Security grants in Connecticut: federal NSGP, the state CT-NSGP and school security grants

Status on October 15, 2026

The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection's Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) is Connecticut's State Administrative Agency (SAA) for FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). DEMHS also runs the state-funded Connecticut Nonprofit Security Grant Program (CT-NSGP) and the School Security Grant Program (SSGP). The federal and state nonprofit programs use separate inboxes.

Federal NSGP through DEMHS

One stream for the whole state

Connecticut has no urban area in Appendix B of the FY2026 NOFO, so every Connecticut site applies under NSGP-S. Applicants here never need to work out an urban-area footprint. The NOFO's FY2026 total federal allocation for Connecticut NSGP-S is $2,850,000.

That total includes the SAA's 5% for management and administration (M&A). The amount available for nonprofit projects was $2,707,500. An organization may request up to $200,000 per site for up to three sites, with a $600,000 limit per state. The NSGP program guide explains federal eligibility and scoring.

The FY2026 window and deadline

DEMHS set July 15, 2026, close of business, as the deadline for "all sub-applications to DEMHS in the EM Grants system." It gave no clock time. Its Apply page says DEMHS must submit applications to FEMA by July 24. FEMA later moved that SAA deadline to 5 p.m. ET on July 31, 2026 (Information Bulletin 579), and we found no DEMHS notice moving July 15. See NSGP deadlines for other states.

EM Grants and the four parts

Applications go online only, through DESPP EM Grants. The organization needs an EM Grants account before it can open the application. DEMHS points applicants to its "Applying for Federal NSGP in EM Grants" presentation and its "How to Use EM Grants" guide on the Guidance and Forms page. We couldn't open the presentation, so we can't say how long account setup takes; create the account early.

DEMHS describes the application as "typically broken down into 4 parts":

1. The NSGP-S Investment Justification (IJ), a fillable PDF downloaded from EM Grants.
2. The NSGP-S Security Self-Assessment, completed online. This is a DEMHS addition, not a FEMA form. DEMHS materials say a completed survey must be on file for the application to be considered.
3. The organization's mission statement on letterhead.
4. A vulnerability assessment. DEMHS materials accept a written assessment from the past three years by local law enforcement, a security contractor, or the CISA Houses of Worship self-assessment.

You should keep the self-assessment, the vulnerability assessment and the IJ consistent. Every item the IJ requests should trace to a weakness that the assessment names. The vulnerability assessment guide and how to apply cover the federal pieces.

After a federal award

The Guidance and Forms page lists the subrecipient forms DEMHS uses: an Environmental and Historic Preservation Form, Procurement Standards, a Conflict of Interest Form, quarterly progress and financial reports, a Reimbursement Request Form, and an Equipment/Property Inventory Report. The quarterly reports "must be submitted within 30 days of the close of the quarter." Reimbursement requests "must be submitted with copies of associated invoices and proofs of payments," and the inventory report goes with the final reimbursement request.

An undated DEMHS overview deck describes federal NSGP as reimbursement only, but the FY2026 pages don't state the payment model. Confirm it in the executed subaward before committing funds. The post-award guide covers the federal steps.

The Connecticut Nonprofit Security Grant Program (CT-NSGP)

CT-NSGP is a state program paid for with bond funds. Its full name in DEMHS materials is the Connecticut Nonprofit Organization Security Infrastructure Competitive Grant Program. DEMHS's overview says Public Act 20-1 approved $20 million in bond funds in 2020, to be released in $5 million rounds. The State Bond Commission approved $5 million for the 2026 round on May 29, 2026 (Governor's release). Earlier $5 million rounds were awarded in 2021, 2023 and 2024, so 2026 is the fourth. We could not confirm whether any bond authority remains for a fifth round.

For the 2024 round, the Governor's June 9, 2026 release reports more than 550 applications requesting about $26 million, with 126 funded.

Who can apply

Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Connecticut at heightened risk of a terrorist attack, hate crime or violent act. The program page adds the rule that most separates CT-NSGP from federal NSGP: "Eligible applicants must own the building at the time of application and throughout the project completion." A congregation that rents its worship space can't use CT-NSGP for that space, even though federal NSGP accepts leased sites.

DEMHS's 2026 presentation lists public schools, municipalities, public health districts and volunteer fire departments as ineligible. Organizations with earlier CT-NSGP awards may apply again, but DEMHS gives priority to organizations without prior funding.

What it pays for

CT-NSGP funds physical security only. The 2026 presentation lists cameras (NDAA compliant), solid core doors, electronic locks, panic alarms, ballistic glass, double-door access, lock enhancements, metal detectors, fencing at least 6 feet high, bollards, window shades, exterior lighting, emergency communications, Wi-Fi to support cameras, one year of subscription or license fees, and access control.

It does not fund fire alarms, AEDs or other building safety equipment, maintenance or administration, contracted security, non-vendor training such as active shooter or CPR courses, operating costs, a security director's salary, or rent. Guard coverage in Connecticut therefore has to come from federal NSGP (see security guard grants) or the organization's own budget.

Limits, match and ranking

Awards are up to $50,000 per address, with no cap on the number of sites. Each site needs its own address and its own application, and no match is required. DEMHS ranks applications by the score from its online security self-assessment, and the sites with the most significant gaps rank highest. The program page says awards are made "based on the demonstrated need for security improvements."

Answer the self-assessment for each building and connect the requested items to the gaps it identifies.

How the 2026 round worked

The 2026 presentation says the application opened July 6, 2026, and DEMHS held webinars July 15 and August 19. The Apply page and the news page gave September 14, 2026, close of business, as the close. The presentation gave September 4. For a future round, plan to the earlier date in any DEMHS document and ask DEMHS which controls.

CT-NSGP uses the same EM Grants system as federal NSGP. When registering the organization, the Apply page says to select "SSBF" for access to the State Security Bond Funds. The application has two parts: organization data, threat narrative, scope of work and budget for each facility, with milestones; and the online security self-assessment.

Payment: advance or reimbursement

CT-NSGP is the only DEMHS nonprofit program that offers a cash advance. The 2026 presentation gives two options:

• Option 1. One 50% cash advance, which requires signed vendor contracts at least equal to the advance, followed by one reimbursement for the balance. The older DEMHS overview puts the advance at a maximum of $25,000, half the site limit.
• Option 2. Up to two reimbursements.

Reimbursements need invoices and proof of payment, such as signed or cancelled checks or bank statements. DEMHS does not accept ledgers. Quarterly progress reports must be current before DEMHS pays. The executed subaward controls the payment option.

From award to finished work

The 2026 presentation sets the post-award order. The organization signs the subaward and sends a W-9, an Agency Vendor Form and an ACH form. A building over 50 years old needs a State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) form. Work starts only after the subaward is signed, and progress reports are due every quarter, even when no work happened.

The School Security Grant Program (nonpublic schools)

The School Security Competitive Grant Program is a state bond-funded program for school security infrastructure. Its most recent published round, Round 6 (FY2023), was funded by Public Act 21-111 with $10 million, which also created a Multi-Media School Security Grant Program track. The program has no open round. Everything below comes from the Round 6 documents, which DEMHS still links, and may change in the next round.

The Round 6 nonpublic application covered "nonpublic / private schools, licensed childcare centers or preschools." The 2023 summary sheet adds that preschools and daycares must have experienced actual or community-based threats. Public schools use a separate application with a different state share.

For nonpublic schools, the state paid 50% of eligible costs, capped at $50,000 per school or location, and the school paid the other 50%. A nonpublic applicant that also applied to the Multi-Media track shared one $50,000 cap across both. Payment was by reimbursement, and awarded schools could submit up to four requests.

Round 6 funded cameras, portable entrance metal detectors, panic alarms, internal radios, window film, solid core doors, ballistic glass, access control, fencing 6 feet or higher, lighting and bollards. The Multi-Media track funded cameras, radios, panic buttons or connected systems that alert law enforcement directly. Vendor training was allowed only on equipment bought with the grant. Personnel, general training, landscaping, annual licensing or subscription fees, fire alarm costs, first aid and CPR were not funded, and neither were items already paid for with state or federal funds.

Round 6 had two parts: the application with data, narrative and budget, and a score on the NCEF safety checklist taken by online survey. The Round 6 cost window ended June 30, 2026. The 2023 summary sheet lists Schoolsecuritygrant@ct.gov as the contact; the current page lists none.

A nonprofit private or religious school may also be eligible for federal NSGP and, if it owns its building, for CT-NSGP. See private and religious school security grants for the federal scoring distinction.

Programs compared

Using more than one program

Connecticut addresses duplication directly. The 2026 CT-NSGP presentation says its funds "cannot be used to duplicate efforts funded by" federal NSGP, the School Security Grant Program, or "any other program where a grantee match is required." The Round 6 school application likewise excluded projects funded by state or federal money. A site may hold awards from more than one program, but each item can be paid for once.

Assign each item to one program before applying, describe the split, and keep each award's contracts and invoices separate.

Local programs

No verified local program is included here. Check municipal and private sources separately.

Official documents

If DEMHS posts a newer notice, form or presentation than these, the newer document controls.

Other states' agencies and programs are in the state lookup table.

Last checked and change log

Last checked: October 15, 2026, against the DEMHS federal NSGP Apply, overview and Guidance and Forms pages; the CT-NSGP program, Apply, Guidance and Forms and news pages; the FY 2026 CT-NSGP presentation and the undated State and Federal NSGP overview; the Governor's May 29 and June 9, 2026 releases; the SSGP overview and Apply pages and the 2023 Round 6 documents; and FEMA's FY2026 NOFO, Information Bulletin 579 and September 28, 2026 announcement.

• October 2026: Page published. FY2026 NSGP closed in Connecticut July 15, 2026; no Connecticut award list found. CT-NSGP 2026 round closed September 14, 2026, under review, results expected mid-December. SSGP: funding allocated for another round, no dates posted.