Chairman Carper Encourages States to Prepare Applications for Preparedness Grants

WASHINGTON- Today, Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, highlighted the beginning of the application period for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Preparedness Grants program.  Applicants must submit their applications to FEMA no later than May 23, 2014 and final allocations will be determined by July 25, 2014. This year, the State of Delaware is eligible for $3.7 million through the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), a 7.9 percent increase from last year.

“FEMA’s Preparedness Grants are an important way that states and localities can build their homeland security capabilities,” said Chairman Carper. “As last year’s attack at the Boston Marathon and recent extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy have shown us, you can never be too prepared. I encourage each applicant to review their needs, put together a plan, and apply for these lifesaving grants.”

FEMA’s Preparedness Grants program is a series of grants that provide recipients with the funding to build and sustain homeland security capabilities through planning, organizational resources, equipment, training, and exercises. The SHSP grant provides states with funding for these purposes. In addition to the SHSP grant, FEMA offers a variety of other grants to state, local, tribal governments, and nonprofits:

• Homeland Security Grant Program
  • State Homeland Security Program
  • Urban Areas Security Initiative
  • Operation Stonegarden
  • Urban Area Security Initiative Nonprofit Security Grant Program
  • Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program
  • Intercity Passenger Rail (Amtrak) Program
  • Port Security Grant Program
  • Transit Security Grant Program

For more information on each grant and guidance for how to apply, visit: www.grants.gov or www.fema.gov/grants.