Tennessee · Private & Religious School

Security grants for private, parochial & religious schools in Tennessee

Tennessee lists one security-grant program of its own in this catalog, Tennessee Houses of Worship State Security Grant Program, and private and religious schools are outside its stated audience. That makes the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program the route in Tennessee, 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.

Check if you qualify (free, 2 min) →Browse all grants

What each program says about private, parochial & religious schools

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 private and religious schools; 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

Not eligible

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

Private and religious schools are outside this program's stated audience; in Tennessee, schools rely on the federal NSGP through the state's Office of Homeland Security.
The state's own instructions say only 'eligible 501(c)(3) organizations'. If your school is run by or is part of a congregation, the congregation itself may be the applicant — ask ohs.grants@tn.gov before assuming neither of you can apply.

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 private and religious schools where.

Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program — Urban Area

See notes

Administered by FEMA via your State Administrative Agency (SAA)

For private and religious schools 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 private and religious schools 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 private and religious schools

A private or religious school applies as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and should attach its IRS determination letter — the federal notice's no-letter exemption is written for houses of worship, and other nonprofits are told to attach theirs.

The rest of the notice's rules for private and religious schools — how to apply, what the money can buy, what each site needs — are on the national Private & Religious School page →

Documents for private and religious schools in Tennessee

What each program asks applicants to provide. Where a program treats private and religious schools differently — usually over the IRS determination letter — the cell reads “see note” and the numbered note under the table says how. Tennessee Houses of Worship State Security Grant Program is not listed here — its card above explains why private and religious schools are outside its stated audience.

Documents each security-grant program in Tennessee asks private and religious schools to provide
Document	NSGP-UA	NSGP-S
501(c)(3) status from the IRSFederal tax-exempt status.	Required	Required
IRS determination letter¹Your IRS 501(c)(3) confirmation letter.	See note 1	See note 1
SAM.gov registration (with UEI)Federal entity ID.	Required	Required
Threat, Vulnerability & Risk Assessment (TVRA)A documented assessment of your organization's specific risk profile.	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.	Required	Required
Budget Detail WorksheetItemized budget mapped to allowable cost categories.	Required	Required
Mission statementA clear statement of your organization's purpose and the community you serve.	Required	Required
Board resolution authorizing the applicationA formal vote from your board of directors authorizing the application and committing to comply with grant terms.	Required	Required

1.NSGP-UA and NSGP-S: A private or religious school applies as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and should attach its IRS determination letter — the federal notice's no-letter exemption is written for houses of worship, and other nonprofits are told to 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 private and religious schools. Lines without a note are allowable too — they just have no audience-specific angle.

Federal NSGP-UA and NSGP-S

Target hardening (cameras, doors, fences, alarms, lighting)Controlled entry, cameras and reinforced doors are the classic school project: one monitored entrance while classes are in session.
Contracted security personnel (can be up to 100% of the award, but grant funds can't buy their equipment)Paid security staffing can cover arrival and dismissal, the busiest and most exposed times of a school day.
Security planningA written security plan and a vulnerability assessment give a campus a documented starting point for every later request.
Training (attendance fees only)Staff training and drills prepare teachers and front-office staff, who are the first to respond in a school.
Exercises
Cybersecurity measuresCybersecurity matters for a school that keeps student records and runs its own network.
Construction and renovationConstruction or renovation can pay for a secure vestibule when the current layout lets visitors walk straight into the hallways.
Management & administration (up to 5% of the award)

Realistic next step in Tennessee

1. 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 →

Private & Religious School FAQ for Tennessee

Does Tennessee have its own security-grant program for private and religious schools?

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 “Not eligible” for private and religious schools on its card above (up to $70K per organization). That leaves the federal NSGP, applied for through the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security — Office of Homeland Security, as the route in Tennessee.

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 private and religious schools in Tennessee?

NSGP-UA is for private and religious schools 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 Private & Religious School page answers 6 more general questions.

Other organization types in Tennessee

Church, Synagogue & Mosque Community Center, JCC & Museum

Private & Religious School security grants in other states

Florida Georgia Ohio Pennsylvania

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.