What Changed at DHS in the Last 12 Months
In the span of twelve months, the same FEMA grant program was terminated by the administration, challenged by 20 states, and permanently restored by a federal court. That is the kind of year DHS has had. **January 2025:** An executive order paused federal funding, including FEMA grant reimbursements. A federal judge blocked the pause, but a senior FEMA official instructed staff to continue the freeze. **April 2025:** The administration terminated the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, halting $3.6 billion in awarded-but-unpaid funding and canceling $882 million in upcoming awards. Three and a half billion dollars, frozen overnight. **May 2025:** The administration dismissed FEMA's interim administrator one day after he testified to Congress that eliminating FEMA would not be "in the best interest of the American people." His replacement has no prior emergency management experience. **July 2025:** The One Big Beautiful Bill Act became law, injecting $191 billion into DHS and creating two entirely new grant programs: the FIFA World Cup Grant Program ($625 million) and the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program ($500 million). **September 2025:** FEMA froze the $320 million Emergency Management Performance Grant after requiring states to resubmit population counts excluding people removed through immigration enforcement. A federal court ruled this "arbitrary and capricious." **October 2025:** FEMA opened applications for both new grant programs. **December 2025:** A federal court permanently restored the BRIC program, ruling its termination unlawful. Separately, a court vacated FEMA's new conditions on EMPG grants and entered permanent injunctive relief. **January 2026:** Most federal agencies received full-year FY2026 appropriations through the January 23 minibus and February 3 spending bills. DHS did not. Its FY2026 bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate over immigration enforcement provisions. **February 14, 2026:** DHS funding lapsed, triggering a DHS-specific partial government shutdown. Approximately 90% of DHS employees continue working without pay (classified as essential), but FEMA grant processing, CISA operations, and new Coast Guard procurements are affected. Congress is on recess until February 23. The result: some programs are fully operational, some in legal limbo, some killed and restored, two brand-new ones launched, and the department is now operating in a shutdown.
FEMA Preparedness Grants: The Core Programs
FEMA administers the largest share of DHS grant funding, distributing more than $58 billion in preparedness grants since 2002. **Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP): $1.008 billion (FY2025)** HSGP is the umbrella program, split into three parts: | Sub-Program | FY2025 Allocation | Who It Serves | |---|---|---| | State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) | $373.5 million | All states and territories | | Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) | $553.5 million | High-threat, high-density urban areas | | Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) | $81 million | Border security coordination | SHSP and UASI cover planning, equipment, training, and exercises. FY2025 priorities include protecting soft targets, supporting fusion centers, and election security, with at least 3% of funds directed to election security and 10% to border crisis response. The FY2026 NOFO has not been released. All guidance references FY2025 parameters. **Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP): $305 million (FY2025)** NSGP funds physical security enhancements for nonprofits at high risk of targeted violence: cameras, access control, barriers, lighting, and security assessments. The $305 million FY2025 allocation tripled from $100 million a few years ago. **Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG): $319.5 million (FY2025)** EMPG provides 50% matching funds for state and local emergency management, covering county emergency manager salaries, communication systems, and training exercises. The program experienced a freeze in September 2025 (see "Programs That Were Frozen" below) but was restored by court order in December 2025. **State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP): $91.75 million (FY2025)** FEMA and CISA jointly administer SLCGP, funding $1 billion in cybersecurity improvements for state, local, and tribal governments over four years. FY2025 was the final year of initial authorization, but the FY2026 appropriations bill extends the program. For context on how this program fits into the broader federal cybersecurity funding picture, see our federal funding search guide. The non-federal cost share reached 40% in FY2025, up from 10% when the program launched. States were required to submit updated Cybersecurity Plans by January 30, 2026, and must pass through at least 80% of funds to local governments. **Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG/SAFER/FP&S)** Three interconnected programs serve fire departments: AFG for equipment and training, SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) for hiring, and FP&S for fire prevention research. Unlike every other program listed here, fire departments apply directly to FEMA rather than through a state agency.
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Two New Programs: FIFA World Cup and Counter-UAS
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act created two new FEMA grant programs, both receiving first funding in FY2026. **FIFA World Cup Grant Program (FWCGP): $625 million** This program funds security and preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup across 11 U.S. host cities, including New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, and Houston. The event is expected to draw more than five million visitors over 38 days. FEMA opened applications on October 28, 2025, with a deadline of December 5, 2025. The initial application window has closed, but the program may issue additional funding rounds as the June-July 2026 tournament approaches. **Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program: $500 million** C-UAS provides $500 million over two fiscal years for state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to counter unlawful drone use. For FY2026, DHS prioritized $250 million for the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup events. The remaining $250 million will be distributed more broadly in FY2027. These two programs together represent $1.125 billion in new DHS grant funding that did not exist before July 2025.
Programs That Were Frozen, Terminated, or Restored
Each affected program is in a different state as of January 2026. **BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities): Legally restored, not yet operational** A federal court permanently restored the program on December 11, 2025, ruling its termination violated Congressional intent and the Administrative Procedure Act. FEMA has not resumed issuing new BRIC funding opportunities. The court ordered FEMA to "promptly take all steps necessary to reverse the termination" but did not order funds released. Monitor fema.gov/grants for updates. **EMPG (Emergency Management Performance Grant): Court injunction in effect** A permanent injunction entered December 23, 2025 bars FEMA from imposing population recount conditions or shortened spending periods. Michigan alone had $56 million in reimbursement requests on hold. Contact your state emergency management agency for current status. **TVTP (Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention): Eliminated** The $18 million TVTP program received stop-work orders and the DHS budget proposal zeroes it out, stating it "does not align with DHS priorities." No FY2025 or FY2026 funding cycle is expected unless Congress acts. **Cross-cutting grant conditions: Struck down by courts** Beyond individual programs, federal courts in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Oregon struck down conditions the administration imposed across FEMA grants, including requirements tied to immigration enforcement cooperation.
What We Track: 534 Open DHS Opportunities
Our database includes **534 open opportunities** from the Department of Homeland Security on SAM.gov. The breakdown is revealing: DHS is overwhelmingly a procurement agency, not a grant agency. **By Category:** | Category | Count | |---|---| | Procurement (contracts) | 521 | | Federal Register notices (categorized as grants) | 13 | The 13 records categorized as grants are Federal Register notices (regulatory and informational), not competitive grant programs. The actual competitive grant programs (HSGP, NSGP, EMPG, SLCGP, AFG, BRIC) are administered through FEMA's own process, not SAM.gov procurement. If you are looking for FEMA grants, SAM.gov is the wrong place to start. **By DHS Component:** | Component | Open Opportunities | |---|---| | DHS (general/HQ) | 406 | | U.S. Coast Guard | 92 | | FEMA | 9 | | CBP (Customs and Border Protection) | 8 | | All other components (ICE, TSA, Secret Service, USCIS) | 19 | | CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) | 0 | CISA has zero procurement opportunities in our database. Its funding flows primarily through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program administered by FEMA. **Top Industries (NAICS Codes):** | NAICS Code | Description | Count | |---|---|---| | 336611 | Ship Building and Repairing | 67 | | 336413 | Aircraft Parts Manufacturing | 33 | | 236220 | Commercial/Institutional Construction | 31 | | 334511 | Navigation/Detection Instruments | 22 | | 541512 | Computer Systems Design | 16 | Coast Guard ship repair, aircraft maintenance, and construction needs drive most DHS procurement activity. IT and cybersecurity contracts account for 16 opportunities. Small businesses should check for set-aside designations across all categories. **Headline Opportunity:** The single largest open opportunity is the **DHS Maritime Capabilities and Innovation Commercial Solutions Opening (CSOP)**: $1 billion in estimated total funding, accepting commercial solutions for maritime security through August 5, 2026.
The FY2026 Budget, the DHS Shutdown, and Staffing Cuts
DHS is the only major federal department whose FY2026 funding has not been enacted. Most other agencies received full-year appropriations through the January 23 minibus (covering Commerce, Justice, Science, DOE, NASA, and others) and the February 3 spending bills. DHS's bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate over immigration enforcement provisions, not grant funding. On February 14, 2026, DHS funding lapsed, triggering a department-specific partial shutdown. Approximately 90% of DHS employees are classified as essential and continue working without pay. Congress is on recess until February 23, meaning no resolution is possible before then at the earliest. The FY2026 DHS conference report, which has been negotiated but not enacted, allocates: | DHS Component | FY2026 Allocation | |---|---| | FEMA | $32 billion ($4.7B increase over FY2025) | | Coast Guard | $14.4 billion ($1.05B increase) | | CBP | $18.98 billion | | ICE | $11 billion | | CISA | $2.6 billion ($300M cut from current) | The One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave ICE and CBP separate multi-year funding, so immigration enforcement continues through the shutdown. FEMA, CISA, the Coast Guard, and TSA do not have that backstop. During the shutdown, new FEMA grant obligations, CISA cybersecurity program operations, and Coast Guard procurement actions are suspended or delayed. The negotiated bill also rejects FEMA staffing cuts made in FY2025, extends the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program through FY2026, and allocates $20 million for CISA to hire additional staff. None of these provisions take effect until the bill is signed. **Why staffing matters for applicants:** According to Federal News Network and Congressional testimony, FEMA has lost more than 2,000 employees since January 2025. DHS limited its Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE) workforce to 180-day contracts instead of multi-year terms. Internal planning documents obtained by The Washington Post describe potential cuts of up to 50%. Fewer staff means slower grant reviews, reimbursement approvals, and technical assistance, compounded now by the shutdown. CISA faces similar pressure. Over the past year, roughly one-third of the agency's staff departed. The administration proposed cutting the budget by $500 million; the conference report settled on a $300 million reduction. Build longer timelines into your planning and expect slower turnaround on award notifications and reimbursement requests. Continue preparing applications regardless of the shutdown. FEMA grant programs operate on multi-year timelines and will resume processing once funding is restored. The shutdown does not rescind existing multi-year grants, but new obligations and reimbursement payments are delayed until appropriations are enacted.
How DHS Grant Funding Reaches You
For the major FEMA programs (HSGP, NSGP, EMPG, SLCGP), funding flows through a two-step process. FEMA awards funds to State Administrative Agencies (SAAs), which then distribute to local governments, nonprofits, tribal nations, and other subrecipients through their own application processes. Two implications matter. Your deadline is set by your state, not by FEMA. National deadlines on Grants.gov are for SAAs, not for you. And state priorities shape what gets funded. An application that scores well in New York (dense urban environment, transit focus) may not score the same in Montana (large rural areas, wildfire concern). The exceptions: firefighter grants (AFG, SAFER, FP&S) accept applications directly from fire departments, and DHS Science and Technology grants go through Grants.gov. To find your SAA, search "[your state] State Administrative Agency homeland security" or contact your state emergency management agency.
What to Do Now by Applicant Type
**State and local government emergency managers:** Contact your State Administrative Agency about EMPG and HSGP subrecipient applications for FY2026. States often begin pre-application planning before the federal NOFO drops. If your state participates in SLCGP, confirm your cybersecurity plan meets the January 30 deadline. Monitor BRIC for when FEMA resumes applications. **Nonprofits at risk of targeted violence:** Ask your SAA about the NSGP application process. The $305 million FY2025 allocation is the largest NSGP ever. Priority goes to organizations on DHS-designated target lists. **Fire departments:** Apply directly to FEMA for AFG, SAFER, or FP&S grants when the FY2026 NOFOs are released. These do not go through SAAs. **IT and cybersecurity firms:** 16 computer systems design contracts are open on SAM.gov. The SLCGP also creates demand for cybersecurity services at the state and local level. Contact your state's SAA or CISA Cybersecurity Advisor. **Ship building, repair, and marine services:** The Coast Guard drives 92 procurement opportunities, with ship building and repair (NAICS 336611) as the largest single category at 67 opportunities. The $1 billion Maritime Capabilities CSOP accepts commercial innovation proposals through August 5, 2026. **Construction and security services:** 31 commercial construction opportunities (NAICS 236220) and 13 security guard contracts (NAICS 561612) are open for DHS facility and security work. If you hold a small business certification, check for set-aside designations. **Everyone:** Verify your SAM.gov registration is current. New registrations take 2-4 weeks. Use our search tool filtered by "Department of Homeland Security" to see current open opportunities with deadlines.