DOJ Houses of Worship Security Camera Grant: FY2026 Guide

FY2026 houses of worship security camera grant

The FY2026 DOJ houses of worship grant gives eligible faith-based organizations a direct path to request up to $200,000 for professional security cameras, secure video storage, evidence procedures, training, and related signage. No matching contribution is required. The church applies in two stages: Grants.gov by September 2, 2026, then JustGrants by September 9, 2026.

What this grant is

The Bureau of Justice Assistance created the FY2026 Enhancing Security Measures for Houses of Worship opportunity to improve security at faith-based organizations. Category 1 is the part intended for faith-based applicants. It focuses on professional camera systems and the procedures needed to turn recorded video into useful evidence.

The organization applies directly and, if selected, owns the award. Tec-Tel can support the camera-system planning, pricing, and technical documentation, but the church remains responsible for its accounts, application content, certifications, approvals, and submissions.

Official status: the opportunity is open. BJA lists September 2, 2026 as the Grants.gov deadline and September 9, 2026 as the JustGrants deadline. Check the BJA opportunity page before relying on any deadline or requirement.

Funding and deadlines at a glance

Grant item	FY2026 Category 1 detail
Who can apply	Eligible faith-based organizations under Category 1
Maximum request	Up to $200,000
Required match	None
Project period	24 months, beginning October 1, 2026
Grants.gov deadline	September 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET
JustGrants deadline	September 9, 2026 at 8:59 p.m. ET

Start with registration, not the camera list. An expired SAM.gov registration or missing user role can stop an otherwise strong project before the full application opens.

Who qualifies

Category 1 is for eligible faith-based organizations, including organizations with religious charters, names, or missions. The full application includes a faith-based organization self-certification. Read that certification and the eligibility section of the official notice before investing time in the technical package.

A house of worship should be able to confirm all of the following:

The applying entity is the faith-based organization named in the application.
The organization has an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity Identifier, or has started the process early enough to complete it.
An authorized internal contact can manage Grants.gov and JustGrants access.
The proposed project is a Category 1 camera and video-evidence project.
The organization can complete the required certification, financial information, assurances, and disclosures.

If eligibility is uncertain, use the point of contact in the official funding notice for a written answer. Tec-Tel can clarify the security scope, but only BJA can interpret its eligibility rules.

What Category 1 can fund

Category 1 is not a general building-improvement grant. The strongest project reads as one connected video-evidence system, with each cost tied to deterrence, usable footage, secure handling, or staff readiness.

Professional-grade cameras. Interior or exterior cameras, including night-vision capability, placed around documented security needs.
Secure video storage. Cloud-based retention sized to the proposed system and the organization’s evidence needs.
Law-enforcement access procedures. Defined protocols for relevant agencies to obtain or view video when appropriate.
Real-time crime-center integration. A connection where the local agency and proposed platform support it.
Staff training. Practical training on system operation and the procedures used to preserve video evidence.
Surveillance signage. Required or approved signs that make camera coverage visible.

Costs that need clarification

The Category 1 language does not clearly identify general access control, electronic locks, intercoms, unrelated construction, or a broad physical-hardening package. Do not add those items simply because another security grant might allow them. Ask BJA for written clarification or evaluate whether the Nonprofit Security Grant Program is a better fit.

How the two-stage application works

Grants.gov comes first

Create the workspace and submit the SF-424 by September 2 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Confirm the email in Section 8F. That person becomes the initial Application Submitter when the application transfers to JustGrants. Only a user with the correct Authorized Organization Representative role can sign and submit in Grants.gov.

JustGrants contains the full application

After Grants.gov accepts and transfers the submission, complete the full application in JustGrants by September 9 at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. This stage contains the proposal material, budget, financial and internal-control questions, disclosures, assurances, certifications, and required attachments.

DOJ recommends submitting the Grants.gov stage at least 48 hours early. Use the official JustGrants application-submission guide for account setup, user roles, system steps, checklists, and training.

What your church should prepare

Organization readiness. Active SAM.gov registration, UEI, Grants.gov organization profile, correct user roles, and JustGrants access.
One internal application owner. A person who coordinates deadlines, documents, approvals, and both submissions.
Facility information. Floor plans if available, property photos or a short walkthrough video, current camera details, storage information, and known blind spots.
A defined camera project. Target areas, retention needs, law-enforcement coordination, training, schedule, and a realistic installed budget.
A complete application package. Narrative, budget, certifications, disclosures, assurances, and required attachments that agree with one another.

Where Tec-Tel helps

A grant application needs a technical scope that is specific enough to budget, explain, and install. Tec-Tel helps turn facility information into that security-side package.

Review of existing cameras, recording equipment, storage, and network conditions
Practical camera locations tied to entrances, parking areas, gathering spaces, and documented blind spots
A commercial equipment and installation scope that stays within the Category 1 boundaries
Pricing, implementation schedule, storage and retention planning, and staff-training requirements
Technical descriptions the applicant or grant professional can use in the narrative and budget
Installation, commissioning, training, documentation, and support if the project is awarded and procured

Tec-Tel does not guarantee an award, certify applicant information, control federal accounts, or submit on the organization’s behalf. A church may also work with an independent grant professional for narrative and application management.

What happens after an award

The Category 1 project period is 24 months. The notice describes post-award work that includes a security assessment coordinated with local law enforcement, an installation plan, and a video-access or data-sharing agreement. The award documents control the exact deadlines and conditions.

Review the award before ordering. Confirm the approved budget, conditions, procurement rules, reporting duties, and project dates.
Complete the required planning. Coordinate the security assessment, installation plan, law-enforcement relationship, and video-access procedures.
Procure and install the approved scope. Follow the purchasing rules, commission the system, train staff, and retain the documentation required for the grant file.

Official grant resources

BJA FY2026 opportunity page for current status, deadlines, and the official notice
Official FY2026 funding notice for eligibility, requirements, allowable work, and award conditions
Grants.gov opportunity 363280 for the first-stage workspace and SF-424
SAM.gov entity registration for registration, renewal, and UEI information
JustGrants application resources for the two-stage process, roles, checklists, and training

Program rules can change through amendments, FAQs, or award conditions. The BJA opportunity page and official notice take priority over summaries on this or any other website.

Frequent buyer questions

What are the FY2026 DOJ houses of worship grant deadlines?

Submit the SF-424 in Grants.gov by September 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Then submit the full application in JustGrants by September 9, 2026, at 8:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The first submission must be accepted and transferred before the full application can move forward.

How much can a church request under Category 1?

An eligible faith-based organization can request up to $200,000. The notice states that no cost sharing or matching contribution is required. The Category 1 project period is 24 months and begins October 1, 2026.

What security equipment does Category 1 pay for?

The notice identifies professional-grade security cameras, night vision, secure cloud-based video storage, protocols for law-enforcement access, real-time crime-center integration where applicable, staff training, evidence-preservation procedures, and surveillance signage.

Can Category 1 pay for access control, electronic locks, or intercoms?

The FY2026 notice does not clearly identify general access control, electronic locks, intercoms, or unrelated building hardening as Category 1 costs. Do not include those items without written BJA clarification. Other programs, including NSGP, may cover a broader physical-security scope.

Are Grants.gov and JustGrants two different applications?

They are two connected stages of one DOJ application. Grants.gov collects the SF-424 first. After that submission is accepted and transferred, DOJ creates the full application in JustGrants. Missing the Grants.gov deadline prevents the second stage.

What does the church need before it can apply?

The organization needs an active SAM.gov registration, a Unique Entity Identifier, a Grants.gov organization profile, users with the correct roles, and access to JustGrants. DOJ recommends starting or renewing SAM.gov registration at least 30 days before a deadline.

Can Tec-Tel write or submit the grant application?

Tec-Tel supports the technical side: review of the current camera environment, practical camera locations, equipment and installation scope, pricing, schedule, video-retention planning, and technical descriptions. The house of worship or its grant professional owns the narrative, certifications, accounts, approvals, and submissions.

What should we have ready for a call with Tec-Tel?

Bring any available floor plans, property photos or a short walkthrough video, current camera and storage information, known blind spots, the buildings included in the project, and the name of the internal person managing the grant. Tec-Tel can begin with partial information.

Turn the grant rules into a camera plan your church can use.

Tec-Tel can help define camera locations, equipment, storage, training, installation, pricing, and technical descriptions. Your organization remains in control of the application and every submission.

A practical camera scope tied to the Category 1 rules, not a generic equipment list.

Clear roles: Tec-Tel handles the security plan; your organization controls the grant.

Since 2011 · 1,000+ deployments · Nationwide service

Book a free consultation 855-577-0400