The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced the recipients of $1.7 billion in FY 2006 Homeland Security Grant Program awards. The grants will enhance the ability of states, urban areas and territories to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks and disasters.

In FY 2006, DHS adopted a risk- and effectiveness-based approach to allocating grant funding. This approach aligns federal resources with national priorities and targets capabilities established by the Interim National Preparedness Goal to generate the highest return on investment in increasing the nation’s level of preparedness. These funds can be used for planning, organization, equipment, training, exercises, management and administration costs.

The program includes five separate grant programs: State Homeland Security Grant Program, $544.5 million; Urban Areas Security Initiative, $757.3 million; Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, $396 million; Metropolitan Medical Response System, $29.7 million; and Citizen Corps Program, $19.8 million.

Under the State Homeland Security Grant Program and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico receives a base amount of .075 of the total award. Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands receive a base amount of .025 of the total award. The remaining funds are allocated on risk and the effectiveness of applicants’ proposed solutions to identified needs.

All Urban Areas Security Initiative funds are allocated based on risk and the effectiveness of the applicants’ proposed solutions to identified needs. The Metropolitan Medical Response System grant program distributes funds equally among each of the 124 MMRS jurisdictions. Under the Citizen Corps grant program, each state and territory receives a base allocation, with remaining funds distributed based on population.

A state-by-state list of allocations is available at www.dhs.gov.