Learn · Funding
Security Grant Funding Guide
By the ScanningAndModeling team · Last updated July 16, 2026
Several federal and state grant programs will pay for the security assessment and mapping work that a school, house of worship, nonprofit, or local government needs. The programs share a common shape: they fund the documentation of your building's vulnerabilities and, in many cases, the physical and mapping measures that address them. This guide explains the three programs that matter most for mapping and assessment work, in plain terms, and shows the order of operations so you do not stall at the starting line. We produce the mapping and documentation these programs fund. We are not a grant firm and we do not file applications. What we can do is point you through the terrain and hand you documentation that holds up.
What we do and do not do. We scan buildings and produce mapping, as-builts, and facility documentation. We do not write grant applications, submit investment justifications, or act as your grant consultant. Everything below is orientation, and grant rules change every cycle. Confirm current terms at the official sources linked and with your state administering agency.
FEMA Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program, run by FEMA, funds physical security enhancements for nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack. Houses of worship, faith-based schools, community centers, and other nonprofits are the core recipients. It is one of the most-used funding routes for security hardening in the country.
What it funds and how much
An eligible organization may request up to a total of 600,000 dollars per state or territory, structured as up to three sites, with each site's Investment Justification requesting up to 200,000 dollars. The money supports target hardening and related security measures identified through a vulnerability assessment.
How the application actually flows
NSGP does not run application-direct to FEMA. It flows through your state. The path:
- State Administrative Agency (SAA). Each state designates an SAA that administers NSGP, opens the application window, and forwards approved packages to FEMA. In Florida this is the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
- Sub-applications. Your organization submits a sub-application to the SAA. This is where the eligibility and project details live.
- Vulnerability assessment. A vulnerability assessment of the physical location is the foundation of the application. It can take the form of a CISA self-assessment, a state or local law enforcement assessment, an outside contractor's assessment, or another valid method.
- Investment Justification (IJ). The IJ is the single document the SAA submits to FEMA. It is built from the identified threats, the results of the vulnerability assessment, and the specific projects proposed to address them, each with estimated costs.
A rule worth knowing up front. Per FEMA, NSGP funds may not be used to pay for developing the vulnerability assessment or the Investment Justification themselves. Those are application documents, not funded project costs. Read the current-year terms in the FEMA NSGP FAQ and the NSGP application page.
NSGP runs on an annual cycle. Windows open and close on a schedule set by FEMA and your SAA each year, so the practical move is to know when your state opens its window and have your assessment and documentation ready before it does.
Florida's critical infrastructure mapping grant (Section 943.0413)
Florida enacted a Critical Infrastructure Mapping Grant Program in 2025, codified at Section 943.0413 of the Florida Statutes. It was created within the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to support the ongoing assessment of the state's vulnerability to, and ability to recover from, acts of terrorism. The program took effect July 1, 2025, as part of the law enforcement bill signed as Chapter 2025-176.
Being honest about the details matters here, because this program is new and specific:
- Administered by FDLE. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement runs the program.
- Eligible recipients are governmental. The program is oriented to law enforcement agencies, counties, and municipalities, not to private organizations directly.
- Funding is subject to appropriation. As a state grant program, its funding depends on legislative appropriation each cycle, so availability varies year to year.
For a county or municipality mapping critical infrastructure, this is a route worth watching. The deliverable it funds, verified mapping of critical facilities, is squarely the work we produce.
School mapping grants (Section 1013.13)
For K-12 districts and Florida College System institutions, the School Mapping Data Grant Program funds the campus mapping work itself. Created within the Department of Education under Section 1013.13, it lets districts apply for funds to provide school mapping data for each public school, including the option to procure a vendor to produce that data. The statute specifies exactly what the map must contain and requires walk-through verification. The school and campus mapping requirements guide breaks the program down in full, and the how critical incident mapping works guide shows how the map is built.
The three programs at a glance
| Program | Who administers it | Who is eligible | What it funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| FEMA NSGP | FEMA, through each state's SAA | Nonprofits at high risk, including faith-based organizations and schools | Physical security hardening driven by a vulnerability assessment |
| Florida 943.0413 | Florida Department of Law Enforcement | Law enforcement, counties, municipalities | Critical infrastructure mapping, subject to appropriation |
| Florida 1013.13 | Florida Department of Education | K-12 districts, charter schools, Florida College System | Campus mapping data to the statutory specification |
How to sequence it: the order of operations
The most common mistake is treating funding as the first move. It is not. Your first call does not need to be a grant consultant. Whichever program you pursue, the same foundational documentation is required, and having it ready is what turns a grant window from a scramble into a formality. Here is the order that works.
Step 1
Know your building
Get an accurate record of the facility as it stands. A laser scan produces the measured base every downstream document draws from: floor plans, as-builts, and the map. This is the asset that outlasts any single grant cycle.
Step 2
Get the vulnerability assessment
For NSGP, the vulnerability assessment is the foundation of the application. Arrange it through CISA, your local law enforcement, or a qualified assessor. Accurate building documentation makes that assessment sharper and easier to produce.
Step 3
Identify the right program and window
Match your organization to the program: NSGP for nonprofits and faith-based sites, 1013.13 for K-12 and college campuses, 943.0413 for local government infrastructure. Find out when the application window opens through the administering agency.
Step 4
Build the application from your documentation
The Investment Justification or grant application draws directly on the assessment and the building documentation. The stronger and more current those inputs, the stronger the application. This is the step where a grant consultant, if you use one, earns their fee.
Step 5
Execute the funded work
Once funded, the mapping, hardening, or documentation gets produced and delivered. We handle the scanning, mapping, and facility documentation side, formatted to the program's requirements.
The through-line: the mapping and assessment documentation is needed either way. Whether you win a grant or fund the work directly, you will need a current, accurate record of your building. We produce that record and we will walk you through where each program lives and what documentation it expects.
Questions people actually ask
Do you write the grant application for me?
No. We are not a grant firm and we do not file applications or investment justifications. We produce the mapping, as-builts, and facility documentation these programs fund, and we will point you to where each program lives and what it expects.
Can NSGP pay for the scan or the assessment?
NSGP funds physical security projects identified by a vulnerability assessment. Per FEMA, the funds may not pay for developing the vulnerability assessment or the Investment Justification themselves, since those are application documents. Confirm current-year rules on FEMA's NSGP pages before you scope costs.
Which program fits a house of worship?
FEMA's Nonprofit Security Grant Program is the usual route for faith-based and nonprofit organizations, applied for through your state's administering agency.
What if there is no grant available right now?
Grant windows and appropriations vary by year. The building documentation is worth having regardless: it is the foundation for the next application cycle and for your own facility operations. Start with knowing your building, and the funding path is easier whenever it opens.
About the author
The ScanningAndModeling team writes these guides from the field, the people who scan, model, and document buildings across the country. We know this funding terrain and we will point you through it. We produce the documentation the programs fund; we do not file the paperwork.