FACACLASSIC

Note: An Annual Comprehensive Review, as required by §7 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is conducted each year on committee data entered for the previous fiscal year (referred to as the reporting year). The data for the reporting year is not considered verified until this review is complete and the data is moved to history for an agency/department. See the Data From Previous Years section at the bottom of this page for the committee’s historical, verified data.

Details on agency responses to committee recommendations can be found under the Performance Measures section for each committee in the fields “Agency Feedback” and “Agency Feedback Comment.”

DHS - 84593 - Faith Based Security Advisory Council - Authorized by Law

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Faith Based Security Advisory Council	Agency Name	Department of Homeland Security
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	84593
Original Establishment Date	7/28/2020	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.dhs.gov/faith-based-security-adviso...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	30
Terminated This FY		Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	7/26/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Nicole
Date Of Renewal Charter	7/26/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Rosich
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	202-710-9864
Establishment Authority*	Authorized by Law	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	2026121602
Specific Establishment Authority*	6 USC 451 Homeland Security Act	Designated Federal Officer Email*	fbsac@hq.dhs.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	6/25/2020
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	National Policy Issue Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	FBSAC shall provide organizationally independent, strategic, timely, specific and actionable advice to the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Partnership and Engagement, who serves as the DHS Faith Based Organization Security Coordinator on matters related to houses of worship and faith-based organization security, and the Executive Director. FBSAC serves strictly as an advisory body with the purpose of providing advice upon the request of the Secretary. FBSAC advice may include: A. Strategy and Policy: Recommendations for the development of strategies and policies that will further the Department’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, or other emergencies. B. Information-sharing and Coordination: Recommendations for improving coordination and sharing of threat and security-related information, internally across the Department, externally across the Federal Government, and among state, local, tribal governments, first responders, the private and non-profit sectors, academia, and research communities. C. Management and Implementation: Recommendations for the development and implementation of specific programs or initiatives to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and targeted violence. The FBSAC shall provide organizationally independent, strategic, timely, specific, and actionable advice to the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Partnership and Engagement (OPE), who serves as the DHS Faith-Based Organizations Security Coordinator on security and preparedness matters related to places of worship, faith communities, and faith-based organizations. The FBSAC serves strictly as an advisory body with the purpose of providing advice upon the request of the Secretary. FBSAC advice may include: a. Strategy and Policy: Recommendations for the development and implementation of strategies and policies that will further the Department’s ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of targeted violence or terrorism, major disasters, cyberattacks, or other threats or emergencies against places of worship, faith communities, and faith-based organizations. b. Information-sharing and Coordination: Recommendations for improving coordination and sharing of threat and security-related information and resources with and between places of worship, faith-based organizations non-profit entities, and the federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners. This includes, but is not limited to, recommendations on proposed technical assistance and other resources that include the perspectives of a wide range of faith communities represented in a culturally competent manner, and address potential barriers, such as language access, and ways to build and rebuild relationships of trust between federal government and faith communities. c. Programs and Initiatives: Recommendations for the development and implementation of specific programs or initiatives to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of targeted violence or terrorism, major disasters, 2 cyberattacks, or other threats or emergencies while preserving individual privacy and civil rights and civil liberties. d. Evaluation and Feedback: Recommendations for the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department’s policies, strategies, and programs (including grant programs) intended to support the security and preparedness of places of worship, faith communities, and faith-based organizations. This includes, but is not limited to, providing feedback on how DHS can address the needs of faith communities against evolving and future threats.
How is membership balanced?*	It is anticipated that the FBSAC will consist of no more than 30 members. In order for the Secretary to fully leverage broad-ranging experience and education, the FBSAC must be professionally, technically, and culturally diverse. These members shall all be leaders found within diverse and appropriate professions and communities nationwide. The non-federal membership shall be drawn from the following fields: • Faith-based organization security officials; • Faith-based organization leaders; • Faith leaders; and • State and local public safety, law enforcement, and emergency management leaders.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	Meetings of the FBSAC are held at the approval of the Secretary or DHS Faith-Based Organizations Security Coordinator, but typically take place quarterly.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	o DHS attempted to tackle faith-based security internally and found the level of expertise was insufficient. The public participation and robust representation was not present in prior attempts to provide security-related information, training and engagements for faith based organizations. No other group exists focusing on faith based security on a national scale. This council’s scope and objectives are not covered by any other existing agency or committee. To note, faith based security was a prior subcommittee of one of the DHS FACs, but terminated in a prior administration. The Acting Secretary elevated the importance of faith based security and requires a group of C-suite national leaders focus on the security of our homeland. That is the intention of this council.
Why close or partially close meetings?	Council meetings are open to the public unless a determination that the meeting should be closed is made by the appropriate DHS officials in accordance with DHS policy and directives, and with Title 5, United States Code, subsection (c) of Section 552b, The Sunshine Act.
Recommendation Remarks	The Faith-Based Security Advisory Council is essential to show DHS’ commitment to bolstering the safety and security of faith based organizations across the country. There is a large public interest in securing houses of worship and protecting our country from terrorist attacks on religious institutions. The Acting Secretary issued a memo requiring the creation of the interfaith council and created the new Office of Faith Based Security Coordination to provide federal support to the council. Every other option was explored by DHS and none sufficiently involved the level of expertise needed to advise on interfaith matters. The Acting Secretary decided DHS needed more public participation and the council is the only method to achieve it.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	Yes	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed
Outcome Comment		Number Of Grants Recommended
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended
Cost Savings Comment		Grants Review Comment
Number Of Recommendations*	45	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	Three subcommittees each issued a report, CSEA - 5 recommendations, TVT - 10 categories, 29 recommendations, TNR - 11 recommendations	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	20.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The June 24, 2024, FBSAC recommendations to the Secretary are under review by DHS officials. Implementation meetings are currently underway. TNR - Recommendation #5 FLETC TNR video delivered to LE. TVT - DHS should enhance its efforts to convene local, regional, and national workshops, seminars, and exercises that bring together key stakeholders to address prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery strategies. To actively and substantively engage the faith-based community in the development of resources that are responsive to their needs, the Secretary should task the FBSAC, and other trusted community partners, to review draft products	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	20.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	The June 24, 2024, FBSAC recommendations to the Secretary are under review by DHS officials. Implementation meetings are currently underway. TNR - Recommendation #4 the NSGP includes TNR as a category for funding, still need to include definition of TNR on NOFO and training materials; #6 TNR resources are translated in over 60 languages; #11 Collaborate with FVEYS partners to identify TNR prevention strategies. CSEA - Recommendation #1 Support and strengthen public awareness of Know2Protect and Project iGuardian with different communities. TVT - Several efforts underway as the report discusses previously issued recommendations.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment
Agency Feedback Comment*	The Agency provides feedback to members via periodic emails and during FBSAC meetings. The public receives information on agency feedback through open meeting minutes posted to the FBSAC website.	Narrative Description*	On November 14, 2023, the DHS Secretary issued a multi-council tasking to review DHS efforts to combat online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA). The FBSAC received two additional taskings from the DHS Secretary on January 4, 2024. The FBSAC formed three subcommittees to work on the taskings. Each subcommittee presented their key findings and recommendations during a meeting on June 24, 2024, followed by their submission of their final reports to the DHS Secretary on June 24, 2024.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	2/12/2025 12:44 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Civil Rights Civil Rights Equal Opportunity Legislation Legislation Regulations Regulatory Negotiation Rulemaking National Defense National Security and Defense

Custom Links

Committee Level Reports