US government spends $454 million to secure religious institutions

(JTA) — The federal government will spend nearly $150 million more this year than it did in 2023 to secure religious organizations, a jump aimed at addressing a rise in antisemitism since Oct. 7. 

The Department of Homeland Security announced last week that it had allocated $454.5 million this fiscal year toward the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which funds security enhancements at houses of worship and religious organizations. It is the largest sum ever allocated toward the program, and a significant increase from last year’s figure of $305 million. 

 “The funds announced today will provide communities across the country with vital resources necessary to strengthen their security and guard against terrorism and other threats,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who is Jewish, said in a statement. “The impact of these grants will be measured in lives saved and tragedies averted.”

Jewish organizations have historically championed the program, which began in 2005 with an allocation of $25 million and has since grown exponentially. Most of the funding has historically gone to Jewish institutions such as synagogues, day schools, and other religious organizations — a trend that continued this year, according to the Orthodox Union.  

The funds are available to all denominations facing credible threats, and in recent years Muslim and Black Christian institutions have applied for funds, often with the guidance of Jewish groups more experienced in the application process.

“The increased funding is not just financial support; it’s a vital response to the virus of antisemitism spreading across our country,” Nathan Diament, executive director for public policy at the Orthodox Union, said in a statement. “OU Advocacy spearheaded the creation of the NSGP, and we will continue fighting every day to make sure Jewish synagogues and schools can protect themselves.”

As organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League have documented a rise in antisemitism in recent years, Jewish groups have pushed for the security funding to grow. This year, as watchdogs and law enforcement agencies have reported a spike in antisemitic incidents since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, Jewish groups continued their advocacy and Congress allocated a record amount to the program. 

Initially, as part of a bipartisan budget deal, only $274.5 million in funding was made available through the program this year, a decline from 2023 that sparked objections from Jewish groups. But that was later buttressed by an additional $180 million in funding as part of the legislation that delivered additional aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

“We were very concerned that the original level appropriated for this lifesaving program would fall short amid the unprecedented spike in antisemitism, which is why we worked closely with appropriators and congressional leadership to include additional funds in the security supplemental,” Karen Paikin Barall, vice president of government relations for Jewish Federations of North America told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in a statement. “Those additional $180 million in nonprofit security funds will make an enormous impact on our community’s security.”