America’s churches and places of worship serve much more than the immediate spiritual needs of their congregants. Houses of prayer often provide food and housing support to at-risk neighborhoods and communities in crisis. That’s why the current security challenges facing America’s religious congregations are felt so acutely—spiritual and economic support systems come under threat when religious services cannot be conducted in safety.
We’ve all read about the increasing number of tragic security incidents at places of worship across the USA. They include high-profile cases that capture national attention and local tragedies unheard of outside affected communities. Policymakers have taken notice of these worrying trends and have made grant money available through state and federal agencies. Religious organizations can now receive financial support to improve security outcomes on-site.
We’ve put together this brief guide to help the houses of worship in our network understand and assess your security risks. After this short read, you’ll have the knowledge and resources you’ll need to apply for grants to help offset your organization’s security costs. Contact us immediately if you need armed, unarmed or fire watch security guards at your property today.
Assess the Shifting Security Landscape
With gun crime in America continuing to increase, faith communities are responding to credible threats of violence in real-time. Many religious organizations are reassessing their risk profiles in light of these new developments and implementing solutions like training community volunteers in safety and evacuation best practices.
When deciding which security solutions will best serve your organization, it is essential to conduct a thorough assessment before committing to a one-size-fits-all approach. By taking full stock of your facility’s security profile, you may be able to save money while ensuring the best outcomes. Improved locks and well-placed surveillance equipment may be the simplest and most cost-effective solutions for many organizations.
When in doubt, faith communities increasingly turn to private security – armed, unarmed, and vehicle patrol guard services. Guards provide peace of mind on-site, and offer more flexibility and responsiveness than surveillance technology. Unfortunately, many churches and spiritual organizations do not have discretionary budgets to hire security guards.
Apply for Security Grants
Faith communities from Texas to Tennessee and all across the country are now applying for grant assistance to offset the cost of on-site security. We have found multiple funding sources available through both state and federal agencies, depending on where you are located in the USA. Tennessee, for example, had a competitive grant program that ran for a limited time in the first half of 2024. Other states have similar programs with brief application windows; your best bet is to search online for grant programs in your state to see what opportunities are currently available.
Regardless of your location, faith organizations nationwide are eligible for the federal grant program managed by FEMA. Known as the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, nonprofit groups, houses of worship, and other 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply for funds to address specific security threats. In 2024, this program’s funds were topped up, with over $450 million in grant money now available.
We encourage all 501(c)(3) organizations in our network to apply for this grant program. There’s a good chance that federal funds will be made available to help you offset the cost of your increased security needs. It should be noted that the application process for this program is extensive—you will need to conduct a thorough security assessment of your facility and indicate any new threats that have been identified.
Contact The Guard Alliance
The Guard Alliance proudly deploys security services across the USA, serving all faith communities that make up the American mosaic. Our armed, unarmed, fire watch, and vehicle patrol security guards have decades of experience safeguarding churches, temples, and other faith-based institutions.
If you need guards on-site today, The Guard Alliance can have security professionals at your facility within hours. Check out our locations page to find our nearest office, or complete our contact form to connect with our sales team as soon as possible.
