A threat-response multi-criteria funding model for homeland security grant programs

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides funding to 50 states, the District of Columbia, and seven US territories through a consolidated program called the Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). There has been much controversy about the lack of structure in HSGP and the method it employs to allocate funds to the states and territories. Slice is a threat–response multi-criteria decision model that systematically evaluates the threats and responses of securing the states and territories. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and probability elicitation methods are used to capture the objective and subjective judgments used in Slice. The probability calibration and entropy methods are used along with the utility theory to obtain a composite weighted score for each state and territory. These weighted scores are combined with the population scores in a structured framework to determine the amount of funding for the states and territories.