On Friday, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf announced the release of funding for eight Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 preparedness grant programs totaling nearly $1.8 billion. The programs are intended to provide funding for state and local governments, as well as private sector organizations, for projects that improve the nation’s readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. DHS has identified four critical priority areas for attention in the FY 2020 grant cycle: cybersecurity, soft targets and crowded places, intelligence and information sharing, and emerging threats. Applicants will be required to submit investment justifications that address these priorities. To allow enough time for DHS to conduct an initial eligibility review of the application prior to the final submission deadline, applicants are strongly encouraged to initiate and complete their submission within no later than April 8, 2020, which is seven days prior to the end of the application period for all programs. Read more at DHS.