In a year when the Jewish community was rocked by a terror attack at a Detroit-area synagogue alongside other antisemitic threats, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program fulfilled less than 23% of applications submitted for funding in 2026, according to new data obtained by Jewish Insider. 

The chronically underfunded and overstretched program provides security funding to synagogues and other nonprofits that survivors of antisemitic attacks say has directly helped save lives. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced this week that more than 1,600 nonprofits would be receiving funding from the program in 2026, totaling $300 million in funding. Congress appropriated $305 million, with the remaining $5 million eligible to support NSGP program operations.

The state agencies that work with the federal government to administer the NSGP program and accept applications from individual nonprofits received more than 7,000 applications, totaling more than $1 billion in funding requested.

The majority of the funding will be provided to houses of worship from various denominations, according to a source familiar with the situation, but other recipients include schools, medical facilities, senior centers, camps, museums, shelters and community centers. It was not immediately clear what portion of the grant funding was provided to Jewish institutions.

“In the face of violent criminals and radical organizations, the Trump-Vance Administration is stepping up to protect American communities. This week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $300 million in grant awards to more than 1,600 nonprofit organizations across the United States,” a FEMA spokesperson said in a statement to JI. “This funding, administered through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, will empower faith-based institutions and other nonprofits to harden their defenses against potential attacks.”

Application numbers and total funding requested seem to be down somewhat from 2025, when the program received in excess of 8,000 applications totaling more than $1.3 billion in funding requested, with an acceptance rate of just 20%.

Even so, the amount of funding requested was higher and the acceptance rate was lower than in any year in documented program history other than 2025.

Grant applications in 2026 were also released late, on a significantly compressed timeline and before grant awards for the long-delayed 2025 program were finalized and announced, which advocates warned could make it more difficult for institutions to apply for 2026 funding.

“Our nation is facing an epidemic of antisemitism and Jewish communities around the country are living their lives in fear. We need funding to match the growing demand from at risk institutions — including houses of worship and non-profit organizations — to help keep them safe and secure,” said Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), who has led calls for increased NSGP funding in the Senate. .

She called on Congress to pass the Jewish American Security Act, which proposes increasing funding for the NSGP to $1 billion.

Jewish community advocates said that the small percentage of applications that were fulfilled shows the need to expand funding for the program. Jewish groups have coalesced behind a push for $1 billion in funding for the program.

“As the past three years have shown, we are experiencing a domestic anti-Jewish terror crisis in this country. Our community has had to form its own security infrastructure, spending over $1 billion each year to maintain it and prevent these attacks from turning deadly,” Jewish Federations of North America CEO Eric Fingerhut said in a statement. 

“It is undeniable that we need the federal government’s help and while we appreciate the recent increase in NSGP awards for faith-based institutions, the fact that only 23% of NSGP applications were approved this year shows that it’s not enough. That’s why we’ve been calling on Congress to pass the bipartisan Jewish American Safety Act and fund the NSGP at $1 billion.”

Nathan Diament, the executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, said that Congress must “provide dramatically more funding for NSGP.”

“America is in a moment of crisis,” Diament continued. “The houses of worship are more fearful than ever —  in a nation founded by those seeking to guarantee religious freedom. We don’t only have a security problem, we have a cultural crisis when people don’t feel the ‘sanctuaries’ they are going to to pray are indeed sanctuaries of safety from the tumultuous world.”

Lauren Wolman, the Anti-Defamation League’s senior director of government relations and strategy, welcomed the announcement but said, “once again, the gap between need and available funding is staggering.”

“Only 23% of applicants received an award this year. More than $1 billion would have been needed to fund all eligible applications, far exceeding the $300 million Congress appropriated for the program,” Wolman added. “Congress now has a clear opportunity to close that gap by passing the Jewish American Security Act to authorize $1 billion annually for NSGP and ensure every at-risk nonprofit has a meaningful opportunity to safeguard its community.”

Michael Masters, the CEO of the Secure Community Network, said that the announcement “demonstrates a critical shortfall in security funding for nonprofits and houses of worship across the country.”

“While it is welcome that FEMA is working to get awards out more quickly, the fact that 75% of the demonstrated need is unfunded speaks to the need for increased NSGP dollars to support faith communities,” Masters continued. “We encourage Congress to appropriate as much funding as possible as they approach this next appropriations cycle.”

He called the funding a “force multiplier for law enforcement.”

Rabbi A.D. Motzen, national director of government affairs for Agudath Israel of America, emphasized the volume of applications even in this year’s short application timeline.

“Twenty five years after 9/11, as terrorists continue to target innocent Americans, the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program serves as an important tool in protecting vulnerable nonprofits. This year, despite a very tight timeline, more than $1 billion was requested by eligible institutions. Yet, more than three quarters of applicants were rejected due to lack of funds,” Motzen said. “Agudath Israel of America is grateful for every grant awarded, but urges Congress to increase the annual allocation to meet the need.”