Federal grant funds to support target-hardening activities are available to 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations in the National Capital Region (NCR) that are determined to be at high risk of international terrorist attack.

Eligible applicants are limited to nonprofit organizations that have current IRS approval as an IRC Section 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status organization and are located within the National Capital Region, defined as the District of Columbia; Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland; the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and Loudoun and the City of Alexandria in Virginia; and all other units of government within the geographic areas of such District, counties and city.

The funding is provided under the Fiscal Year 2007 Urban Areas Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant Program (UASI NSGP) and may be used only for target hardening, which includes the acquisition and installation of security equipment on real property (including buildings and improvements) owned or leased by an eligible nonprofit organization, specifically in response to a risk of terrorist attack, or for security-related training courses and programs. Allowable training related costs under the UASI NSGP are limited to attendance fees for the training and related expenses, such as material, supplies and/or equipment.

The maximum grant award is $100,000 per nonprofit organization. Organizations receiving funds must match 25 percent of federal grant funds with cash or through equivalent related training.

The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 31, 2007. The Request for Applications (RFA) can be downloaded from the DC Office of Homeland Security website.

To assist eligible applicants in completing the RFA, information sessions are scheduled at 11 am to 1 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, and 10 am to 12 pm on Saturday, May 19, 2007. Both sessions will take place at The New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1313 New York Avenue, NW.

Persons seeking more information should contact Steve Kral, director of the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency’s Homeland Security Grants and Program Management Division, at (202) 727-6161.