Needless to say, 2020 and the early days of 2021 have been exceptionally hard on hospitals. And, obviously, even saying that doesn’t do it justice. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed us all to our absolute limit and nowhere is that truer than in the context of hospitals and our medical infrastructure. Legislation in the ilk of the CARES Act certainly helped, but hospitals will be able to leverage a preexisting grant program backed by FEMA in 2021 and beyond. Let’s talk about the Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
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As a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) started setting aside funds for institutions the government identified as crucial for public health and safety. See, immediately following these attacks, the government classified hospitals and other healthcare providers as potential secondary targets for terrorist attacks. After all, after an attack happens, victims are taken to hospitals, so they need to have the ability to take care of patients. Also, should a follow-up attack occur, hospitals are vulnerable targets because of the high concentration of people that normally occupy these facilities.
These secondary targets, coined CIKR—Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources—are institutions such as non-profits and healthcare providers. In this case, the “non-profit” designation is reserved for those described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of that same code. Both are eligible to qualify for a portion of the 180 million dollars earmarked for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This money is divided into two separate “objectives”: Urban and State, with 90 million allocated to each. Now, the areas designated as “Urban” are fairly limited—FEMA has only identified 32 Urban Areas—so if your geography doesn’t isn’t in or around one of these areas, you will have to turn to the “State” funds. In practice, this means that any hospital can potentially apply for grant money.
FEMA’s allocated grant money can help hospitals secure both the interior and the exterior of the campus.
How can CIKR-designated institutions use this money? Well, one area hospitals are often lacking is security. A hospital’s ability to treat patients is hindered if areas such as parking lots, entrance and exit points, and the building’s exterior are not adequately surveilled. Additionally, should an incident occur, cameras can capture the occurrence, the perpetrator, and his actions. The inability to proactively monitor activity and potentially prevent an incident can cripple a hospital’s ability to care for patients. It is for these reasons hospitals have frequently secured grant money when they cite security concerns as their purpose for application.
So, what are the important dates to know? The 2021 application for receiving grant money opened on February 25th and you must submit your application by May 14th at 5:00PM Eastern Time. The selection date will occur no later than July 16th and the award date is no later than September 30th. If you’re unsure whether you qualify or if you need help with your grant application, the knowledgeable team at Vermillion Systems is happy to be at your side.
