A bipartisan proposal in the U.S. Senate is seeking a historic expansion of federal security funding for religious institutions as concerns grow over rising threats against churches, synagogues and other faith-based organizations across the country.
More than 400 Jewish community leaders are urging Congress to approve $1 billion for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, a federal initiative that helps vulnerable nonprofit groups and houses of worship enhance physical security and cybersecurity protections against extremist or terrorist attacks.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program, commonly known as the NSGP, was established in 2005 and is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The program distributes grants to eligible tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, including churches and other religious institutions, to help improve safety measures.
Last week, U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and James Lankford, R-Okla., introduced the bipartisan Jewish American Security Act. The two lawmakers also serve as co-founders and co-chairs of the Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.
The bill would require the Department of Education to develop and implement a comprehensive Title VI framework to combat antisemitism on college campuses, invest $1 billion in security resources for at-risk houses of worship and other nonprofit institutions, and hold large social media platforms accountable by requiring transparency regarding their handling of antisemitic content online, the senators announced.
“Our nation is facing an epidemic of antisemitism – year after year we are seeing unprecedented levels of antisemitic violence and harassment. Jewish Americans are being targeted, attacked, and killed simply because of who they are. This alarming trend demands a comprehensive, bipartisan approach that addresses both the seeds and the impacts of this vile hatred,” Rosen said in a statement.
Recent research has also highlighted increasing hostility toward Christian institutions in the United States. Family Research Council, which has monitored attacks against churches since 2018, reported a sharp rise in incidents ranging from vandalism and arson to bomb threats and gun-related crimes.
The organization documented 1,384 acts of hostility targeting churches in the United States between January 2018 and December 2024. Among those incidents, vandalism accounted for the majority of reported crimes.
Federal spending records show that the NSGP received its largest single-year allocation in 2024, when the government invested $454 million into the program. Even so, demand for security assistance has continued to outpace available funding.
Current guidelines allow individual houses of worship and nonprofit organizations to apply for grants of up to $200,000. Organizations operating multiple locations may seek funding for up to three sites, with a total cap of $600,000.
Despite growing demand, records show that only about 4,000 of the 12,000 applicants seeking assistance in 2024 ultimately received funding through the NSGP and related security initiatives.
Beyond increasing financial support, the proposed legislation would also broaden the permitted use of grant funds by allowing religious institutions and nonprofits to hire public safety officers directly as employees.
