DHS Announces $1.87 Billion in Preparedness Grants, including $615 Million for UASI

Today Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced the release of funding notices for eight different types of preparedness grants. A total of $1.87 billion has been allocated to the programs, which are intended to provide funding to state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector, among others, to improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) has been allocated the most of any one program, at $615 million. It is intended to enhance regional preparedness and capabilities in 31 high-threat, high-density areas. Grant recipients for UASI and the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), which itself was allocated $415 million, will be required to dedicate a minimum of 30 percent of awards to address these five priority areas: cybersecurity (7.5 percent, an increase of at least $25 million across the country); soft target and crowded places (5 percent); information and intelligence sharing (5 percent); domestic violent extremism (7.5 percent) and emerging threats (5 percent). DHS indicates that changes to the funding and focus of grant programs reflects the evolution in the threats facing American communities.