Open — FY2027 Massachusetts Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Personnel Grant Program, distinct from equipment security grants; applications due November 20, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Massachusetts — FY2027 Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Personnel Grants (Up to $40,000; Cash Match)
Up to $40,000 per eligible Massachusetts 501(c)(3) nonprofit for contracted security personnel against credible terrorism or hate-crime risks. Dollar-for-dollar cash match required; in-kind match not allowed. Police Chief support letter required. Deadline November 20, 2026, at 4 p.m. (time zone not stated).
FundingUp to $40,000 per eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit applicant, requiring a 1:1 actual cash match (no in-kind). The $750,000 program funding pool is statewide and not the individual limit.
DeadlineNovember 20, 2026, no later than 4 p.m.; the official program page does not expressly specify time zone. Optional informational webinar October 27, 2026, 1 p.m.; anticipated grant period January 2027 to September 30, 2027.
Last verified2026-10-27
Required next actionRead https://www.mass.gov/info-details/commonwealth-nonprofit-security-personnel-grant-program and original AGF at https://www.mass.gov/doc/fy27-commonwealth-nonprofit-security-personnel-grant-program-agf/download; verify current AGF or amendments directly with OGR because original government PDF was not retrievable by the research browser. Confirm 501(c)(3) eligibility and local security-risk evidence, collect signed Police Chief letter, document a committed dollar-for-dollar CASH match, request vendor quotes and plan for trained contract guards within published rate limits. Submit Cognito form at https://www.cognitoforms.com/maofficeofgrantsandresearchogr/SFY2027CNSPGPApplication by November 20, 2026, 4 p.m. (source does not state time zone), including budget workbook, risk assessment, project description and timeline.
Broad Eligibility
Eligible Massachusetts-serving IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofits, including qualifying religious, education, healthcare and human services organizations, at credible risk of hate crime or terrorist attack. Required local Police Chief letter; 1:1 cash match required and in-kind excluded. Distinct sites may require distinct applications. Qualified contracted security personnel only; not purchases of general equipment or on-duty law enforcement. Religious tax exemption may be automatic without IRS determination letter.
Atlas Analysis
Official Massachusetts OGR FY27 CNSPGP page and independently indexed October 16 2026 applicant Notice reviewed October 27 2026; direct primary PDF fetch rejected 403, disclosed in applicant text. Applicant max $40,000; statewide $750,000 funding not applicant amount; mandatory 1:1 cash match excludes in-kind; local Police Chief signed letter required. Security PERSONNEL contract grant, not procurement vendor response and separate from FY27 CNSGP physical equipment grant. Deadline November 20 2026 at 4 p.m. (official source does not specify timezone). Rate caps $650/day, $81.25/hour unless exception, on-duty officers ineligible. Status-inclusive WordPress searches for CNSPGP and related terms found no exact competition record. Records are not restricted to healthcare or N9+.
Open state-financed applicant grant: The Massachusetts Office of Grants and Research (OGR) accepts applications to its separate State Fiscal Year 2027 Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Personnel Grant Program (CNSPGP). An eligible nonprofit may request up to $40,000 per applicant to hire qualified contracted security personnel to reduce credible risks of hate crimes or terrorist attacks. The statewide $750,000 program allocation is not an individual applicant award. This program is distinct from the Commonwealth’s physical-security equipment grant competition.
Who qualifies: Massachusetts-based or Massachusetts-serving 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, such as qualifying faith-based institutions, educational organizations, healthcare facilities and human service nonprofits, must document high risk for terrorism or hate crimes. A nonprofit’s application must include a support letter signed by the applicable local Police Chief confirming consultation and agreement that proposed security measures would help protect the community. Some qualifying religious institutions are automatically exempt from federal income tax without a formal IRS determination letter, as clarified in the official notice. A nonprofit may seek funding for more than one location only through distinct location-specific applications consistent with the notice.
Funding and mandatory matching: An award of up to $40,000 requires a true 1:1 cash match: the nonprofit contributes $1 of cash for each $1 granted by Massachusetts. In-kind goods or services cannot substitute for cash. Funds support qualified trained contracted security personnel, rather than security hardware, vehicles, office equipment, ordinary employees’ benefits, or weapons. The state’s standard cap for a security professional is $650 per day or $81.25 per hour unless OGR expressly grants an exception. Costs for on-duty law-enforcement officers are ineligible. State funds must supplement, not replace, existing resources.
Application and deadlines: Submit through the official FY27 CNSPGP Cognito form no later than November 20, 2026, at 4 p.m. The official page/AGF does not explicitly state a time zone. Include a needs and risk assessment, project/security-personnel deployment description, implementation timetable, detailed cost estimates, cash-match documentation, signed local Police Chief support letter and both sheets of the required official budget spreadsheet. Emailed proposals are not accepted. Optional application webinar is October 27, 2026 at 1 p.m.; awards expected January 2027, for activities from January through September 30, 2027 with reporting duties.
Controlling Massachusetts sources: State agency 2027 personnel-grant portal and FY2027 CNSPGP Notice of Availability of Grant Funds (October 16, 2026). Research reviewed October 27, 2026 from the official public program page and text of the official notice indexed by search; a direct retrieval of the downloadable state PDF returned access denied, so the applicant should download and recheck the current notice and amendments from the official portal before submission.
Source verificationOfficial government source · www.mass.govAtlas last verified this record 2026-10-27. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
