FY_2018_NSGP_NOFO_FINAL_508.pdf

FY 2018 NSGP NOFO

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and/or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS

Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM. It may take 4 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 and

SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO, subsection, Content and Form of Application

Submission.

A. Program Description

Issued By

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

(FEMA), Grant Programs Directorate (GPD)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

97.008

CFDA Title

Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title

Nonprofit Security Grant Program

NOFO Number

DHS-18-GPD-008-00-01

Authorizing Authority for Program

Section 2003 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. No. 107-296, as amended) (6 U.S.C.

§ 604)

Appropriation Authority for Program

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. No. 115-141)

Program Type

New

Program Overview, Objectives and Priorities

Overview http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

The FY 2018 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is set against the backdrop of a year in which the United States faced numerous and unprecedented homeland security challenges.

These included the three major hurricanes that devastated parts of Texas, Florida, and much of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as massive wildfires across the State of

California. In addition to these natural disasters, the Nation also responded to multiple incidents as part of the evolving threat landscape, including witnessing the first known terrorist attack executed against mass transportation on our soil; cyberattacks against critical port infrastructure; and mass casualty events involving both vehicles and active shooters.

The National Preparedness Goal (the Goal) defines what it means to be prepared for such diverse and complicated events. The National Preparedness System is the instrument the

Nation employs to build, sustain, and deliver the core capabilities needed to achieve the goal of a more secure and resilient Nation. The development and sustainment of these core capabilities is not exclusive to any single level of government or organization, but rather requires the combined effort of the whole community. To that end, the FY 2018 NSGP represents one part of a comprehensive set of measures authorized by Congress and implemented by the Administration. Among the five basic homeland security missions noted in the DHS Quadrennial Homeland Security Review, the NSGP supports the goal to

Strengthen National Preparedness and Resilience.

The recently released 2018-2022 FEMA Strategic Plan creates a shared vision for the field of emergency management and sets an ambitious, yet achievable, path forward to unify and further professionalize emergency management across the country. The Nonprofit Security

Grant Program supports the goal of Readying the Nation for Catastrophic Disasters. We invite all of our stakeholders and partners to also adopt these priorities and join us in building a stronger Agency and a more prepared and resilient Nation.

Objectives

NSGP seeks to integrate the preparedness activities of nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack with broader state and local preparedness efforts. In FY 2018, multiple funding allocations have been appropriated for nonprofit organizations located inside or outside of FY 2018 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) designated urban areas.

As in previous fiscal years, the Nonprofit Security Grant Program - Urban Area (NSGP-UA) will be a competitive grant program that funds nonprofits located in UASI-designated urban areas. Under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program - State (NSGP-S), each state will receive an allocation for nonprofit organizations located outside of FY 2018 Urban Area Security

Initiative (UASI)-designated urban areas.

The FY 2018 NSGP objectives are to support efforts that:

Build and sustain core capabilities

Strengthen governance integration between private nonprofit entities and Federal, state, and local governments

Encourage a whole community approach to security and emergency management

Performance metrics for this program are as follows:

https://www.fema.gov/strategic-plan

Percent of NSGP funding used to build new capabilities

Percent of NSGP funding used to sustain existing capabilities

Priorities

The FY 2018 NSGP provides funding support for physical security enhancements and other security activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack.

The FY 2018 NSGP plays an important role in the implementation of the National

Preparedness System by supporting the development and sustainment of core capabilities. The core capabilities, outlined in the Goal are essential for the execution of the five mission areas—Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery—and the realization of a secure and resilient Nation. The development and sustainment of these core capabilities are not exclusive to any single organization, but rather require the combined effort of the whole community. The FY 2018 NSGP’s allowable costs support efforts to build and sustain core capabilities across mission areas. For additional details on priorities and additional costs for this program, please refer to Appendix B – NSGP Priorities.

B. Federal Award Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions

Available Funding for the NSGP: $60,000,000, of which:

$50,000,000 for NSGP-UA; and

$10,000,000 for NSGP-S

NSGP-UA

Each nonprofit organization may apply for up to $150,000 and must apply through their respective State Administrative Agency (SAA).

NSGP-S

The SAA may determine an award cap for individual subawards up to a maximum of $100,000.

Nonprofit organizations must apply through their respective SAA.

Period of Performance: Thirty-six (36) months

Extensions to the period of performance are allowed. For additional information on period of performance extensions, refer to Section H of this NOFO, Additional Information - Extensions.

Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): September 1, 2018

Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): August 31, 2021

Funding Instrument: Grant

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

The SAA is the only entity eligible to apply for FY 2018 NSGP funds on behalf of eligible nonprofit organizations.

Nonprofit organizations must apply for FY 2018 NSGP through their SAA. A list of SAA points of contact is available at: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/28689?id=6363.

Nonprofit organizations may not apply directly to DHS/FEMA for FY 2018 NSGP funds.

SAAs, in coordination with the Urban Area Working Groups (UAWG) and other state partners, are encouraged to notify and actively inform eligible nonprofit organizations of the availability of FY 2018 NSGP funding.

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; refer to links below for additional information:

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-section-501-c-3-organizations https://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/ch03.html https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits

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 501(c)(3), the state may or may not require recognition of exemption, as long as the method chosen is applied consistently.

2. Determined to be at high risk of a terrorist attack by the Secretary of Homeland Security;

and

3. For NSGP-UA only, located within one of the FY 2018 UASI-designated urban areas, listed in Appendix A- FY 2018 NSGP UASI- Designated Urban Areas.

Eligible nonprofits located outside of FY 2018 UASI-designated urban areas may apply to the

SAA to receive funding only under NSGP-S and eligible nonprofits located within FY 2018

UASI-designated urban areas may apply to the SAA to receive funding only under NSGP-UA.

DHS/FEMA will verify that the nonprofit has been included in the correct program and may disqualify applications that are not included in the correct program.

http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/28689?id=6363 https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-section-501-c-3-organizations https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/exemption-requirements-section-501-c-3-organizations https://www.irs.gov/publications/p557/ch03.html https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits

Other Eligibility Criteria

National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation

Prior to allocation of any Federal preparedness awards in FY 2018, recipients must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. DHS/FEMA describes the specific activities involved in NIMS implementation in the NIMS Implementation Objectives https://www.fema.gov/implementation-guidance-and-reporting.

Incident management activities require carefully managed resources (personnel, teams, facilities, equipment and/or supplies). Utilization of the standardized resource management concepts such as typing, credentialing, and inventorying promote a strong national mutual aid capability needed to support delivery of core capabilities. Recipients should manage resources purchased or supported with DHS/FEMA grant funding according to NIMS resource management guidance.

Additional information on resource management and NIMS resource typing definitions and job titles/position qualifications is available on DHS/FEMA’s website under http://www.fema.gov/resource-management-mutual-aid.

Nonprofit subrecipients are not required to maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS.

Cost Share or Match

There is no cost share requirement for the FY 2018 NSGP.

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times

Date Posted to Grants.gov: May 21, 2018

Application Submission Deadline for the SAA: June 20, 2018, 5:00PM ET

Application Submission Deadline for Nonprofit Organizations:

SAAs establish all requirements and deadlines to manage their nonprofit sub-application process in support of their submissions to DHS/FEMA. Deadlines and state requirements may vary from state to state. Contact the SAA for submission deadlines or additional information.

Nonprofit applications are due to the SAA before the application submission deadline for SAAs of June 20, 2018.

All applications must be received by the established deadline. 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 the full application. Due to the competitive nature of the NSGP, DHS/FEMA will not review applications that are not received by the deadline or consider them for funding. DHS/FEMA may, however, extend the application deadline by 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 https://www.fema.gov/implementation-guidance-and-reporting http://www.fema.gov/resource-management-mutual-aid control that prevent submission of the application by the deadline, or other exigent or emergency circumstances. Applicants who experience technical issues must notify their DHS/FEMA

Headquarters (HQ) Program Analyst before the application deadline. Applicants should contact the Centralized Scheduling and Information Desk (CSID) for FEMA HQ Program Analyst contact information. CSID can be reached by phone at (800) 368-6498 or by e-mail at askcsid@fema.gov, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET.

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: August 27, 2018

Anticipated Award Date: No later than September 30, 2018

Address to Request Application Package

Application forms and instructions are available on Grants.gov (hardcopies of the NOFO and associated application materials are not available.) To access the application package, select

“Applicants” then “Apply for Grants” followed by “Get Application Package.” Enter the

Funding Opportunity Number located on the first page of this NOFO. Select “Apply” and then

“Create Workspace.” Follow the prompts to download the instructions and begin the application.

In addition, the following Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) and/or Federal Information

Relay Service (FIRS) number available for this Notice is: (800) 462-7585

Initial applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal and final applications are processed through FEMA’s Non-Disaster Grants (ND Grants) System.

Content and Form of Application Submission

Applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process. To ensure that an application is submitted on time applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission. Failure of an applicant to comply with any of the required steps before the deadline for submitting their application may disqualify their application from funding.

The steps involved in applying for an award under this program are:

1. Applying for, updating, or verifying their Data Universal Numbering System

(DUNS) Number and Employer ID Number (EIN);

2. Updating or verifying their System for Award Management (SAM)

Registration;

3. Establishing an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in

Grants.gov;

4. Submitting an initial application in Grants.gov; and

5. Submitting the final application in the ND Grants system.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants for this award must:

1. Be registered in SAM before submitting its application;

mailto:askcsid@fema.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/

2. Provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and

3. 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 DHS/FEMA.

DHS/FEMA may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DHS/FEMA is ready to make a federal award. DHS/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.

Electronic Delivery

DHS/FEMA 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/FEMA requires applicants to submit their initial applications online through Grants.gov and their final applications through

ND Grants.

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

1. Instructions: Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DHS/FEMA funds.

Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a DUNS Number, active SAM registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants.

If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

2. Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html http://www.grants.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

3. Register with SAM: In addition to having a DUNS number, all organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

4. Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's DUNS number to complete this process.

For more information, follow the on-screen instructions or refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

5. Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the DUNS Number for the organization in the DUNS field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html

6. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an

Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html

7. Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

8. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

How to Submit an Initial Application to DHS/FEMA via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants apply online using Workspace. 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 NOFO, you can create individual instances of a

Workspace. Initial applications in Grants.gov must be submitted no later than seven days prior to the final application deadline.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities using Workspace, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

1. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission.

3. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace so that they will appear similar to other Standard or

DHS/FEMA forms. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

4. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

5. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

6. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the

“Sign and Submit” button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least seven days prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

7. Track a Workspace: After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov

Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the

Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-

518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support

Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the DHS/FEMA with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

Submitting the Final Application in Non Disaster Grants System (ND Grants)

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

DHS/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 application.

In ND Grants applicants will be prompted to submit all of the information contained in the following forms. Applicants should review these forms before applying to ensure they have all the information required:

Standard Form 424A, Budget Information (Non-construction)

Standard Form 424B, Standard Assurances (Non-construction)

Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

In addition applicants must submit copies of the following in ND Grants:

Investment Justifications (IJ) from eligible nonprofits only - one facility per IJ having a physical address not a PO Box Number;

Standard Form 424D, Standard Assurances (Construction) if applying for funds to use for construction;

Standard Form 424C Budget Information (Construction) if applying for funds to use for construction;

SAA Prioritization of Investment Justifications) in DHS/FEMA-provided template (OMB

Control Number: 1660-0110/FEMA Form 089-24).

• SAAs must submit a Prioritization of Investment Justifications for NSGP-UA and a separate Prioritization of Investment Justifications for NSGP-S

• Each nonprofit organization must be scored and must have a unique rank (#1

[one] being the highest ranked through the total number of applications the SAA scored) https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://portal.fema.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/ file:///C:/Users/sheath/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/TROS8IAK/at%20https:/portal.fema.gov https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home

• States with multiple FY 2018 UASI-designated urban areas must ensure that nonprofits are individually ranked within their urban area

• Only eligible nonprofits with complete applications shall be included on the

Prioritization of Investment Justifications.

Indirect Cost Agreement if applicable.

The standard forms can be found here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1

For assistance registering for the ND Grants system, please contact ndgrants@fema.gov or (800)

865-4076.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be received in ND Grants by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on June 20, 2018.

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. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their initial application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov and ND Grants receive your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the systems time to process the application.

Applicants needing assistance with the ND Grants system should contact ndgrants@fema.gov or (800) 865-4076.

NSGP Nonprofit Application

As part of the FY 2018 NSGP application, each eligible nonprofit sub-applicant must submit the following three documents to the SAA:

1. NSGP IJ

Each subapplicant must develop a formal IJ that addresses each investment proposed for funding. Security enhancements must be for the locations that the nonprofit occupies at the time of application. The investments or projects described in the IJ must:

Address an identified risk, including threat and vulnerability, and build or sustain a core capability identified in the Goal;

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

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home mailto:ndgrants@fema.gov https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://portal.fema.gov/famsVuWeb/home mailto:ndgrants@fema.gov

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.

2. Vulnerability/Risk Assessment

Each sub-applicant must include its vulnerability/risk assessment on which the request in the IJ is based.

3. Mission Statement

Each subapplicant must include its Mission Statement and any mission implementing policies or practices that may elevate the organization’s risk. Recognizing the impact an organization’s ideology, beliefs, or mission may have on their risk of potential terrorist threats, SAA’s will use the Mission Statement along with information provided in the applicant’s IJ in order to validate the organization type. The central purpose of the organization described in the Mission Statement will be used to validate the organization type identified in the IJ as one of the following: 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 – 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.

Applicants will find additional information regarding the NSGP IJ template, DHS/FEMA Form

089-24 (OMB Control Number: 1660-0110), in Appendix D –NSGP Investment Justification and

Scoring Criteria.

Funding Restrictions

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

Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation (EHP) Compliance

As a Federal agency, DHS/FEMA is required to consider the effects of its actions on the environment and/or historic properties to ensure that all activities and programs funded by the agency, including grant funded projects, comply with Federal EHP regulations, laws and

Executive Orders as applicable. Recipients and subrecipients proposing projects that have the potential to impact the environment, including but not limited to construction of communication towers, modification or renovation of existing buildings, structures and facilities, or new construction including replacement of facilities, must participate in the DHS/FEMA EHP review process. The EHP review process involves the submission of a detailed project description along with supporting documentation so that DHS/FEMA may determine whether the proposed project has the potential to impact environmental resources and/or historic properties. In some cases, DHS/FEMA is also required to consult with other regulatory agencies and the public in order to complete the review process. The EHP review process must be completed before funds are released to carry out the proposed project; otherwise DHS/FEMA may not be able to fund the project due to non-compliance with EHP laws, executive orders, regulations, and policies.

Additionally, all recipients are required to comply with DHS/FEMA EHP Policy Guidance FEMA Policy #108-023-1. The EHP screening form is located here and further EHP guidance can be found at https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/85376.

Emergency Communications and Resilience

All entities using NSGP funding to support emergency communications investments are required to comply with the SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants

(SAFECOM Guidance). The SAFECOM Guidance provides current information on emergency communications policies, eligible costs, best practices, and technical standards for State, local, tribal, and territorial grantees investing Federal funds in emergency communications projects. It is also designed to promote and align with the National Emergency Communications Plan

(NECP). Conformance with the SAFECOM Guidance helps ensure that Federally-funded investments are compatible, interoperable, resilient, and support national goals and objectives for improving emergency communications.

Pre-award Costs

Pre-award costs are allowable only with the prior written approval of DHS/FEMA and if they are included in the award agreement. To request pre-award costs a written request must be included with the application and signed by the Representative of the entity. The letter must outline what the pre-award costs are for, including a detailed budget break-out of pre-award costs from the post-award costs, and a justification for approval.

Cost Principles

Costs charged to this award must be consistent with the Cost Principles for Federal Awards located at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Subpart E.

Direct Costs

Planning

Planning related costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO.

Organization

Organization related costs are not allowed under this program.

Equipment

Equipment related costs are allowed under this program only as described in this

NOFO.

Applicants should analyze the cost benefits of purchasing versus leasing equipment, especially high cost items and those subject to rapid technical advances. Large equipment https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1501003650506-853eeedee8632ebd25408cd0241683c4/FEMA_Form_024-0-1_Final_Version_7-25-2017.pdf https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/85376 https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/funding https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/funding https://www.dhs.gov/national-emergency-communications-plan 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 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c836a011886f180dac489e15c059b1aa&node=sg2.1.200_1309.sg2&rgn=div7.

Training

Training related costs are allowed under this program only as described in this NOFO.

Exercises

Exercise related costs are allowed under this program.

Travel

Travel costs are not allowed under this program.

Construction and Renovation

Construction and renovation costs are allowed under this program only as described in this

NOFO.

Operational Overtime

Operational Overtime costs are not allowed under this program.

Maintenance and Sustainment

Maintenance and Sustainment related costs, such as maintenance contracts, warranties, repair or replacement costs, upgrades, and user fees are allowable as described in DHS/FEMA

Policy FP 205-402-125-1 (https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/32474).

For additional details on allowable costs under the NSGP, see Appendix C – Funding

Guidelines of this NOFO.

Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

M&A are costs for activities directly related to the management and administration of the award. M&A costs are allowed under this program as described below.

NSGP-UA (recipient) M&A:

The NSGP-UA is a sub-component of the UASI program and states must ensure that 100 percent (100%) of each individual NSGP-UA award is passed through to the nonprofit organizations awarded funding by DHS/FEMA.

The state may use 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 five percent (5%) of the sum total of the state’s combined UASI and NSGP-UA awards.

NSGP-S (recipient) M&A:

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c836a011886f180dac489e15c059b1aa&node=sg2.1.200_1309.sg2&rgn=div7 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c836a011886f180dac489e15c059b1aa&node=sg2.1.200_1309.sg2&rgn=div7 https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/32474

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

The state may use 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 five percent (5%) of the sum total of the state’s combined SHSP and NSGP-S awards.

Note: States must be able to separately account for M&A costs associated the NSGP-UA from NSGP-S.

Nonprofit (subrecipient) M&A:

Nonprofit organizations that receive a subaward under this program may use and expend up to five percent (5%) of their FY 2018 NSGP funds for M&A purposes associated with the subaward.

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

Management and administrative 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.

Indirect (Facilities & Administrative [F&A]) Costs

Indirect costs are allowable under this program as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.414. With the exception of recipients who have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate as described in 2

C.F.R. § 200.414(f), recipients must have an approved indirect cost rate agreement with their cognizant Federal agency to charge indirect costs to this award. A copy of the approved rate (a fully executed, agreement negotiated with the applicant’s cognizant Federal agency) is required at the time of application and must be provided to DHS/FEMA before indirect costs are charged to the award. See Appendix C - Funding Guidelines for additional details.

E. Application Review Information

Application Evaluation Criteria

Prior to making a Federal award, FEMA is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3321 and 41 U.S.C. § 2313 to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore application evaluation criteria may include the following risk based considerations of the applicant: (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing Federal award; (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

FY 2018 NSGP applications are to be submitted by nonprofit organizations to their respective

SAA. FY 2018 NSGP-UA applications will be reviewed through a two-phased State and Federal review process for completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, feasibility, and how well the IJ (project description and justification) addresses the identified risk. FY 2018 NSGP-S applications will be reviewed by the SAA for eligibility, completeness, adherence to programmatic guidelines, feasibility, and how well the IJ (project description and justification) addresses the identified risk. The SAA will make recommendations to DHS/FEMA, and FEMA

HQ Program Analysts will review the recommended IJs to ensure that proposed investments are allowable.

Criteria

The following are FY 2018 NSGP evaluation criteria:

For NSGP-UA only: State and Federal verification that the nonprofit organization is located within one of the FY 2018 UASI-designated urban areas, listed in Appendix A –

FY 2018 NSGP UASI-designated urban areas.

Identification and substantiation of current or persistent threats or attacks (from within or outside the U.S.) by a terrorist organization, network, or cell against the applicant based on their ideology, beliefs, or mission

Symbolic value of the site(s) as a highly recognized regional and/or national or historical institution(s) that renders the site a possible target of terrorism

Role of the applicant nonprofit organization in responding to or recovering from terrorist attacks

Findings from previously conducted threat and/or vulnerability assessments

Integration of nonprofit preparedness with broader state and local preparedness efforts

Complete and feasible IJ that addresses an identified risk, including the assessed threat, vulnerability, and consequence of the risk, and proposes building or sustaining a core capability identified in the Goal

For NSGP-UA only: History of prior funding under NSGP. Not having received prior year funding is a positive factor when calculating the state score of the application; see

Section E. Application Review Information – Review and Selection Process for additional information.

For complete information on the criteria used to review and score IJs at the state and Federal levels, please refer to Appendix D – NSGP Investment Justification and Scoring Criteria.

Grant projects must be: 1) both feasible and effective at reducing the risks for which the project was designed; and 2) able to be fully completed within the 3-year period of performance.

DHS/FEMA will use the information provided in the application, as well as any supporting documentation, to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of the grant project. Information that would assist in the feasibility and effectiveness determination includes the following:

Scope of work (purpose and objectives of the project, identification of what is being protected)

Desired outcomes, including expected long-term impact where applicable

Summary of status of planning and design accomplished to date (e.g. included in a capital improvement plan)

Project schedule

Recipients (and subrecipients) are expected to conform, as applicable, with accepted engineering practices, established codes, standards, modeling techniques, and best practices.

Review and Selection Process (NSGP-UA)

State Review

Application packages are submitted by the nonprofit organization to the SAA and the UAWG based on the established criteria.

As part of the State Review, the SAAs must:

Conduct an eligibility review, in coordination with the UAWG;

Verify that the nonprofit is located within a FY 2018 UASI-designated urban area;

Review and score all complete application packages (including mission statements and vulnerability assessments) using the NSGP Scoring Worksheet provided by DHS/FEMA;

see Appendix E – NSGP Investment Justification Scoring Worksheet; Note: A bonus point will be added to the state score for all organizations that have not received NSGP funding in previous years; this will be the final state score;

Validate the organization type listed in the IJ by assessing the central purpose of the organization described in the Mission Statement, as either 1) Ideology-based/Spiritual/Religious; 2) Educational; 3) Medical; or 4) Other; and

Prioritize all NSGP IJs by ranking each IJ. Each IJ will receive a unique rank (#1 [one] being the highest ranked through the total number of applications the SAA scored).

Submit the scores from the state review along with the prioritized list of all NSGP projects to DHS/FEMA using the SAA Prioritization Tracker.

Retain the mission statements and vulnerability assessments submitted by each nonprofit organization.

The SAA will base the ranking on the SAA’s subject matter expertise and discretion with consideration to the following factors:

o Need: The relative need for the nonprofit organization compared to the other applicants;

and o Impact: The feasibility of the proposed project and how effectively the proposed project addresses the identified need.

Federal Review (NSGP-UA)

The highest-scoring IJs from each submitting urban area (at least one from each urban area) are reviewed by a panel made up of DHS/FEMA HQ Program Analysts and Regional Program

Analysts or Grants Management Specialists. Federal staff will verify that the nonprofit is located within a FY 2018 UASI designated urban area. Two Federal reviewers will score each IJ using the NSGP Investment Justification Scoring Worksheet.

Determining the number of applications that will advance to the Federal Review:

1) FEMA will organize applications in rank order (based on the state scores) from highest to lowest score.

2) Federal reviewers will come up with the federal review pool by reviewing the highest scored projects equal to 150% of the available funding, which is $75 million this year.

At least one IJ from each submitting urban area will be included as part of the federal review pool.

Final Score (NSGP-UA)

To calculate an application’s final score, the sum of the applicant’s state score and the average of the two Federal reviewers’ scores will be multiplied:

By a factor of three for nonprofit groups that are at a high risk of terrorist attacks due to their ideology, beliefs, or mission;

By a factor of two for medical and educational institutions; and

By a factor of one for all other nonprofit organizations.

All final application scores will then be sorted in descending order, regardless of urban area, and applicants will be selected from highest to lowest until available FY 2018 NSGP funding has been exhausted. In the event of a tie during the funding determination process, priority will be given to nonprofit organizations that have not received prior year funding, then those ranked highest by their SAA.

DHS/FEMA will use the final results to make funding recommendations to the Secretary of

Homeland Security. All final funding determinations will be made by the Secretary of

Homeland Security, who retains the discretion to consider other factors and information in addition to DHS/FEMA’s funding recommendations.

Review and Selection Process (NSGP-S)

State Review

Application packages are submitted by the nonprofit organization to the SAA based on the established criteria.

The SAA will review applications and recommend to FEMA/DHS which nonprofit organizations should be selected for funding. As part of the State Review, the SAAs must:

Conduct an eligibility review;

Review and score all complete application packages (including and vulnerability assessments) using the NSGP Scoring Worksheet provided by DHS/FEMA; see

Appendix E – NSGP Investment Justification Scoring Worksheet;

Prioritize all NSGP IJs by ranking each IJ. Each IJ will receive a unique rank (#1 [one] being the highest ranked through the total number of applications the SAA scored).

Submit to DHS/FEMA the prioritized list of recommendations using the SAA

Prioritization of Investment Justification form.

SAAs must submit IJs with a total requested funding amount of the state NSGP-S allocation plus $300,000 or plus three additional IJs whichever is greater. This will allow

DHS/FEMA to award the next prioritized IJ in instances when a significant portion of an

IJ includes proposed projects that are unallowable.

For Example, State Allocation Submit IJs Totaling Below Amount to DHS/FEMA

$100,000 $400,000

$150,000 $450,000

$200,000 $500,000

$250,000 $550,000

$300,000 $600,000

$400,000 $700,000

Retain the vulnerability assessments submitted by each nonprofit organization.

The SAA will base its recommendations on the SAA’s subject matter expertise and discretion with consideration to the following factors:

o Need: The relative need for the nonprofit organization compared to the other applicants;

and o Impact: The feasibility of the proposed project and how effectively the proposed project addresses the identified need.

Federal Review (NSGP-S)

DHS/FEMA HQ Program Analysts will review the IJs recommended by the SAA to ensure that all proposed investments are allowable.