Maryland religious institutions receive $8.6M for security

WASHINGTON (7News) — More than $8.6 million in federal funding is going to 49 religious institutions and community centers across Maryland to help strengthen security.

Maryland’s congressional delegation announced the $8,627,091 in funding Friday through the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

The announcement comes as Elias Rodriguez is scheduled to be in federal court this week in Washington. Rodriguez is accused of killing Israeli Embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim outside the Capital Jewish Museum in May 2025.

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A growing memorial outside the Capital Jewish Museum pictured on May 23, 2025. (7News)

The federal grant program is designed to help high-risk nonprofit organizations, including faith-based institutions, with preparedness and security efforts.

Recipients of the Maryland funding include synagogues, churches, mosques, schools, community organizations and other institutions.

Among the Maryland recipients are Chabad Lubavitch of Bowie, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Congregation B’nai Tzedek, Kehilat Pardes, McLean Bible Church in Montgomery County, Beth Sholom Congregation of Frederick, Camp Airy, Beth Tfiloh Congregation and The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.

The funding is part of a broader federal security grant program.

For the National Capital Region, which includes D.C., Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and designated jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, federal officials estimate about $6.74 million in fiscal year 2026 Nonprofit Security Grant funding.

Virginia also has about $3.4 million available through its statewide Nonprofit Security Grant process for eligible nonprofits outside the National Capital Region.

Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said the grant program has become more flexible in how organizations can use the money.

“Number one is the amount of money. And two, is that the procedures have been liberalized. So it used to be you had it maxed, it used to be it could only be used for physical but now we appreciate the fact that the federal government has loosened the restrictions. If you need it to pay personnel, pay off duty police fine, if you need it for bollards to protect against a car bomb, or if you need it for protecting windows to make sure that they are shatter proof. There’s a lot of flexibility.”

The federal government funded the Nonprofit Security Grant Program at $300 million for fiscal year 2026, according to the Maryland delegation’s announcement.

The National Capital Region allocation and the Maryland awards should not be viewed as one combined $18 million-plus pot. The NCR figure is an estimated regional allocation, while the $8.6 million announced by Maryland officials represents awards to 49 specific Maryland organizations.