DHS makes $20 million in funding available for targeted violence and terrorism prevention grants

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is making $20 million available through the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program to help communities across the country develop innovative capabilities to combat terrorism and targeted violence.

“Domestic violent extremism and targeted violence are two of the gravest threats facing our homeland today,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “Over the past few years, the United States has experienced an increasing number of targeted attacks by disaffected individuals motivated by a combination of extremist ideologies and personal grievances. This investment in local communities will help our partners develop sustainable capabilities to address an evolving threat environment, including by preventing attacks and online radicalization.”

Secretary Mayorkas established the following four priorities for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 TVTP Grant Program: (1) preventing domestic violent extremism; (2) enhancing local threat assessment and management capabilities; (3) implementing innovative solutions for preventing targeted violence and terrorism; and (4) challenging online violence mobilization narratives for the first time through this program.

For FY 2021, Congress supported the Department’s request to double the investment in sustainable prevention programming from $10 million to $20 million. In December 2020, DHS finalized plans to better monitor and evaluate the success of the awards and share results to ensure other jurisdictions can replicate best practices.

The announcement builds upon DHS’s increased efforts to combat domestic violence extremism. In February 2021, Secretary Mayorkas designated for the first time combating domestic violent extremism as a ‘National Priority Area’ for the FY 2021 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant programs. As a result, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments are required to spend 7.5 percent of their DHS grant awards combating this threat. Further, since Inauguration Day, DHS has increased the development, production, and sharing of intelligence and other information central to countering domestic violent extremism. The Department is also increasing training opportunities for law enforcement partners, including through threat assessment and management programs related to domestic violence extremism.

The TVTP Grant Program application period will close on May 25, 2021. State, local, tribal, territorial governments; non-profit organizations; and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply for funds to establish capabilities or fill gaps in their prevention capabilities. Applying for this grant is a multi-step process and it is recommended that applicants begin that process early to allow sufficient time to complete interim steps. Applicants should consult the Notice of Funding Opportunity for more specific information.