NEW YORK, New York | New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the distribution of a record $70 million in state security funding to 290 nonprofit organizations considered vulnerable to hate crimes and attacks, as authorities increase their security presence around religious institutions ahead of the Jewish High Holy Days.
The grants are being distributed through New York State’s Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes program and will help houses of worship, religious schools and other nonprofit community organizations strengthen physical and cybersecurity protections.
The Sept. 8 announcement represents the largest distribution in the program’s history. It follows an application process launched in April, when the state made up to $70 million available for organizations facing heightened security risks.
Although synagogues, yeshivas, and other Jewish institutions are among the recipients, the grants are not limited to Jewish organizations. Eligible nonprofit organizations considered at risk because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission can apply.
The announcement did not identify a specific new threat against the Jewish community or any individual institution.
It comes, however, as Jewish New Yorkers prepare for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur amid continuing concerns about antisemitism and security.
Grants Cover Physical and Cybersecurity
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services administers the program.
Organizations can use the money for a range of security measures, including lighting, locks, alarms, panic buttons, fencing, barriers, access controls, shatter-resistant glass, blast-resistant film and public address systems. Funding can also support cybersecurity improvements and security training.
Individual organizations can seek grants of up to $250,000, according to the state’s application guidelines.
The $70 million allocation is twice the $35 million initially available from the state’s fiscal 2026 budget. Hochul proposed an additional $35 million as part of the fiscal 2027 budget process, bringing the program to its record funding level.
Since Hochul took office, New York has provided more than $201 million for 2,035 projects through the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes program, according to the governor’s office.
The program was established in 2017.
Antisemitism Remains Central Security Concern
The funding applies to multiple communities facing hate-motivated threats, but antisemitism remains a major factor behind New York’s security concerns.
State data released earlier this year showed that anti-Jewish offenses remained the most frequently reported category of bias crime in New York.
During the first 11 months of 2025, anti-Jewish crimes accounted for 51 percent of all hate crimes reported by police departments and sheriffs’ offices across the state, according to figures cited by Hochul’s office.
New York City data showed a similar pattern. In the first quarter of 2026, confirmed hate crimes increased 11.7 percent compared with the same period in 2025, and 55 percent of confirmed incidents were anti-Jewish, according to the governor’s office.
Speaking ahead of the latest grant announcement, Hochul said the Jewish community had been subjected to serious acts of antisemitism and that government action was necessary in response.
The funding announcement came just before the High Holy Days, a period when synagogues and Jewish institutions see substantially increased attendance.
Police Presence Increased for High Holy Days
Hochul has also directed New York State Police and the state’s Hate Crimes Task Force to increase their presence around religious institutions during the High Holy Days.
The enhanced deployment is intended to provide additional security as Jewish communities gather for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
The state has not disclosed a specific new threat prompting the additional patrols.
Hochul has framed the measures as precautionary protection during a period of heightened concern rather than a response to a newly identified plot or imminent attack.
The governor told Jewish Insider that she intended to be “not just a protector but an ally and friend to the Jewish people of New York State.”
Security at Jewish institutions has become an increasingly significant expense for synagogues, schools, community centers and other organizations in New York and elsewhere in North America.
The state grant program is designed to offset some of those costs by funding protective measures that smaller nonprofit organizations may otherwise struggle to afford.
For the 290 organizations receiving the latest grants, that assistance can now be directed toward both traditional physical security and newer threats involving computer networks and digital infrastructure.
The $70 million distribution also signals that security around vulnerable community institutions remains a significant public safety priority for New York as Jewish communities enter one of the most important periods of the religious calendar.
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