Why It Matters
Maine lawmakers are taking direct action to protect houses of worship and nonprofit organizations amid a nationwide rise in hate crimes and religiously motivated violence. The legislation addresses a growing gap in public safety infrastructure at a time when federal funding for nonprofit security has been paused, delayed, and attached to new ideological conditions that some religious groups say conflict with their core values.
The bill represents a significant shift in how Maine approaches the intersection of public funding and religious institutions, with even skeptical lawmakers acknowledging the urgency of the moment.
What Happened
The Maine Legislature advanced LD 2107, a bill that would establish a state-level grant program within the Maine Emergency Management Agency designed to help nonprofits — primarily houses of worship — strengthen their security against hate crimes and terror attacks.
The Maine House of Representatives voted 76-68 in favor of the measure, followed by the Maine Senate passing it 21-14 on Wednesday, March 26, 2026. The bill still requires enactment votes in both chambers and must be funded before it can advance to the governor’s desk for a final signature.
The proposed state program is modeled after the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. However, the Maine version would expand eligibility beyond physical security upgrades to include funding for security personnel costs and the development or improvement of security protocols — giving recipient organizations more flexibility in how they use the money.
Rep. Dan Ankeles (D-Brunswick), who spoke on the House floor in support of the bill, acknowledged the unusual nature of the vote. “I am not someone who typically likes the idea of sending public money to religious institutions,” Ankeles said, “but here I am, as Maine has been put into this unwelcome position by our federal counterparts.”
Ankeles cited a Jewish congregation in his district that declined to accept federal grant funding under the new terms imposed by the Trump administration, saying the conditions violated their religious teachings. The congregation has since been piecing together private funding to pay for off-duty police officers to provide security coverage.
By the Numbers
- 76-68: The vote margin in the Maine House of Representatives in favor of LD 2107.
- 21-14: The vote margin in the Maine Senate supporting the bill.
- 30+: The number of Maine nonprofits, mostly religious organizations, that have relied on the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program in recent years.
- 2004: The year the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program was created, with current congressional members now requesting the highest funding levels in the program’s history.
Zoom Out
Maine’s legislative response reflects a broader national trend of states stepping in to fill security and funding gaps created by shifting federal priorities. Since President Donald Trump resumed office, the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program has seen funding paused and delayed, while new conditions have been attached requiring recipients to refrain from diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, comply with immigration enforcement, and avoid assisting undocumented immigrants.
Those conditions have prompted pushback from religious organizations across the country that view cooperation with immigration enforcement as incompatible with their faith-based missions. Some congregations have chosen to forgo federal funding entirely rather than agree to the new terms, leaving them to seek alternative sources of security funding.
The Anti-Defamation League and other civil rights organizations have documented consistent increases in antisemitic incidents, Islamophobic attacks, and threats against other religious minorities over recent years. High-profile attacks on houses of worship — including school shootings connected to religious campuses — have intensified calls for dedicated security funding at the state level.
Several other states have explored or enacted similar programs to protect religious and nonprofit organizations independently of federal grant structures, signaling a growing movement toward state-level public safety solutions for vulnerable communities.
What’s Next
LD 2107 must clear enactment votes in both the Maine House and Senate before it can be sent to the governor. Separately, the Legislature will need to approve dedicated funding for the grant program, a step that will likely be tied to the broader state budget process.
Advocates for the bill are pushing for swift action, pointing to the immediate security needs of congregations currently operating without adequate resources. If signed into law, the Maine Emergency Management Agency would be responsible for administering the program and establishing the framework for grant applications and awards.