Fiscal Year 2025 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program

The Fiscal Year 2025 Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP), administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is a competitive federal funding opportunity specifically designed to support the unique homeland security needs of federally recognized Tribal Nations. This grant program provides eligible tribal governments with direct access to federal funds to strengthen their ability to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism and other hazards. The FY 2025 iteration continues the DHS/FEMA commitment to enhancing national preparedness while respecting tribal sovereignty. The THSGP acknowledges the distinct security challenges Tribal Nations face, including geographic remoteness, limited resources, and infrastructure vulnerabilities. In FY 2025, approximately $13.5 million is expected to be awarded across up to 19 tribal recipients, with individual award amounts ranging from $40,000 to $2 million. These funds are intended to bolster core homeland security capabilities, close identified capability gaps, and support national priority areas. Allowable expenses include planning, equipment acquisition, training, exercises, and personnel-related costs, subject to specific restrictions outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and FEMA’s Preparedness Grants Manual. Eligible applicants must be “directly eligible tribes” as defined under Section 2001 of the Homeland Security Act. A directly eligible tribe must be a federally recognized Indian Tribe located in the continental U.S. that operates an emergency response or law enforcement agency, meets at least one additional geographic or critical infrastructure proximity condition, and self-certifies that it does not receive duplicative funding from the State Homeland Security Grant Program or the Urban Area Security Initiative. Consortia of eligible tribes are also permitted if each member meets all eligibility criteria. Subapplicants and subawards are not allowed. Applications must be submitted via FEMA’s online portal, FEMA GO, between August 1, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. ET and August 15, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET. There is no cost share requirement for this program. Required documents include the SF-424 forms, budget documentation, the THSGP Investment Justification, and the eligibility self-certification form. Applications are subject to both programmatic and financial review, including verification of eligibility, evaluation of proposed investments, and an assessment of financial integrity. Final selection decisions will be made by the Secretary of Homeland Security, with funding announcements anticipated no later than August 23, 2025, and award disbursement by September 30, 2025. The program emphasizes alignment with five National Priority Areas: protection of soft targets and crowded places, support for Homeland Security Task Forces and fusion centers, enhancement of cybersecurity resilience, election security, and border crisis response and enforcement. Applicants are encouraged to address one or more of these priorities for enhanced scoring. In addition to National Priorities, other eligible activities include infrastructure planning, public awareness campaigns, and coordination with federal entities such as ICE or CISA. For technical or programmatic assistance, applicants can contact FEMA via the THSGP email at fema-thsgp@fema.dhs.gov or call FEMA Grants News at (800) 368-6498. Additional assistance is available through FEMA’s Preparedness Officers and the FEMA GO Helpdesk at femago@fema.dhs.gov. Program-specific questions about environmental or civil rights compliance can be directed to the relevant FEMA offices listed in the NOFO. The performance period for each award begins on September 1, 2025, and ends on August 31, 2028. While no pre-application deadline is required, early registration in SAM.gov and FEMA GO is strongly recommended due to the multi-step registration process.

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