The UASI Program assists high-threat, high-density Urban Areas in efforts to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism.
The UASI program is intended to provide financial assistance to address the unique multi-discipline planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density Urban Areas, and to assist these areas in building and sustaining capabilities to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from threats or acts of terrorism using the Whole Community approach. Activities implemented with UASI funds must support terrorism preparedness by building or enhancing capabilities that relate to the prevention of, protection from, mitigation of, response to or recovery from terrorism in order to be considered eligible. However, many capabilities which support terrorism preparedness simultaneously support preparedness for other hazards. Grantees must demonstrate the dual-use quality for any activities implemented that are not explicitly focused on terrorism preparedness. Urban Areas must use UASI funds to employ regional approaches to overall preparedness and are encouraged to adopt regional response structures whenever appropriate. UASI program implementation and governance must include regional partners and should have balanced representation among entities with operational responsibilities for prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery activities within the region. In some instances, Urban Area boundaries cross State borders. States must ensure that the identified Urban Areas take an inclusive regional approach to the development and implementation of the UASI program and involve the contiguous jurisdictions, mutual aid partners, port authorities, rail and transit authorities, State agencies, Statewide Interoperability Coordinators, Citizen Corps Council(s), and campus law enforcement in their program activities. Grantees must also demonstrate the integration of children and individuals with disabilities or access and functional needs into activities implemented under this program.
The FY14 allocation to the National Capital Region was $53,000,000.
Awards made to the SAA for HSGP carry additional pass through requirements. Pass through is defined as an obligation on the part of the States to make funds available to local units of government, combinations of local units, or other specific groups or organizations. The State’s pass through requirement must be met within 45 days of the award date. Four requirements must be met to pass through grant funds:
The SAA must obligate at least 80 percent (80%) of the funds awarded under SHSP and UASI to local units of government within 45 days of receipt of the funds. The signatory authority of the SAA must certify in writing that these obligations have been met. A letter of intent (or equivalent) to distribute funds is not considered sufficient. Award sub-recipients must receive their funds within 45 days from the date the funds are first made available to the grantee so that they can initiate implementation of approved investments. For the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the SAA must also obligate at least 80 percent (80%) of the funds to local units of government within 45 days of receipt of the funds. For SHSP awards, no pass through requirements will be applied to the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Any UASI funds retained by the SAA must be used to directly support the designated Urban Areas in the State.