TENNESSEE — The Department of Safety and Homeland Security has announced the opening of the 2025–2026 Houses of Worship Security Grant, which provides funding for contracted security personnel at eligible 501(c)(3) organizations serving as houses of worship — including churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques. According to the grant guidelines, each organization can receive up to $70,000 to help cover the cost of hiring licensed or certified security officers to protect their facilities and ensure the safety of their congregations.
Eligible nonprofits must demonstrate their threat and vulnerability and explain how the funding will address security gaps. The program reimburses only for actual hours worked by qualified Tennessee POST-certified law enforcement officers working extra duty or by licensed private security guards. Costs such as equipment, uniforms, training, or third-party expenses are not eligible for reimbursement.
Organizations cannot receive this grant if they are already using federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) funds for the same security personnel expenses. Only one grant can be awarded per physical address, but organizations with multiple locations may submit separate applications for each site.
All funding is provided on a cost-reimbursement basis through a Tennessee grant contract and operates within the state’s fiscal year. Applications are evaluated using a scoring system — funds are not awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Houses of worship, by their nature, are easily accessible to large numbers of people and often have limited security measures in place, which makes them vulnerable,” said Department of Safety and Homeland Security Deputy Commissioner Greg Mays. “Our Houses of Worship Security Grant helps eligible organizations hire trained security professionals who, in an emergency, can mitigate or prevent a tragedy.”
Key deadlines:
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Register in the grant portal by 3:00 p.m. CT on July 24, 2025
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Submit completed applications by 3:00 p.m. CT on July 31, 2025
The 2025–2026 Houses of Worship Security Grant is competitive, has a 12-month grant period, and is disbursed through a Tennessee cost-reimbursement contract. Interested organizations must complete the registration by July 24 and submit their application by July 31, 2025.
DETAILS and APPLICATION: For more information, visit the Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s website: tn.gov/safety/homeland-security/grants.html
MORE GRANTS: The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security administers several grant programs on behalf of the State of Tennessee. In addition to the Houses of Worship Security Grant, other grants include the Statewide School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Grant, State Homeland Security Program (SHSP), Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), and the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP). Visit the website to learn more about each program.
