Three Bethesda-area houses of worship split nearly $40,000 in county security grants this year, part of a $1.7 million program Montgomery County expanded in response to rising hate crimes.

Bethesda Jewish Congregation received $10,000, Chabad of Bethesda received $15,000 and Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church received $14,820 through the county's Fiscal Year 2026 Nonprofit Security Grant Program, according to a county press release issued in April.

The money can pay for security guards, cameras, training, drills and technology that integrates with the Montgomery County Police Department's real-time crime center.

Why the program grew

Montgomery County's base program awarded $1.2 million to more than 90 organizations countywide. The County Council then added $500,000 in emergency funding to support Muslim and Jewish communities facing heightened threats tied to escalating hostilities in the Middle East.

Ron Halber, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, said the county arranged that emergency money within six days after the JCRC raised concerns about increased threats. "This is how local government should work: proactive, responsive and effective," Halber said in the county announcement.

The program received 121 applications requesting more than $1.6 million, meaning some organizations went unfunded.

Religious bias share of hate crimes nearly doubled

Religiously motivated crimes accounted for about 32.6% of all hate crime reports in Maryland in 2024, nearly double the share reported in 2022, according to Maryland State Police data cited by Maryland Matters. Religion ranks as the second most common bias motivation behind race and ethnicity.

Locally, anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian graffiti was discovered on an outside wall of Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda in January 2026, prompting a police investigation.

State and federal money also available

Beyond the county program, Gov. Wes Moore doubled Maryland's Protecting Against Hate Crimes Grant program to $10 million for fiscal 2026 and maintained that level for fiscal 2027.

At the federal level, FEMA's FY2026 Nonprofit Security Grant Program has $300 million available nationally, with awards up to $200,000 per site. Montgomery County nonprofits must apply through DC HSEMA at hsema.dc.gov/nsgp; organizations should confirm the local application window is still open before applying.

County Executive Marc Elrich said Montgomery County has committed more than $6.5 million to protecting nonprofit and faith communities over the past five years. The county police department has also increased patrols at faith institutions, schools and community gatherings.

Luke Hodgson, director of the county's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, called the program "one of the only locally funded initiatives of its kind in the nation" and said the grants give communities "real tools to detect, deter, and respond to threats."

Upcoming community events

• Strathmore Live From the Lawn: Free Wednesday evening concerts through Aug. 12 in North Bethesda, featuring Americana, folk-bluegrass, jazz and world music.
• Montgomery County Agricultural Fair: Friday, Aug. 14 through Saturday, Aug. 22 at the fairgrounds in Gaithersburg.