California shooting: Gov't promises $15 m for security

The grant program provides funding for security grants for private schools, places of worship and other nonprofits.

By TZVI JOFFRE
Chabad of Poway (photo credit: REUTERS/JOHN GASTALDO)
Chabad of Poway
(photo credit: REUTERS/JOHN GASTALDO)
Following the deadly shooting in the Poway synagogue on Saturday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday that he plans to allocate $15 million for the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program (SNSGP) in his budget.
The grant program provides funding for security in private schools, places of worship and other nonprofit organizations. The program provides up to $200,000 per recipient and will, for the first time, allow for security personnel funding to nonprofits at risk of hate crimes due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.
“We all must call out hate – against any and all communities – and act to defend those targeted for their religious beliefs, who they love or how they identify,” said Governor Newsom in a press release. “An attack against any community is an attack against our entire state – who we are and what we stand for.”
$4.5 million have been allocated for the SNSGP since 2015. Newsom's proposal would raise the program's funding by $10 million.
In Newsom's January budget proposal, $800k was allocated for the Department of Justice to address audit findings identifying gaps in data collection and reporting on hate crimes.
Teach CA, an Orthodox Union (OU) project, advocates for equal funding to private schools and institutions in California. The project has been pushing for increased security funding for at-risk institutions since 2016, specifically calling to increase the State Nonprofit Security Grant Program.
“In light of the senseless act of anti-Semitic violence at the Chabad of Poway Synagogue, a strong response was necessary by the government of California to ensure that people of all faiths feel safe in their community institutions," said OU Executive Vice President Allen Fagin. "Today, the Jewish Caucus and Governor Newsom have shown their commitment to the safety and security of all Californians, including those most at risk of bias or hate crimes.”
“We are extremely grateful to the Governor and the members of the Jewish Caucus for heeding the call of so many and making the well-being and security of our schools and places of worship a top priority,” said Orthodox Union President Moishe Bane.