Homeland Security Grant Programs: An Overview
The Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) is integral in supporting the development and sustainment of core capabilities to fulfill the National Preparedness Goal (NPG). Three main grants fall under the HSGP: the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP), the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI), and the Operation Stonegarden.
For fiscal year 2012 (FY 2012), the UASI allotted $490 million in grant money. Applications for the UASI program were due in May 2012 and are expected to be awarded on June 29, 2012. For the same year, the SHSGP provided $294 million, of which the awards are also expected on June 29. Vendors should be aware of agencies making purchases with these funds, as these grants require the funding to be spent in a certain amount of time.
State agencies applying for the UASI and SHSGP must provide up to 10 investments within the investment justification to explain the various programs that would be implemented with the grant funds. Of the 10 investments, one must be funding that would support the state’s primary fusion center, while the other investments could be local projects deemed necessary by local agencies. The SHSGP and UASI grants have various pass-through requirements, which means the funds are typically allocated to a state and then distributed to local agencies.
Analyst’s Take
Vendors should be asking agencies if they will be submitting applications for FY 2013 HSGP grants, as it may enable those agencies to look at technologies that wouldn’t be possible without the help of grants. Most likely, agencies that will be receiving grants from the FY 2012 cycle have already procured their necessary systems and software, but some agencies may have been waiting for confirmation to move forward with procurements. When vendors are discussing their various systems with officials, they should be mindful of the grant funding that has been awarded after the June 29, 2012, receipt date.
Since the UASI and SHSGP allocations are initially provided to states and then doled out to local agencies, it is important for vendors to determine whether local projects that have already begun planning are being funding through these grants. Some agencies may not be able to move forward without grant funding, and therefore it may be up to vendors to notify agencies of potential funding in future fiscal years for the ability to implement necessary projects.
For more analysis, check out the Analyst Perspective here.
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