Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program for Churches
Key Takeaways
- Colorado runs its own state-legislated Nonprofit Security Grant Program, created in 2022 and administered by DHSEM — separate from federal NSGP.
- Eligible organizations include churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship at elevated risk because of ideology, beliefs, or mission.
- Recent funding rounds have distributed money in relatively modest, competitive increments — one round put $1 million across 30 Colorado nonprofits.
- The most recent cycle's deadline was July 16, 2026; that window has closed, so watch DHSEM directly for the next cycle.
- Colorado congregations can apply to the state program and federal NSGP in the same year, as long as the same expense isn't funded twice.
In This Article
Colorado is one of the states that funds houses of worship security through its own state appropriation, not just the federal government's Nonprofit Security Grant Program. Governor Jared Polis signed legislation creating the Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program on June 7, 2022, and the state has run it in most years since — money that comes from Colorado's own budget, administered by the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), a part of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.
That's a genuinely separate funding pool from federal NSGP. For background on how the federal program itself works — the SAA application path, Investment Justification format, and national funding tiers — see our 2026 NSGP complete guide and our NSGP eligible expenses breakdown. This guide covers Colorado's own state program and how it fits alongside that federal option.
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Check Your Grant Eligibility →What the Colorado Program Actually Is
The Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program is a state-appropriated, competitive grant administered by DHSEM. Unlike the federal NSGP, it is not tied to a FEMA notice of funding opportunity — Colorado sets its own eligibility rules, application format, and review timeline through DHSEM each cycle. The program was created specifically in response to the risk faced by nonprofit organizations "at high risk of attack due to their ideology, beliefs, or mission" — language that squarely covers houses of worship, and DHSEM's program materials name synagogues, mosques, and churches directly among the intended applicant pool.
Since its 2022 creation, funding levels have varied year to year based on the state budget cycle, rather than following a fixed, guaranteed annual appropriation. Congregations should treat the program as an opportunity to check for each budget year rather than assume a specific dollar amount will always be available.
How It Differs From Federal NSGP
| Feature | Federal NSGP | State Colorado NSGP |
|---|---|---|
| Funding source | U.S. Congress / DHS via FEMA | Colorado state budget appropriation |
| Created | Ongoing federal program, funded annually | Colorado legislation signed June 7, 2022 |
| Administered by | DHSEM, as Colorado's State Administering Agency for FEMA funds | DHSEM directly, as the program owner |
| Request ceiling | Up to $200,000 per site under FY 2026 rules | Varies by cycle and total state appropriation |
| Can you apply to both? | Yes | Yes — as long as the same specific expense isn't funded twice |
DHSEM plays two distinct roles here. As Colorado's SAA for the federal program, DHSEM reviews and forwards NSGP subapplications to FEMA — the same structural role every state's SAA plays nationally. As the owner and administrator of the state program, DHSEM runs the entire Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program itself, from publishing the state notice to scoring applications to disbursing funds. Being in touch with DHSEM about one program does not automatically enroll a congregation in the other — they are two separate applications, even though the same state office touches both.
Who's Eligible
The program is aimed at nonprofit organizations facing elevated risk because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission — a category that squarely includes churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship, alongside other nonprofits that may face similar targeted-violence risk. Congregations without formalized 501(c)(3) documentation on file should review our 501(c)(3) grants for churches guide first; while churches generally qualify for tax-exempt treatment automatically under IRS rules, clean documentation still reduces friction during DHSEM's review.
Real Colorado Awardees
The Colorado program has a track record of funding actual congregations, not just a theoretical eligibility category. In a recent award cycle, recipients included Jordan Chapel AME Church and Encounter Church, among other Colorado nonprofits that received security improvement funding. That history is worth knowing because it confirms the program does reach individual congregations directly — this is not a fund that exists on paper but never disburses to houses of worship in practice.
How Much Colorado Congregations Can Receive
Award amounts vary meaningfully by cycle, since the program's total pool depends on that year's state appropriation. One recent round distributed a total of $1 million in Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding across 30 Colorado nonprofit organizations — an amount that, spread across that many recipients, points to individual awards well below federal NSGP's per-site ceiling. This is not a program built around six-figure single awards; it functions more as targeted support for specific, documented security improvements than as a substitute for a full federal NSGP request.
Application Timeline
The most recently published cycle's application deadline was July 16, 2026, with DHSEM holding a grant informational webinar on July 1, 2026 for applicants with process questions. As of this writing, that window has closed. Congregations planning ahead for the next cycle should watch DHSEM's nonprofit security grant page directly rather than assuming next year's deadline will fall on the same date — state-funded programs tied to annual budget cycles can shift their timing from year to year more than a fixed federal calendar does.
The Colorado Application Process
- Watch DHSEM's website for the next cycle's notice — recent cycles have opened in spring with a summer deadline, but confirm the current year's specific window.
- Confirm your organization fits the "elevated risk due to ideology, beliefs, or mission" eligibility standard — houses of worship generally meet this bar directly.
- Document your congregation's specific security gap, ideally with input from a security consultant or local law enforcement liaison, since a generic request scores worse than one tied to a documented vulnerability at your site.
- Attend the cycle's informational webinar if DHSEM offers one — these sessions typically clarify scoring criteria and common application mistakes directly from program staff.
- Get vendor quotes for the specific security improvements you're requesting before finalizing your budget.
- Submit through DHSEM's application process by the cycle's deadline, and plan your project scope around a realistic award size given the program's typical per-organization funding.
Get Help With Your Colorado Application
We'll review your congregation's location, current security posture, and documentation gaps and map out exactly what DHSEM's state and federal tracks each need from you.
Start the Free Eligibility Review →Common Mistakes Colorado Applicants Make
- Expecting a federal-scale award. Colorado's state program has funded real congregations, but at award sizes well below NSGP's per-site ceiling — plan your project scope accordingly.
- Missing the application window. Colorado's cycles tie to the state budget and haven't run on a fixed calendar date every year — check DHSEM's page regularly rather than assuming last year's exact dates repeat.
- Treating this as the same program as federal NSGP. They're separate applications with separate paperwork, even though DHSEM administers both.
- Submitting a vague risk narrative. "Houses of worship face risk nationally" is weaker than a narrative documenting your specific congregation's threat factors and location.
- Skipping the informational webinar. When DHSEM offers one, it's a direct source of current scoring criteria that a general guide like this one can't replace.
Colorado congregations weighing security funding alongside other priorities should also see our church security grants guide for the broader landscape, and our 50-state security grants breakdown for how Colorado compares to neighboring states.