The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its funding allocations for the 2023 fiscal year. Competitive preparedness grant programs were allocated $605 million whilst there was $1.4 billion for non-competitive grant funding. These grants are beneficial in preparation and response projects for threats and natural disasters.
Secretary of the DHS, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, explained that the DHS is “committed to strengthening America’s security and resilience.” He said that the agency will prioritise six critical areas, namely “cybersecurity, soft targets and crowded places, intelligence and information sharing, domestic violent extremism, community preparedness and resilience, and election security.”
He also stressed that the grants will “support our communities and help improve our readiness to prepare, respond to and recover from major disasters, terrorist attacks and other emergencies.”
Funding Allocations for 2023
Grants are provided to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, non-profit organisations and private sector entities. Funding helps to “prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from” terrorist and disaster events. As a result, Congress sets aside funding for grants programs and the DHS determines the allocations.
Competitive grants allocated for the 2023 fiscal year are:
- Operation Stonegarden: $90 million to enhance along the United States land and water borders.
- Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program: $15 million for risk management against terrorist attacks and other hazards.
- Nonprofit Security Grant Program: $305 million to support security enhancements for nonprofits that are at high risk of terrorist attacks.
- Port Security Grant Program: $100 million to protect enhance port security, recovery and resilience.
- Transit Security Grant Program: $93 million to owners and operators of public transit systems to protect surface transportation from terrorism and to increase transit infrastructure resilience.
- Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: $2 million to owners and operators of intercity bus systems to protect surface transportation from terrorism and to increase transit infrastructure resilience.
