New Federal Grant Opportunity
The Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has launched the Enhancing Security Measures for Houses of Worship Grant Program — a brand-new initiative OUA helped bring into existence.
|
Grants.gov Deadline September 2, 2026 |
JustGrants Deadline September 9, 2026 |
Cost Share None Required |
OUA’s Role
The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center advocated for the creation of this program during the FY2026 appropriations cycle, working alongside the Jewish Federations of North America. This grant program is a direct result of that advocacy — a new, dedicated federal funding stream to help Jewish institutions and houses of worship protect themselves against hate-motivated violence.
About the Program
This brand-new FY2026 program provides grants to enhance security and law enforcement capabilities at faith-based institutions and houses of worship to prevent and respond to bias-motivated crimes. Projects will strengthen partnerships between religious communities and local law enforcement, implement evidence-based security measures, and build institutional capacity to report incidents and assist in criminal investigations.
The program reflects growing recognition that protecting houses of worship requires a strong partnership among religious communities, local law enforcement, and the federal government — a principle OUA has long championed.
Two Grant Categories
| Category 1 |
Faith-Based Institution Security Camera and Evidence Who can apply: Faith-Based Organizations | Award max: $200,000 | Total pool: $4,000,000 Supports faith-based institutions in partnership with local law enforcement to acquire professional-grade security camera systems that deter bias-motivated crimes against houses of worship and provide critical evidence for successful prosecution. Eligible uses include: ✓ HD camera systems with night vision and facial recognition capabilities ✓ Secure cloud-based storage with law enforcement access protocols ✓ Integration with local law enforcement real-time crime centers ✓ Technical training for facility staff on system operations and evidence preservation ✓ Signage indicating surveillance to maximize deterrent effect |
| Category 2 |
House of Worship Law Enforcement Protection Who can apply: State, County, City, Township & Tribal Governments | Award max: $150,000 | Total pool: $3,700,000 Supports state and local government law enforcement in partnership with houses of worship by providing funds for overtime costs to officers providing a visible, uniformed security presence during services, events, and high-risk periods. |
How to Apply
| 1 |
Complete Application for Federal Assistance Submit via Grants.gov — Deadline: September 2, 2026 |
| 2 |
Complete Required Information Submit via JustGrants.gov — Deadline: September 9, 2026. Submission requirements include proposal narrative, MOU with project partners, budget, and associated documentation. |
What’s Next
OUA continues to advocate for Congress to increase funding to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) and pass the Jewish American Security Act (JASA) into law — which would provide long-term authorization for this new Houses of Worship program, securing this critical funding stream for years to come.
Questions? Contact:
Orthodox Union Advocacy Center: RothJ@ou.org
Secure Community Network: dgottlieb@securecommunitynetwork.org
Jewish Federations of North America: Rachel.Dembo@Jewishfederations.org
Orthodox Union Advocacy Center · DOJ FY2026 Enhancing Security Measures for Houses of Worship Grant Program