Houses of worship, schools, and community nonprofits across LA and Orange County are increasingly using the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help pay for physical security upgrades — including security window film and impact-resistant glazing. Here's what the program actually covers, who qualifies, and where a glazing installer like us fits into your application.
Published July 27, 2026 · Armored Glass Solutions
The Program
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is a FEMA preparedness grant, funded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, that helps nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist or targeted violent attack pay for target-hardening and physical security enhancements. FEMA sets the national program rules each year in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), but the money is passed through and administered by each state's State Administrative Agency (SAA) — in California, that's the Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). Your SAA runs the actual application window, scoring, and award process.
For eligible nonprofits located within one of the major urban areas DHS designates each year as higher-risk metro regions. Applications for this track are typically coordinated through the urban area's fusion center or regional administering agency.
For eligible nonprofits located outside those designated urban areas. This track is applied for directly through the state — in California, through Cal OES.
UA and State are funded and scored as two separate programs, but both use the same eligibility standard, the same Investment Justification format, and the same Authorized Equipment List (AEL) for what's fundable.
Eligibility
NSGP eligibility is narrower than "any nonprofit." FEMA's standing criteria, repeated in every year's NOFO, come down to two tests.
The applicant must be a nonprofit organization described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from tax under 501(a) — a determination letter is part of the application package.
The organization must be at high risk of a terrorist or other targeted violent attack, and be able to document that risk — prior threats, incidents, hate-crime activity in the area, or the nature of the organization's mission and visibility are the kinds of evidence SAAs look for.
The grant funds enhancements at a specific physical location. Multi-site organizations can apply for more than one site, but each site is its own Investment Justification with its own scope and quote.
What It Funds
NSGP dollars are meant for physical security enhancements, security planning, and related training — not general operating costs. Every eligible item has to trace back to a category on FEMA's Authorized Equipment List (AEL), and glazing is one of the categories the AEL names directly.
The relevant AEL category is 14EX-00-BSIR — "Systems, Building, Blast/Shock/Impact Resistant." Its official description covers "column and surface wraps, wall coverings, portable or fixed ballistic boards/barriers, breakage/shatter-resistant glass, window wraps/films/velums, etc." That's the line item security window film, forced-entry-rated retrofit glazing, and impact-resistant systems fall under. One important nuance state administering agencies flag on this category: it's meant to reinforce or protect glass that's already in place — the guidance notes it is "not to replace the windows" of the whole organization, so a scope built around targeted openings (entrances, ground-floor sightlines, offices) fits the intent better than a full building re-glaze.
Security window film applied to existing glass to add forced-entry delay and glass-retention properties, tested to the manufacturer's published standards.
DefenseLite® and BulletShield® systems add a secondary glazing layer over existing frames, rated by the manufacturer for forced-entry or ballistic performance depending on the product tier.
The broader AEL also covers items like access control, cameras, lighting, alarms, and reinforced doors — glazing is typically one line in a larger target-hardening plan, not the whole plan.
Where We Fit In
To be direct about what Armored Glass Solutions is and isn't in this process: we are not a grant-writing firm, we're not consultants, and we have no affiliation with FEMA, DHS, or your state's SAA. What we do is the physical-security side of the application — the part that answers "what exactly are you proposing to install, from whom, and for how much."
We walk the property, identify which openings a reviewer would flag as the highest-risk glazing, and map that against what the AEL actually allows.
Test data and product documentation for the specific film or glazing system proposed, so the reviewer can see it's a real, tested product — not a marketing claim.
A line-item quote you can drop into your Investment Justification's budget section, scoped to the sites and openings you're actually applying to harden.
We are not licensed to give legal, tax, or grant-compliance advice, and nothing here is a promise of an award — awards are competitive and decided by FEMA and your SAA, not by us. Program rules, eligible costs, and deadlines change every year, so confirm the current details against this year's NOFO, the current AEL, and your state's SAA before you build a budget or a timeline around them.
Numbers That Change Every Year
Award ceilings, total program funding, and application windows are reset annually by DHS/FEMA and your state. Recent cycles have generally allowed multi-site organizations to apply for up to three sites per funding stream, with per-site award ceilings that have moved between roughly $150,000 and $200,000 depending on the year. Rather than repeat a number that may already be out of date by the time you read this, check the current fiscal year's NOFO and your SAA's application guidance for the exact ceiling, total program funding, and deadline in effect right now.
The same goes for the application deadline itself — it's set by each state's SAA on its own timeline after FEMA releases the national NOFO, so it moves from year to year. Your SAA's grant portal (Cal OES for California nonprofits) is the source to check, not a blog post.
Questions
No. We're security-glazing installers. We provide the site assessment, manufacturer spec sheets, and a formal quote for the glazing line item in your Investment Justification — your organization's leadership or grant writer prepares and submits the actual application.
Not automatically. The AEL category that covers glazing is built around hardening or protecting glass that's already installed — shatter-resistant film, window wraps, and similar systems — rather than a wholesale building re-glaze. A scope focused on the highest-risk openings fits the program's intent better than replacing every window on the property. Confirm what's eligible for your specific project against the current NOFO and AEL.
It depends on the current fiscal year's rules, which are set by DHS/FEMA and your state and change from cycle to cycle. Recent years have allowed applications for multiple sites with per-site ceilings that have moved over time — check this year's NOFO and your SAA's guidance for the exact figure before you build a budget.
No. We're an independent, licensed glazing and security film installer (CA Contractor #997737) serving LA and Orange County. We're not a government agency, a grant administrator, or a consultant — we help identify eligible glazing options and provide the documentation your application needs.
Free security-glazing assessment for nonprofits, houses of worship, and community organizations across LA & Orange County — scope, manufacturer specs, and a quote you can attach to your Investment Justification.