HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Shapiro-Davis Administration’s 2026-27 budget includes a $10 million investment to help nonprofit and faith-based organizations enhance security and prevent hate crimes through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD) Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program.
The funding builds on the administration’s broader effort to improve public safety across Pennsylvania. Since taking office, Gov. Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis have secured $35 million for the grant program, including the new allocation in the 2026-27 budget.
The program supports security planning, training, equipment purchases and technology upgrades at places of worship, community centers and nonprofit organizations that serve individuals and groups who may be vulnerable to hate-motivated incidents.
According to the administration, the most recent funding round, announced in March, invested more than $10 million in 191 nonprofit organizations across 28 Pennsylvania counties. The grants are estimated to have impacted approximately seven million people statewide. The details of those awards are available here.
Applications for the next round of Nonprofit Security Grant funding are expected to open soon.
Organizations highlight impact of security grants
Several grant recipients credited the funding with improving security and emergency preparedness.
A Philadelphia cathedral reported that grant-funded security systems proved critical during an incident involving an active gunman during a baptism service. Church officials said parishioners were able to shelter in place and use security monitoring equipment to track activity outside the building.
A reproductive health center in Allegheny County said the grants helped improve both physical and cybersecurity protections by identifying vulnerabilities, strengthening compliance measures and enhancing emergency preparedness.
An Islamic school in Cumberland County noted that previous grant funding enabled the institution to employ trained security personnel, helping deter harassment and provide reassurance to students, families and staff.
A Jewish summer camp in Wayne County said security enhancements funded through the program improved its ability to deter, detect and respond to potential threats, including terrorism and hate crimes, while making campers, staff and visitors safer.
An Islamic center in Allegheny County said surveillance equipment funded through previous grants has been used to assist law enforcement investigations involving suspicious activity and has improved deterrence, early threat detection and coordination with police.
Broader public safety investments
Since 2023, the Shapiro-Davis Administration says PCCD has distributed more than $1 billion through approximately 6,700 grants to support violence prevention and community safety initiatives across Pennsylvania.
In addition to the nonprofit security funding, the 2026-27 budget includes:
- More than $50 million for the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program.
- $11.5 million for the Building Opportunities through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) initiative.
- $16.2 million to train four additional Pennsylvania State Police cadet classes.
- More than $100 million for school safety and mental health programs in K-12 schools, plus $20 million for nonpublic school security initiatives.
- $7.5 million for indigent defense services.
- $2.5 million to create a new VICTIM Act grant program to help law enforcement agencies improve homicide and violent crime clearance rates.
- $4.5 million for the Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP).
- A $12 million increase in funding for rape crisis centers, described by the administration as the largest increase in program history. Gov. Shapiro recently visited a rape crisis center to discuss the investment.