The Urban Areas Security Initiative (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.
For FY 2024, DHS is focused on the criticality of information sharing and collaboration to building a national culture of preparedness and protecting against terrorism and other threats to our national security. The threats to our nation have evolved during the past two decades. We now face continuous cyber threats by sophisticated actors, threats to soft targets and crowded places, and threats from domestic violent extremists who currently pose the greatest terrorism threat to the nation.
The following are the six priority areas for FY 2024, along with the minimum corresponding percentage of funds that each recipient will be required to allocate:
- Enhancing the protection of soft targets/crowded places – no minimum percent
- Enhancing information and intelligence sharing and analysis – no minimum percent
- Combating domestic violent extremism – no minimum percent
- Enhancing cybersecurity – no minimum percent
- Enhancing community preparedness and resilience – no minimum percent
- Enhancing election security – 3% minimum spend
A state or high-risk urban area must allocate the remaining 70 percent of their funding to gaps identified through their Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA) and Stakeholder Preparedness Review (SPR) process. Likewise, there are several enduring security needs that crosscut the homeland security enterprise to which recipients should consider allocating funding across core capability gaps and national priorities. The following are enduring needs that help recipients implement a comprehensive approach to securing communities:
- Effective planning
- Training and awareness campaigns
- Equipment and capital projects
- Exercises
In Florida, UASI funds are administered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Division of Emergency Management. This agency is responsible for managing the financial and reporting aspects of the grant programs in accordance with established federal guidelines and allocating funds to local, regional, and other state government agencies.
For FY 2025, each UASI recipient is required to submit an Investment Justification (IJ) for the NPAs with minimum spend requirements (i.e., Enhancing Election Security and Supporting Border Crisis Response and Enforcement). The investments must also account for at least the relevant minimum percentage of the applicant's SHSP allocations. SAAs may submit complete project-level information at the time of application, including the NPA IJs, but are not required to do so.
Per FEMA policy, the purchase of weapons and weapons accessories, including ammunition, is not allowed with HSGP funds. Unauthorized exercise-related costs include:
HSGP funds may not be used to support the hiring of sworn public safety officers for purposes of fulfilling traditional public safety duties or to supplant traditional public safety positions and responsibilities.