DHS releases FY2009 guidance for $3 billion worth of grants

DHS’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Application Guidance for fourteen federal grant programs, totaling more than $3 billion available in federal funding to assist state and local governments in strengthening community preparedness. More than $27 billion has been provided since 2002 to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect, respond and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters or other emergencies. “Several years of investment have taken us largely from capability building to performance-based planning and investment,” said DHS secretary Michael Chertoff. “This year’s funding priorities are consistent with last year, and reflect a mature and disciplined grants program.  We are now in the position of being able to inform high threat urban areas of their target allocations ahead of time, which will go a long way in helping their applications.”

DHS also is announcing for the first time FY 2009 targeted allocations under the State Homeland Security Program and Urban Areas Security Initiative. This is the result of direct stakeholder feedback and will assist states and urban areas in writing investment justifications that reflect available grant resources. The department will continue to use the peer review process and applicants’ effectiveness scores in determining final allocations.

The grant program allocations for FY 2009:

• Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) — $1.7 billion. FY 2009 HSGP funding priorities are targeted for either states or urban areas, and reflect capabilities that are most critical to build in those jurisdictions.  At least 25 percent of the total FY 2009 HSGP funding must be dedicated for activities involving planning, training and exercises in building or sustaining capabilities.  HSGP is comprised of four programs:
  • State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) — $861.3 million to strengthen and build state, territorial and local preparedness capabilities through planning, equipment, training and exercise activities.
  • Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) — $798.6 million to enhance regional preparedness by strengthening capabilities in 62 high-threat, high-density urban areas across the country. The seven highest risk urban areas will compete for approximately $439 million, or 55 percent of available funds, while the remaining areas will compete for about $359 million, or 45 percent of the funds.
    • (Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities-Although the FY 2009 DHS Appropriations Act did not provide a separate appropriation for a Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, the 9/11 Act requires grantees to dedicate at least 25 percent from both SHSP and UASI funds for law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.)
  • Metropolitan Medical Response System Program (MMRS) — $39.8 million