Examples of impact include a Bucks County reproductive health center preventing harm, a Lancaster library capturing arson-related footage, a Cumberland County college aiding suspect identification, and a York County church reducing unauthorized access and theft.

Priority is given to nonprofits that have experienced a hate-motivated incident or can demonstrate a credible threat, though prior targeting is not strictly required.

Overall, the program aims to ensure communities can gather and access services without fear, building on more than 15 million directed to security awards since the current administration took office.

Pennsylvania unveils a $10 million Nonprofit Security Grant Fund aimed at safeguarding places of worship, community centers, and nonprofits that serve high-risk communities identified by FBI hate crime data.

The grants are part of the 2025-26 state budget and will fund security upgrades such as surveillance systems, reinforced entry points, lighting, alarms, and related technologies to harden facilities.

Officials emphasized a tight application window due to high demand and ongoing hate-motivated offenses, noting submissions are final once entered to ensure fairness.

Authorized uses include security planning, threat awareness training, surveillance, lighting, electronic locks, building upgrades, vulnerability assessments, and related technologies; security canines are also listed as a possibility.

Grants may be used for both safety planning and physical improvements to prevent, deter, and document hate-motivated threats and incidents.

The official funding announcement link provides full eligibility details and application procedures.

Full applications will be followed by project start on April 1, 2026, with funding for up to 18 months, and awards are issued after a March 2026 review.

The deadline to apply is January 12, 2026, with initial requests via SurveyMonkey and a review by a commission-established workgroup from PCCD, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security.

Eligible organizations must primarily serve at-risk communities (race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, gender, gender identity) and be Pennsylvania-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits or churches with automatic IRS exemption.