FEMA_FY2021_NSGP-NOFO_02_19_2021.pdf

FY 2021 NSGP NOFO Back to the Top

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year 2021 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained an

Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), or your SAM registration is not active, please take immediate action to obtain an EIN and

DUNS Number, if applicable, and then register immediately in SAM or, if applicable, renew your SAM registration. It may take four weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM then an additional 24 hours for

Grants.gov to recognize your information. Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available from Grants.gov at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding DUNS, EIN, and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO under the subsection titled “How to

Register to Apply.” Detailed information regarding the time required for each registration is also provided in Section D of this NOFO under the subsection titled “Other Key Dates.”

Table of Contents A. Program Description

1. Issued By

2. Assistance Listings Number

3. Assistance Listings Title

4. Funding Opportunity Title

5. Funding Opportunity Number

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

8. Announcement Type

9. Program Category

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

11. Performance Metrics

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO

2. Projected Number of Awards

3. Maximum Award Amount

4. Period of Performance

5. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s)

6. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s)

7. Funding Instrument Type

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

3. Cost Share or Match

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

3. Address to Request Application Package

4. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award

Management (SAM), and Submit an Application

5. Electronic Delivery

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

7. How to Submit an Initial Application to FEMA via Grants.gov

8. Submitting the Final Application in ND Grants

9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

11. Intergovernmental Review

12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

E. Application Review Information

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Notice of Award

2. Pass-Through Requirements

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

4. Reporting

5. Monitoring and Oversight G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

1. Contact and Resource Information

2. Systems Information

H. Additional Information

1. Termination Provisions

2. Period of Performance Extensions

3. Additional Program-Specific Information

A. Program Description

1. Issued By

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)/Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)

2. Assistance Listings Number

97.008

3. Assistance Listings Title

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)]

4. Funding Opportunity Title

Fiscal Year 2021 Nonprofit Security Grant Program

5. Funding Opportunity Number

DHS-21-[GPD-[008]-[00]-[01]

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. No. 116-260); Sections

2003 and 2004 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. No. 107-296, as amended) (6

U.S.C. §§ 604 and 605)

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. No. 116-260)

8. Announcement Type

Initial

9. Program Category

Preparedness: Community Security

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is one of three grant programs that constitute DHS/FEMA’s focus on enhancing the ability of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nonprofits, to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks. These grant programs are part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by DHS to help strengthen the nation’s communities against potential terrorist attacks. Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Strategic Plan, NSGP supports the goal to Strengthen National

Preparedness and Resilience.

The 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan creates a shared vision for reducing the risks posed by terrorism and sets an ambitious, yet achievable, path forward to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country. The NSGP supports the goals of

Building a Culture of Preparedness and Readying the Nation for Catastrophic Disasters. We invite our stakeholders and partners to also adopt these priorities and join us in building a more prepared and resilient nation.

In FY 2021, there are two funding sources appropriated for nonprofit organizations:

1) NSGP - Urban Area (NSGP-UA): NSGP-UA funds nonprofit organizations located within FY 2021 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI)-designated urban areas; and

2) NSGP - State (NSGP-S): Under NSGP-S, each state will receive a target allocation for nonprofit organizations located outside of FY 2021 UASI-designated urban areas.

Finally, for FY 2021, DHS is focused on the criticality of information sharing and collaboration to building a national culture of preparedness and protecting against terrorism and other emerging threats to our national security. DHS and its homeland security mission were born from the “failures among federal agencies and between the federal agencies and state and local authorities to share critical information related to the threat of terrorism” prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks.1 The threat profile has changed in the last two decades – we now face continuous cyber threats by sophisticated actors, threats to soft targets and crowded places, threats to our democratic election process and threats from new and emerging technologies. But information sharing and cooperation among state, local, territorial, and tribal authorities and federal agencies, including all DHS officials, is just as vital, and perhaps even more vital, today. Therefore, for FY 2021, we have identified one priority area, tied to some of the most serious threats that recipients should address with their

NSGP funds. Perhaps most importantly, DHS will be focused on forging partnerships to strengthen information sharing and collaboration and looking for recipients to remove barriers to communication and cooperation with DHS and other federal agencies.

b. Objectives

The objective of the FY 2021 NSGP is to provide funding for physical security enhancements and other security-related activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack. The NSGP also seeks to integrate the preparedness activities of nonprofit organizations with broader state and local preparedness efforts.

c. Priorities

Given the evolving threat landscape, it is incumbent upon DHS/FEMA to continuously evaluate the national risk profile and set priorities that help ensure appropriate allocation of scarce security dollars. In assessing the national risk profile for FY 2021, one area attracts the most concern:

1) Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places.

1 Homeland Security Act of 2002: Report Together with Minority and Dissenting Views 222, Select Committee on

Homeland Security: 107th Congress, U.S. House of Representatives (2002) (H. Rpt. 107-609).

Likewise, there are several enduring security needs that crosscut the homeland security enterprise. The following are second-tier priorities that help recipients implement a comprehensive approach to securing communities:

1) Effective planning;

2) Training and awareness campaigns; and

3) Exercises.

The table below provides a breakdown of these priority areas for the FY 2021 NSGP, showing both the core capabilities enhanced and lifelines supported, as well as examples of eligible project types for each area. A detailed description of allowable investments for each project type is included in the Preparedness Grants Manual.

FY 2021 NSGP Funding Priorities

Priority Areas Core Capabilities Enhanced Lifelines Example Project Types

National Priorities

Enhancing the

Protection of Soft

Targets/Crowded

Places

• Operational coordination

• Public information and warning

• Intelligence and Information

Sharing

• Interdiction and disruption

• Screening, search, and detection

• Access control and identity verification

• Physical protective Measures

• Risk management for protection programs and activities

• Safety &

Security

• Private contracted security guards

• Physical security enhancements o Closed circuit television

(CCTV) security cameras o Security screening equipment for people and baggage o Access controls

▪ Fencing, gates, barriers, etc.

Enduring Needs

Planning • Planning

• Risk management for protection programs & activities

• Risk & disaster resilience assessment

• Threats and hazards identification

• Operational coordination

• Safety &

Security

• Conduct or enhancement of security risk assessments

• Development of:

o Security plans and protocols o Emergency contingency plans o Evacuation/shelter in place plans

Training &

Awareness

• Long-term vulnerability reduction

• Public information & warning

• Safety &

Security

• Active shooter training

• Security training for employees

• Public awareness/preparedness campaigns

Exercises • Long-term vulnerability reduction • Safety &

Security

• Response exercises

11. Performance Metrics

Performance metrics for this program are as follows:

• Percentage of funding spent on contract security;

• Percentage of funding spent on target hardening; and

• Percentage of funding spent on training and awareness campaigns.

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/178291

B. Federal Award Information

1. Available Funding for the NOFO: $180 million

Subtotal for NSGP-UA: $90 million

Subtotal for NSGP-S: $90 million

2. Projected Number of Awards: 56

3. Maximum Award Amount

NSGP-UA Maximum Award

Nonprofit organizations must apply through their respective State Administrative Agency

(SAA). Sub-applicants with one site may apply for up to $150,000 for that site. Sub-applicants with multiple sites may apply for up to $150,000 per site, for up to three sites, for a maximum of $450,000 per sub-applicant. If a sub-applicant applies for projects at multiple sites, regardless of whether the projects are similar in nature, it must include an assessment of the vulnerability and risk unique to each site. Failure to do so may be cause for rejection of the application.

NSGP-S Maximum Award

Nonprofit organizations must apply through their respective SAA. The SAA may determine an award cap for individual subawards. However, the cap may not exceed $450,000 per sub-applicant, as follows: 1) sub-applicants with one site may apply for up to $150,000 for that site; 2) sub-applicants with multiple sites may apply for up to $150,000 per site, for up to three sites, for a maximum of $450,000 per sub-applicant. If a sub-applicant applies for projects at multiple sites, regardless of whether the projects are similar in nature, it must include an assessment of the vulnerability and risk unique to each site. Failure to do so may be cause for rejection of the application.

4. Period of Performance: 36 months

Extensions to the period of performance are allowed. For additional information on period of performance extensions, please refer to Section H of this NOFO or the Preparedness Grants

Manual.

FEMA awards under this program only include one budget period, so it will be same as the period of performance. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 for definitions of “budget period” and “period of performance.”

5. Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): October 1, 2021

6. Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): September 30, 2024

7. Funding Instrument Type: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/manual

State governments. Nonprofit organizations must apply for FY 2021 NSGP through their

SAA. A list of SAA points of contact is available at:

https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/state-administrative-agency-contacts. Nonprofit organizations may not apply directly to DHS/FEMA for FY 2021 NSGP funds. SAAs, in coordination with the Urban Area Working Groups (UAWG) or other relevant state partners, are encouraged to notify and actively inform eligible nonprofit organizations of the availability of FY 2021 NSGP funding.

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

Eligible nonprofit organizations are those organizations that are:

1. Described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC) and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such code.

Note: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not require certain organizations such as churches, mosques, and synagogues to apply for and receive a recognition of exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the IRC. Such organizations are automatically exempt if they meet the requirements of section 501(c)(3). These organizations are not required to provide recognition of exemption. For organizations that the IRS requires to apply for and receive a recognition of exemption under section 501(c)(3), the state may or may not require recognition of exemption, as long as the method chosen is applied consistently.

Refer to links below for additional information:

• https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations

• https://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/ch03.html

• https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits

2. Able to demonstrate, through the application, that the organization is at high risk of a terrorist attack; and

3. For NSGP-UA, located within an FY 2021 UASI-designated urban area; or for NSGP-S, located outside of an FY 2021 UASI-designated urban area.

Eligible nonprofits located within FY 2021 UASI-designated urban areas may apply to the

SAA to receive funding only under NSGP-UA. Eligible nonprofit organizations located outside of FY 2021 UASI-designated urban areas may apply to the SAA to receive funding only under NSGP-S. DHS/FEMA will verify that nonprofits have applied to the correct program and may disqualify the applications of nonprofits that apply to the wrong program.

An application submitted by an otherwise eligible non-federal entity (i.e., the applicant) may be deemed ineligible when the person that submitted the application is not: 1) a current employee, personnel, official, staff or leadership of the non-federal entity; and 2) duly authorized to apply for an award on behalf of the non-federal entity at the time of application. Further, the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must be a duly https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/state-administrative-agency-contacts https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-501c3-organizations https://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/ch03.html https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits authorized current employee, personnel, official, staff or leadership of the recipient and provide an email address unique to the recipient at the time of application and upon any change in assignment during the period of performance. Consultants or contractors of the recipient are not permitted to be the AOR of the recipient.

FY 2021 NSGP Eligible Urban Areas

State/Territory Urban Area

Arizona Phoenix Area

California Anaheim/Santa Ana Area

California Bay Area

California Los Angeles/Long Beach Area

California Riverside Area

California Sacramento Area

California San Diego Area

Colorado Denver Area

District of Columbia National Capital Region

Florida Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

Florida Orlando Area

Florida Tampa Area

Georgia Atlanta Area

Hawaii Honolulu Area

Illinois Chicago Area

Massachusetts Boston Area

Michigan Detroit Area

Minnesota Twin Cities Area

Missouri St. Louis Area

Nevada Las Vegas Area

New Jersey Jersey City/Newark Area

New York New York City Area

Oregon Portland Area

Pennsylvania Philadelphia Area

Maryland Baltimore Area

North Carolina Charlotte

Texas Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington Area

Texas Houston Area

Texas San Antonio Area

Virginia Hampton Roads Area

NSGP-S Target Allocations

State/Territory FY 2021 Target

Allocation State/Territory

FY 2021 Target

Allocation

Alabama $1,950,000 Montana $1,200,000

Alaska $1,200,000 Nebraska $1,350,000

American Samoa $1,050,000 Nevada $1,200,000

Arizona $1,500,000 New Hampshire $1,200,000

Arkansas $1,500,000 New Jersey $1,500,000

California $2,850,000 New Mexico $1,350,000

Colorado $1,500,000 New York $2,400,000

Connecticut $1,650,000 North Carolina $2,550,000

Delaware $1,200,000 North Dakota $1,200,000

District of Columbia - Northern Mariana Islands $1,050,000

Florida $2,550,000 Ohio $2,400,000

Georgia $2,250,000 Oklahoma $1,800,000

Guam $1,050,000 Oregon $1,500,000

Hawaii $1,050,000 Pennsylvania $2,100,000

Idaho $1,350,000 Puerto Rico $1,650,000

Illinois $2,250,000 Rhode Island $1,200,000

Indiana $1,950,000 South Carolina $1,950,000

Iowa $1,650,000 South Dakota $1,200,000

Kansas $1,350,000 Tennessee $2,250,000

Kentucky $1,800,000 Texas $3,300,000

Louisiana $1,650,000 U.S. Virgin Islands $1,050,000

Maine $1,200,000 Utah $1,350,000

Maryland $1,200,000 Vermont $1,050,000

Massachusetts $2,100,000 Virginia $1,800,000

Michigan $1,950,000 Washington $1,650,000

Minnesota $1,500,000 West Virginia $1,350,000

Mississippi $1,500,000 Wisconsin $2,100,000

Missouri $1,500,000 Wyoming $1,050,000

3. Cost Share or Match

There is no cost share requirement for the FY 2021 NSGP.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Key Dates and Times

a. Application Start Date: February 25, 2021

b. Application Submission Deadline: May 14, 2021 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time

All applications must be received by the established deadline.

Nonprofit organizations must contact the SAA for the state/territory deadline. Nonprofit applications are due to the SAA before the application submission deadline for the SAA.

SAAs establish all requirements and deadlines to manage their nonprofit sub-application process in support of their submissions to DHS/FEMA. Deadlines and SAA requirements may vary from state/territory to state/territory. The SAA application deadline to apply to

FEMA is May 14, 2021 at 5 p.m. ET.

The Non-Disaster (ND) Grants System has a date stamp that indicates when an application is submitted. Applicants will receive an electronic message confirming receipt of their submission. For additional information on how an applicant will be notified of application receipt, see the subsection titled “Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely

Submission” in Section D of this NOFO.

FEMA will not review applications that are received after the deadline or consider these late applications for funding. FEMA may, however, extend the application deadline on request for any applicant who can demonstrate that good cause exists to justify extending the deadline. Good cause for an extension may include technical problems outside of the applicant’s control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline, other exigent or emergency circumstances, or statutory requirements for FEMA to make an award.

Applicants experiencing technical problems outside of their control must notify FEMA as soon as possible and before the application deadline. Failure to timely notify FEMA of the issue that prevented the timely filing of the application may preclude consideration of the award. “Timely notification” of FEMA means: prior to the application deadline and within

48 hours after the applicant became aware of the issue.

A list of FEMA contacts can be found in Section G of this NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency

Contact Information.” For additional assistance using the ND Grants System, please contact the ND Grants Service Desk at (800) 865-4076 or NDGrants@fema.dhs.gov. The ND Grants

Service Desk is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET. For programmatic or grants management questions, please contact your Preparedness Officer or Grants Specialist.

If applicants do not know who to contact or if there are programmatic questions or concerns, please contact the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) by phone at (800)

368-6498 or by e-mail at askcsid@fema.dhs.gov, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

ET.

c. Anticipated Funding Selection Date : No later than July 16, 2021

d. Anticipated Award Date: No later than September 30, 2021 mailto:NDGrants@fema.dhs.gov mailto:askcsid@fema.dhs.gov

e. Other Key Dates

2. Agreeing to Terms and Conditions of the Award

By submitting an application, applicants agree to comply with the requirements of this

NOFO and the terms and conditions of the award, should they receive an award.

3. Address to Request Application Package

See the Preparedness Grants Manual for information on requesting and submitting an application.

Initial applications are processed through the Grants.gov portal. Final applications are completed and submitted through FEMA’s ND Grants System. Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov.

4. Steps Required to Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier, Register in the System for Award

Management (SAM), and Submit an Application

Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Applicants are encouraged to register early as the registration process can take four weeks or more to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines.

Please review the table above for estimated deadlines to complete each of the steps listed.

Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting an application may disqualify that application from funding.

To apply for an award under this program, all applicants must:

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet and Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal

Revenue Service;

b. In the application, provide a valid DUNS number, which is currently the unique entity identifier;

c. Have an account with login.gov;

Event Suggested Deadline for Completion

Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Creating an account with login.gov Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Registering in SAM or Updating

SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Registering in Grants.gov Four weeks before actual submission deadline

Starting application in Grants.gov One week before actual submission deadline

Submitting the final application in

ND Grants By the submission deadline https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/178291 https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.login.gov/

d. Register for, update, or verify their SAM account and ensure the account is active before submitting the application;

e. Create a Grants.gov account;

f. Add a profile to a Grants.gov account;

g. Establish an AOR in Grants.gov;

h. Register in ND Grants;

i. Submit an initial application in Grants.gov;

j. Submit the final application in ND Grants, including electronically signing applicable forms; and

k. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. As part of this, applicants must also provide information on an applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner and subsidiaries, as well as on all predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the past three years, if applicable.

Specific instructions on how to apply for, update, or verify a DUNS number or SAM registration or establish an AOR are included below in the steps for applying through

Grants.gov.

Applicants are advised that FEMA may not make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. Therefore, an applicant’s SAM registration must be active not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period and when FEMA is ready to make a federal award. Further, as noted above, an applicant’s or recipient’s SAM registration must remain active for the duration of an active federal award. If an applicant’s SAM registration is expired at the time of application, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, FEMA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(c)(2)(ii), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from receiving a DUNS number and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible by contacting askcsid@fema.dhs.gov and providing the details of the circumstances that prevent completion of these requirements. If FEMA determines that there are exigent circumstances and FEMA has decided to make an award, the applicant will be required to obtain a DUNS number and complete SAM registration within 30 days of the federal award date.

5. Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages or requires applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov, depending on the funding opportunity.

For this funding opportunity, FEMA requires applicants to submit initial applications through Grants.gov and a final application through ND Grants.

6. How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

For information on how to register to apply through Grants.gov, please see the Preparedness

Grants Manual.

7. How to Submit an Initial Application to FEMA via Grants.gov

Standard Form 424 (SF-424) is the initial application for this NOFO.

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using a workspace. A workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each Notice of Funding Opportunity, you can create individual instances of a workspace. Applicants are encouraged to submit their initial applications in Grants.gov at least seven days before the application deadline.

In Grants.gov, applicants need to submit the following forms:

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

For further information on how to submit an initial application via Grants.gov, please see the

Preparedness Grants Manual.

8. Submitting the Final Application in ND Grants

After submitting the initial application in Grants.gov, eligible applicants will be notified by

FEMA and asked to proceed with submitting their complete application package in ND

Grants. Applicants can register early with ND Grants and are encouraged to begin their ND

Grants registration at the time of this announcement or, at the latest, seven days before the application deadline. Early registration will allow applicants to have adequate time to start and complete their applications.

Applicants needing assistance registering for the ND Grants system should contact ndgrants@fema.dhs.gov or (800) 865-4076. For step-by-step directions on using the ND

Grants system and other guides, please see https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/non-disaster-grants-management-system.

In ND Grants, applicants will be prompted to submit the standard application information and any program-specific information required as described in Section D.10 of this NOFO, “Content and Form of Application Submission.”. The Standard Forms (SF) are auto generated in ND Grants, but applicants may access these forms in advance through the Forms tab under the SF-424 family on Grants.gov. Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required.

For additional application submission requirements, including program-specific requirements, please refer to the subsection titled “Content and Form of Application

Submission” under Section D of this NOFO.

https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/178291 mailto:ndgrants@fema.dhs.gov https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/non-disaster-grants-management-system https://www.fema.gov/grants/guidance-tools/non-disaster-grants-management-system https://www.grants.gov/forms/sf-424-family.html

9. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

As application submission is a two-step process, the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application in Grants.gov will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of its initial application. This notification does not serve as proof of timely submission, as the application is not complete until it is submitted in ND Grants. Applicants can also view the ND Grants Agency Tracking Number by accessing the Details tab in the submitted workspace section in Grants.gov, under the Agency Tracking Number column. Should the

Agency Tracking Number not appear, the application has not yet migrated from Grants.gov into the ND Grants System. Please allow 24 hours for your ND Grants application tracking number to migrate.

All applications must be received in ND Grants by 5 p.m. ET on the application deadline.

Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by ND Grants. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by ND

Grants. Additionally, the applicant(s) listed as contacts on the application will receive a system-generated email to confirm receipt.

10. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Standard Required Application Forms and Information

The following forms or information are required to be submitted in either Grants.gov or ND

Grants. The Standard Forms (SF) are submitted either through Grants.gov, through forms generated in ND Grants, or as an attachment in ND Grants. Applicants may also access the

SFs at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html.

I. GRANTS.GOV

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, initial application submitted through

Grants.gov

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying, submitted through

Grants.gov

II. ND GRANTS

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants o For construction under an award, submit SF-424C, Budget Information

(Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants, in addition to or instead of SF-424A

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants o For construction under an award, submit SF-424D, Standard Assurances

(Construction), submitted via the forms generated by ND Grants, in addition to or instead of SF-424B

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, submitted via the forms generated by ND

Grants

• Indirect Cost Agreement or Proposal, submitted as an attachment in ND Grants if the budget includes indirect costs and the applicant is required to have an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal. If the applicant does not have or is not required to have an https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html indirect cost rate agreement or proposal, please see Section D.13 of this NOFO, “Funding

Restrictions and Allowable Costs,” for further information regarding allowability of indirect costs and whether alternatives to an indirect cost rate agreement or proposal might be available, or contact the relevant FEMA staff identified in Section G of this

NOFO, “DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information” for further instructions.

Generally, applicants have to submit either the non-construction forms (i.e., SF-424A and

SF-424B) or construction forms (i.e., SF-424C and SF-424D), meaning that applicants that only have construction work and do not have any non-construction work need only submit the construction forms (i.e., SF-424C and SF-424D) and not the non-construction forms (i.e., SF-424A and SF-424B), and vice versa. However, applicants who have both construction and non-construction work under this program need to submit both the construction and non-construction forms.

b. Program-Specific Required Forms and Information

I. SAA SPECIFIC APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in ND

Grants:

• Investment Justifications (IJ) only from eligible nonprofits that meet the following criteria:

o Are recommended for funding by the SAA;

o Are for no more than $150,000 per site, for no more than three sites, for a maximum of $450,000 per eligible nonprofit;

o Include one IJ per site, and only one site per IJ2;

o Have a physical address (not a PO Box Number); and o Are for location(s) that the nonprofit occupies at the time of application.

• SAA Prioritization of IJs in DHS/FEMA-provided template (OMB Control Number:

1660-0110/FEMA Form 089-24) located in the Related Documents tab of the

Grants.gov posting:

o SAAs must submit a Prioritization of IJs for NSGP-UA and a separate

Prioritization of IJs for NSGP-S;

o SAAs must include nonprofit organization application details for each nonprofit organization that applied to the SAA for funding on the State

Prioritization of IJs even if not being recommended by the SAA for funding.

IJs for applications not being recommended for funding should not be submitted to FEMA;

o Each nonprofit organization being recommended for funding must be scored and must have a unique rank (#1 [one] being the highest ranked through the total number of applications the SAA scored); and

2 A nonprofit may procure resources covering similar purposes across multiple sites, but the quantities and costs must be broken down by site in each IJ.

o States with multiple FY 2021 UASI-designated urban areas must ensure that nonprofits are ranked by urban area; for example, if a state has three urban areas, there should be three groups of rankings.

II. NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SPECIFIC APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

As part of the FY 2021 NSGP application, each eligible nonprofit sub-applicant must submit the following three documents to the SAA:

1. NSGP IJ

Sub-applicants with one site may apply for up to $150,000 for that site. Sub-applicants with multiple sites may apply for up to $150,000 per site, for up to three sites, for a maximum of $450,000 per sub-applicant (or for NSGP-S, the SAA capped maximum award). If a sub-applicant applies for multiple sites, it must submit one complete IJ for each site.

A fillable IJ form (DHS/FEMA Form 089-24 (OMB Control Number: 1660-0110) is available in the Related Documents tab of the Grants.gov NSGP posting. The IJ must describe each investment proposed for funding. The investments or projects described in the IJ must:

• Be for the location(s) that the nonprofit occupies at the time of application;

• Address an identified risk, including threat and vulnerability, and build or sustain a core capability identified in the National Preparedness Goal for that site, regardless of whether it is submitting for similar projects at multiple sites;

• Demonstrate the ability to provide enhancements consistent with the purpose of the program and guidance provided by DHS/FEMA;

• Be both feasible and effective at reducing the risks for which the project was designed;

• Be able to be fully completed within the three-year period of performance; and

• Be consistent with all applicable requirements outlined in the NOFO and the

Preparedness Grants Manual.

Sub-applicants are required to self-identify with one of the following four categories in the IJ as part of the application process:

1) Ideology-based/Spiritual/Religious 3) Medical

2) Educational 4) Other

2. Vulnerability/Risk Assessment

Each sub-applicant must include a vulnerability/risk assessment unique to the site the IJ is being submitted for.

https://www.grants.gov/

3. Mission Statement

Each sub-applicant must include its Mission Statement and any mission implementation policies or practices that may elevate the organization’s risk. SAAs will use the Mission

Statement along with the sub-applicant’s self-identification in the IJ, to validate that the organization is one of the following types: 1) Ideology-based/Spiritual/Religious; 2)

Educational; 3) Medical; or 4) Other. The organization type is a factor when calculating the final score of the application; see Section E Application Review Information, subsection Final Score.

The Vulnerability/Risk Assessment and the Mission Statement are not to be submitted in ND Grants but should be maintained by the SAA and must be made available to DHS/FEMA upon request.

11. Intergovernmental Review

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their state’s Single

Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372

(See https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html;

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/spoc_1_16_2020.pdf).

12. Funding Restrictions and Allowable Costs

All costs charged to awards covered by this NOFO must comply with the Uniform

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, unless otherwise indicated in the NOFO, the terms and conditions of the award, or the

Preparedness Grants Manual. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered, within the period of performance of the award. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h) (referring to budget periods, which for FEMA awards under this program is the same as the period of performance).

Federal funds made available through this award may be used for the purpose set forth in this

NOFO, the Preparedness Grants Manual, and the terms and conditions of the award and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Award funds may not be used for matching funds for any other federal awards, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal

Government or any other government entity. See the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on funding restrictions and allowable costs.

a. Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for Covered Telecommunications

Equipment or Services

Recipients and subrecipients of FEMA federal financial assistance are subject to the prohibitions described in section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization

Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 2019 NDAA), Pub. L. No. 115-232 (2018) and 2 C.F.R. §§

200.216, 200.326, 200.471, and Appendix II to 2 C.F.R. Part 200. Beginning August 13, 2020, the statute – as it applies to FEMA recipients, subrecipients, and their contractors and subcontractors – prohibits obligating or expending federal award funds on certain https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/spoc_1_16_2020.pdf https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/178291 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/178291 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text?format=txt https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text?format=txt telecommunications and video surveillance products and contracting with certain entities for national security reasons.

For additional guidance, please refer to Prohibitions on Expending FEMA Award Funds for

Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services (Interim).

Effective August 13, 2020, FEMA recipients and subrecipients may not use any FEMA funds under open or new awards to:

(1) Procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system;

(2) Enter into, extend, or renew a contract to procure or obtain any equipment, system, or service that uses covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology of any system; or

(3) Enter into, extend, or renew contracts with entities that use covered telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system.

I. REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

FEMA grant funding may be permitted to procure replacement equipment and services impacted by this prohibition, provided the costs are otherwise consistent with the requirements of the NOFO and the Preparedness Grants Manual.

II. DEFINITIONS

Per section 889(f)(2)-(3) of the FY 2019 NDAA and 2 C.F.R. § 200.216, covered telecommunications equipment or services means:

i. Telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or

ZTE Corporation, (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);

ii. For the purpose of public safety, security of Government facilities, physical security surveillance of critical infrastructure, and other national security purposes, video surveillance and telecommunications equipment produced by

Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology

Company, or Dahua Technology Company (or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities);

iii. Telecommunications or video surveillance services provided by such entities or using such equipment; or

iv. Telecommunications or video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the

Director of National Intelligence or the Director of the Federal Bureau of

Investigation, reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the People’s Republic of China.

https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_prohibitions-expending-fema-award-funds-covered-telecommunications-equipment-services.pdf https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_prohibitions-expending-fema-award-funds-covered-telecommunications-equipment-services.pdf

Examples of the types of products covered by this prohibition include phones, internet, video surveillance, and cloud servers when produced, provided, or used by the entities listed in the definition of “covered telecommunications equipment or services.” See 2 C.F.R. § 200.471.

b. Pre-Award Costs

Pre-award costs are generally not allowable for this program. However, certain pre-award costs can be allowable only with the prior written approval of DHS/FEMA and only if the costs are included in the award agreement. To request pre-award costs, a written request must be included with the application and signed by the AOR. The request letter must outline what the pre-award costs are for, including a detailed budget breakout of pre-award costs from the post-award costs, and a justification for approval. Please note that pre-award security expenses are not allowable.

c. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

M&A costs are for activities directly related to the management and administration of the award. M&A activities are those defined as directly relating to the management and administration of NSGP funds, such as financial management and monitoring.

M&A expenses must be based on actual expenses or known contractual costs.

Requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement.

M&A costs are not operational costs, they are the necessary costs incurred in direct support of the grant or as a consequence of the grant and should be allocated across the entire lifecycle of the grant. Examples include preparing and submitting required programmatic and financial reports, establishing and/or maintaining equipment inventory, documenting operational and equipment expenditures for financial accounting purposes, and responding to official informational requests from state and federal oversight authorities.

M&A costs are allowed under this program as described below:

Note: States must be able to separately account for M&A costs associated with the

NSGP-UA award from those associated with the NSGP-S award.

I. SAA (RECIPIENT) FOR NSGP-UA M&A:

The NSGP-UA is a sub-component of the UASI program, and states must ensure that

100 percent of each individual NSGP-UA award is passed through to the nonprofit organizations awarded funding by DHS/FEMA.

The state may use its UASI funding for M&A purposes associated with administering the NSGP-UA award. However, the state’s overall M&A withholding for the NSGP-

UA and UASI programs may not exceed 5 percent of the total of the state’s combined

UASI and NSGP-UA awards. Additionally, since all costs must be allocable to the applicable grant program, the state must be able to trace the level of expenditures for its UASI M&A costs separately from its NSGP-UA M&A costs, with each set of M&A costs limited to 5 percent of the applicable awards.

II. SAA (RECIPIENT) FOR NSGP-S M&A:

The NSGP-S is a sub-component of the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), and states must ensure that 100 percent of each individual NSGP-S award is passed through to the nonprofit organizations awarded funding by DHS/FEMA.

The state may use its SHSP funding for M&A purposes associated with administering the NSGP-S award. However, the state’s overall M&A withholding for the NSGP-S and SHSP programs may not exceed 5 percent of the total of the state’s combined

SHSP and NSGP-S awards. Additionally, since all costs must be allocable to the applicable grant program, the state must be able to trace the level of expenditures for its SHSP M&A costs separately from its NSGP-S M&A costs, with each set of M&A costs limited to 5 percent of the applicable awards.

III. NONPROFIT (SUBRECIPIENT) FOR NSGP-UA AND NSGP-S M&A:

Nonprofit organizations that receive a subaward under this program may use and expend up to 5 percent of their FY 2021 NSGP funds for M&A purposes associated with the subaward.

d. Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs

Indirect costs are allowable under this program as described in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, including 2

C.F.R. § 200.414. Applicants with a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that desire to charge indirect costs to an award must provide a copy of their negotiated indirect cost rate agreement at the time of application. Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. Applicants that are not required by 2 C.F.R.

Part 200 to have a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement but are required by 2 C.F.R. Part

200 to develop an indirect cost rate proposal must provide a copy of their proposal at the time of application. Applicants who do not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement

(including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to the

FEMA Grant Management Specialist for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an indirect cost rate must also reach out to the FEMA Grant

Management Specialist for further instructions. Post-award requests to charge indirect costs will be considered on a case-by-case basis and based upon the submission of an agreement or proposal as discussed above or based upon on the de minimis rate or cost allocation plan, as applicable.

e. Other Direct Costs

I. PLANNING

Planning costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO and the accompanying appendix in the Preparedness Grants Manual.

II. ORGANIZATION

Organization costs are not allowed under this program.

III. EQUIPMENT

Equipment costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO and the

Applicants should analyze the costs and benefits of purchasing versus leasing equipment, especially high cost items and those subject to rapid technical advances. Large equipment purchases must be identified and explained. For more information regarding property management standards for equipment, please reference 2 C.F.R. § 200.313, located at

Property Standards in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR).

IV. MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINMENT

Maintenance and sustainment costs, such as maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades, and user fees are allowable. For additional information, see the Preparedness Grants Manual.

V. TRAINING

Training costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO and the

VI. EXERCISES

Exercise costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO and the

VII. CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION

Construction and renovation costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO and the accompanying appendix in the Preparedness Grants Manual. For construction costs to be allowed, they must be specifically approved by DHS/FEMA in writing prior to the use of any program funds for construction or renovation. Limits on the total amount of grant funding that may be used for construction or renovation may apply. See the Preparedness Grants Manual for additional information on construction and renovation.

VIII. OPERATIONAL OVERTIME

Operational overtime costs are not allowed under this program.

IX. CONTRACTED SECURITY

Contracted security personnel are allowed under this program only as described in this

NOFO and the accompanying appendix in the Preparedness Grants Manual. The nonprofit organization must be able to sustain this capability in future years without

NSGP funding, and a sustainment plan will be required as part of…