Key facts
- Muslim nonprofits received less than 4% of US government grant funding for religious institution safety over the past decade.
- The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) awarded nearly 60% of funds to Jewish groups and over 25% to Christian groups.
- The NSGP provides funds for physical safeguards such as security cameras and guard training.
- MPAC's report highlights concerns about the difficulty for Muslim organizations to access these critical grants.
- Anti-Muslim sentiment and attacks have reportedly increased in the US, particularly since the Trump administration.
Less than four percent of US government grant funding allocated for the safety of religious institutions has been directed to Muslim nonprofits over the past decade, according to a new report by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), managed by FEMA, awarded nearly 60% of its funds to Jewish groups and just over 25% to Christian groups during this period.
Dr. Sarah Mohamed, a co-author of the MPAC report, highlighted that this small allocation to Muslim organizations is particularly concerning given the escalating threats they face. The report also noted that current terms and conditions set by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under the present administration make it more challenging for American Muslims and other community organizations to apply for these critical grants. MPAC has also engaged with Jewish-American groups, who are reportedly better resourced and experienced with the complex application process.
The report comes amid a backdrop of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in the US, which has reportedly surged since the Trump administration took office. Several Republican lawmakers have made public statements deriding Muslims, and President Donald Trump has shared content targeting Muslim individuals. Social media monitoring has also indicated a significant increase in anti-Muslim content, particularly following the commencement of the war on Iran. MPAC previously documented a substantial rise in attacks on Muslim-American individuals and institutions, with incidents ranging from vandalism and bomb threats to sexual assaults.