Keystone Today

The Wolf administration has made it a priority to curb hate and violence in Pennsylvania, and on Oct. 3 Gov. Tom Wolf (D-PA) announced that $5 million in funding has been made available for security enhancement projects for nonprofit organizations in diverse communities susceptible to hate crimes.

In November 2019, Wolf signed House Bill 859, which created the Nonprofit Security Program, according to the governor’s website. This was the year after the Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooting occurred, which killed 11 people. Since the shooting, Wolf has invested $15 million in more than 350 projects to increase security for churches, temples, synagogues, mosques and nonprofits that are at risk of hate crimes. The program is administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

“Hate has no place here in Pennsylvania,” Wolf said, according to his website. “No Pennsylvanian should be afraid to worship with their community, love who they love or be who they are. That’s why this program is so important to me, and I’ve committed $20 million to protecting the diverse communities of this commonwealth.”

Hate crimes have been on the rise in recent years. Between 2016 and 2019, Pennsylvania had an average of 88 hate crimes each year. In 2020, this number went up to 112, which was an increase of 27%. In 2021, it got much worse, increasing 210% to 347 hate crimes for the year.

The good news is that in 2022, there have been 182 hate crimes reported, which is 30% less than 2021. The Pennsylvania State Police Uniform Crime Reporting System data shows that the state is on track for the number to be lower than last year.

Grants are through the Nonprofit Security Program, and they range from $5,000 to $150,000. This is for items like safety and security planning, safety and security equipment purchases, upgrades to structures that enhance safety and security, and vulnerability and threat assessments.

Organizations can apply on the PCCD website. Applications are accepted through Monday, Oct. 31. These will be reviewed by a commission of Pennsylvania State Police officials, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and representatives of PCCD. The grants will be announced in December.