Nonprofit Security 
Grant Program (CO NSGP)

Eligible organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits located in Colorado that can demonstrate they are at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission. Houses of worship, religious schools, and faith-affiliated and cultural nonprofits are common applicants. The organization must occupy the facility, owned or leased, at the time of application. Churches, mosques, and synagogues are automatically exempt under 501(c)(3) and are not required to produce an IRS determination letter.

The Colorado NSGP was created by House Bill 22-1077 in 2022 and is funded with state dollars. It is designed to reach organizations that applied for the national Nonprofit Security Grant Program and were not selected for funding. Those organizations may then be invited by the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) to apply for the state program. There is no separate open application portal, so the invitation is the entry point.

Award amounts are set each cycle by DHSEM and depend on how much the legislature has appropriated to the fund. Across the award lists DHSEM has published to date, individual awards have generally fallen between roughly $12,000 and $50,000 per site. Treat that as historical practice rather than a published cap, and confirm the current cycle's limit in the guidance you receive. The program is reimbursement-based, so your organization pays vendors first and submits documentation to be reimbursed.

The program is administered by the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), within the Colorado Department of Public Safety. The official program page is dhsem.colorado.gov/NSGP, and the rules governing the program are codified at 8 CCR 1507-47. DHSEM also maintains an email list for funding announcements and publishes past award lists. Working from the official source, rather than third-party summaries, is the best way to avoid problems on technicalities.

There is no fixed annual calendar for the state program. Invitations to apply are issued after funding decisions on the national program are announced, and DHSEM has stated that it does not publish a timeline for the state cycle. Because the schedule moves, the practical step is to subscribe to the DHSEM announcement list rather than relying on a date from a prior year. Getting your documentation in order ahead of an announcement is what protects you when a window opens on short notice.

Yes. Applications are expected to rest on a written vulnerability assessment of the specific site, completed within three years of your submission date. You can use a published self-assessment tool, work with local law enforcement, or engage a contractor to conduct one. Note that grant funds do not reimburse the cost of the assessment itself or the cost of preparing the application, so plan for those as organizational expenses.

Allowable categories generally include security-related planning, training, exercises, contracted security personnel, and the acquisition and installation of security equipment on property your organization owns or leases. Cameras, access control, door and window reinforcement, barriers, and exterior lighting are common approved items. Equipment eligibility is limited to an approved list, so an item that seems reasonable is not automatically allowable. Cross-check the current cycle's guidance before you finalize a budget, because categories and equipment lists can shift between cycles.

No. The Colorado NSGP does not require a cash or in-kind match. The real financial constraint is timing rather than matching funds: the program reimburses after the fact, so your organization needs to be able to pay vendors and then wait for reimbursement. Costs incurred before your award date are also not reimbursable, so avoid signing contracts or placing orders in advance of an award.