tree of life synagogue

Pennsylvania Opens Grant Program For Faith Based Organizations Seeking Security Upgrades

Created in the wake of a shooting at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue, the grant program opened its application process last week.

  • By Haley Samsel
  • Jan 14, 2020

Pennsylvania has introduced a new grant program allowing faith-based nonprofit organizations to receive funding for crucial security improvements.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency opened the program last week, which focuses on non-profits that principally serve people or institutions that are included within a “bias motivation category for a single bias hate crime incident” as identified by the FBI, according to MediaNews Group. Those categories can include race, religion, sexual orientation, disability and gender identity.

“Today marks another big step in reaffirming that regardless of faith or background, everyone deserves to feel safe in their place of worship,” state Sen. Andy Dinniman said in a statement. “I hope these grants will bring increased security, safety and peace of mind as we continue to stand strong against hate and violence and stand together in protecting the right to worship of all.”

The Non-Profit Security Grant Program was funded by the state legislature last year, with $5 million being dedicated to faith-based nonprofits. Eligible upgrades can include response training, vulnerability assessments, updates to facilities for security purposes and equipment including metal detectors, communications systems, trauma kits and more.

Organizations will be eligible for grants ranging from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $150,000. The commission will select nonprofits in coordination with the governor’s homeland security office and the Pennsylvania State Police.

Legislators pushed for the program following the 2018 mass shooting at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh, which took the lives of 11 people and injured seven more. The man accused of carrying out the attack told police that he wanted “all Jews to die” when asked what his motives were.

The rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes, as well as hate crimes against people of other faiths, has been a growing concern for federal law enforcement. Last fall, then-acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan appeared at the first meeting of a DHS subcommittee focused on violence against faith centers. He told the audience in Jackson, Mississippi that the agency was taking action against domestic terrorism against religious centers.

“I am concerned about the white supremacy and the extreme increases and the growing attacks, especially the ones we have seen on the houses of worship,” McAleenan said. “I absolutely agree it is a problem and we need to work to address it.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”