Recent Grants

The Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes Program boosts safety and security at New York's nonprofit organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. The SCAHC Program seeks applications for projects to protect against potential hate crime activity by:

• Hardening organizational facilities through physical security enhancement - Permissible costs are focused on external facility hardening activities that mitigate risks/vulnerabilities identified in the DHSES Vulnerability Assessment. Funding can be used for the acquisition and installation of security equipment on real property/existing facilities owned or leased by the non-profit organization, specifically in prevention of and/or protection against hate crimes. Allowable equipment consists of, but is not limited to:
  • Perimeter lighting;
  • Door hardening/locking;
  • Alarm systems;
  • Camera-based security systems;
  • Access control systems;
  • Perimeter fencing, barriers, bollards;
  • Blast resistant film for windows/shatter resistant glass;
  • Interior door hardening/locking mechanisms;
  • Panic Button/Lock-Down systems;
  • Public Address (PA) Systems;
  • Impact protection.
• Providing security training that will advance the knowledge of security personnel and staff - Permissible costs train security personnel and other appropriate staff to prevent and protect against acts of hate crimes. Allowable training topics are limited to the protection of physical security and training that will advance the knowledge of security personnel and/or staff about hate crime activity, suspicious behavior; emergency evacuation procedures and similar topics that will secure the organization. Allowable training costs include but may not be limited to the following:
  • Attendance/registration fees for training;
  • Costs for materials and supplies at training;
  • Travel related costs to attend training.
• Cybersecurity Project Costs - Organizations can apply for equipment or services to improve the organization's cybersecurity. Eligible costs include but are not limited to the following:
  • Planning: Costs associated with the development of cybersecurity plans, including the hiring of consultants to identify potential vulnerabilities and develop risk mitigation plans.
  • Equipment:
    • Software packages including firewalls, anti-virus applications, and malware protection
    • Network equipment including servers
    • Encryption software
    • Intrusion detection systems, and
    • Hardware components that provide protection against cyber threats
  • Training: Costs associated with the development and delivery of cyber awareness training to staff at the user level.
  • Exercises: Costs associated with the design, development, execution, and evaluation of exercises to determine the viability of new or pre-existing cybersecurity capabilities.  

Proposals must be for new projects only. Grant funds cannot be used to support projects that have been completed prior to award or outside the period of performance of the grant.