured vestibules and entry control
- Intercoms at the entrance
Windows and structure
- Shatter-resistant window film and laminate
- Blast and impact resistant systems, wall and column protection
- Steel shutters and window protection
Cameras and detection
- Security camera systems, including low light and infrared
- Digital or network video recorders with long-term storage
- Intrusion alarms, motion sensors, door and window sensors
- Panic and duress buttons for the office and classrooms
Outside the building
- Fencing, gates, bollards and vehicle barriers
- High-intensity perimeter and parking lot lighting
- Signage and site security measures
People and screening
- Visitor and staff identification, badges and credentialing
- Walk-through and hand-held screening equipment
- Package screening
Communication, power & cyber
- Public address and mass notification systems
- Backup generators and power for security systems
- Firewalls, anti-virus and intrusion detection
- Encryption and secure remote access
Who can apply.
- You're a nonprofit organization — a 501(c)(3), or a religious organization exempt without a determination letter. No letter? The exemption documentation is prepared as part of the application.
- Your facility is in New Jersey.
- You own, rent or lease a place for the organization.
- You have a UEI number from SAM.gov. Don't have one? It's free, but it takes time — so it's best sorted early, between cycles.
Worth knowing: the State gives preference to organizations that haven't received security grant funding in the past two funding cycles. If you haven't been funded recently, your chances are significantly higher.
How it works, step by step.
- You fill out a short form — your organization's name, EIN, and who to contact. Two minutes.
- You review our terms and confirm you'd like to go ahead.
- We send a full questionnaire about your building and your security, plus a link to upload documents and photographs. Prefer not to fill in forms? Call us and we'll do it with you over the phone.
- We write the entire application: the threat and vulnerability assessment, the risk narrative, the full equipment list with the State's official codes, the budget, the project milestones and the impact section.
- We submit before the deadline and send you written confirmation.
- If you're awarded, we can manage everything afterward — procurement records, reimbursement requests and reporting, until the grant is closed out.
One thing worth understanding now: this grant works on reimbursement. An award is approval to spend up to a set amount on approved equipment. In most cases you purchase first, and the State reimburses you after you submit proper documentation.
Common questions.
When does the next window open?
The FY2027 window closed on September 11, 2026, and the next cycle hasn't been announced. What is predictable: the window will be short, and the registrations, labeled photographs and vendor quotes an application is built on take weeks to assemble. Organizations that prepare between cycles are the ones ready to file on day one.
Can we apply for both grants?
Yes — and in most cases you should. They're two separate applications, each considered on its own, and if you're successful the State awards you one of them. Submitting both puts your organization in front of the reviewers twice instead of once.
Do we need to be a 501(c)(3)?
You need to be a nonprofit organization — either a 501(c)(3), or a religious organization that is tax-exempt without a determination letter. If you don't have a letter, the exemption documentation is prepared as part of the application.
Be ready the day the window opens.
Between cycles is the best time to start: registrations, documents and assessments take weeks. Tell us who you are, and we'll check what your organization qualifies for — no cost, no obligation.
Also worth knowing: SCAHC — New York's security grant · the federal NSGP