by Tobin Grant

May 29, 2015

The Department of Homeland Security will give $13 million dollars to add security to nonprofit organizations. If this year’s competition is like previous years, then over 90 percent of these grants will go to Jewish groups. Over the past decade, nearly all of the funds have gone to religious nonprofits with Jewish groups receiving the lion’s share, with over $110 million in grants.

Homeland Security provides up to $75,000 to nonprofit groups to improve their security structures. Grants often go to install security cameras, build concrete barriers, install metal detectors, and make other structural improvements. The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funds to nonprofits who are possible targets of international terrorism and are located in designated urban areas.

According to the Orthodox Union, 90 percent of 186 recipients last year were Jewish nonprofits, with many being orthodox. Over the past decade, Jewish organizations have received over $110 million in grants. I could not independently verify this claim, but an examination of data available at USAspending.gov suggests that the figure is accurate.

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