The State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) is a core assistance program that provides funding to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based State Homeland Security Strategies to address capability targets.
The goal of SHSP is to support statewide and state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments in building, enhancing, and sustaining the capabilities needed to prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to acts of terrorism. SHSP funding is intended to help SLTT agencies address capability gaps identified through the THIRA/SPR process, as well as prioritize resources toward high-impact security focus areas, known as NPAs.
In developing applications for SHSP, recipients are encouraged to consider 2025 priority areas:
- Enhancing the protection of soft targets and crowded places (This includes faith-based organizations and election sites) - No minimum percent
- Supporting Homeland Security Task Forces and fusion centers - No minimum percent
- Enhancing and integrating cybersecurity resiliency - No minimum percent
- Enhancing election security - At least 3%
- Border Crisis Response and Enforcement Support
In New Jersey, the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) is responsible for coordinating homeland security initiatives and various federal grants. Funds through SHSP are used to aid in the training of emergency first responders, the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for combating and preventing terrorist acts and for planning, and exercise. Funds are also used for management, administration and the development of citizen corps projects at the local level.