Tennessee · Church, Synagogue & Mosque

Security grants for churches, synagogues, mosques, temples & gurdwaras in Tennessee

Tennessee lists one security-grant program of its own in this catalog, Tennessee Houses of Worship State Security Grant Program, and houses of worship may fit, with conditions. The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program applies in Tennessee too, through the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security — its urban-area stream for Nashville Area, its state stream for the rest of Tennessee. Every rule below is quoted from the program's own materials, and each card names the agency to confirm it with.

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What each program says about churches, synagogues, mosques, temples & gurdwaras

One card per program in this catalog for Tennessee — the state's own program first, then the federal NSGP streams. Each badge reflects what the program's own materials say about houses of worship; it is not a determination, so confirm with the agency named on the card before you plan around it.

Tennessee Houses of Worship State Security Grant Program

Conditions apply

Administered by Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security

Tennessee's state program is written for congregations — churches, synagogues, temples and mosques — and pays only for contracted guard or officer hours, not equipment. Other nonprofits should confirm with ohs.grants@tn.gov.
It reimburses hours worked by extra-duty officers certified by the state's POST commission (the police-training standards board) or by licensed guards — no cameras, training, uniforms or planning.
If federal NSGP already pays for your contracted security, you are not eligible for this grant.

Up to $70K per organization · Closed — next cycle expected

TN Houses of Worship Security Grant: full details →

Federal NSGP in Tennessee

The federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program is administered in Tennessee by the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security, the state's State Administrative Agency. Both streams follow one federal notice; each card says which stream is for houses of worship where.

Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program — Urban Area

See notes

Administered by FEMA via your State Administrative Agency (SAA)

For houses of worship inside Tennessee's FEMA-designated high-risk urban area — Nashville Area. Confirm your area with the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security.

Up to $200K per site · up to $600K per organization · Closed — next cycle expected

NSGP-UA: full details →

Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program — State

See notes

Administered by FEMA via your State Administrative Agency (SAA)

For houses of worship in Tennessee outside that urban area; the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security confirms which stream fits your address.

Up to $200K per site · up to $600K per organization · Closed — next cycle expected

NSGP-S: full details →

What the federal notice says about houses of worship

A church, synagogue, mosque or temple does not need an IRS determination letter for the federal NSGP — the current federal notice treats houses of worship as 501(c)(3) organizations without one. Other nonprofits should attach theirs.

The rest of the notice's rules for houses of worship — how to apply, what the money can buy, what each site needs — are on the national Church, Synagogue & Mosque page →

Documents for houses of worship in Tennessee

What each program asks applicants to provide. Where a program treats houses of worship differently — usually over the IRS determination letter — the cell reads “see note” and the numbered note under the table says how.

Documents each security-grant program in Tennessee asks houses of worship to provide
Document	TN Houses of Worship Security Grant	NSGP-UA	NSGP-S
501(c)(3) status from the IRSFederal tax-exempt status.	Required	Required	Required
IRS determination letter¹Your IRS 501(c)(3) confirmation letter.	Not listed	See note 1	See note 1
SAM.gov registration (with UEI)Federal entity ID.	Not listed	Required	Required
Threat, Vulnerability & Risk Assessment (TVRA)A documented assessment of your organization's specific risk profile.	Not listed	Required	Required
Investment Justification narrativeThe heart of the application — explains the threat, your mission, the proposed mitigation, and how you'll sustain it after the grant ends.	Not listed	Required	Required
Budget Detail WorksheetItemized budget mapped to allowable cost categories.	Not listed	Required	Required
Mission statementA clear statement of your organization's purpose and the community you serve.	Not listed	Required	Required
Board resolution authorizing the applicationA formal vote from your board of directors authorizing the application and committing to comply with grant terms.	Not listed	Required	Required

1.NSGP-UA and NSGP-S: A church, synagogue, mosque or temple does not need an IRS determination letter for the federal NSGP — the current federal notice treats houses of worship as 501(c)(3) organizations without one. Other nonprofits should attach theirs.

What the money can buy

Each program's own allowable-cost list, with a note on how the line tends to apply to houses of worship. Lines without a note are allowable too — they just have no audience-specific angle.

TN Houses of Worship Security Grant

Actual hours worked by contracted security personnel only: POST-certified extra-duty law-enforcement officers (T.C.A. 38-8-104/106/107) or licensed guards employed by a state-licensed contract security company (T.C.A. 62-35-101 et seq.)Off-duty or extra-duty officers and contracted guards cover services, festivals and holiday gatherings without putting congregants on the door.

The federal NSGP-UA and NSGP-S list is the same in every state — it is on the national Church, Synagogue & Mosque page, with the same notes for houses of worship →

Realistic next step in Tennessee

Ordered by what you can act on now: open windows first, then programs whose next cycle is unannounced, then closed windows to prepare for.

1. Tennessee Houses of Worship State Security Grant Program
Closed — next cycle expected
The TN Houses of Worship Security Grant window is closed. Watch its official page for the next cycle and get the documents in the table above together now, so you are ready the day it opens. Its official page is the SAA page linked below.
2. Federal NSGP (NSGP-UA / NSGP-S)
Closed — next cycle expected
The federal window is closed. Register in SAM.gov (free) and get a vulnerability assessment (TVRA) for each site now, so you are ready when the next cycle opens through the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security (linked below).
FEMA NSGP page ↗

Federal NSGP applications in Tennessee go through Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security. Confirm the current deadline and submission steps on their official page before you apply.

Tennessee SAA — official page ↗Not sure you qualify? Check free →

Church, Synagogue & Mosque FAQ for Tennessee

Does Tennessee have its own security-grant program for houses of worship?

Tennessee has one program of its own in this catalog. Tennessee Houses of Worship State Security Grant Program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security, reads “Conditions apply” for houses of worship on its card above (up to $70K per organization). The federal NSGP applies in Tennessee as well, through the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security.

Is any application window open in Tennessee right now?

TN Houses of Worship Security Grant and the federal NSGP-UA and NSGP-S are closed, with the next cycle expected. Nothing is open at the moment, so use the time on the preparation steps above; each card links to the official page that will announce the next cycle.

Which federal NSGP stream applies to houses of worship in Tennessee?

NSGP-UA is for houses of worship inside Tennessee's FEMA-designated high-risk urban area — Nashville Area — and NSGP-S for those elsewhere in Tennessee; the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security confirms which one applies to your address.

The national Church, Synagogue & Mosque page answers 6 more general questions.

Other organization types in Tennessee

Private & Religious School Community Center, JCC & Museum

Church, Synagogue & Mosque security grants in other states

California District of Columbia Florida Georgia Maine Maryland Massachusetts Ohio Pennsylvania Texas Virginia Washington

Eligibility, deadlines, and funding amounts are based on publicly available program documents and may change between funding cycles. Verify all details with the administering agency before applying. Catalog last reviewed September 2026. SecurityGrants.com is not affiliated with FEMA, DHS, or any state agency.