SCHUMER ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $33 MILLION IN FED FUNDING AWARDED TO 227 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND TO BOOST SECURITY & SAFETY AT SYNAGOGUES, MOSQUES, CHURCHES & OTHER NONPROFITS; MONEY WILL PAY FOR SECURITY GUARDS, CAMS, FENCING & MORE

Schumer Says The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) He Helped Write & Fund With Unprecedented Funds Provides Fed Dollars To Protect Jewish Institutions Like Synagogues, Temples & More Against Attacks & Threats

Schumer Has Built The Grant Program Up For Nation & Has Successfully Fought To Add Even More Dollars In Light Of Increased Antisemitism And Hate; Will Continue To Champion More Funds 

Schumer: Amid Rising Threats & Antisemitism & Worry In NYC/LI & Nation, These Millions Are Critical To Strengthening Security Of Nonprofits

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced more than $33.31 million in federal grant funding to boost security and safety for more than 225 nonprofits, community centers, synagogues, mosques, churches and more across New York City and Long Island. Amid rising threats and an increase in antisemitism, Schumer has boosted the fed program that aims to protect these sacred spaces and at-risk targets. Specifically, more than $29.42 million in NSGP grant funding was awarded to nonprofits across the five boroughs, and $3.59 million in NSGP grant funding was awarded to nonprofits across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. This year, Schumer secured $454.5 million in federal funding for NSGP grants in the National Security Act—the highest funding amount in the programs history.

“With all forms of bigotry on the rise, it has never been more important to make sure that New Yorkers gathering in houses of worship, dropping their kids off at school, and visiting their local JCC or any other faith-based community center are protected from any harm," said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “Federal security programs like NSGP form the cornerstone of effective preparedness against terror threats and hate crimes. That’s why I'm so proud that I increased the federal pot of these funds and that New York is receiving the lion's share of these resources, which will go a long way towards protecting all New Yorkers. But our work is far from over: we must continue to advocate for more dollars until all the need is met and we must confront head-on the poisonous prejudice and ignorance that motivates these attacks.”

“Amid rising threats, especially those seen across the city and Long Island, we have strengthened the federal program known as the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) to boost security where it might be lacking,” Schumer added. “In the National Security Supplemental, I included an additional $400 million on top of regular yearly funding for this critical program because amid rising threats, we need buttoned up security and amid the cascade of rising antisemitism, we need robust federal funds like these awarded today.”   

Schumer has built up the NSGP program with NYC and Long Island in mind and passed a law (the National Security Supplemental) to add even more dollars in light of increased threats so many places of worship are facing. The supplemental funding for the program also included additional operational funding for FEMA to administer the grants to improve assistance available to applicants and the timely awarding and disbursing of these grants, particularly helpful to NYC and LI applicants. 

“Protecting our nonprofit community spaces, like our synagogues, mosques, churches and more has unfortunately demanded more help at the federal level as the threats have increased. I have continuously secured increases in funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, including $400 million in the National Security Supplemental. These grants are to help lessen the unease across the city and Long Island in the places where we worship, pray, and learn,” Senator Schumer said.

Bomb Threats

In 2023, according to the ADL, 1,009 antisemitic bomb threats have been tracked, a massive increase over the 91 bomb threats logged in 2022 and the highest annual number on record.

Bomb threats were recorded in 45 states and the District of Columbia with the highest level of activity (from most to least active) in New York, Florida, California, Arizona and Pennsylvania.

The majority of the threats occurred after October 7, and December was by far the most active month, with more than 800 Jewish institutions receiving emailed bomb threats that month. The messages typically included death threats and a claim that explosives—set to go off with in a few hours—had been placed or hidden on site.

Swatting Incidents

While swatting campaigns are not new, in 2023, according to the ADL, swatting was used increasingly as a tactic to intimidate and harass marginalized communities, including 101 swatting incidents targeting Jewish institutions. Swatting is the deliberate and malicious act of reporting a false crime or emergency in order to provoke an aggressive response from law enforcement to a target’s location.

During the summer months of 2023, the ADL Center on Extremism tracked a small group of online trolls across multiple social media platforms who were swatting a wide range of religious, public and educational institutions. This group’s primary target was the Jewish community, and they were responsible for more than 60 percent of the year’s antisemitic swats.

Across New York City

The New York Post reported that “so far in 2024, 96 anti-Jewish incidents have been reported across the Big Apple, compared to 66 for the same time period last year, according to the police department statistics. The troubling numbers account for antisemitic crimes occurring from Jan. 1 through April 14 — months after Hamas’ surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.”

“There have been far too many heartless and horrific hate crimes targeting places of worship throughout America recently and we must do all we can to help people of all faiths worship in security and safety,” said Senator Schumer. “Increased funding I secured for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program helps protect houses of worship and other nonprofits from these horrific acts. I will continue fighting to find ways to stop the spread of hate, and protect all houses of worship.”  

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) helps nonprofits, like churches and synagogues, prepare for and mitigate against a potential terrorist attack by providing critical funding to support physical security enhancements to locations that are at high-risk of a terrorist attack. This program has improved efforts to keep at-risk nonprofit organizations safe by promoting emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration activities between public and private community representatives, as well as with state and local government agencies.

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