A bipartisan group of more than 130 House lawmakers put forward the highest-ever request for funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, asking for an appropriation of $500 million, nearly doubling the current funding level.

Despite the substantial bipartisan support, the request could face strong headwinds as the appropriations process moves forward, with the Trump administration proposing significant cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s non-emergency grants — a category that includes NSGP — and not yet offering a specific budget line-item for the NSGP.

The lawmakers’ request matches the funding level supported by major national Jewish groups since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, amid a years-long budget shortfall for the program, which helps nonprofits, including synagogues and other Jewish institutions, improve their security. 

“We respectfully ask that $500 million in funding be allocated to NSGP. The program provides critical security resources to at-risk faith-based and nonprofit institutions located in urban, suburban, and rural communities,” a group of 133 House members led by Reps. Gabe Amo (D-RI) and Michael McCaul (R-TX) said in a letter to key House appropriators.

A group of 120 House members signed onto a request last year for $385 million in funding for 2025.

The signatories to this year’s letter wrote that the funding is “critical to our national security and part of DHS’ comprehensive measures to strengthen the safety of our communities” given that “the risk of extremist-motivated violence as a danger to national security,” that “violence against nonprofits and faith-based institutions is likely to continue” and that threats to places of worship have been increasing “at alarming rates.”

The lawmakers highlighted increasing numbers of violent threats to houses of worship and a spike in antisemitic incidents nationwide, as well as a series of specific attacks in 2024 that targeted synagogues and other Jewish institutions, mosques and churches around the country.

In 2024, Congress provided $274.5 million for the program, a cut of more than $30 million from the year prior, but appropriated an additional $400 million in the April 2024 national security supplemental bill. Congress again provided $274.5 million for 2025, under a continuing resolution that carried over 2024 funding levels.

With nearly $1 billion in funds requested in 2024, FEMA approved just 43% of NSGP applications, making $454.5 billion available from a combination of the regular and supplemental funding bills.

“Unfortunately, it is easy to see that the need for the NSGP is quickly outpacing the funding,” the letter continues. “Even with the additional NSGP funding provided by the National Security Supplemental Act for FY2024, FEMA could only fund 43 percent of all grant applicants. This left most of the applicants without the funding they needed to provide security to their at-risk institution.”

The lawmakers argue that these threats present “a compelling public interest in preventing attacks that would disrupt the vital health, human, social, cultural, religious, and other humanitarian services provided by at-risk faith-based and nonprofit institutions.”

The Trump administration froze reimbursements under the program as it reviewed the NSGP and other FEMA grant programs, and has yet to announce funding awards under a $200 million supplemental funding round that was expected to be finalized earlier this year. Applications for the 2025 grant cycle are expected to open soon.

Amo replaces former Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), who died last year, as the co-lead of the NSGP funding push. Pascrell and McCaul had led similar requests for years. Amo, who has spoken frequently about representing the nation’s oldest operating synagogue in Newport, R.I., became a vocal advocate for the program during his first term in the House.

“As hateful and violent incidents against faith-based communities continue to rise, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program provides critical support to protect communities and local institutions,” Amo said in a statement to Jewish Insider. “I thank my co-lead, Congressman McCaul, and our bipartisan cosigners for standing up for this essential grant program.”

The letter was supported by the Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Federations of North America and the Orthodox Union.

“As antisemitism continues to surge and the Jewish community’s security needs remain high — properly funding NSGP is crucial. And that means $500mm for FY26,” Nathan Diament, the executive director of public policy for the OU, told JI.

“In 2024, ADL recorded over 1,700 antisemitic incidents targeting Jewish institutions,” Lauren Wolman, ADL’s Director of Federal Policy and Strategy said. “We’re grateful to Reps. Amo and McCaul for leading this historic bipartisan effort to bolster the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). In this climate of heightened threats, every additional dollar for NSGP is a direct investment in preserving the security of at-risk communities across the country.”