Safe and Secure DC Nonprofit Fund

Administered by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (DMPSJ) and funded from District local funds under D.C. Official Code § 1-301.192(d) — separate from the federal NSGP that DC HSEMA administers. Community-based nonprofits with a physical site in the District that is at risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack can request $25,000 or more for contract security personnel, cameras, access control, screening equipment, hardening, planning, assessments and training. The FY25 round capped awards at $150,000 per organization; the FY26 and FY27 RFAs set no maximum (the FY27 materials say 'award sizes may vary'), and each offered 'up to $1,000,000' in total.

To apply for the SSDCNF, your organization generally needs to be:

• ✓A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
• ✓Located and/or incorporated in the District of Columbia
• ✓Able to document a risk of terrorism / violent attacks and hate crimes

• 501(c)(3) status from the IRS

  Federal tax-exempt status. Required for almost every security grant. If you don't have it yet, the IRS Form 1023 process can take several months.

• IRS determination letter

  Your IRS 501(c)(3) confirmation letter. Usually attached to grant applications as proof of status.

• Investment Justification narrative

  The heart of the application — explains the threat, your mission, the proposed mitigation, and how you'll sustain it after the grant ends.

• Budget Detail Worksheet

  Itemized budget mapped to allowable cost categories. The grant administrator usually provides a template.

• Contract security guards, special police officers and off-duty law-enforcement details
• Cameras / CCTV (awarded cameras must integrate with MPD's Real Time Crime Center via CameraConnectDC)
• Access control, screening and weapons-detection equipment, protective glazing, reinforced doors, panic alarms
• Security planning and risk assessments
• Training and exercises (e.g. active shooter)
• Cybersecurity when tied to the physical site

• •Apply only through ZoomGrants — manually submitted applications are not accepted. One application per physical location; up to two applications per organization for different locations.
• •Houses of worship that are not required to hold an IRS determination letter may submit a signed letter on letterhead explaining the exemption. Organizations covered by a national 501(c)(3) may apply if they have a DC physical location.
• •Minimum request $25,000. The FY26 and FY27 rounds set no maximum — the FY26 RFA states only the $25,000 minimum, and the FY27 materials add that 'award sizes may vary'; the $150,000 figure shown here is the FY25 RFA cap. Up to 10% indirect costs.
• •Not allowed: food, travel, lobbying, pre-award costs, existing debt or taxes, costs reimbursed by another DC grant, inherently religious activities. Applications scoring 60 or less out of 100 are not funded.
• •The FY25 RFA barred organizations that received an FY2024 federal NSGP award; the FY26 and FY27 materials do not repeat that exclusion.
• •Other documents DMPSJ asks for: DC business license (or exemption letter), Clean Hands certificate, Certificate of Good Standing, certificate of insurance, financial documentation and vendor quotes.

Applications for the SSDCNF are administered by Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice (DMPSJ), Government of the District of Columbia. Confirm the current deadline and submission details on the official program page before you apply.