January 22, 2007—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released fiscal year 2007 grant guidance and application kits for five grant programs that will total roughly $1.7 billion in funding for state and local counterterrorism efforts. With the fiscal year 2007 funding, the department will have invested nearly $20 billion in local planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercises.
The five programs that comprise the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) (.pdf file) encourage a regional approach to strengthening homeland security, says DHS. Grant funding priorities include reducing risks of improvised explosive devices and radiological, chemical, and biological weapons. They emphasize interoperable communications, information sharing, and citizen preparedness.
HSGP fiscal year 2007 funding totals are:
- State Homeland Security Program (SHSP)- $509.3 million
- Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP)- $363.8 million
- Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)- $746.9 million
- Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS)- $32.0 million
- Citizen Corps Program (CCP)- $14.6 million
The department says it has refined its grants programs over the past year to increase transparency, provide a more streamlined and interactive application process, and tier certain core programs according to risk. In addition, the six highest risk UASI cities will be permitted for the first time to apply up to 25 percent of their award toward current state and local personnel dedicated exclusively to counterterrorism field operations.
