Overview

Philadelphia’s public safety leaders are committed to creating a safe environment that helps the nonprofit community succeed in their important work. Together, we provide resources at little or no cost to help your organization join our community and to help you prepare for an emergency.

Our public safety partners include the:

• Philadelphia Police Department.
• Philadelphia Fire Department.
• Department of Commerce.
• Delaware Valley Intelligence Center (DVIC).

Questions? Email oem@phila.gov to learn more about how our public safety team can help you become ReadyNPO.

Register to join our community

To help with emergency response planning, OEM asks NPOs to voluntarily share detailed information about their facilities. The information is stored in a database that helps identify places where emergency responders can set up during major community disasters.

Facilities needed:

• Commercial kitchens
• Large parking lots
• Meeting spaces
• Other similar assets

These facilities may be used for:

• First responder rest and rehabilitation.
• Equipment staging areas.

Important notes:

• Registering your facility does not obligate your organization to provide services.
• The City will always seek permission from the listed contacts before using the facility.

Register your facility

Get a security assessment

A security assessment is a detailed check of how well your organization keeps its buildings, employees, and assets safe. It also suggests ways to improve security in your facility. There are a number of options for conducting an assessment.

• Conduct a self-assessment of your facility
• Request a Philadelphia Police Department Physical Security Assessment
• Request a Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Team (RVAT) Assessment from the Pennsylvania State Police
• Hire a private consultant: The City cannot make recommendations on individual contractors. We encourage you to check the reputation and credentials of potential consultants through organizations like the Better Business Bureau.

Email oem@phila.gov to learn more.

Attend a workshop

OEM and its partners offer the following workshops and training. They help participants prepare for emergencies and threats.

• READYBusiness Continuity Workshops
• READYHome Personal and Family Preparedness Workshops
• Philadelphia Police Department: Active Threat & Workplace Violence Training
• American Red Cross: First aid training, AED training, CPR / rescue breathing certifications, bleeding control

Email oem@phila.gov to learn more.

Apply for NSGP funding

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack. Applications must be completed by the participating nonprofit.

Timeline

• The application is usually open for 4–6 weeks each year between March and May. Dates and other relevant information will be posted on OEM’s social media pages.
• Some parts of the application (e.g., registering for a SAM account, scheduling a security assessment) may take several weeks.
• Start reviewing application materials early to meet deadlines.

Support

• Philadelphia OEM and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) are available for questions.
• However, they cannot assist NPOs with writing the application.

Grant award

• Completing the NSGP application does not guarantee a grant.
• Award decisions are made by FEMA and distributed by PEMA. OEM and PEMA do not influence these decisions.

To learn more about the application process, visit PEMA’s NSGP website.