The Pennsylvania state government has awarded $5.23 million in security grants to 120 churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and other nonprofit organizations which serve diverse communities. The funds aim to improve their facilities' security and protect from hate crimes.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), was established to provide grants to nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication. The categories include race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity.

The awardees were eligible to apply for grant awards ranging from $5,000 to $150,000 for security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of their membership. Funding can be used for safety and security planning, safety and security equipment and technology, training, building upgrades, vulnerability and threat assessments, and other security enhancements.