Police stand outside the JCC of St. Paul, Minnesota, after it was evacuated in response to a bomb threat. Image by Facebook/Star Tribune

The $1.3 trillion spending bill passed by the house includes a major boost in funding to protect not-for-profits from security threats.

The Non-Profit Security Program out of the Department of Homeland Security will see its budget more than double, from $25 million to $60 million. The program provides grants to not-for-pprofits for security equipment and training to deter and combat terrorism.

Jewish Federations of North America, which lobbied for the funding increase, said in a statement that, “Nonprofits generally, and Jewish communal institutions specifically, have been the victims of a growing number of violent attacks.”

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In 2012, 97% of the non-profit security grants were awarded to Jewish Institutions.

The bill also provides the U.S. State Department’s Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism with at least $1 million for programs to combat anti-Semitism abroad and funding for the U.S. State Department’s Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues.

After threatening to veto the bill over immigration policies such as DACA and funding for the border wall, President Trump announced he will sign the bill into law.

Contact Avichai Scher at scher@forward.com or on Twitter, @avi_scher

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount