FY_2025_ THSGP_NOFO_06-09-25_clean_508-ed_updated (1).pdf

1 | P a g e FEMA Version 25-02

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Fiscal Year 2025 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program

Fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, and other criminal or noncriminal misconduct related to this program may be reported to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Hotline. The toll-free numbers to call are 1 (800) 323-8603 and TTY 1 (844) 889-4357.

Contents

1. Basic Information A. Agency Name B. NOFO Title C. Announcement Type D. Funding Opportunity Number E. Assistance Listing Number F. Expected Total Funding G. Anticipated Number of Awards H. Expected Award Range I. Projected Application Start Date J. Projected Application End Date K. Anticipated Funding Selection Date L. Anticipated Award Date M. Projected Period of Performance Start Date N. Projected Period of Performance End Date O. Executive Summary P. Agency Contact

2. Eligibility A. Eligible Entities/Entity Types B. Project Type Eligibility C. Requirements for Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties D. Maximum Number of Applications E. Additional Restrictions F. References for Eligibility Factors within the NOFO G. Cost Sharing Requirement H. Cost Share Description, Type and Restrictions I. Cost Sharing Calculation Example J. Required information for verifying Cost Share

3. Program Description A. Background, Program Purpose, and Program History B. Goals, Objectives, and Priorities C. Program Rationale D. Federal Assistance Type E. Performance Measures and Targets

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F. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs G. General Funding Requirements H. Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative Costs) I. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs J. Pre-Award Costs K. Beneficiary Eligibility L. Participant Eligibility M. Authorizing Authority N. Appropriation Authority O. Budget Period P. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services

4. Application Contents and Format A. Pre-Application, Letter of Intent, and Whitepapers B. Application Content and Format C. Application Components D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information E. Post-Application Requirements for Successful Applicants

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines A. Address to Request Application Package B. Application Deadline C. Pre-Application Requirements Deadline D. Post-Application Requirements Deadline E. Effects of Missing the Deadline

6. Intergovernmental Review A. Requirement Description and State Single Point of Contact

7. Application Review Information A. Threshold Criteria B. Application Criteria C. Financial Integrity Criteria D. Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review E. Reviewers and Reviewer Selection F. Merit Review Process G. Final Selection

8. Award Notices A. Notice of Award B. Pass-Through Requirements C. Note Regarding Pre-Award Costs D. Obligation of Funds E. Notification to Unsuccessful Applicants

9. Post-Award Requirements and Administration A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. DHS Standard Terms and Conditions C. Financial Reporting Requirements D. Programmatic Performance Reporting Requirements E. Closeout Reporting Requirements

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F. Disclosing Information per 2 C.F.R. § 180.335 G. Reporting of Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance H. Single Audit Report I. Monitoring and Oversight J. Program Evaluation K. Additional Performance Reporting Requirements L. Termination of the Federal Award M. Best Practices N. Manual Payment

10. Other Information A. Period of Performance Extension B. Other Information

11. Appendix A: Allowable Costs A. Planning B. Organization C. Equipment D. Training and Exercises E. Personnel Activities F. Travel 41 G. Maintenance and Sustainment H. Authorized Use of Contractual Grant writers and/or Grant Managers I. Multiple Purpose or Dual-Use of Funds J. Secure Identification K. Fidelity Bonds

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1. Basic Information

A. Agency Name

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

Management Agency (FEMA)

B. NOFO Title

Fiscal Year 2025 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program

C. Announcement

Type

Initial

D. Funding

Opportunity Number

DHS-25-GPD-150-00-99

E. Assistance Listing

Number

97.150

F. Expected Total

Funding

$13,500,000

G. Anticipated

Number of Awards

19 awards

H. Expected Award

Range

$40,000 to $2,000,000

I. Projected

Application Start

Date

08/01/2025 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

J. Projected

Application End Date

08/15/2025 05:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)

K. Anticipated

Funding Selection

Date

No later than August 23, 2025

L. Anticipated

Award Date

No later than September 30, 2025

M. Projected Period of Performance Start

Date

09/01/2025

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N. Projected Period of Performance End

Date

08/31/2028

O. Executive

Summary

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program

(THSGP) is one of three grant programs that support DHS/FEMA’s focus on enhancing the ability of state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as nonprofit organizations, to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to 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.

Tribal Nations face substantially increased risks that are not adequately addressed through other existing grant programs. Factors such as remote locations, limited access to resources, technological infrastructure challenges, and historical tensions make them more susceptible to emerging threats. The need to bolster technology and information infrastructure is crucial to address these challenges adequately. The THSGP respects the sovereign rights of Tribal

Nations by allowing them to apply and be awarded preparedness grant funding as a direct recipient to address their unique risks and needs.

P. Agency Contact

a. Program Office Contact

FEMA has assigned specific Preparedness Officers for the THSGP. If you do not know your Preparedness Officer, please contact THSGP by e-mail at fema-thsgp@fema.dhs.gov.

b. FEMA Grants News

This channel provides general information on all FEMA grant programs and maintains a comprehensive database containing key personnel contact information at the federal, state, and local levels.

FEMA Grants News Team is reachable at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov OR (800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

c. Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) Award Administration

Division

GPD’s Award Administration Division (AAD) provides support regarding financial matters and budgetary technical assistance. AAD can be contacted at ASK-GMD@fema.dhs.gov.

d. FEMA Regional Offices

FEMA Regional Offices also may provide fiscal support, including pre- and post-award administration and technical assistance. FEMA

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Regional Office contact information is available at https://www.fema.gov/fema-regional-contacts.

e. Civil Rights

Consistent with Executive Order 14173, Ending Illegal

Discrimination & Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, the FEMA

Office of Civil Rights is responsible for ensuring compliance with and enforcement of federal civil rights obligations in connection with programs and services conducted by FEMA. They are reachable at

FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov.

f. Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation

The FEMA office of Environmental Planning and Historic Planning

(OEHP) provides guidance and information about the EHP review process to FEMA programs and recipients and subrecipients. Send any inquiries regarding compliance for FEMA grant projects under this

NOFO to FEMA-OEHP-NOFOQuestions@fema.dhs.gov.

g. FEMA GO

For technical assistance with the FEMA GO system, please contact the

FEMA GO Helpdesk at femago@fema.dhs.gov. or (877) 585-3242, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET.

h. FEMA Preparedness Toolkit

The FEMA Preparedness Toolkit (PrepToolkit) provides access to tools and resources needed to implement the National Preparedness

System and provide a collaborative space for communities completing the Unified Reporting Tool (URT). Recipients complete and submit their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR), and other required assessments using the PrepToolkit. For assistance, contact support@preptoolkit.fema.dhs.gov.

i. Preparedness Grants Manual

Recipients seeking guidance on policies and procedures for managing preparedness grants should reference the Preparedness Grants Manual at Preparedness Grants Manual.

2. Eligibility

A. Eligible

Entities/Entity Types

Only the following entities or entity types are eligible to apply.

a. Applicants

1. Eligible Applicants

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Directly eligible tribes. “Directly eligible tribe” is defined below.

2. Applicant Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to receive THSGP funding, recipients must be directly eligible tribes. Directly eligible tribes are federally recognized tribes that meet the criteria set forth in Section 2001 of the Homeland

Security Act of 2002 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. § 601(4)).

Federally recognized tribes are those tribes appearing on the list published by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the Federally

Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-454

(codified as amended at 25 U.S.C. § 5131).

Per 6 U.S.C. § 601(4), a “directly eligible tribe” is any federally recognized Indian Tribe that meets the following criteria:

“(A) any Indian Tribe―

(i) that is located in the continental United States;

(ii) that operates a law enforcement or emergency response agency with the capacity to respond to calls for law enforcement or emergency services;

(iii)

(I) that is located on or near1 an international border or a coastline bordering an ocean

(including the Gulf of Mexico)2 or international waters;

(II) that is located within 10 miles of a system or asset included on the prioritized critical infrastructure list established under section

664(a)(2) of this title or has such a system or asset within its territory;

(III) that is located within or contiguous to 1 of the

50 most populous metropolitan statistical areas in the United States; or

(IV) the jurisdiction of which includes not less than

1,000 square miles of Indian country, as that term is defined in section 1151 of title 18; and

1 By policy, FEMA defines “on or near” to be within 100 miles.

2 In accordance with Executive Order #14172 “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” the “Gulf of

Mexico” is renamed the “Gulf of America”.

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(iv) that certifies to the Secretary that a State has not provided funds under section 6043 or 6054 of this title to the Indian Tribe or consortium of Indian Tribes for the purpose for which direct funding is sought; and

(B) a consortium of Indian Tribes if each tribe satisfies the requirements of subparagraph (A).”

In summary, directly eligible tribes must meet each of the requirements set forth in (A)(i), (A)(ii), and (A)(iv). Tribes must also meet at least one of the requirements set forth in (A)(iii), that is either

(A)(iii)(I), (A)(iii)(II), (A)(iii)(III), or (A)(iii)(IV). Finally, under subparagraph (B), a consortium may also be eligible to be a recipient if each Tribal Nation in the consortium meets the criteria for a directly eligible tribe under subparagraph (A).

In FY 2025, applicants must self-certify as to whether they meet the eligibility requirements. Self-certification will be provided on the

THSGP Eligibility Certification Form as part of the application

Investment Justification (IJ). Additionally, DHS/FEMA will verify grant recipient eligibility against these criteria. Any questions regarding an applicant’s proximity to a Critical Infrastructure site, as described in the eligibility criteria, may be directed to FEMA Grants

News by e-mail at fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov or by phone at

(800) 368-6498, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET.

b. Subapplicants

Subapplicants and subawards are not allowed.

B. Project Type

Eligibility

a. Unallowable Project Types

See Section 3.F “Program-Specific Unallowable Costs” for more information on unallowable project types.

b. Allowable Project Types

Allowable costs generally must fall into the categories of planning, equipment, training, or exercises.

Please see Appendix A: Allowable Costs for more information on allowable costs.

If there are any questions regarding allowable costs, please contact the appropriate FEMA Headquarters (HQ) Preparedness Officer.

3 Urban Area Security Initiative Grant Program, 6 U.S.C. § 604.

4 State Homeland Security Grant Program, 6 U.S.C. § 605.

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C. Requirements for

Personnel, Partners, and Other Parties

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 authorized current employee, personnel, official, staff, or leadership of the recipient. They must 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.

D. Maximum

Number of

Applications

The maximum number of applications that can be submitted is:

1. One application per directly eligible Tribal Nation, with each application containing up to three IJs.

E. Additional

Restrictions

Applicants/subapplicants or recipients/subrecipients are required to certify their compliance with federal statues, DHS directives, polices, and procedures.

a. National Incident Management System (NIMS) Implementation

Prior to allocation of any federal preparedness awards, recipients must ensure and maintain adoption and implementation of NIMS. The list of objectives used for progress and achievement reporting is on

FEMA’s website at https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/nims/implementation-training.

Please see the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on

NIMS.

b. Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) Development

By December 31, 2026, as a condition of award, THSGP recipients are required to complete a THIRA/SPR that addresses all 32 core capabilities and is compliant with the Comprehensive Preparedness

Guide (CPG) 201, Third Edition. The THIRA must be updated and resubmitted every three years while the award remains open.

However, the SPR must be updated and submitted annually. For additional guidance on the THIRA/SPR, please refer to the CPG 201, Third Edition.

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Please see the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on the THIRA/SPR requirements.

F. References for

Eligibility Factors within the NOFO

Please see the following references provided below:

1. “Responsiveness Review Criteria” subsection

2. “Financial Integrity Criteria” subsection

3. “Supplemental Financial Integrity Criteria and Review” subsection

4. FEMA may/will request financial information such as

Employer Identification Number (EIN) and bank information as part of the potential award selection. This will apply to everyone prospered, including subrecipients.

G. Cost Sharing

Requirement

There is no cost share requirement.

Applicants that propose a cost share will not receive additional consideration in the scoring.

H. Cost Share

Description, Type and Restrictions

Not applicable.

I. Cost Sharing

Calculation Example

Not applicable.

J. Required information for verifying Cost Share

Not applicable.

3. Program Description

A. Background, Program Purpose, and Program History

DHS is focused on the criticality of information sharing and collaboration to building a national culture of preparedness and protecting against terrorism and other threats to our national security.

For FY 2025, DHS has identified five priority areas related to the most serious threats to the nation. Recipients are not required, but are encouraged, to address those priority areas with their

THSGP funds.

For FY 2024, 49 applications were received from eligible Tribal Nations and 16 approved for funding based on a competitive review process. For a full list of recipients, please refer to

Information Bulletin (IB) 517a.

B. Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

Goals: The THSGP will provide funding directly to eligible Tribal Nations to strengthen their capacities to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to potential terrorist attacks and other hazards.

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Objectives: The THSGP provides resources that support eligible Tribal Nations in meeting the following objectives:

• Build and sustain core capabilities in accordance with annual program priorities;

• Address capability gaps identified in their THIRA and SPR process; and

• Implement a comprehensive and coordinated (all-inclusive) approach to address enduring security needs of communities that crosscut the homeland security enterprise, including planning, training and awareness campaigns, equipment and capital projects, and exercises.

Priorities: Given the evolving national security threat landscape, DHS/FEMA continuously evaluates the national risk profile and sets priorities that help inform appropriate allocation of scarce security dollars. In assessing the national risk profile for FY 2025, five areas attract the most concern and thus are national priority areas (NPAs):

a. Enhancing the protection of soft targets and crowded places,

i. This includes faith-based organizations and election sites;

b. Supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and fusion centers;

c. Enhancing and integrating cybersecurity resiliency;

d. Enhancing election security; and

e. Supporting Border Crisis Response and Enforcement.

i. Example activities under border crisis response and enforcement support may include:

1. Participation in the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and

Customs Enforcement 287(g) training program;

2. Cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers; and

3. Other jurisdictional responsibilities to support the enforcement of United

States immigration law.

Tribal Nations are encouraged to review the Strategic Framework for Countering Terrorism and

Targeted Violence when developing investments. Additional information about these priority areas and how they relate to anti-terrorism security is provided below.

a. NPA Investments

• Enhancing the Protection of Soft Targets/Crowded Places

Soft targets and crowded places, like parks, shopping centers, transportation hubs, and event venues, are increasingly appealing to terrorists because of their accessibility and the large gatherings. These areas often lack strict security measures, making them vulnerable.

To address this, public and private sectors must collaborate to strengthen the security of locations such as transportation centers, restaurants, polling places, and similar facilities.

Personnel responding to incidents at these sites should also be trained in key operational systems, such as the National Incident Management System, to ensure effective on-scene incident management.

In addition, the malicious use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) poses safety and security risks to soft targets and crowded places. Detecting drones is an allowable use of

12 | P a g e funds under the THSGP in accordance with Executive Order 14305, Restoring American

Airspace Sovereignty, which allows the purchase of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or equipment or services for the detection, tracking, or identification of drones and drone signals, and FEMA Information Bulletin 530.men Before purchasing and deploying these systems, as outlined in EO 14305, recipients must:

o Consult FEMA and Legal Experts: Work with FEMA's Preparedness Officer and legal experts to ensure your policies and procedures comply with federal, state, and tribal laws regarding surveillance and communication.

o Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Establish clear guidelines to ensure operations are conducted in a manner consistent with First and Fourth

Amendment protections, and other applicable provisions of federal law.

o Provide Training and Certification: Ensure personnel operating UAS systems are properly trained and certified, in accordance with FEMA and Federal Aviation

Administration standards.

Applicants are encouraged to submit an investment related to protecting soft targets/crowded places. The proposed investment will be subject to DHS/FEMA’s evaluation of the effectiveness of the proposed investments. Tribal Nations are encouraged to engage DHS’ Protective Security Advisors’ for security assessments of soft targets to ensure that recommendations from those assessments are taken into consideration when allocating grant funding.

Additional Resources

Further guidance and resources for securing soft targets and crowded places can be found through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National

Institute of Standards and Technology. For comprehensive compliance and operational details, refer to FEMA's Preparedness Grants Manual and related program documents.

• Supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and Fusion Centers

This priority supports the Administration’s direction under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion , which calls for the establishment of

Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) nationwide. These multi-agency teams— composed of federal and local law enforcement partners—are tasked with disrupting and dismantling transnational criminal organizations, targeting cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks (especially those involving children), and using all appropriate law enforcement tools to support lawful immigration enforcement.

Activities under this NPA also enhance broader national efforts in:

▪ Counterterrorism

▪ Cybersecurity

▪ Border security

▪ Immigration enforcement

▪ Transnational organized crime

▪ Protection of economic and critical infrastructure

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Allowable Costs:

Applicants may use grant funds for:

▪ Establishing or enhancing multi-agency HSTFs, including operational coordination centers

▪ Enhancing capabilities and integration with local fusion centers

▪ Procurement of technology or equipment to support surveillance, communications, and data analysis

▪ Development of standard operating procedures for information sharing, joint operations, and immigration enforcement coordination

▪ Personnel training, credentialing, and certification to improve interoperability and mission alignment

▪ Intelligence analysis, reporting, and suspicious activity monitoring

▪ Exercises and simulations focused on joint operations, intelligence sharing, or interdiction/disruption of criminal or smuggling networks

▪ Community engagement efforts to foster trust and encourage threat reporting

Additional resources and information regarding collaboration and information sharing are also available through the Department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis.

• Enhancing and Integrating Cybersecurity Resilience

In today’s interconnected world, increased connectivity brings greater risks, including the potential for adversaries and terrorists to exploit cyber vulnerabilities and disrupt critical systems. While not mandatory, applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for ongoing or high-priority cybersecurity projects. DHS/FEMA will evaluate these investments based on their effectiveness.

Cybersecurity investments should enhance the security and functioning of critical infrastructure and core capabilities related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, or responding to acts of terrorism.

• Enhancing Election Security

In January 2017, DHS designated the infrastructure used to administer the nation’s elections as critical infrastructure. This designation recognizes that the United States’ election infrastructure is of such vital importance to the American way of life that its incapacitation or destruction would have a devastating effect on the country.

Additionally, the Homeland Threat Assessment 2024 indicates that electoral processes remain an attractive target for many adversaries.

Securing election infrastructure, ensuring its continued operation in the face of threats and harassment, advancing the safety of election officials, and protecting against foreign interference are national security priorities. Because threats to election systems are constantly evolving, defending these systems requires constant vigilance, innovation, and adaptation. By integrating the directives of Executive Order 14248, Preserving and

Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, into the Enhancing Election Security

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NPA, THSGP recipients can ensure that their efforts contribute to a secure, transparent, and resilient electoral process, thereby reinforcing public trust and the integrity of democratic institutions

To further strengthen election integrity, Tribal Nations should:

• Prioritize compliance with the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) 2.0 established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission;

• Complete testing through a Voting System Test Laboratory (VSTL) accredited by the

Commission5;

• Utilize the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Systematic Alien Verification

Entitlements system for the verification of anyone working at a polling place in any capacity is a U.S. Citizen.

• Demonstrate proof of compliance before accessing the full THSGP award—3% of the award will be withheld from drawdown until compliance is confirmed.

Additional resources and information regarding election security are available through the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

• Supporting Border Crisis Response and Enforcement

State and local law enforcement agencies are essential partners in safeguarding national security and public safety. Pursuant to Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American

People Against Invasion, it is the policy of the United States to enforce immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens—particularly those who threaten the safety or security of the American people. This includes the efficient execution of these laws through lawful incentives and enhanced detention capabilities.

This NPA supports efforts that align with this policy and promote cooperation between local and federal partners. Projects may include, but are not limited to:

o Participation in the DHS/ICE 287(g) program, allowing trained local officers to support ICE with immigration enforcement;

o Cooperation with ICE detainers and other jurisdictional responsibilities related to immigration enforcement; and o Supportive activities such as officer training, technology, and information sharing, operational support, and community engagement.

b. Other FY 2025 Funding Priorities

5 Federal Register: Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections

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In addition to the NPAs above, 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:

• Effective planning; 6

• Training and awareness campaigns;

• Equipment and capital projects; and

• Exercises.

The table below provides a breakdown of these priority areas for the FY 2025 THSGP, showing both the core capabilities enhanced and lifelines supported, as well as examples of eligible project types for each area. More information on allowable investments can be found in

Appendix A. THSGP applicants are not required, but are encouraged, to address these areas in their applications. However, as discussed in Section 4 of this funding notice, investments that sufficiently address one or more of the NPAs (enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places, supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and fusion centers, enhancing cybersecurity, enhancing election security, and supporting border crisis response and enforcement) will have their final review scores increased by a multiplier of 20%. The example project types in the table below are allowable to prepare for disasters unrelated to acts of terrorism as long as they also help achieve target capabilities related to preventing, preparing for, protecting against, or responding to acts of terrorism.

FY 2025 THSGP Funding Priorities

All priorities in this table concern Safety and Security Lifelines Priority Areas Core Capabilities Examples of Allowable Activities

National Priorities

Enhancing

Cybersecurity

• Cybersecurity

• Intelligence and information sharing

• Planning

• Public information and warning

• Operational coordination

• Screening, search, and detection

• Access control and identity verification

• Supply chain integrity and security

• Risk management for protection programs and activities

• Long-term vulnerability reduction

• Situational assessment

• Infrastructure systems

• Operational communications

• Cybersecurity risk assessments

• Projects that address vulnerabilities identified in cybersecurity risk assessments o Improving cybersecurity of critical infrastructure to meet minimum levels identified by the

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute of Standards and

Technology Cybersecurity Framework (Version

1.1) o Adoption of cybersecurity performance goals

(CISA's Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance

Goals)

• Cybersecurity training and planning

Enhancing the

Protection of

Soft

• Operational coordination

• Public information and warning

• Intelligence and information sharing

• Physical security enhancements o Security cameras (closed-circuit television

[CCTV])

6 Including assessment of critical infrastructure system vulnerabilities and plans to reduce consequences of disruptions, using the Infrastructure Resilience Planning Framework and Regional Resiliency Assessment

Methodology produced by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

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Priority Areas Core Capabilities Examples of Allowable Activities

Targets/Crowded

Places

• Interdiction and disruption

• Screening, search, and detection

• Access control and identity verification

• Physical protective measures

• Risk management for protection programs and activities o Security screening equipment for people and baggage o Lighting o Access controls

• Fencing, gates, barriers, etc.

Supporting

Homeland

Security Task

Forces and

Fusion Centers

• Intelligence and information sharing

• Interdiction and disruption

• Planning

• Public information and warning

• Operational coordination

• Risk management for protection programs and activities

• Information sharing with all DHS components;

fusion centers; other operational, investigative, and analytic entities; and other federal law enforcement and intelligence entities

• Cooperation with DHS and other entities in intelligence, threat recognition, assessment, analysis, and mitigation

• Identification, assessment, and reporting of threats of violence

• Joint intelligence analysis training and planning with

DHS officials and other entities designated by DHS

Enhancing

Election Security

• Cybersecurity

• Intelligence and information sharing

• Planning

• Long-term vulnerability reduction

• Situational assessment

• Infrastructure systems

• Operational coordination

• Community resilience

• Physical security planning support

• Physical/site security measures (e.g., locks, shatter proof glass, alarms, access controls, etc.)

• General election security navigator support

• Cyber navigator support

• Cybersecurity risk assessments, training, and planning

• Projects that address vulnerabilities identified in cybersecurity risk assessments

• Iterative backups, encrypted backups, network segmentation, software to monitor/scan, and endpoint protection

• Distributed Denial of Service protection

• Online harassment and targeting prevention services

• Public awareness/preparedness campaigns discussing election security and integrity measures

• Prioritize compliance with the VVSG 2.0 established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

• Complete testing through a VSTL accredited by the U.S.

Election Assistance Commission

Supporting

Border Crisis

Response and

Enforcement

• Training and awareness

• Community resilience

• Operational coordination

• Risk management for protection programs and activities

• Staffing support to expand 287(g) screening operations within correctional facilities

• Operational overtime costs directly tied to 287(g) screening, processing, and enforcement activities

• Training programs for law enforcement officers in immigration law, civil rights protections, and

287(g) procedures

• Development or enhancement of information-sharing platforms between ICE and tribal law enforcement

• Procurement of screening, detection, and communications technology to support immigration enforcement activities

• Establishing secure and dedicated communication networks with ICE Field Offices

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Priority Areas Core Capabilities Examples of Allowable Activities

• Conducting joint training exercises with ICE and tribal law enforcement to test operational coordination

• Support for facilities upgrades, such as creating dedicated interview rooms and secure processing spaces

• Community engagement and public briefings to promote transparency and understanding of 287(g) operations and protections

Enduring Needs

Planning • Planning

• Risk management for protection programs & activities

• Risk & disaster resilience assessment

• Threats and hazards identification

• Operational coordination

• Community resilience

• Development of:

o Security Risk Management Plans o Continuity of Operations Plans o Response Plans

• Efforts to strengthen governance integration between/among regional partners

• Joint training and planning with DHS officials and other entities designated by DHS

• Cybersecurity training and planning

• Revision of existing plans to strengthen community resilience in vulnerable communities

Training &

Awareness

• Long-term vulnerability reduction

• Public information & warning

• Operational coordination

• Situational assessment

• Community resilience

• Active shooter training

• SAR and terrorism indicators/behaviors training

• Security training for employees

• Public awareness/preparedness campaigns

• Joint training and planning with DHS officials and other entities designated by DHS

• Cybersecurity training and planning

• Sharing and leveraging intelligence and information

• Targeted outreach and preparedness training for vulnerable communities in conjunction with community-based organizations

Equipment &

Capital Projects

• Long-term vulnerability reduction

• Infrastructure systems

• Operational communications

• Interdiction & disruption

• Screening, search & detection

• Access control & identity verification

• Physical protective measures

• Protection of high-risk, high-consequence areas or systems that have been identified through risk assessments

• Physical security enhancements

• Security cameras (CCTV)

• Security screening equipment for people and baggage

• Lighting

• Access controls

• Fencing, gates, barriers, etc.

• Enhancing Weapons of Mass Destruction and/or improvised explosive device prevention, detection, and response capabilities

• Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear, and

Explosive detection, prevention, and response equipment

Exercises • Long-term vulnerability reduction

• Operational coordination

• Operational communications

• Response exercises, including exercise planning with community-based organizations

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Priority Areas Core Capabilities Examples of Allowable Activities

• Community resilience

DHS/FEMA require THSGP recipients to complete the THIRA and SPR, and to prioritize grant funding to support building capability and/or closing capability gaps or sustaining capabilities that address national priorities and/or support enduring needs. Additional information on the

THIRA/SPR process, including other National Preparedness System tools and resources, can be found at National Preparedness System | FEMA.gov.

C. Program Rationale

The stated goals, objectives, and priorities of THSGP support Section 2005 of the Homeland

Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-296 (codified as amended at6 U.S.C. § 606).

D. Federal Assistance Type

Grant

E. Performance Measures and Targets

Performance metrics for this program are as follows:

• Percentage of high priority capabilities, as identified by Tribal Nations in their

THIRA/SPR submissions, that are built or sustained prior to award closeout (50%);

• Percentage of projects that address one or more capability gaps identified by Tribal

Nations in their THIRA/SPR submissions (25%);

• Percentage of projects that address one or more of the NPA (10%).

FEMA will calculate and analyze the above metrics through a review of recipient SPR submissions and required programmatic reports/award monitoring to ensure that the funds are expended for their intended purpose and achieve the stated outcomes in the grant application.

F. Program-Specific Unallowable Costs

Grant funds may not be used for the purchase of equipment not approved by FEMA. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of grant funds for the purchase of the following equipment:

firearms; ammunition; grenade launchers; bayonets; or weaponized aircraft, vessels, or vehicles of any kind with weapons installed.

G. General Funding Requirements

Costs charged to federal awards (including federal and non-federal cost share funds) must comply with applicable statutes, rules and regulations, policies, this NOFO, the Preparedness

Grants Manual, and the terms and conditions of the federal award. This includes, among other requirements, that costs must be incurred, and products and services must be delivered within the budget period. See 2 C.F.R. § 200.403(h).

Recipients may not use federal funds or any cost share funds for the following activities:

1. Matching or cost sharing requirements for other federal grants and cooperative agreements (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.306).

2. Lobbying or other prohibited activities under 18 U.S.C. § 1913 or 2 C.F.R. § 200.450.

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3. Prosecuting claims against the federal government or any other government entity (see 2

C.F.R. § 200.435).

See the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on funding restrictions and allowable costs.

H. Indirect Costs (Facilities and Administrative Costs)

Indirect costs are allowed for recipients.

Indirect costs (IDC) are costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective and not readily assignable to specific cost objectives without disproportionate effort. Applicants with a current negotiated IDC rate agreement who desire to charge indirect costs to a federal award must provide a copy of their IDC rate agreement with their applications.

Not all applicants are required to have a current negotiated IDC rate agreement. Applicants that are not required to have a negotiated IDC rate agreement, but are required to develop an IDC rate proposal, must provide a copy of their proposal with their applications. Applicants without a current negotiated IDC rate agreement (including a provisional rate) and wish to charge the de minimis rate must reach out to FEMA for further instructions. Applicants who wish to use a cost allocation plan in lieu of an IDC rate proposal must reach out to FEMA for further instructions.

As it relates to the IDC for subrecipients, a recipient must follow the requirements of 2 C.F.R. §§

200.332 and 200.414 in approving the IDC rate for subawards.

See the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on establishing indirect cost rates.

I. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

M&A costs are allowed.

M&A costs are allowed by the 2025 DHS Appropriations Act (See, Full-Year Continuing

Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. No. 119-4, § 1101). Recipients may use up to

5% of the amount of the award for M&A. Where applicable, subrecipients may use up to 5% of the amount they receive for M&A. M&A activities are those defined as directly relating to the management and administration of THSGP funds, such as financial management and monitoring.

M&A expenses must be based on actual expenses or known contractual costs. M&A requests that are simple percentages of the award, without supporting justification, will not be allowed or considered for reimbursement.

M&A costs are not overhead costs but are necessary costs incurred in direct support of the federal award or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such, M&A costs can be itemized in financial reports.

Other M&A costs 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, responding to official informational requests from state and federal oversight authorities, including completing the

Civil Rights Evaluation Tool as required by DHS, and grant performance measurement or

20 | P a g e evaluation activities. Reasonable costs of grant management training are also allowable. If an applicant uses an outside consultant or contractor to provide pre-award grant writing services or post-award grant management services, additional considerations and restrictions shall apply as detailed in the Appendix A.

J. Pre-Award Costs

The following pre-award costs are allowable:

1. Pre-award grant writing services provided by an independent contractor that shall not exceed $1,500 per applicant for recipients

Pre-award costs are otherwise not allowable and will not be approved.

K. Beneficiary Eligibility

There are no program requirements for Beneficiary Eligibility. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any beneficiary.

L. Participant Eligibility

There are no program requirements for Participant Eligibility. This NOFO and any subsequent federal awards create no rights or causes of action for any participant.

M. Authorizing Authority

Section 2005 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-296 (codified as amended at 6 U.S.C. § 606).

N. Appropriation Authority

Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Pub. L. No. 119-4, § 1101.

O. Budget Period

There will be only a single budget period with the same start and end dates as the period of performance.

P. Prohibition on Covered Equipment or Services

See the Preparedness Grants Manual for more information on prohibitions on expending funds on covered telecommunications and surveillance equipment and services.

4. Application Contents and Format

A. Pre-Application, Letter of Intent, and Whitepapers

Not applicable.

B. Application Content and Format

Not applicable.

C. Application Components

The following forms or information are required to be submitted via FEMA GO. Applicants can complete these forms directly in FEMA GO without needing to upload PDF versions of the forms. The Standard Forms (SF) are also available at Forms | Grants.gov:

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• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Grants.gov Lobbying Form, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• SF-424A, Budget Information (Non-Construction) o For construction under an award, submit SF-424C, Budget Information

(Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424A

• SF-424B, Standard Assurances (Non-Construction) o For construction under an award, submit SF-424D, Standard Assurances

(Construction), in addition to or instead of SF-424B

• SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

D. Program-Specific Required Documents and Information

The following program-specific forms or information are required to be submitted in FEMA GO:

• THSGP Investment Justification (Office of Management and Budget [OMB] Control

Number: 1660- 0113/FEMA Form: 089-22), which is located in the “Related

Documents” tab on Grants.gov; and

• Self-certification form stating the Tribal Nation’s eligibility per the Homeland Security

Act of 2002, as amended (the self-certification is contained within the THSGP IJ).

E. Post-Application Requirements for Successful Applicants

a. Grant Agreement and Acceptance

Recipients must review, sign, and return the grant agreement to formalize acceptance of the award and its terms.

b. Additional Application Material

With FEMA's approval, applicants may submit certain required information post award. For detailed guidance, please refer to the award letter or contact your assigned FEMA HQ

Preparedness Officer.

c. General Information About Post-Federal Award Reporting Requirements

Award recipients must submit the following reports: quarterly financial reports, semi-annual performance reports and BSIR submissions, final financial and performance reports, and an annual audit report (if required). These must follow the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, found at 2 C.F.R. Part 200, or specific conditions of the award. If reports are late, future funding or fund access may be delayed, and additional reports may be requested in some cases, pursuant to 2 C.F.R. § 200.339.

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

A. Address to Request Application Package

Applications are processed through the FEMA GO system. To access the system, go to https://go.fema.gov/.

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Steps Required to Apply for an Award Under This Program and Submit an Application:

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

a. Apply for, update, or verify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and EIN from the Internal Revenue Service;

b. In the application, provide an UEI number;

c. Have an account with login.gov;

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

e. Register in FEMA GO, add the organization to the system, and establish the Authorized

Organizational Representative (AOR). The organization’s electronic business point of contact (eBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/181607;

f. Submit the complete application in FEMA GO; and

g. 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 last three years, if applicable.

Per 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(a)(2)(iv), if an applicant is experiencing exigent circumstances that prevents it from obtaining an UEI number and completing SAM registration prior to receiving a federal award, the applicant must notify FEMA as soon as possible. Contact fema-grants-news@fema.dhs.gov and provide the details of the exigent circumstances.

How to Register to Apply:

General Instructions:

Registering and applying for an award under this program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. Below are instructions for registering to apply for FEMA funds. Read the instructions carefully and prepare the requested information before beginning the registration process. Gathering the required information before starting the process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission.

Organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, Employer Identification

Number (EIN), and an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

Obtain a UEI Number:

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All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a UEI number.

Applicants must enter the UEI number in the applicable data entry field on the SF-424 form. For more detailed instructions for obtaining a UEI number, refer to SAM.gov.

Obtain Employer Identification Number:

In addition to having a UEI number, all entities applying for funding must provide an Employer

Identification Number (EIN). The EIN can be obtained from the IRS by visiting https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online.

Create a login.gov account:

Applicants must have a login.gov account in order to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Applicants can create a login.gov account at:

https://secure.login.gov/sign_up/enter_email?request_id=34f19fa8-14a2-438c-8323-a62b99571fd.

Applicants only have to create a login.gov account once. For existing SAM users, use the same email address for both login.gov and SAM.gov so that the two accounts can be linked.

For more information on the login.gov requirements for SAM registration, refer to https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/loginFAQ.jsf.

Register with SAM:

In addition to having a UEI number, all organizations must register with SAM. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through FEMA GO. SAM registration must be renewed annually and must remain active throughout the entire grant life cycle.

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

Note: per 2 C.F.R. § 25.200, applicants must also provide the applicant’s immediate and highest-level owner, subsidiaries, and predecessors that have been awarded federal contracts or federal financial assistance within the past three years, if applicable.

Register in FEMA GO, Add the Organization to the System, and Establish the AOR:

Applicants must register in FEMA GO and add their organization to the system. The organization’s electronic business point of contact (eBiz POC) from the SAM registration may need to be involved in this step. For step-by-step instructions, see FEMA GO Startup Guide.

Note: FEMA GO will support only the most recent major release of the following browsers:

Google Chrome;

Mozilla Firefox;

Apple Safari; and

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Microsoft Edge.

Applicants using tablet type devices or other browsers may encounter issues…