TO:	All State Administrative Agency Heads All State Administrative Agency Points of Contact
FROM:	C. Suzanne Mencer
	Director
SUBJECT:	Further clarification on the State Homeland Security Strategy and FY 2004 Homeland Security Grant Reporting Requirements

Structure of the State Homeland Security Strategy

Release of the ODP FY 2004 Homeland Security Grant funding is based on the submission of a State Homeland Security Strategy. The strategy should consider the use of all federal, state, urban area, local and private resources that are available to the state. It should contain broad-based goals of intent that address areas of overall preparedness and response enhancement to WMD terrorism events within each state. The state should have at least one goal that addresses each of the following areas: Prevention, Response, and Recovery.

For each goal, the state should establish at least one objective, which should focus on the efforts needed to increase capabilities within the Planning, Organization, Equipment, Training and Exercise program areas. When these objectives are accomplished, they should provide the important steps necessary to achieve the mission, vision, and goals of the strategy.

For each objective, there should be implementation steps constructed to provide guidance to the state on how the objective will be achieved. The implementation steps provide a road map to the accomplishment of the objectives.

Reporting Requirements

As stated in the FY 2004 Homeland Security Grant Program Application Kit, ODP will provide each state with an electronic template for the Initial Strategy Implementation Spending Plan and each subsequent Biannual Strategy Implementation Report (BSIR). ODP will be asking for information regarding funds provided to each sub-grantee, as well as funds retained at the State level. Each state will need to identify one or more specific projects to be undertaken using funds sub-granted to local jurisdiction and retained at the state level during the grant period. These projects must support one or more specific goals or objectives in the State Homeland Security Strategy. The State must identify the goal(s) and objective(s) to which each project relates, the program area from which expenditures will be made, and the amount that will be expended within each program area, as well as other information identified in Appendix C of the FY 2004 Homeland Security Grant Program Application Kit. This information must be submitted electronically using a reporting format which will be provided by ODP; submission of this information will constitute completion of Box 12 in the Categorical Assistance Progress Report.

Citizen Corps Program

The ODP FY 2004 Homeland Security Grant Program made available $35 million for Citizen Corps, and provided guidance that these funds be used by Citizen Corps Councils to pursue the Citizen Corps mission: to have every American participate in homeland security by providing public education and outreach, training, and volunteer service opportunities at the community level.

Citizens are a critical component of any endeavor to secure the homeland, whether educating the public about how to prevent or reduce the impact of an incident, equipping citizens with the training and resources necessary to assist themselves and others during an incident, or having citizens provide organizational support to emergency responders through volunteer service.

It is important to establish a collaborative relationship between emergency responders and citizens in the homeland security mission. FY 2004 Citizen Corps funding must be allocated and expended in support of each state’s Homeland Security Strategy, which must be submitted to ODP by December 31, 2003. To that end, ODP recommends that states integrate Citizen Corps program activities into the prevention, response, and recovery goals and objectives captured in their strategies.

For additional information on Citizen Corps activities in your state, please contact the current State Citizen Corps points of contact, which may be found by going to www.citizencorps.gov/councils/ and clicking on "State Citizen Corps POC List." Questions may also be directed to your ODP Preparedness Officer by calling the ODP Helpline at 1-800-368-6498.