Have an idea to prevent 'violent extremism'? You could be eligible for up to $2 million

Any school district, university, county government or nonprofit with an idea for how to counter "violent extremism" in America could be eligible for up to $2 million in federal grant money to make that idea a reality, the Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday.

The $10 million total in available funding marks the first time the department has solicited "countering violent extremism" project ideas from the larger public. Eligible applicants also include other entities of local, state and Native American tribal government.

The new grant program will support "programs, projects and activities that prevent recruitment or radicalization to violence" by interrupting that recruitment or radicalization; making communities more likely to reject extremist messages; "identifying the early signs of radicalization"; and "providing appropriate interventions through civic organizations, law enforcement or other entities," according to the department's notice of funding.

Interested parties have two months to apply.

Civil rights groups and some Muslim leaders have argued that the government's countering extremism program is inherently discriminatory and stigmatizing and runs the risk of violating civil rights and liberties.

While most of the federal government's efforts so far to counter violent extremism have focused on Muslim communities, the government has not provided data to suggest that Muslims are more susceptible to violence than any other group. Counter-terrorism experts also say there are no known indicators that someone is going to become a violent extremist.

George Selim, who heads the agency's Countering Violent Extremism Task Force, testified Wednesday before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee about a shifting world of terrorism and the need to prevent violence by "self-radicalized individuals." The only terrorist organization Selim named was ISIL, an acronym for the Islamic State extremist group.

But the program will not violate civil rights or liberties, he said. "We're not even going to score those applications" that appear to be infringing on rights and liberties.