DHS clarifies nonprofit security grants can fund police, staff

What it does

This bill amends the Department of Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Grant Program to explicitly permit grants to be used for hiring onsite security personnel, off-duty police officers, and administrative staff to apply for funding. It caps administrative hiring costs at 5% of the grant amount. The bill clarifies and expands what nonprofits can spend security grants on.

Why we flagged it

The bill is a technical amendment to existing grant law that clarifies eligible uses and expands permissible spending categories for an established DHS security-grant program serving nonprofits.

What the text implies

• Explicit authorization for off-duty police hiring may increase local law enforcement revenue streams and create incentive structures for police departments to market off-duty services to nonprofits.
• The 5% administrative cap applies only to grant-application personnel, not to other administrative costs, potentially creating ambiguity about what overhead is permissible under other eligible uses.
• Nonprofits may now compete for limited grant funds by hiring dedicated grant-writing staff, which could advantage well-resourced organizations over grassroots groups lacking upfront capital.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

Nonprofits serving vulnerable populations (religious institutions, community centers, civil rights organizations) gain clearer authority and expanded funding options to hire security personnel, reducing barriers to physical safety. The 5% cap on administrative costs prevents grant-capture by overhead while preserving the security mission.

Who stands to gain

• nonprofit organizations (religious institutions, community centers, civil rights groups)
• off-duty police officers and security contractors
• grant-writing and administrative service providers

Named in the bill

Department of Homeland Security, Nonprofit Security Grant Program, Homeland Security Act of 2002, Section 2009(c)(1)

Where it stands

1 cosponsor: 1 Republicans.

• Jul 27, 2026 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Jul 27, 2026 — Referred to House Committee on Homeland Security and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure · Congress.gov: “Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland…”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.