Half a million more dollars in Montgomery County, Maryland, are going toward grants aimed at preventing hate crimes, bringing the total funding for fiscal 2026 to $1.7 million.
“We hear from our residents and faith groups that the world feels less safe,” County Executive Marc Elrich said Monday while announcing the funding. “We are diverse, we are welcoming and we refuse to let hate determine how residents live.”
Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-Gonz谩lez stood alongside Elrich during the announcement.
“When we say that we are a county that is going to be defending you and protecting you, that also means that you need to put your money where your mouth is, and that is what we’re doing,” she said.
Houses of worship and nonprofits in the county have faced numerous threats, according to Luke Hodgson, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
“From graffiti, vandalism and arson to intimidation and threats aimed at parishioners or other members, online and phone threats, white supremacist materials distributed at or surrounding their facility, and individuals entering their facilities and threatening them directly.”
Hodgson referred to a 2024 county report that documented 483 hate incidents, 291 of which were related to schools.
“Bias crimes as we know are traditionally underreported, so we suspect there’s even more that are happening out there,” Hodgson said.
Race and religion were among the top targets of hate crimes and bias incidents.
“Most of the incidents motivated by racial bias were anti-Black, while most of the incidents motivated by religious bias were antisemitic,” Hodgson said.
CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington Ron Halber praised county officials for acting to boost the grant money for groups affected by hate incidents.
“This is how local government should work; proactive, responsive and effective,” he said.
Halber said the No. 1 deterrence for attacks to institutions is the presence of security personnel. Halber said it was “absolutely unquestionable” that the tactic helps prevent hate crimes.
Hodgson said there were 49 applicants who signed up for the additional funds to do things, such as boost security staffing or implement security cameras or additional lighting on their properties.
“This investment sends a powerful message,” said Mariam Khan with the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring.
And that message, Khan said, is “that our community matters, and that everyone deserves to feel safe in their place of worship.”
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