Safety Funding Availability

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Being involved with school safety is on every parent's mind.  You can help to make certain that YOUR SCHOOL is implementing this life-saving critical incident response technology by encouraging your school to reach out to us to schedule a free demonstration.  

ASR Alert Systems prides itself on providing ADA-compliant technologies to make safety accessible to all.

Safety Grants Available Nationwide

More and more, lawmakers are leading the charge for change.  All across the nation, multiple safety bills are being passed and many have associated grant funding.  This means free money for your school.  ASR is actively researching multiple bills and approved funding.  Review this page regularly to see if your state or county has available funds. 

See specific grants by state below or search for new ones at Grants Finder Tool.

6/9/22 - URGENT - SENATE BILL PUSHES UNUSED COVID MONEY TO SECURE SCHOOLS in wake of mass shootings

UPDATE:  6/22/22 - U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) says on Wednesday, 6/22/22, that support has grown for his and Congressman Mike Garcia’s (R-CA) Safe Schools Act, which would allow COVID-19 relief funds to be allocated to schools through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.  The bill now has 18 Senate Cosponsors and has been endorsed by AG Schmidt, the Security Industry Association, and Kansas Rep. Kristey Williams (R-Augusta) and Sen. Renee Erickson (R-Wichita).

Lawmakers say $150 billion of unused COVID-19 relief funds should be put toward school security measures.  With 130,930 recorded K-12 schools in the US, if passed this would allocate over $1 million per school – the difference this could make would be enormous!

The bill would allow schools that received COVID-19 relief funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), to use untouched money to equip their facilities with "locks, panic buttons, individual room security systems, video surveillance" and hire armed school resource officers.  The new legislation would remove the requirement within ESSER that expenses must be COVID-19 related.

Find your members of the US Congress HERE and PLEASE URGENTLY ENCOURAGE THEM to support this important safety legislation.  Please cite the ‘‘Safe Schools Act’’

DOWNLOAD A COPY of the Legislation HERE

5/13/22 - DHS Announces $1.6 Billion in Preparedness Grants

WASHINGTON -- Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced $1.6 billion for eight fiscal year 2022 preparedness grant programs. Together, these programs provide critical funding to help state and local officials prepare for, prevent, protect against and respond to acts of terrorism and other hazards. This funding is in addition to the $405.1 million announced last month for the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program.

DHS has identified six national priority areas in the FY 2022 grant cycle: cybersecurity; soft targets and crowded places; intelligence and information sharing; domestic violent extremism; community preparedness and resilience; and election security. Grant recipients under the State Homeland Security Program and Urban Area Security Initiative will be required to dedicate a minimum of 30% of their awards across these six priority areas. Of the 30%, 12% is required through minimum spend amounts for four priority areas, and recipients have flexibility on how to allocate the remaining 18% across the six priority areas: cybersecurity (no minimum spend); soft target, and crowded places (3%); information and intelligence sharing (3%); domestic violent extremism (3%); community preparedness and resilience (3%); and election security (no minimum spend). After extensive consultation with grantees leading up to this announcement, DHS is focused on balancing the need to invest in high-priority areas while giving jurisdictions the flexibility to make prioritization decisions based on their own assessments of their needs.  

As with previous years, new capabilities that are built using homeland security grant funding must be deployable if needed to support regional and national efforts. All capabilities being built or sustained must have a clear linkage to the core capabilities articulated in the National Preparedness Goal.

5/5/22 - Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for FY 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided additional documents in anticipation of the release of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the FY 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).  Find links here to the:

• Fiscal Year 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program FAQ,  
• Fiscal Year 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program Key Changes, and
• Fiscal Year 2022 Nonprofit Security Grant Program Subapplicant Quick Start Guide.

 Please review the Subapplicant Quick Start Guide and begin organizing the information and materials you will need to submit an application if you wish to apply for the FY22 NSGP grant.  When the NOFO and application template are published, the application window will be very short.

4/22/22 - COPS Office Grant Announcement – New Funding Opportunity Open Now!

School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP)

The 2022 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program is a competitive program that provides funding directly to States, units of local government, Indian tribes, and their public agencies to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs.  Up to $53 million is available for this program.

Applications are due by June 21, 2022 at 7:59 PM ET.  Please click here for more information on the 2022 School Violence Prevention Program.

4/15/22 - DHS Releases Fiscal Year 2022 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the Fiscal Year 2022 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity, an annual competitive funding opportunity that is available to assist local communities to develop sustainable capabilities to prevent targeted violence and terrorism in the United States. The program is managed by the DHS Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22), Congress has provided $20 million and CP3 established the following priorities for award selection:

• Implementing Prevention Capabilities in Small and Mid-Sized Communities;
• Advancing Equity in Awards and Engaging Underserved Communities in Prevention;
• Addressing Online Aspects of Terrorism and Targeted Violence;
• Preventing Domestic Violent Extremism; and
• Enhancing Local Threat Assessment and Management Capabilities.

Applications may be submitted in two application tracks:

• Promising Practices Track: to develop locally-based public health approaches to violence prevention; CP3 has identified eight project types that represent promising practices in preventing targeted violence and terrorism. Applicants may propose to implement one or more of those project types in this track.
• Innovation Track: to develop new approaches to prevent targeted violence and terrorism.

One of the goals of the TVTP Grant Program is to help identify targeted violence and terrorism prevention best practices and share those broadly throughout the country. As such, recipients are required to develop robust logic models and Implementation and Measurement Plans (IMP). 

• The application period opened April 12th, 2022
• Applications are due Wednesday May 18, 2022, 5PM EDT (All steps completed, and final package submitted in ND Grants)
• Awards are anticipated to be announced in September 2022

ATTENTION - Districts can use ESSER and other types of funds to make their schools safer and students less distracted.

PROGRAM OFFICE
Office of State and Grantee Relations, OESE

CFDA NUMBER
84.425D

PROGRAM TYPE
Formula Grant

3/16/22 - Bomb-threatened Historically Black schools eligible for security grants

The vice president announced that historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, where the learning was disrupted by a recent string of bomb threats are now eligible for Project School Emergency Response to Violence program grants through the U.S. Education Department.

Awards typically range from $50,000 to $150,000 and the money can be used to hire mental health professionals, improve campus security and provide training for security staff.

3/1/22 - House Homeland Leaders Introduce Legislation to Expand Security Grant Program

Nonprofit Security Grant Program Improvement Act of 2022 (H.R. 6825), is bipartisan legislation to expand and strengthen the Nonprofit Security Grant Program that helps secure nonprofits and houses of worship against terrorism.  To address the increasing demand for nonprofit security grant funding, H.R. 6825 authorizes the program at $500 million annually through FY 2028. Importantly, in response to the growth in the program, which was funded at $180 million last year, the bill directs FEMA to establish a dedicated office within FEMA to administer the program and provide greater outreach, engagement, education, technical assistance, and support to eligible nonprofits.

Link to Legislation Text

Link to Legislation Fact Sheet

Read more at the House Homeland Security Committee

12/23/21 - Justice Department Awards Nearly $444 Million to Support Violence Intervention Efforts

The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) today announced nearly $444 million in grant awards to support a wide range of violence reduction efforts, including community-based violence intervention and prevention strategies, youth and school violence prevention programs, and evidence-based police and prosecution practices. Funding will also support research on civil disturbances, school safety, and violence against women.

Funding is made available through OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and National Institute of Justice (NIJ).ms for criminal justice purposes. These awards were announced previously.

Once the awards are made, information about the grantees selected under each solicitation can be found online at the OJP Grant Awards page.

12/23/21 - Justice Department Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the STOP School Violence Act

The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.

The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (the STOP School Violence Act) give the Justice Department the authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, Indian Tribes, and public agencies (such as school districts and law enforcement agencies) to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. It also provides grants to ensure a positive school climate by helping students and teachers recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.

The 78 BJA annual awards, totaling almost $74 million, are intended to support training and education for school personnel and students on preventing violence against others and themselves, including anti-bullying training and specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises. Funds also help develop and implement multidisciplinary threat assessment or intervention teams and design technology solutions such as anonymous reporting systems, hotlines, and websites.

The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) provides up to 75% of the funding for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools. The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are statutorily obligated to be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.

The full list of SVPP awards can be found here.
A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found here.

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Department of Justice responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Department of Justice agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime-fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to agency for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. The COPS Office has invested more than $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 135,000 officers. 

The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in the administration of justice, assist victims and enhance the rule of law. 

More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

ALABAMA ARP FUNDING

Alabama’s State Superintendent of Education recently pledged $250,000 toward a safety plan for Selma High School. The Alabama Department of Education conducted a threat assessment of the campus after a recent shooting inside the building. This new funding will support a range of solutions, including cameras, door entry points, and new communication systems.

TUSD safety department receives grant from DOJ to enhance security at schools

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tucson Unified School Safety Department announced Tuesday it received a grant from the U.S Department of Justice to create a program for enhaced security at schools and school facilities.  In October 2019, the safety department was awarded a grant of $525,000 under the 2019 COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program, according to a press release from TUSD. The COPS program was made to enhance security within school campuses and school facilities.

Gov. Doug Ducey unveils $12.3B state spending plan with boost for law enforcement, schools

Buoyed by even healthier than expected state revenue projections, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday unveiled a $12.3 billion spending plan for the next fiscal year that places two of his longtime priorities — public safety and education — front and center.   On the spending side, about half of new investments would go to K-12 schools. Ducey would boost funding for the state's school safety grant program, fund the final phase of his 20x2020 teacher raise plan and set aside cash for school building repairs, among other initiatives.

The Arizona Department of Education Receives $20 Million in School Safety Funding

The Department of Education received more than $100 million in applications from schools all over the state for the $20 million in school safety funding it received from the Legislature, Rep. Lieberman said.  Eight separate legislative work groups including teachers have examined and discussed education issues, but it’s hard to tell before the session starts in January 2020 which one is going to end up being the major issue, said Rep. Michelle Udall, (R-LD 25), House Education Committee chair and House Appropriations Committee member. Photo by Lisa Irish/AZEdNews

8/12/22 - Arkansas governor signs accelerated tax cuts, school safety funding into law

Just hours after getting final approval from the Arkansas Legislature, Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday signed into law the acceleration of tax cuts and a grant program to help schools improve safety.  At the end of the 2022 fiscal year in June, the state reported a budget surplus of $1.6 billion which prompted Hutchinson to call the special session. He has said the session would be used to provide tax relief for Arkansans struggling with inflation.  In addition to tax cuts, the governor approved setting aside $50 million to fund a grant program schools can use to improve safety.  Details of the programs will be decided at a later date. The Arkansas Department of Education will set the rules and guidelines which will have to be approved by the Arkansas Legislative Council. Lawmakers are wanting to incorporate information from the Arkansas School Safety Commission’s final report due in October 2022.

Lincoln Schools Receive $321,000 Security Grant

LINCOLN -- Lincoln Consolidated School District is one of only four districts in the state to receive a federal grant to bolster school security.  
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, part of the U.S. Department of Justice, awarded grants to the Lincoln, Elkins and Springdale school districts in Northwest Arkansas through its School Violence Prevention Program.  Nationally, the program awarded nearly $50 million this year for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds, according to a news release from the federal office.  Springdale received $435,451, Lincoln got $321,855 and Elkins received $194,414 -- a total of $951,720. The Hamburg School District in southeast Arkansas was the only other district in the state that got money this year; it received $55,928.  The program provides money directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes and public agencies, including school districts. The maximum grant is $500,000. Recipients are required to contribute a local cash match of at least 25% toward the total cost of approved projects during the award period, according to the Policing Services office.

Northwest Arkansas school districts collect safety grants

SPRINGDALE -- Three Northwest Arkansas school districts received nearly $1 million combined from a federal program for projects intended to bolster school security.  The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, part of the U.S. Department of Justice, awarded grants to the Elkins, Lincoln and Springdale school districts through its School Violence Prevention Program.  Nationally, the program awarded nearly $50 million this year for school safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools and school grounds, according to a news release from the federal office.  Springdale received $435,451, Lincoln got $321,855 and Elkins received $194,414 -- a total of $$951,720. The Hamburg School District in southeast Arkansas was the only other district in the state that got money this year; it received $55,928.  The program provides money directly to states, units of local government, Indian tribes and public agencies, including school districts. The maximum grant is $500,000. Recipients are required to contribute a local cash match of at least 25% toward the total cost of approved projects during the award period, according to the Policing Services office.  Springdale will use part of the money to hire a school safety liaison who will work with each building to enhance safety plans, according to Deputy Superintendent Kelly Hayes. The district also will partner with Ozark Guidance for some social and emotional training for students. In addition, each building will get some sophisticated alarm systems that detect certain chemicals, loud noises, and smoke, Hayes said.

12/24/21 - Justice Department Awards More Than $125 Million in Grants Under the STOP School Violence Act

California School Districts include:

• CA Antioch Unified School District $492,451
  
• CA Chino Valley Unified School District $499,999
  
• CA Chula Vista Elementary School District $347,031
  
• CA El-Rancho Unified School District $453,299
  
• CA Lodi Unified School District $165,728
  
• CA Parlier Unified School District $471,211
  
• CA San Bernardino City Unified School District $366,147
  
• CA Santa Paula Unified School District $419,492
  
• CA Selma Unified School District $276,830
  
• CA Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians $116,250

A list of BJA awards, as they are made, can be found here.

12/23/21 - DOJ school safety grants include over $1M for two San Diego school districts

More than $1 million in school safety grant funding was announced Thursday for two San Diego County school districts.  The grant money, part of nearly $126 million awarded nationwide by the Department of Justice, includes $672,168 to the Cajon Valley Union School District and $347,031 to the Chula Vista Elementary School District.  The grants are intended for safety measures at primary and secondary schools, school violence prevention efforts, training for school personnel and students, and the implementation of "evidence-based threat assessments."

6/12/22 - Pueblo County School District 70 and Widefield School District 3 win over $1 million in SAFER Grant Program

PUEBLO — Pueblo County School District 70 and Widefield School District 3 both won over $1 million in the 2022 School Access For Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program.  District 70 was awarded $1,098,837, and District 3 was awarded $1,113,172, which will go towards improving communication between law enforcement and school personnel.

5/23/22 - Colorado Nonprofit Security Grant Program

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding support for security-related and physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attacks due to their ideology, beliefs or mission.  The NSGP continues to be a nationally competitive grant program and promotes emergency preparedness coordination and collaboration activities between public and private community representatives, as well as state, local, and tribal government agencies.  Multiple funding allocations have been appropriated for nonprofit organizations located inside or outside of the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) designated urban areas.  For a listing of counties in the Denver UASI area, please see our Field Services page.  Counties within the Denver UASI area are Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin and Jefferson.  Under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program-State (NSGP-S), eligible states will receive a target allocation for nonprofit organizations located outside of UASI designated urban areas.

Eligibility - Eligible nonprofit organizations are those organizations described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Title 26 of the U.S.C., and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such code.

Allowable Use - NSGP allowable costs are focused on security-related activities. Funding can be used for security-related planning; exercises; training; contracted security personnel; and the acquisition and installation of security equipment on real property (including buildings and improvements) owned or leased by the nonprofit organization at the time of application.  Equipment is limited to two sections of items on the Authorized Equipment List (AEL): Physical Security Enhancement Equipment (Section 14) and Inspection and Screening Systems (Section 15).  To review these sections, please visit the FEMA website. 

Certain costs for training of nonprofit staff and members/congregants are also permitted. Allowable training topics are limited to the protection of critical infrastructure and key resources, including physical and cyber security, target hardening, and terrorism awareness/employee preparedness. Training conducted using NSGP funds must address a specific threat or vulnerability, as identified in the nonprofit organization’s investment justification (IJ) in the application process.

Grant Announcement - The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) provides announcements and related information through email distribution lists and shared announcements through various organizations.  Please visit the CO.EMgrants website for additional information on DHSEM contacts, deadlines, and documents for this grant.

3/31/22 - CUPD earns grant; Campus embarks on security audit, upgrades

The University of Colorado Boulder Police Department (CUPD), in collaboration with Facilities Management, will use $3.4 million in state-controlled maintenance funding to improve classroom security in the event of a future active harmer or other mass-casualty incidents.  As part of this project, CUPD was also granted funding for technical assistance from the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC), a program of the U.S. Department of Justice. Through consultation, the assistance will not only offer guidance in security measures and protocols based on construction plans, it may also influence educational programming aimed at students, faculty, and staff, including how the campus handles messaging during emergencies.

12/14/21 - Aurora passes $500,000 in ‘safety’ grants to East Colfax businesses, agencies

AURORA | The Aurora City Council, boasting four new members, moved forward Monday night a request to spend about a half-million dollars in federal funds on a variety of programs along the East Colfax corridor. The proposal focuses on $3 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds provided to Aurora for a new grant program for city businesses that want to make “safety and security upgrades.” As much as $500,000 would be specifically designated for the Colfax corridor.  City lawmakers, including newly seated members, posed a variety of questions, ranging from the transparency of how the money would be spent and mechanisms of accountability after it was. Some lawmakers had questions about what would qualify for the money, and whether it would be to address security issues or actually prevent problems.  To participate in the new, proposed grant program, a business would be required to undergo a review process conducted by the Aurora Police Department, according to city information provided to lawmakers.

East Grand OKs lease-purchase agreement to fund security improvements

The East Grand School District has approved a certificate of participation to fund its contribution for $8 million in security upgrades.  Last year, the board of education obtained a $2.1 million BEST Grant from the state for safety and security improvements at the school district. Under the terms of the grant, East Grand was required to come up with $5.9 million in matching funds.  Part of the contribution is being paid from the district’s reserves, but there are not sufficient funds to cover the full $5.9 million. The district is therefore using a COP for its contribution with the BEST projects.  District-wide upgrades include improvements to video surveillance systems, installing a public address/mass notification system, adding new door hardware that complies with state and federal guidelines, and installing card-reader access control at all facilities.  Early work on the upgrades was meant to start over spring break, but crews got an early start after schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Work is expected to continue through the summer, and the district plans for construction to be completed before school starts in August.

Douglas County awards school district $6.8 million for security

More than $6.8 million is on its way to the Douglas County School District to bolster student safety, while STEM School Highlands Ranch — the site of a fatal shooting last year — is set to receive $56,000 from the same grant program.  Douglas County commissioners in May opened $10 million in one-time grant dollars to public, private and charter schools in the county. Schools could apply for mental health resources and physical security projects.

 Commissioners on Jan. 14 approved an intergovernmental agreement with the school district awarding it $6.8 million. The funds were to be paid in a lump sum within 30 days of executing the agreement. The board will approve contracts with the charter and private schools that applied at a later meeting.

Douglas County Schools Get $10 Million To Upgrade School Safety After Shooting

A Colorado county has approved spending $10 million on physical and technological upgrades at more than 100 schools and on mental health programming in response to a deadly school shooting in May.  Douglas County commissioners on Thursday appropriated about $7.7 million for physical safety and set aside $1.3 million for technology for schools to deploy in the future, the Denver Post reported.  About $990,000 will go toward mental health programs, including curriculum, training and surveys about school culture. That’s enough to cover schools’ requests related to students’ emotional needs, said Commissioner Abe Laydon.  Ninety-one district schools applied for and received some funding, along with 15 charter schools and eight private schools.

CONNECTICUT ARP FUNDING

Gov. Ned Lamont recently announced two state grant programs that will fund infrastructure security and upgrades to emergency communications systems at schools throughout the state. The grant program is available for funding requests from public and private K-12 schools, eligible child care centers, and preschool programs that have received threats. The state will rank applications and award funding based on a demonstrated need for security improvements.

Connecticut Opens New Rounds of School Security Grants

The grants aim to improve school security infrastructure and emergency communications. Initial applications are due June 15.

For more information and to submit an application for either grant program, visit portal.ct.gov/DEMHS/Grants/School-Security-Competitive-Grant-Program.

6/22/22 - School safety funding moves forward in Delaware General Assembly

State Senators advanced legislation on Wednesday to invest millions of dollars in school safety enhancements - including adding constables or police officers to First State schools.  The investments are outlined in two GOP-sponsored bills that cleared committees Wednesday.  State Rep. Kevin Hensley’s (R-Odessa/Townsend) bill allows schools to use dollars from Delaware’s School Safety and Security Fund to hire constables and other types of law enforcement to patrol their campuses.  State Senator Dave Lawson’s (R-Marydel) measure appropriates $65 million for schools to use on building enhancements such as bulletproof glass and keycard devices at school entrances.

6/12/22 - DE lawmakers push legislation to bolster school security

DELAWARE – Lawmakers are looking to provide schools across Delaware with millions in a push to bolster security.  Senate Bill 14 would establish the Omnibus School Safety Fund with $65 million from the 2023 fiscal year budget.  The goal is to improve security measures in the state’s public and charter schools.  The money would go to install things like key card entrances, video cameras, bullet-resistant glass, and more.  Bill Sponsor Senator David Lawson says the bill was introduced back in 2018 and was shut down.  The bill now sits in the Senate Executive committee and awaits consideration.

4/27/22 - DEMA Encourages Nonprofits To Prepare For Grant Opportunity

The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) encourages nonprofit agencies to begin preparing for the upcoming Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) application period. NSGP is a competitive grant program that provides federal funding for physical security enhancements to eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The annual grant guidance is expected to be released in May 2022 with a short application period after.

As part of the application process, organizations will be required to submit a vulnerability risk assessment for their facility. The Delaware Information and Analyst Center (DIAC) and Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency have self-assessment resources available to assist nonprofits to complete this requirement. These resources can be found under Nonprofit Security Grant Program in the resources tab on DEMA’s website.

Grant adds security to Children First facilities

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act (MSDHSPSA)

In the wake of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that took the lives of 17 Florida students and educators, the 2018 Florida Legislature passed and the Governor signed SB 7026, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. This legislation outlines significant reforms to make Florida schools safer, while keeping firearms out of the hands of mentally ill and dangerous individuals.

Provisions of the law include:

• Creation of the Office of Safe Schools and a description of the office’s responsibilities
• Allowing sheriffs to establish a Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program
• The FortifyFL mobile suspicious activity reporting tool
• Establishment of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission
• New requirements for mental health services and training
• Requirements for a safe-school officer at each public school
• School safety assessments for each public school
• Appropriations of funding to address identified school safety needs

In 2019, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 7030, known as the Implementation of Legislative Recommendations of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law and it includes the following provisions:

• Development of a standardized behavioral threat assessment instrument
• Additional duties for the Office of Safe Schools to include compliance montioring
• Changes to the Coach Aaron Feis Guardian Program
• Requirements for districts to promote the FortifyFL mobile suspicious activity reporting tool
• Requirement for the Commissioner of Education to oversee compliance with the MSDHSPSA
• Charter schools must comple with specific school safety statutes
• Expedited transfer of student records from school to school
• Clarification of district responsibilities for school safety

If you have any questions, please contact the Florida Department of Education at safeschools@fldoe.org.

1/1/21 - Fort Valley State Awarded Almost $2 Million STOP School Violence Grant

MACON, Ga. (CW44 News At 10) – The Department of Justice today announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act. The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students and implement evidence-based threat assessments.  Fort Valley State University, in Fort Valley, Georgia, was awarded $1,999,997—among the largest single grants awarded—and the United Way of Southwest Georgia in Albany, Georgia, received $991,110 in FY2021 STOP School Violence Act grants. The full list of STOP awards can be viewed here.

Minidoka schools receives nearly $500,000 through COPS grant

1/11/22 - Moline schools to get $111,744 from new federal grant to improve safety

The Moline school district is among 10 Illinois school systems that will receive over $3 million in U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) grants for Illinois communities to improve school safety and support school violence prevention efforts.  U.S,. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today announced a total of $3,048,982 in grants, awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office). They provide funding for safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, including training for local law enforcement to prevent student violence, technology to quickly notify local law enforcement during an emergency, and other tools to improve security.

The following Illinois school districts have been awarded funding:

• Anna Community Consolidated School District No. 37 (Union County): $401,588
• Cahokia Public School District #187 (St. Clair County): $268,575
• Homer Community Consolidated School District 33C (Will County): $500,000
• City of Moline (Rock Island County): $111,744
• Mundelein Elementary School District 75 (Lake County): $398,394
• River Trails School District #26 (Cook County): $478,553
• SPEED S.E.J.A. 802 School District (Cook County): $43,208
• Washington Community High School District #308 (Tazewell County): $95,425
• Worth School District (Cook County): $397,120
• Zion Elementary School District 6 (Lake County): $354,375

Illinois School Safety Grant Funds Available

U.S. Representative Mike Bost says last year the East St. Louis School District received $239,892 from the grant program.

"It received 239-thousand, 892 for metal detectors, locks, staff training and communications planning." Bost adds several years ago, the Lick Creek School District used their grant funds in a unique way. "So thier particular grant, of all things, provided a cell tower, in case of an emergency they can actually reach 911."

Find more information about the grant program, here.  

ILLINOIS COPS SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION

Nine districts in Illinois were among 160 school districts along with some police departments across the country to receive COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grants in 2020 to improve security at schools. The program makes $53 million available this year. Applications for funding up to $500,000 will be accepted through June 22 and may be used for various projects including safety equipment, technology, and enhanced security.

9/6/22 - Indiana allocates highest single year investment in school safety

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Secured School Safety Board has approved more than $22.9 million in matching state grants, marking the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking school safety investments. The grants will be allocated to 425 Hoosier schools, which is the largest number of schools to ever apply.  The General Assembly allocated $19 million over the past two years for the Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG). Legislators will set future allocations during this year’s budget session.  With the addition of $3.9 million in funds unspent from previous cycles, Indiana can fund top priority requests from all schools that applied.

The grants will go to 425 schools for funding school resource officers, law enforcement officers in schools, equipment and technology, active event warning systems (no matching requirement), firearms training for teachers and staff that choose to allow guns on school property, threat assessments, and to implement a student and parent support services program.

8/17/22 - Illinois to receive millions in new federal safety grants, US Homeland Security secretary says

CHICAGO (WLS) -- In an exclusive interview, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC7 Investigative Reporter Chuck Goudie that millions of federal grant dollars are being sent to Illinois to shore up so-called "soft targets."  In an effort to prevent these attacks, DHS is unveiling new grants of $550 million to harden up some synagogues, churches, mosques and other "soft targets" nationwide. 

In Illinois, there are at least nine Illinois non-profits newly receiving preparedness grant money from Wednesday's DHS announcement. Those institutions stretch from the suburbs to downstate, and include synagogues, Hindu temples, an Islamic school and evangelical and Greek Orthodox churches.

In total so far this year, almost $100 million in federal grants have been awarded from DHS to Illinois for soft target reinforcement.

2/24/22 - DOJ awards school safety grant Rochester Community School Corp

The Department of Justice has previously announced nearly $126 million in funding to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act.  
The grants, awarded by the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance and the department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.  Rochester Community School Corp. received $387,000.

12/24/21 - Hanover schools awarded $350k in Department of Justice safety initiative

A South Lake County school district received a large grant as a part of a nationwide Department of Justice school safety initiative.  The Department of Justice has doled out a total of $126 million in efforts to increase school safety under the STOP School Violence Act.  On Thursday it was announced that the Hanover Community School Corporation was awarded $350,150, a DOJ news release said.  Hanover was one of two Indiana school systems to be awarded the grants, including Rochester Community School Corporation.  The funds are aimed at instituting safety measures in and around schools, supporting violence prevention efforts, giving training to faculty and students, and implementing evidence-based threat assessments.

9/2/21 - Indiana Allocates More Than $19 Million To School Safety

The Indiana Secured School Safety Board has approved more than $19 million in matching state grants funds, marking a third consecutive year of record-breaking school safety investments.  The $19,058,808 million in awards allows the Board to fully fund all eligible, top-priority projects identified by 392 schools in their applications to the Secured School Safety Grant program (SSSG).

Grant totals for local schools is listed below:

• Batesville Community School Corp - $52,779.98
• Franklin County Community Sch Corp - $50,000.00
• Jac -Cen -Del Community Sch Corp - $25,000.00
• Lawrenceburg Community School Corp - $85,000.00
• Oldenburg Academy - $14,870.00
• Rising Sun -Ohio Co Com - $50,000.00
• South Dearborn Community Sch Corp - $60,000.00
• South Ripley Com Sch Corp - $50,000.00
• Sunman -Dearborn Com Sch Corp - $100,000.00
• Switzerland County School Corp - $50,000.00

Eligible items in the grant include funding for school resource officers (SROs) and law enforcement officers in schools; equipment and technology; active event warning systems (no matching requirement); firearms training for teachers and staff that choose to allow guns on school property; threat assessments and to implement a student and parent support services program.  All 392 schools that applied for Secured School Safety Grants will receive funding.

FY22 Requirements for Secured School Safety Grant Applicants

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security soon will open the application period for the FY22 Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG), which has important legal requirements that become effective for all applicants this year.  The application period for eligible expenses under the SSSG will begin early Summer 2021. To be eligible to apply for the grant, schools will have to certify two critical elements new in the application for this cycle:

1. Has your school or corporation conducted a threat assessment to comply with Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(c)?
2. Has your school or corporation completed a memorandum of understanding in place with a community mental health or behavior health center or does your school/corporation employ a certified or licensed provider pursuant to Ind. Code 10-21-1-5(d)?

Indiana law requires the two above requirements must be met by July 1, 2021, to make an applicant eligible to apply for SSSG funding. Failure to meet these requirements will prevent a school from proceeding through the application process in IntelliGrants. The exact language that will appear in the IntelliGrants application for the SSSG is featured below in this message.  In addition, Ind. Code 10-21-1-4(f) requires the county in which an applicant exists to have a county school safety commission. This commission requirement is not new and has been part of the program since SSSG first began awarding grants to Indiana schools in 2014. See Indiana Code explaining the requirements of a county school safety commission.  Paying close attention to these and other existing eligibility requirements will help expedite the SSSG application and subsequent review processes.

Resources
Guidance documents and other necessary instructions to help apply to the Secured School Safety Grant Program can be found on the IDHS website. This includes the six (6) project-scope categories of eligible expenditures under the program guidelines. In 2020, the Indiana Department of Education and the Family and Social Services Administration issued guidance to schools to help explain the eligibility requirements and provide tools to help schools ensure their eligibility. This includes a sample MOU with a mental health provider.

IDHS Grants Management has compiled a frequently asked questions page to assist organizations regarding the Secured School Safety Grant. More information is available online.  Visit the Indiana School Safety Hub for more information.  To submit a support ticket for IDHS grants or IntelliGrants, visit dhs.in.gov/grants.htm.

Indiana Dept of Education House Enrolled Act 1225 - Safe Schools

HEA 1225 provides a one-time grant to school corporations, charter schools, and non-public schools who jointly apply for a Secured School Safety Grant through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) with the county sheriff to provide initial set-up costs for an active event warning system. Sheriff departments may receive multiple grants.

Warning systems must include:

• Two phone application-based system that includes school officials as a sender within the system and law enforcement agencies as a receiver within the system;
• An adjusted geofence to alert law enforcement agencies that are within a certain geographic location, including settings based on rural and urban locations, with an urban setting having a reduced geofence and a rural setting having a broader geofence;
• The ability for students and the public to submit anonymous tips through a free reporting
  application;
• The ability for information within the system to be interoperable with the 911;
• The ability to display the school’s address and location on a map;
• The ability to provide notifications during emergencies and nonemergencies;
• The ability to call 911 automatically when the system is triggered; and
• The ability to operate several individual school response plans.

ASR Alert Systems is an approved vendor for this funding.

6/14/22 - Gov. Reynolds announces $100M investment in school safety

Today, Governor Kim Reynolds announced $100 million in school safety funding to support Iowa’s 327 public school districts and 183 non-public and independent schools during a press conference with the Department of Public Safety, Department of Education and Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

This dedicated new funding will provide vulnerability risk assessments free of charge for all 1,500 K-12 school buildings in the state and create a School Safety Improvement Fund making up to $50,000 available per school building to implement recommended safety measures. School districts can combine these funds with their ESSER funding allocations to cover additional costs to implement safety improvements.

Breakdown of funds:  

• $75M – School Safety Improvement Fund  
• $7.5M – Vulnerability assessments for all 1,500 K-12 school buildings 
• $6M – Digital critical incident mapping technology  
• $4.5M -- Radios for schools  
• $1.5M -- Digital applications and software for reporting and intelligence 
• $5.5M -- School Safety Bureau operations funding through 2026 

Initial funding for is being made available through the use of ARPA and ESSER funds.  

Gov. Kim Reynolds asks lawmakers to fund 'school safety bureau' plan

DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday announced she will form a special public safety bureau focused on school security by training local districts and law enforcement, but the plan will require additional money in the state budget that needs approval from lawmakers.  She said it would cost $1.5 million annually in following years.  This follows a 2018 bill passed by the legislature and signed by the governor requiring schools implement “high-quality emergency operation plans" that include responses to active shooters and natural disasters.

Rep. Estes Announces School Safety Grant for Harvey County Schools

Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas) announced a $374,787 grant for the Harvey County School District from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). This grant will help improve security at schools and on school grounds. It can be used to train law enforcement, purchase equipment like metal detectors and technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency, and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.  The Department of Justice COPS office works to advance and reform community policing by providing information and funding to state and local law enforcement. Harvey County is one of 160 schools across the country receiving a grant at this time.

The Pendleton County School district gets grant for school safety

Pendleton County Schools was recently awarded the COPS-SVPP grant. This Grant is the Community Oriented Policing Services School Violence Prevention Program Grant. This year, approximately 160 grants were awarded nationwide to schools, community organizations, and law enforcement agencies. Pendleton Counties Grant was for the amount of $340,000.00.  The COPS-SVPP grant will benefit the students, staff, and community of Pendleton County in a multifaceted way. Projects that are slated to be completed in the three year grant cycle include: an upgrade to the security camera system across the district, a new public address and intercom system at Phillip Sharp Middle School, as well as the conversion of two way bus radios to a digital system.  These upgrades will provide additional layers of support, as well as enhance our current safety and security already in place. The district anticipates beginning projects in early December of 2020 and must complete projects within the three year grant cycle”.  Pendleton County Schools will be going to the hybrid in person model beginning October 19, 2020.

Whitley County School District getting $356,651 in federal safety funding

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) recently announced that 10 Kentucky school districts received a total of $3,169,388 to keep students safe in school, including the Whitley County School District.  The Whitley County Board of Education will receive $356,651, according to a news release.  
The competitive federal grant funding was distributed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program.  According to the COPS Office, the funding can be used for coordinating with local law enforcement, training for officers to prevent school violence, and to purchase notification technology as well as deterrent measures like metal detectors, locks, and lighting.  Whitley County officials have not announced how they plan to use their funding.

Pendleton County receives federal funds to promote safety in Ky schools

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today 10 Kentucky school districts received a total of $3,169,388 to keep students safe in school. The competitive federal grant funding was distributed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS Office) School Violence Prevention Program. According to the COPS Office, the funding can be used for coordinating with local law enforcement, training for officers to prevent school violence, and to purchase notification technology as well as deterrent measures like metal detectors, locks, and lighting.

School District Funding
Anderson County Board of Education $26,794, 
Fayette County Board of Education $499,355, 
Jefferson County Board of Education $500,000, 
McCracken County Public Schools $145,069, 
Metcalfe County Schools Police Department $461,505,  
Monroe County Board of Education $365,417, 
Nelson County Public Schools Police Department $344,872, 
Pendleton County School District $255,075, 
Taylor County School District $214,650, 
Whitley County Board of Education $356,651

Metcalfe County receives $461,505 school safety grant

EDMONTON, Ky.– The Metcalfe County Schools Police Department has been awarded a $461,505 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.  The school safety grant will expand the district’s partnership with the Edmonton Police Department and Metcalfe County Sheriff’s Office in a comprehensive School Violence Prevention Program. Superintendent Josh Hurt says school safety and security are top priorities.  Metcalfe County was one of ten school districts in Kentucky and 160 across the country to be awarded the three-year grant.

Marshall County High School, site of 2018 shooting, gets over $600k for security upgrades

Kentucky officials announced Thursday the awarding of over $620,000 in grant money that will be used to install a security camera system and make other security upgrades at Marshall County High School, the site of a deadly shooting in 2018.  The $621,176 award to the Marshall County Board of Education comes from a federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant that Kentucky received in 2018, according to a Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet news release.

Readfield-based school district to reinforce school security with $40,500 grant

Regional School Unit 38 is strengthening its school security, the result of a $40,500 grant it recently received from the Department of Justice.  The grant money is part of $85.3 million awarded nationally by the Department of Justice under the School Violence Prevention Program of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.   Maine schools received $1.25 million of that funding. School Administrative District 15, which includes Gray and New Gloucester, received $494,850; RSU 52, which includes Greene, Leeds and Turner, received $324,108; Sanford School Department received $216,221; and SAD 30, which includes Lee, Springfield, Webster and Winn, received $181,767.  The Bureau of Justice Assistance, within the Department of Justice, and the COPS Office manage the programs and administer the grants. 

MARYLAND ARP FUNDING

Baltimore County Public Schools, like so many other school districts in the state, has received funding for enhanced school safety. The new revenue will be used for safety monitoring systems, fire alarm systems, electronic security technology, and installation and maintenance of closed-caption surveillance systems.

Governor Hogan Announces Money For School Construction and Economic Development Projects

• $43.5 million for three Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) K-12 capital programs that provide improvements to building systems and school security
• • $10 million will go to MSDE’s Public School Safety Grant Program, which provides grants to local education agencies for school security improvements based on deficiencies identified through facility safety risk assessments. 
• • $3.5 million will go to the Nonpublic School Security Improvements program, including grants for security and safety improvements to eligible nonpublic schools currently participating in the Maryland Nonpublic Student Textbook Program.

8/25/22 - Massachusetts to invest $40 million to increase school safety

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker on Thursday announced plans to file legislation proposing significant investments in school safety initiatives to support programming, training and resources for schools and districts throughout Massachusetts.  Baker signed a supplemental budget with $15 million for school safety initiatives in October 2018.  To date, as part of the Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative, his administration has awarded $15 million in grant funding, including $7.5 million awarded to more than 150 districts statewide to invest in security-related infrastructure upgrades and $7.5 million in grant funding to increase mental health support and to support schools’ hiring of additional mental health and behavioral health specialists.

The administration will file a supplemental budget request in the coming weeks totaling nearly $40 million to support critical school safety initiatives and equip students, staff and emergency responders with the training necessary to respond to better respond to threats within schools.

Amesbury receives $50K school security grant

AMESBURY — School security will be getting a boost in the future thanks to a $50,000 state grant.

Mayor Kassandra Gove made taking a more aggressive approach to obtain state grants a focal point of her 2019 mayoral campaign. The $50,000 comes from the Safer Schools and Communities Initiative's $1.9 million Local Equipment and Technology Grant fund.

The city is expected to use the money to install and upgrade security equipment in all five of its public school buildings.

Non-Profits May Qualify for up to $50,000 in State Security Grants

The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS) Office of Grants and Research (OGR) will make available $1,435,000 in funding for nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations to competitively solicit one-time grant funding to assist nonprofit organizations such as places of worship, faith-based community centers, and the like with enhancing building safety and security for its members and staff. This Availability of Grant Funds (AGF) will provide all the information needed to submit an application for consideration under the SFY20 Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant Program (CNSGP). Priority will be given to applicants demonstrating the greatest need AND proposing cost-effective solutions to addressing highpriority security gaps or weaknesses.

Applicant Eligibility Per legislative language, only Massachusetts based nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organizations that are located outside of the Metro-Boston Homeland Security Region are eligible to apply. Applicants may solicit up to $50,000 in funding under this competition. Priority will be given to applicants who have NOT received a previous CNSGP or other related federal award from EOPSS OGR.

Massachusetts State Legislation Per legislative language, funding shall be expended for a nonprofit security grant program to provide support for target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attacks or hate crimes as defined in section 32 of chapter 22C of the General Laws and are ineligible for the United States Department of Homeland Security's Nonprofit Security Urban Area Grant Program based on their location; provided further, that: 1. Not less than 1 such grant shall be awarded to a nonprofit organization in the eastern region of the commonwealth;

2. Not less than 1 such grant shall be awarded to a nonprofit organization in the central region of the commonwealth

3. Not less than 1 such grant shall be awarded to a nonprofit organization in the western region of the commonwealth.

More information available at this link.

Mass. puts $1 million towards security for houses of worship, nonprofits

Amid the rise of reported anti-Semitic incidents in Massachusetts, state lawmakers have put aside over $1 million to bolster security efforts for houses of worship and other nonprofits at risk of being the target of a hate crime.  

The influx of new money into the Commonwealth Nonprofit Safety Grant Program was highlighted Monday, as Gov. Charlie Baker ceremonially signed sections of the recently passed surplus budget that triples funding for the initiative.

In total, the program will put aside over $1.4 million in funding, which is made available for recipients to buy and install “technology, equipment, and other resources to safeguard them from acts of violence,” officials said. The initiative, previously budgeted for $500,000, has garnered an additional $1 million under the supplemental budget.

Each grant is capped at $50,000, and spending is limited to certain types of items, such as surveillance cameras, exterior doors and locks, P.A. systems, alarms, fencing, lighting, access control systems, and emergency first aid supplies, among others, according to an overview available on the state’s website.

6/14/22 - Bill to Fund School Safety Grants Signed into Law

House Bill 6012, sponsored by State Representative Pamela Hornberger, a Chesterfield Republican, was signed into law last week. The bill funds risk assessment and critical incident mapping in schools to create safety plans. It also funds mental health and security resources for Oxford Community Schools in the wake of the tragic violence that took place in November of 2021.

Hornberger said the bill will help Oxford with many expenses related to the tragedy. The bipartisan bill also helps schools with making buildings safer by determining where further investments are needed.

The bill allocates $14 million for public schools, intermediate school districts, and private schools in the form of $2,000 grants to complete a comprehensive safety and security assessment.

State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice endorsed the bill but said it’s just a start. Rice called on the legislature to support the governor’s budget request of a $361 million increase in children’s mental health spending and $51 million for school safety grants, along with passing gun safety laws.

5/4/22 - Whitmer Announces Schools to Receive Funds for School Safety Grants

Gov. Whitmer Announces 150 Schools to Receive $10 Million in Total for School Safety Grants to Keep Students Safe in Classrooms

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that 150 awards were made to 57 local school districts, 14 intermediate school districts, 40 nonpublic schools, and 39 public school academies for $10 million in state funding from the Competitive School Safety Grant Program (CSSGP). These grants will go toward the purchase of equipment and/or technology to improve the safety and security of school buildings, students, and staff.  Awards as follows:

• Algoma Christian School, Kent City, $ 47,213
• Allendale Christian School, Allendale, $ 7,911
• American Montessori Academy, Livonia, $ 50,000
• Arbor Preparatory High School, Saline, $ 9,954
• Atlanta Community Schools, Atlanta, $ 24,000
• Auburn Area Catholic School,  Auburn,  $ 41,163
• Branch Intermediate School District, Coldwater, $ 112,438
• Breitung Township Schools, Kingsford, $ 39,870
• Brown City Community Schools, Brown City, $ 20,438
• Byron Center Charter School, Byron Center, $ 42,993
• Canton Preparatory High School, Canton, $ 10,500
• Capac Community Schools, Capac, $ 100,000
• Carman-Ainsworth Community Schools, Flint, $ 250,000
• Caro Community Schools, Caro, $ 188,651
• Cass City Public Schools, Cass City, $ 100,000
• Cedar Springs Public Schools, Cedar Springs, $ 99,000
• Charlevoix Montessori Academy for the Arts, Charlevoix, $ 18,238
• Charlotte Public Schools, Charlotte, $ 220,000
• Christ The King Lutheran School, Sebewaing, $46,089
• Cole Academy, East Lansing, $ 61,184
• Comstock Park Public Schools, Comstock Park, $ 30,000
• Concord Academy Boyne, Boyne City, $ 42,650
• C.O.O.R. Intermediate School District, Roscommon, $ 50,000
• Copper Island Academy, Calumet, $ 35,000
• Cornerstone - Jefferson Douglass Academy, Royal Oak, $ 50,000
• Delta-Schoolcraft ISD, Escanaba, $ 37,613
• Detroit Country Day Upper School, Beverly Hills, $ 18,120
• Detroit Leadership Academy, Detroit, $ 6,150
• Distinctive College Prep, Harper Woods, $ 22,000
• Divine Providence Academy at St Joseph’s Church, Ravenna, $ 10,034
• Eagle Creek Academy, Oakland Charter Township, $ 67,638
• East Intermediate School, Lansing, $ 50,000
• East Jordan Public Schools, East Jordan, $ 120,000
• East Shore Leadership Academy, Port Huron, $ 41,738
• Eaton RESA, Charlotte, $ 50,000
• Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Lakers, Pigeon, $ 50,000
• Evart Public Schools, Evart, $ 91,000
• Faith Community Christian School, Belding, $ 8,470
• Fennville Public Schools, Fennville, $ 164,052
• Flextech High School Brighton, Brighton, $ 42,588
• Fraser Public Schools, Fraser, $ 250,000
• Genesee Stem Academy, Southfield, $ 50,000
• God's Lighthouse Academy, Lambertville. $ 27,013
• Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, Bergland, $ 50,000
• Grand Rapids Christian Schools, Grand Rapids, $ 66,410
• Grand River Preparatory High School, Redford, $ 9,512
• Grandville Calvin Christian Schools, Grandville, $ 100,000
• Greater Heights Academy, Flint, $ 14,000
• Gwinn Area Community Schools, Gwinn, $150,000
• Hackett Catholic Prep High School, Kalamazoo, $ 45,238
• Hadi Educational Institute, Dearborn Heights, $ 49,738
• Harrison Community Schools, Harrison, $ 15,792
• Heritage Christian School of Cadillac, Cadillac, $ 50,000
• Heritage Southwest Intermediate School District, Cassopolis, $ 46,730
• Hillman Community Schools, Hillman, $ 54,000
• Hillsdale County Intermediate School District, Hillsdale, $70,133
• Hillsdale Preparatory School, Hillsdale, $ 50,000
• Holy Name Catholic School / Holy Name High School a Chesterton Academy, Escanaba, 
  $ 23,965
• Holy Spirit Central (Catholic) School, Norway, $ 24,000
• Holy Spirit School, Grand Rapids, $ 49,025
• Hope Academy of West Michigan, Grand Rapids, $ 28,664
• Houghton-Portage Township Schools, Houghton, $ 25,238
• Ingham Intermediate School District, Mason, $50,000
• International Academy of Flint, Flint, $ 48,738
• Iron Mountain Public Schools, Iron Mountain, $ 250,000
• Jenison Public Schools, Jenison, $ 250,000
• Kent Intermediate School District, Grand Rapids, $ 50,000
• Lake Linden-Hubbell Elementary/High School, Lake Linden, $ 62,238
• Lake Michigan Catholic Schools, St. Joseph, $ 77,000
• Lake Orion Community Schools, Lake Orion, $ 152,238
• Lake Shore Public Schools, St. Clair Shores, $ 250,000
• Lakeview School District, Battle Creek, $ 105,000
• L'anse Creuse Public Schools, Clinton Township, $ 249,865
• Lapeer County Intermediate School District, Lapeer, $ 25,000
• Leland Public School, Leland, $ 12,600
• Lenawee Intermediate School District, Adrian, $ 100,000
• Light of The World Academy, Pinckney, $ 43,500
• Lincoln Consolidated School District, Ypsilanti, $ 30,000
• Lincoln King Academy Grove, Royal Oak, $ 45,538
• Lincoln King Academy Southfield, Royal Oak, $ 39,732
• Lutheran High Westland, Westland, $ 34,988
• Madison Carver Academy, Royal Oak, $ 27,361
• Maple Valley Schools, Vermontville, $ 100,000
• Memphis Community Schools, Memphis, $ 100,000
• Merritt Academy, New Haven, $ 41,645
• Mid Peninsula School District, Rock, $ 40,000
• Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy, Lansing, $ 50,000
• Moline Christian School, Moline, $ 50,000
• Momentum Academy, Waterford Township, $ 9,200
• Monroe County ISD, Monroe, $ 50,000
• Montabella Community Schools, Blanchard, $ 75,000
• Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System, Muskegon Heights, $ 96,832
• New Dawn Academy of Warren, Southfield, $50,000
• New Haven Community Schools, New Haven, $ 136,230
• Nextech High School, Grand Rapids, $ 25,000
• Nextech High School of Lansing, Okemos, $ 23,900
• North Huron Schools, Kinde, $ 50,000
• Northwest Education Services, Traverse City, $ 50,000
• Nottawa Community School District, Sturgis, $ 50,000
• Oakland Flextech High School, Farmington Hills, $ 13,500
• Oholei Yosef Yitzchak Lubavitch, Oak Park, $ 16,000
• Oscoda Area Schools, Oscoda, $ 80,336
• Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish School, Plymouth, $ 7,045
• Pam's Academy of Champions, Lansing, $ 825
• Pansophia Academy, Coldwater, $ 20,238
• Pinconning Area School District, Pinconning, $ 16,238
• Plymouth Christian School, Grand Rapids, $ 50,000
• Port Huron Area School District, Port Huron, $ 250,000
• Rapid River Public Schools, Rapid River, $ 28,284
• Regina High School, Warren, $ 50,000
• Renaissance Public School Academy, Mt. Pleasant, $ 24,940
• River City Scholars Charter Academy, Kentwood, $25,799
• Romulus School District, Romulus, $ 55,116
• Roscommon Area Public Schools, Roscommon, $ 147,300
• Saginaw Preparatory Academy, Saginaw, $ 34,968
• Saline Area Schools, Saline, $ 245,584
• Sault Ste. Marie Area Public Schools, Sault Ste Marie, $ 250,000
• Shiawassee Regional Educational Service District, Owosso, $ 26,738
• South Olive Christian School, Holland, $ 50,000
• St Peters Lutheran School, Columbus, $ 43,500
• St. Charles Community School District, St. Charles, $ 65,238
• St. Fabian Catholic School, Farmington Hills, $ 14,688
• St. Ignatius School, Rogers City, $ 45,581
• St. Mary Catholic School, Pinckney, $ 2,500
• St. Mary Catholic School - Paw Paw, Paw Paw, $ 13,280
• St. Mary's Assumption School, Bronson, $ 42,238
• St. Mary's School, Spring Lake, $ 11,691
• St. Patrick School, Ada, $ 50,000
• St. Peter Lutheran School, DeWitt, $ 15,236
• St. Stanislaus School, Dorr, $ 19,705
• Star International Academy, Dearborn Heights, $ 112,238
• Sturgis Public Schools, Sturgis, $ 71,350
• Summerfield School District, Petersburg, $ 100,000
• Superior Central Schools, Eben Junction, $ 34,238
• The Greenspire School - Middle School, Traverse City, $ 37,000
• The Montessori School Rochester, Rochester Hills, $ 47,270
• Traverse City Area Public Schools, Traverse City, $ 250,000
• Union City Community Schools, Union City, $ 150,000
• Unionville Sebewaing Area School District, Sebewaing, $ 10,000
• University Liggett School, Grosse Pointe Woods, $ 26,088
• Walkerville Public Schools, Walkerville, $ 43,655
• Washington Parks Academy, Royal Oak, $ 50,000
• Wellspring Preparatory Academy, Grand Rapids, $ 7,460
• West Bloomfield School District, West Bloomfield, $ 78,000
• West Side Christian School, Grand Rapids, $ 50,000
• Westwood Community School District, Dearborn Heights, $ 74,622
• Whitmore Lake Public Schools, Whitmore Lake, $ 126,455
• Yale Public Schools, Yale, $ 102,298
• Yeshivas Darchei Torah, Southfield, $ 35,000
• Ypsilanti Community Schools, Ypsilanti, $ 250,000

4/6/22 - Eaton Rapids Schools using grants to pay for security improvement

Eaton Rapids is one of just a handful of districts using money from a state school security grant to make improvements across the district. The district got about $330,000 for various upgrades, mostly in technology.

2/9/22 - Gov. Whitmer's 2023 Budget Invests in Students

$66 million for school safety programs, building off existing school safety grant opportunities for districts, and implementing cross-sector approaches to prevent mass violence through partnerships between schools, public safety, mental health professionals, and communities.

4/19/22 - Windom receives grant to improve safety, security of Courthouse

ST. PAUL — Cottonwood County is among 13 Minnesota counties to be awarded a grant through the Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative to implement safety and security improvements.  The counties will share in $500,000 in grants, ranging from $1,800 to nearly $155,000. Of the 13 awarded grants, three were for less than $5,000, and six were for more than $25,000. As required by law, each county will provide a dollar-for-dollar match for its grant award, in either cash or in-kind services.  Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative grants will help fund a variety of courthouse security improvements, including providing security training to courthouse officials and staff; installing bullet-resistant glazing on glass at public service counters, replacing aging security equipment, reconstructing courtroom spaces; implementing door locks, cameras, key card readers, and duress alarms; and installing or upgrading security screening stations at courthouse entrances.  The Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative was established by Chief Justice Lorie S. Gildea and funded by a $1 million appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature in 2016.

Edna Public Schools Tech Levy $7 Million Bond

A $7 million technology levy and $7 million bond issue for Edina Public Schools have been approved by voters. This new funding will support all aspects of technology including hardware and software, network and firewall infrastructure, additional bandwidth, security cameras, door locks and alarm systems, and online information platforms. Funding is allocated for expansion of some school facilities and upgrades to traffic control systems at elementary schools.

Special state grant funds school safety upgrades.

Thanks to a one-time grant from the Minnesota Legislature, Sartell-St. Stephen schools will have money for a number of safety upgrades.  At the school board’s Nov. 6 work session, Joe Prom, director of Business Services, said the district will receive $135,000.  The money comes from $30 million that will be split among all Minnesota school districts based on enrollment.  The money had been approved on a contingent basis and depended on there being extra dollars available when the state closed the books on its budget year in June. In all, $63 million was freed up for school safety, a disaster response fund and bus service for riders with disabilities.

School funding, safety, and discipline reforms top list of priorities for Minnesota education advocates heading into 2020 Legislature

Associations and nonprofits representing educators, school administrators and families are busy finalizing their agendas ahead of the 2020 Minnesota legislative session, which begins Feb. 11, 2020.  Funding pitches are still likely to dominate education committee meetings at the capitol. The $1.33 billion surplus included in Minnesota’s recent budget forecast has given education lobbyists a renewed sense of hope that they’ll secure greater investments in everything from teacher diversity efforts and school safety aid to preschool access. 

1/6/22 - Jefferson Davis County School District receives $500K grant

JEFFERSON DAVIS COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - The Jefferson Davis County School District has received a $500,000 grant to improve security measures.  The grant was supported by U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.).  Superintendent Dr. Ike Haynes says the money is coming at a perfect time.

“This grant is going to help our district support areas of weakness in the area of campus safety. We’ll be able to use that $500,000 to improve our crisis alert opportunities and access to our campus doors,” says Haynes.  With the grant, the school district will be able to add about 86 new security cameras and a brand-new high-tech crisis alert system.

The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bond bill Monday that has $86 million in funding

6/2/20 - The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bond bill Monday that has $86 million in funding for capital projects at state universities, $79 million in funding for capital projects involving state agencies and $25 million for projects at the state’s community colleges.  House Bill 1730, sponsored by state Rep. Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, would provide $44.5 million for the Department of Public Safety to build and furnish a new headquarters building in Rankin County, a new highway patrol substation in Starkville and a new Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy facility in Pearl. These three new buildings would replace aging infrastructure.  The bill passed the House by an overwhelming 113-5 margin but has a reverse repealer on it. This legislative tactic prevents a bill from going to the governor’s desk for signing into law and forces both chambers to perform more work on the bill. More projects will likely be added to it as in past sessions.  

Cape District to apply for school-safety grant from Department of Justice

The Cape Girardeau School Board approved a $500,000 grant proposal to fund school safety Monday night (5/24/21).  With the board's vote, the district will now submit a proposal for approval to the Department of Justice for its Students, Teachers and Officers Preventing School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) Grant.  Money from the grant will go toward equipment for school security.

PRC School District receives safety grant

The Pearl River County School District was awarded a $500,000 school safety grant, which will be used to add security cameras, add a new door locking system and upgrade the district’s intercom systems.  The $500,000 grant is from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services School Violence Prevention Program. The grant requires a 25 percent match, $125,000, from the district, meaning the total project will cost $625,000, said TJ Burleson, the district’s business administrator and director of operations.  The district has approximately 160 security cameras on its campuses already, said Burleson, and the grant will pay for the purchase of 60 additional cameras. The cameras will cover the new construction and some primarily outdoor areas that need additional coverage.

Voters approve school bonds in Columbia, Sturgeon

Voters in the Columbia School District approved a $20 million school bond issue by a margin of 86 percent to 14 percent, in the fourth consecutive successful bond issue election for the district.  The plan for the $20 million bond issue includes $7.5 million for a building addition, either Russell Boulevard Elementary School or Battle Elementary School.  Also in the plan is $3 million for high school athletic fields, $2 million for accessibility improvements around the district, and $1 million for safety and security.  More on the vote here.

Two half-cent sales tax measures for public safety approved

Two separate half-cent sales tax measures — one for the city of Neosho and one for all of Newton County — both succeeded at the polls Tuesday, according to complete but unofficial election results.  Neosho city voters approved a half-cent sales tax for funding the city's police and fire departments with a votes of 1,342 to 626, an approval rate of 68.19%. It is hoped to raise almost $1.3 million annually.  It will be split between an operations fun that would address staffing and salaries, and a capital improvement fund that would be used for purchasing equipment.  Newton County voters also approved a separate half-cent sales tax to fund services related to dispatching emergency calls and other emergency services, 4,501 to 2,422, passing with 65% approval. It is expected to raise almost $3.6 million annually.  Almost half of that money will go toward funding the Newton County Central Dispatch Center. The county in response will also eliminate a tax paid by land-line telephone customers and waive fees that cities in Newton County pay for dispatch services. The other half will be split between the sheriff's department and three Newton County cities.  The two yes votes means purchases made inside the city limits of Neosho will increase by a full percent.

12/28/21 - WNCC Foundation awarded a $369K grant to increase safety across 3 campuses

The Western Nebraska Community College Foundation has been awarded $369,000 from the Nonprofit Security Grant Program for States to fund increased safety measures on WNCC’s three campuses in Alliance, Scottsbluff, and Sidney.  The purpose of the grant, funded by the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) and administered through the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), is to make operations safer through the purchase of physical security enhancements and training of personnel.  The WNCC Foundation qualified for the grant program as a 501(c)3 nonprofit entity supporting the mission and work of Western Nebraska Community College and the communities it serves. To learn more or support the work of the WNCC Foundation, contact Executive Director Jennifer Reisig at 308-630-6550 or foundation@wncc.edu.

Kearney Public Schools gets grant to improve student safety and security.

KEARNEY — Kearney Public Schools recently received a federal security grant that will be used to help improve student safety and security throughout the school district.  According to KPS Associate Superintendent Jason Mundorf, the grant will provide $326,264 in funding during the next two years. The grant comes from the COPS School Violence Prevention Program, a competitive award program that provides funding to improve security at schools through school safety programs.  The goal of the COPS program is to improve student safety and security at KPS schools by purchasing security equipment and training KPS and Kearney Police Department personnel in additional school security measures.  CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.

$2.9M grant to improve safety, support victims and youth programs in Nevada tribal communities

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Department of Justice announced Wednesday it’s giving a $2.9M grant to help tribal communities in Nevada tackle crime and help victims.  “These grants reinforce how the Department of Justice has prioritized helping tribes more effectively serve and protect their communities,” said Nevada U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich. “Our office looks forward to working with tribes to deploy these new resources – continuing to fulfill our commitment to address issues surrounding missing and murdered indigenous persons, and to reduce violent crime and increase public safety on tribal lands.”  More than $103 million is being awarded to tribes across the country under the Justice Department’s Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation. CTAS supports activities that enhance law enforcement and tribal justice practices, expand victim services and sustain crime prevention and intervention efforts.  Another $113M is being set aside to help tribes develop, expand and improve services to victims of crime and promote other public safety initiatives.  The following organizations in the District of Nevada received funding:

Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation award
Yerington Paiute Tribe received $663,004
Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program awards
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe received $505,795
Intertribal Council of Nevada received $1,261,308
Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe received $505,795

USDA invests $65 million nationwide in rural community facilities

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Last week U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand announced that USDA has invested $65 million to benefit more than 600,000 rural residents in 14 states through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used for purposes such as to build or upgrade schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities.  Although no Nevada funding was announced, Community Programs Director Cheryl Couch said about $11.3 million in Community Facility (CF) Direct Loans and $190,300 in CF Grants is still available for projects. In addition, another $479,998 in CF Guaranteed Loans is available, and about $64,000 in Economic Impact Initiative grant funds is available. For more information contact Cheryl Couch at (775) 443-4760 or by email at Cheryl.couch@usda.gov.  “More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding, including building or upgrading schools, libraries, clinics and public safety and first responder facilities,” Couch said. “Funds may also be used for equipment or vehicles such as senior center kitchens or food distribution services or police, fire or ambulance vehicles and equipment.”

1/13/22 - Governor Murphy Signs Legislation Allocating School Security Project Grants Under the “Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act”

1/7/22 -Committee Approves Freiman Bill to Spend $5.1M on School Security

TRENTON, NJ – A $5.1M bill sponsored by Assemblyman Roy Freiman (D-Somerset, Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon) to help school districts bolster protections for students and prepare for emergencies was passed by the Assembly Appropriations Committee Thursday.  When New Jersey passed the ‘Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act,’ a portion of the approved $500 million in funding was dedicated for the purpose of enabling schools to install panic alarms. This bill (A-6258) appropriates $5,150,531 from the Securing Our Children’s Future Fund to the Department of Education so that it may provide grants to 60 school districts for these school security projects.  This funding will help bring New Jersey schools into compliance with Alyssa’s Law, which requires every public elementary and secondary school building to be equipped with at least one panic alarm or approved alternative that can alert first responders and law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency.

12/29/21 - New Jersey considers allocating nearly $5.2 million for school security upgrades

State officials want to allocate $5.15 million for school security upgrades in New Jersey.  Gov. Phil Murphy and Acting Commissioner of Education Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan submitted the request as part of the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act (SOCFBA). State legislators must approve the request.  “This second round of awards will make an additional 60 schools across the state more secure from the mountains of Warren County to the beaches of Cape May,” Allen-McMillan said in a news release.  Proposed upgrades include various school security measures, including surveillance cameras, shatter-resistant glass, and remote locking and unlocking doors. It also includes silent panic alarms required under Alyssa’s Law, which lawmakers passed in 2019.  In May, Murphy submitted the initial $317.2 million of SOCFBA project proposals to lawmakers, and in July, the governor signed legislation to appropriate the money. The money went to school security, water infrastructure improvements, and career and technical education (CTE) in county vocational-technical school districts and county colleges.

12/24/21 - Two South Jersey school districts considered for security enhancement support

Two local school districts are among those statewide being considered for funding to enhance their security measures.  The Lower Cape May Regional School District in Cape May County would get about $73,700, and the Hopewell Township School District in Cumberland County would get about $25,900 under the second round of Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act school security project recommendations.

7/12/21 - South Plainfield Schools to Receive Over $187K in Security Grant Funds

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – The South Plainfield School District is set to receive grant monies available through the passage of the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act.

Under the guidelines of the Act, grant monies, which are supported by $500 million in bonds approved by New Jersey voters in November 2018, must be used specifically for school security, water infrastructure improvements, and/or enhancement of career and technical education (CTE) in county vocational-technical school districts and county colleges.

7/8/21 - Woodbridge Schools Get $776,731 To Install Silent Panic Alarms

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — The Woodbridge school district is slated to receive more than $700,000 from the state Department of Education to install silent panic alarms and other devices in school buildings, all in the name of preparing for a school shooting or other dangerous event.

7/7/21 - Red Bank High School and Borough Schools Up for $139k+ Grants from the State

RED BANK, NJ: Governor Phil Murphy, Acting Commissioner of Education Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan and Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian Bridges have recommended the Legislature approve the first round of funds released under the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act (SOCFBA).

Red Bank Regional High School is expected to receive a grant of $77,667 and the Borough Schools $62,160.

7/6/21 - Chatham Schools To Be Reimbursed $234K For Security Upgrades

New Jersey Governor Signs Legislation to Award SOCFBA 7/2/21

TRENTON  NJ (STL.News) Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to award school districts and county colleges with grants through the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act (SOCFBA).  The grants will fund school security, water infrastructure improvements, and enhancement of career and technical education (CTE) in county vocational-technical school districts and county colleges.  It is within this grant that $66,173,243 has been allocated for SCHOOL SECURITY PROJECTS such as silent panic alarms (i.e. ALYSSA’s LAW)

The first round of grants, which the Governor transmitted to the Legislature for approval in May, will total $317.2 million and be distributed by the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE).  Funds will be disbursed on a rolling basis contingent on final grant revisions and recipient submissions of reimbursement requests.

The SOCFBA is supported by $500 million in bonds approved by New Jersey voters in November 2018.  Second-round details and applications will be announced at a later date.

Governor Murphy, Department of Education, Office of the Secretary of Higher Education Announces Initial Round of Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act Projects

The Murphy Administration is recommending $317.2 million in awards for the initial round of SOCFBA The projects will now go to the Legislature for final approval.

School Security Projects — Approximately $65.4 million

The SOCFBA allocated funds for the installation of silent panic alarms to alert law enforcement during an emergency as required by Alyssa’s Law, and for other school security upgrades. Other school security upgrades include exterior lighting improvements, surveillance cameras, intercoms, remote locking/unlocking doors, shatter-resistant glass, signage improvements, generator installation, and impact-rated vehicle barriers.

The first round of the SOCFBA will fund 494 proposed projects, totaling approximately $65.4 million. These grants will be administered by the DOE.

For the list of round-one projects in this category, click here.

Alyssa’s Law Compliance and School Security Grants
FINAL GUIDELINES

Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act P.L. 2018, c. 119
Issued by the New Jersey Department of Education and the New Jersey School Development Authority - October 2020  FULL GUIDELINES HERE

BOARD OF SCHOOL ESTIMATE TALKS LONG-TERM FACILITY PROJECTS

Another ongoing project is an upgrade of the district’s security system, to bring it in line with Alyssa’s Law, named for Alyssa Alhadeff, a high school student and former New Jersey resident killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., in 2018. The law requires school security systems to be upgraded and include features such as silent alarm buttons.

The district has appropriated $491,550 for construction and installation services for the new security system.

D’Andrea said the goal is to have a system that can be expanded as needed and allow the Montclair Police Department remote access to the schools’ security cameras in the event of an incident. The district needed to upgrade its telecommunications system first before the cameras could be installed, and that work has been completed, D’Andrea said.

Schools are expected to have their individual proposed budgets ready by Oct. 30.

Alyssa’s Law Compliance and School Security Grants

The New Jersey Department of Education (“NJDOE”), in consultation with the New Jersey Schools
Development Authority (“NJSDA”) for compliance with N.J.S.A. 18A:41-10 et seq. (“Alyssa’s Law”), is
issuing these Preliminary Guidelines to inform public school districts of the upcoming grant program to improve school security as authorized by the Securing Our Children’s Future Bond Act, P.L. 2018, c.119 (“Bond Act”).  FULL TEXT GRANT GUIDANCE HERE.

Gottheimer Announces $277,000+ Federal Investment to Bogota School District for School Safety, Security, Law Enforcement

BOGOTA, NJ – This week, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced that the Bogota School District has been awarded $277,000 in federal investment to improve security measures and keep students and teachers safe.

The federal investment was administered through the U.S. Justice Department’s School Violence Prevention Program, which was enacted by Congress in the wake of the Parkland school shooting in 2018.

Bogota will utilize the federal investment to make upgrades to camera surveillance, radio communications, online network monitoring, anonymous reporting management system, visitor screening technology, and upgrades to doors, windows, and keys.

Teaneck Awarded $500K School Safety Grant

TEANECK, NJ — Recently, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. and Josh Gottheimer announced $500,000 in federal grant money was awarded to Teaneck Public Schools.  According to the district, that grant money will be used to improve security measures and upgrade security technology throughout the district.  "Creating a safe learning environment for our students and staff is a top priority in our school district," said Superintendent of Schools Christopher Irving. "This grant will enable us to improve the overall safety, security and health of our schools by upgrading and installing 21st century equipment."  The grant was administered through the Justice Department's School Violence Prevention Program, which was enacted by Congress in the wake of the Parkland school shooting in 2018.

2/14/22 - Questar III BOCES receives Department of Justice Grant funding to support school safety measures

ALBANY, N.Y. — Questar III BOCES has received $487,541 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice under its Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act (the STOP School Violence Act).

The grants awarded by the DOJ will help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools in support of school violence prevention. The Questar III grant was among $126 million awarded across the nation.

The STOP School Violence Act Grant Program is designed to improve school security by providing students and teachers with the tools needed to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.

9/18/21 - Applications for 2021-22 Safe Schools Endeavor grants available

WATERTOWN — The Safe Schools Endeavor, in partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation, has announced that applications for 2021-22 funding are now available.

All schools in Jefferson and Lewis counties are eligible and encouraged to seek grant funding for projects, programs, and initiatives that seek to strengthen school safety and improve student and campus culture.

School officials and representatives should complete applications no later than Friday, Nov. 5. All applications must be completed through the Community Foundation’s online Grant Lifecycle Manager, accessed at nnycf.org/grants. Grant awards will be determined in December, and applicants will be notified with a funding decision in January 2022.

7/4/21 - South Lewis schools win state grant to improve school safety

TURIN — The South Lewis Central School district won a $168,739 grant from the New York State Education Department to help prevent school violence. South Lewis joins 83 school districts and non-profit organizations in New York to be awarded grant money through the program, which totals more than $24 million.

The grants will be distributed over a five-year period from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2026, and are to be used for Extended School Day and School Violence Prevention programs.

New York Establishes a New Source of Safety Funding

New York is attempting to establish a Guardians for Schools license plate through A. 6053 and S. 763 (pending), with revenues going into a Guardians for Schools Fund that would help pay for school resource officers and facility safety improvements in public schools, among other school security measures.

$90M in grants available to beef up security in wake of anti-Semitic attacks

CITY HALL -- Rep. Max Rose alongside the rest of the New York City’s congressional delegation urged Staten Island at-risk institutions like synagogues, churches and mosques to apply for part of a $90 million grant Thursday to help beef up security at their organizations following a frightening wave of anti-Semitic attacks across the region.

The funding will help at-risk institutions pay for things like additional security personnel and other security enhancements including barriers, gates, safety gear, and surveillance equipment.

The congressional delegation’s announcement of the $90 million grant comes as local leaders have increased security in Jewish neighborhoods and places of worship.

6/28/22 - Budget would boost school safety grants, police in schools

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina House and Senate’s proposed budget for next year includes millions more toward school safety grants and law enforcement officers in schools—infusions that come in the wake of lat month's deadly mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.  Some measures would affect all North Carolina schools, while some funding would go toward boosting law enforcement in lower-income schools and high schools with more students struggling academically.

The budget proposal Republican lawmakers unveiled Tuesday provides $32 million more than originally planned last fall toward a competitive school safety grant program. That program will be in its second year, and the proposed budget is now $41.7 million. The grants are “to support students in crisis, school safety training, and safety equipment in schools.”

The budget also expands funding for school resource officers — provided by local law enforcement agencies but partly funded by the state — by at least $41 million.

That comes from two items:

• The budget would nearly double the state’s school resource officer-specific program from $18 million planned for next year to $33 million. This is a matching grant program, and costs would increase in part because the state would provide $4 for every $1 in non-state funds a school spends toward a school resource officer, in low-wealth school systems. Otherwise, the match would continue to be $2 in state funds for every $1 in non-state funds.
• On top of that, the budget would increase funding at qualifying high schools, for students at risk of academic failure, by $26 million, specifically to cover the cost of school resource officers’ average salaries.

Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools receive $300,000 NC school safety equipment grant

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Winston Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) has been notified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction that the district is the recipient of a $300,000 School Safety Equipment Grant! 

WS/FCS plans to use the money to replace and update AiPhone Intercom and entry systems at all elementary schools. The updated systems will include additional security cameras that have the ability to be integrated into the existing camera software. 

Grant to provide safety upgrades for every school in Guilford County

GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. -- A $275,000 grant will provide safety upgrades for every school in Guilford County.

Robeson County aims to enhance school safety and mental health support with $700,000 grant

LUMBERTON, NC (WBTW) – Robeson County administrators say the district is on its way to becoming safer this school year thanks to a $700,000 grant approved by The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Center for Safer Schools.

Approval for Robeson County to participate in the NC School Safety Grant Program will help enhance building safety with new technology, training, and mental health support across 36 public schools in the district, according to officials.

From high school down to elementary school, students experience school threats at early grade levels across our nation. Robeson County school administrators have decided on four tactics they will allocate the grant funding towards to best benefit student’s safety and success:

• School Resource Officers $166,665.00
• School Safety Equipment $175,000
• Students in Crisis Services $215,000
• School Safety Training $141,129.00

Southside wins $1.4 million grant

ROWLAND — Southside-Ashpole Elementary School has won a $1.4 million, 3.5-year grant from the Department of Public Instruction to support school improvement.

The grant was competitive and is federal Title I funding through DPI’s Innovative Partnership Program. It was open to all school systems in the state, and 34 schools applied, with 10 earning grants in a blind judging.

Wilson County receives $174K for safe schools

Wilson County Schools has received $174,066 in Safe Schools grants in from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Superintendent Lane Mills detailed the funding during Monday’s Wilson County Board of Education meeting.

Commissioners, Board of Education approve school projects fund

GOLDSBORO - A five-year plan to complete 40 school projects in Wayne County can begin if voters approve a quarter-cent sales and use tax referendum added to the March 3 primary election ballot.

In a joint meeting, the Wayne County Board of Education and Wayne County Board of Commissioners approved the construction, improvements and safety of the county’s 27 public schools that must be addressed in the coming years.

Wayne County’s current tax rate is 6.75% on every dollar. The quarter of a penny sales and use tax would generate about $2.6 million annually, according to the Wayne County Finance Department. Items exempt from the sales tax are gas, prescription medications and non-prepared foods or groceries.

The towns of Fremont and Mount Olive have passed resolutions in support of the tax increase.  Safety and security upgrades are scheduled for all 27 schools. The plan includes safety vestibules, keycard building access, surveillance, playground fencing and other aspects of school safety. The improvements will cost $1.418 million.

I-SS board accepts safety grant at associate superintendent's last meetingIredell-Statesville Schools

A nearly $169,000 state grant will add school resource officers and enhance communication devices for Iredell-Statesville Schools security staff on school campuses.

The I-SS Board of Education voted unanimously at its meeting Monday to accept the state safety grant.

Cleveland County vote funds public safety measures.

Voters overwhelmingly approved a one-eighth cent sales tax increase that will fund Cleveland County public safety measures including continued maintenance and operation of the F. Dewayne Beggs Detention Center.

More than 70% of voters cast their ballot in favor of the proposition. County Election Board results show 10,432 people cast "yes" votes compared to 4,061 who were opposed to the measure. Only 9% of eligible county voters cast ballots in the election.

Cleveland County Sheriff Todd Gibson was happy voters approved the new revenue source, which will provide a pathway to funding public safety for years to come.

"We are very excited for the future of public safety in Cleveland County," he said. "This is a great opportunity for the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office and we appreciate the support from the community. Cleveland County has always supported us, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue improving services to residents."

District 3 County Commissioner Harold Haralson also expressed his appreciation to the voters.

"We are very pleased with the election results tonight. We want to thank the citizens of Cleveland County for their support of our public safety officers and needs for our juveniles, EMS, and fire in Cleveland County," he said.

The sales tax will go into effect April l, 2020 and end in 20 years. The county currently has a quarter-cent sales tax dedicated to the jail, but that tax will end in March.

New funding may help school districts enhance security, prevent violence

With school shootings on the rise for the last 20 years, gun violence is a concern for many students, parents and school districts.

A nearly $1 million federal grant to the enhance aid for school security was announced this fall (2019) for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools. Officials hope to use the fund for better training, increased resources and promoting better policies at schools across the state.

The Center for Homeland Defense and Security reports 14 incidences of gun violence in North Carolina K-12 schools since 2010.

Many schools have responded by increasing security personnel and technology. Holden said Watauga County Schools have acquired two new nurses and one more school resource officer as well as installing safety doors in the school foyers in the past few years.

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Schools get $700K for safety

LUMBERTON — The Public Schools of Robeson County has received about $700,000 in grant money to enhance safety at local schools.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Center for Safer Schools has approved the school district’s application for NC School Safety Grant Program money, according to Gordon Burnette, the PSRC’s Public Information officer. The program provides $166,665 for the remainder of the current academic year for more school resource officers.

The grant program also will provide $175,000 for school safety equipment, $215,000 for Students in Crisis Services and $141,129 for school safety training, according to the release from Burnette. As with the SRO money, this initial funding is for the remainder of the current school year. The grant is to provide full funding for the 2020-21 academic year.

Cabarrus County Schools receive $1.4 million safety grant

Cabarrus County Schools received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools.  The grant, which totals $1.4 million, was awarded through the 2019 N.C. School Safety Grant Program.  The grant funds will be used for: school resource officers (elementary), $733,326; school safety equipment, $168,065; student in crisis services, $225,000; and school safety training grants, $238,805.

VCPS BOARD ACCEPTS COPS SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT

NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City Public School District is one of 103 school districts across the nation to receive the COPS School Safety Grant.

Superintendent Josh Johnson said the grant awarded to the school district was more than $200-thousand dollars. He talked about what areas need safety improvements with reporter Steve Urness.

The Valley City School board unanimously approved the COPS School Safety Grant at their meeting on Wednesday, November 13th.

The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program provides funding to improve security at school across the nation.

8/2/22 - DeWine announces funding for over 1,000 Ohio schools for safety, security

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that more than 1,000 K-12 schools across the state will receive assistance to pay for security upgrades.

While speaking at the Ohio School Safety Summit in Columbus, DeWine said 1,183 schools in 81 counties will receive nearly $47 million in grant funding as part of his Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program.  According to a press release from DeWine’s office, grants will equal the amount requested by each school up to $50,000.

6/1/22 - Ohio Budget Allocates $100M for School Safety Grants, Tech

(TNS) — Ohio lawmakers unveiled a budget proposal Tuesday that would offer $100 million to schools for safety improvements after last week’s deadly mass shooting in Texas. 

The Ohio General Assembly passes a capital budget every two years, usually a year after it passes the state’s operating budget. The capital budget pays for construction projects for state agencies and colleges and universities.

Legislators plan to direct the $100 million to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, which will award the grants. The money comes from the American Rescue Recovery Act, Dolan said.  In the last capital budget, which lawmakers passed in 2020, only $5 million was given to schools for safety, Dolan said.  The increase in funding comes after last week’s mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas where 19 students and two adults were killed, and $93 million in recent school safety funding requests from across the state, Dolan said.

Local boards of education can spend the money on “hardening our schools,” Dolan said, repeating language that mostly conservative politicians, including Ohio’s Gov. Mike DeWine, have used in the wake of the Texas shooting on how to best prevent future mass shootings in schools.  That could be anything from a school resource officer to technology to better secure buildings, he said.  The Uvalde, Texas, the gunman got into the school by walking through an unlocked door, but it took an hour for law enforcement to stop him despite desperate pleas from parents outside the school.

5/19/22 - Governor DeWine Announces $4.8 Million for K-12 School Safety and Security Upgrades

COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today awarded $4.8 million in grants to nearly 100 Ohio schools to help them improve the overall safety and security of their buildings.

Ninety-eight schools in 27 counties will implement safety upgrades with funding from Ohio's K-12 School Safety Grant Program. Governor DeWine launched the program through the Ohio School Safety Center to help local schools with costly safety upgrades to their buildings.

The following list of awards was compiled by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. These
grants are offered under the school safety grant program created by the 133rd Ohio General Assembly in Am. Sub. S. B. No. 310. The grant awards are contingent upon the individual schools executing a grant agreement with the Commission. Media questions on specific projects should be directed to the school district receiving the funding or to J.C. Benton, OFCC public relations manager, at 614-466-6290 or J.C.Benton@ofcc.ohio.gov.

• Allen East High School Allen East Local Allen $79,260.00
• Daw Elementary School Wellsville Local Columbiana $60,331.08
• Garfield Elementary School Wellsville Local Columbiana $52,646.41
• Wellsville High School Wellsville Local Columbiana $87,022.51
• Adrian Elementary School South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Cuyahoga $32,646.50
• Birch Elementary School North Olmsted City Cuyahoga $37,706.25
• Boulevard Elementary School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $35,821.49
• Brush High School South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Cuyahoga $33,806.91
• Caledonia Elementary School East Cleveland City Schools Cuyahoga $100,000.00
• Chestnut Intermediate Elementary School North Olmsted City Cuyahoga $36,602.25
• Fernway Elementary School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $36,642.50
• Greenview Upper Elementary School South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Cuyahoga $33,806.91
• Lomond Elementary School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $5,180.29
• Maple Intermediate Elementary School North Olmsted City Cuyahoga $28,063.25
• Memorial Jr High School South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Cuyahoga $33,435.88
• Mercer Elementary School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $34,891.49
• Onaway Elementary School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $33,119.83
• Pine Elementary School North Olmsted City Cuyahoga $40,034.25
• Rowland Elementary School South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Cuyahoga $33,782.40
• Shaker Heights High School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $36,642.50
• Shaker Heights Middle School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $8,787.74
• Sunview Elementary School South Euclid-Lyndhurst City Cuyahoga $32,521.40
• Woodbury Elementary School Shaker Heights City Cuyahoga $8,914.16
• Ayersville Elementary School Ayersville Local Defiance $99,224.64
• Margaretta Elementary School Margaretta Local Erie $66,548.00
• Regional Center for Arts and Academic Studies Sandusky City Erie $89,343.63
• Abraham Depp Elementary School Dublin City Franklin $60,961.10
• Eversole Run Middle School Dublin City Franklin $87,434.75
• Flex High School Flex High School Franklin $53,931.74
• Graham Expeditionary Middle School Franklin $50,283.52
• The Graham School Graham School The Franklin $48,247.49
• Hopewell Elementary School Dublin City Franklin $51,604.15
• Patriot Preparatory Academy High School Patriot Preparatory Academy Franklin $89,921.13
• The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University Franklin $56,501.35
• Buckeye Hills Career Center Gallia-Jackson-Vinton Gallia $100,000.00
• Fairbrook Elementary School Beavercreek City Greene $33,333.35
• Herman K Ankeney Middle School Beavercreek City Greene $33,333.33
• Main Elementary School Beavercreek City Greene $33,333.33
• Parkwood Elementary School Beavercreek City Greene $33,333.33
• Shaw Elementary School Beavercreek City Greene $33,333.33
• Valley Elementary School Beavercreek City Greene $33,333.33
• Heritage Hill Elementary School Princeton City Hamilton $25,946.08
• Indian Hill Elementary School Indian Hill Exempted Village Hamilton $100,000.00
• Rapid Run Middle School Oak Hills Local Hamilton $94,265.58
• Woodlawn Elementary School Princeton City Hamilton $27,967.77
• Liberty Center High School Liberty Center Local Henry $99,754.53
• Napoleon High School Napoleon Area City Henry $99,383.47
• Ben Franklin Elementary School Newark City Licking $39,522.41
• Cherry Valley Elementary School Newark City Licking $53,492.53
• Heath Middle School Heath City Licking $23,358.32
• Johnstown High School Johnstown-Monroe Local Licking $82,237.72
• Johnstown Middle School Johnstown-Monroe Local Licking $80,828.46
• Liberty Middle School Middle School Newark City Licking $53,492.53
• Wilson Middle School Newark City Licking $53,492.53
• Little Middies Preschool Midview Local Lorain $28,571.42
• Midvew East Elementary Elementary School Midview Local Lorain $28,571.43
• Midview Academy/Midview Virtual School Midview Local Lorain $28,571.43
• Midview High School Midview Local Lorain $28,571.43
• Midview Middle School Midview Local Lorain $28,571.43
• North Elementary School Midview Local Lorain $28,571.43
• West Elementary School Midview Local Lorain $28,571.43
• Autism Model School High School Autism Model School Lucas $94,000.00
• ESC of Lake Erie West Lake Erie West Educational Service Center Lucas $63,009.93
• Tolles Career & Technical Center Tolles JV Madison $63,265.00
• Campbell Elementary School Campbell City Mahoning $99,617.00
• Northeast Ohio Impact Academy Campbell City Mahoning $24,916.72
• Tri-Rivers Career Center Tri-Rivers JV Marion $99,784.57
• Mercer Educational Service Center Mercer $100,000.00
• Bradford Elementary School Bradford Exempted Village Miami $100,000.00
• Centerville Primary South Elementary School Centerville City Montgomery $31,603.40
• Dayton Tech Design High School Dayton Tech Design Montgomery $3,522.67
• DLA-Dayton View Campus DLA-Dayton View Campus Montgomery $77,810.31
• Driscoll Elementary School Centerville City Montgomery $39,059.49
• Hadley E Watts Middle School Centerville City Montgomery $47,490.09
• Magsig Middle School Centerville City Montgomery $42,787.53
• Tower Heights Middle School Centerville City Montgomery $39,059.49
• John McIntire Elementary School Zanesville City Muskingum $35,965.67
• National Road Elementary School Zanesville City Muskingum $31,600.12 
• Zane Grey Elementary School Zanesville City Muskingum $66,743.63
• Zanesville High School Zanesville City Muskingum $29,864.16
• Zanesville Middle School Zanesville City Muskingum $35,826.42
• George McdowellExchange Middle School Logan Elm Local Pickaway $97,975.00
• Leipsic High School Leipsic Local Putnam $39,143.10
• Buckeye Community School - London New Leaf Organization Richland $32,848.29
• Buckeye Community School - Marion New Leaf Organization Richland $32,347.29
• Greenwood Learning Center Green Local Summit $49,640.00
• Miller-South Visual Performing Arts Akron City Summit $65,974.00
• Dover Avenue Elementary School Dover City Tuscarawas $20,360.52
• Dover Middle School Dover City Tuscarawas $7,497.45
• East Elementary School Dover City Tuscarawas $27,194.68
• South Elementary School Dover City Tuscarawas $34,905.89
• Van Wert Early Children Center Van Wert City Van Wert $96,511.95
• Van Wert High School Van Wert City Van Wert $35,266.20
• Bowling Green High School Bowling Green City Wood $49,896.93
• Bowling Green Middle School Bowling Green City Wood $45,027.91
• Conneaut Elementary School Bowling Green City Wood $34,085.90
• Crim Elementary School Bowling Green City Wood $38,711.25
• Kenwood Elementary School Bowling Green City Wood $32,278.01
  
  

4/29/22 - Ohio’s K-12 School Safety Grant

The $5 million program established by SB 310 of the 133rd General Assembly, will distribute competitive reimbursement grants of up to $100,000 to individual K-12 public schools for various safety updates such as cameras, panic buttons, automatic door locks, and visitor badging systems. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) is coordinating this program with the Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) but OFCC will be collecting all applications and answering all questions related to the grant program. This grant closed in December of 2021 and the awards have not been announced yet.

4/29/22 - BWC’s School Safety Grant

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) developed the School Safety and Security Grant Program to assist administrators of Ohio’s educational facilities with ensuring the safety of their staff and students when carrying out the instructional services they provide to children. The program is available to eligible Ohio employers that wish to purchase equipment that will substantially improve the safety and security of licensed educational facilities and reduce the potential for injuries.

4/29/22 - Ohio Attorney General’s Office School Safety Training Grants

This was more than just physical security upgrades and could be used for:

• The support of school resource officer certification training;
• Any type of active shooter and school safety training or equipment;
• All grade level type educational resources;
• Training to identify and assist students with mental health issues;
• School supplies or equipment related to school safety or for implementing the school’s safety plan;
• Any other training related to school safety.

4/29/22 - Ohio Security Grant

House Bill 110 of the 134th General Assembly authorizes the Department of Public Safety and Ohio Emergency Management Agency to provide grant funding to nonprofit organizations, houses of worship, chartered nonpublic schools, and licensed preschools for eligible security improvements that assist the organization in preventing, preparing for, or responding to acts of terrorism.

12/9/21 - Ohio schools need to apply for a grant

Ohio schools have a chance to apply for a piece of the $11 million in safety grants being handed out by Attorney General Dave Yost’s office for the 2022-23 school year. In fact, the grants can be for $2,500 or $5.50 per student, whichever is the greater amount.

While it is a shame to have to think about school safety in terms of funding projects such as active-shooter training, for example, it will be helpful for schools to be able to use the money for that or certification of resource officers, safety training or equipment, safety education resources for all grade levels, training to identify and assist students with mental health issues, implementing a school-safety plan or any other training that might help keep students and staff safer.

Yost’s office said the money, which comes from House Bill 110, can be used by public or charter schools, educational service centers, STEM schools and those operated by county boards of developmental disabilities.

12/3/21 - Miami Valley superintendents excited for new school safety grants

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – On Thursday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced $11 million dollars in grant money will be going towards school safety.

The funding comes from House Bill 110 and can be used by school leaders for safety planning, classroom, and training programs. Public, charter, educational service centers, STEM, and schools run by county boards of developmental disabilities are able to apply for the money. Each school is eligible for a grant of $2,500 or $5.50 per student, whichever amount is greater.

Among other things, the funding can be used for: 

• Certification training for a school resource officer;
• Any active-shooter or school-safety training or equipment;
• Educational resources for all grade levels;
• Training to identify and assist students with mental health issues;
• School supplies or equipment related to school safety or for implementing a school-safety plan;
• Any other training related to school safety.

The funding will be available for Ohio schools during the 2022-2023 school year.  Grant applications should be submitted via the Ohio Grants Portal.

9/3/21 - The Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) Safety Funds Awarded

The awarded funds are part of the 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program funded as part of Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly. The Ohio School Safety Center reviewed the campus safety grant applications in consultation with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and the Ohio Controlling Board approved the release of the funds Monday. The Campus Safety Grant Program awards grants competitively to eligible state institutions of higher education to assist the institutions in improving the overall physical security and safety of their buildings on public campuses throughout Ohio.

The 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program will provide $5 million in grants to higher education schools, while the 2021 K-12 Safety Grant Program, administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, will award another $5 million to public K-12 schools.

Higher education institutions receiving funding include:

• Belmont College, $50,000;
• Bowling Green State University, $102,964;
• Central Ohio Technical College, $135,000;
• Central State University, $231,750;
• Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, $162,500;
• Columbus State Community College, $160,000;
• Hocking College, $104,000;
• Kent State University, $210,400;
• Lakeland Community College, $117,168;
• Lorain County Community College, $155,350;
• .Miami University, $120,095;
• Northwest State Community College, $174,779;
• Ohio State University, $369,900;
• Ohio University, $168,770;
• Owens Community College, $102,800;
• Rhodes State College, $161,200;
• Rio Grande Community College, $185,446;
• Shawnee State University, $153,998;
• Southern State Community College, $149,50;
• Stark State College, $170,100;
• Terra State Community College, $224,783;
• University of Akron, $430,000;
• University of Cincinnati, $430,000;
• University of Toledo, $205,330;
• Washington State Community College, $316,719;
• Youngstown State University, $118,528;
• Zane State College, $88,920.

7/12/21 - State to award $10M in school safety grants

MARTINS FERRY — Local school districts have the opportunity to get their share of $10 million in school safety grants to enhance security in their buildings.  According to information from Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, the money can be used at K-12 schools and colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning.  

The 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program will provide $5 million in grants to higher education schools, while the 2021 K-12 Safety Grant Program, administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, will award another $5 million to public K-12 schools.

Ohio schools and universities eligible to share in $10 million safety grant

6/17/21 - COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKBN) – The Ohio School Safety Center will award a total of $10 million in grants to fund security enhancements at K-12 public schools and institutions of higher education in Ohio.

The 2021 Campus Safety Grant Program, which began accepting applications Wednesday, will award $5 million to qualifying public colleges and universities for improvements to physical security on their campuses.

“This funding will allow colleges and universities to further collaborate with their first responders and safety professionals to help make our campuses a safe place to learn, visit and reside,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner.

The 2021 K-12 Safety Grant Program, administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC), will award an additional $5 million to qualifying public K-12 schools for similar school safety expenses.

“I encourage all eligible public K-12 schools to apply for a K-12 Safety Grant,” said OFCC Executive Director Cheryl J. Lyman “This grant is an opportunity to support schools as they provide environments that are safe and conducive to learning and achievement.”

Both grant programs were funded as part of Senate Bill 310 of the 133rd General Assembly.

To qualify for grant funding, schools must first conduct a security and vulnerability assessment to identify potential areas for improvement. Funding would then be awarded to mitigate the identified safety gaps. Eligible expenses include but are not limited to improved lighting in parking lots, security cameras at building entrances, and secure doors.

Public colleges and universities applying for a 2021 Campus Safety Grant can submit an electronic application from now through July 16, and awards will be announced in August. OFCC will share the application and additional information with public K-12 school buildings in mid-to-late summer. Awardees for the K-12 grants are anticipated to be announced in early 2022.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of Justice (NIJ)

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is seeking applications for funding to conduct research and evaluation to enhance knowledge to improve the safety of schools and students. With this solicitation, NIJ seeks proposals for rigorous research and evaluation projects to study the root causes of school violence to include the impact and effectiveness of grants made under the STOP School Violence Act. NIJ is particularly interested in examining understudied approaches to improve school safety. Of most interest are anti-violence interventions and threat assessment.

Grants.gov deadline is February 22, JustGrants deadline is March 8, 2021.

Who is eligible?

In general, NIJ is authorized to make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with eligible entities as listed below:

• States (including territories);
• Units of local government;
• Federally recognized Indian tribal governments that perform law enforcement functions (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior);
• Nonprofit and for-profit organizations (including tribal nonprofit and for-profit organizations); and
• Institutions of higher education (including tribal institutions of higher education).

What will applicants receive?

The anticipated total amount to be awarded under this solicitation has been raised from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. While the anticipated number of awards listed on page 9 has been raised from 2 to 3, NIJ expects to make 1-3 awards under this solicitation.

Who do I contact with questions?

The full solicitation can be found on their website located here.

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 1-800-518-4726 or 1-606-545-5035 (international), at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation School Safety and Security Grants (Temporarily Closed)

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) developed the School Safety and Security Grant Program to assist administrators of Ohio’s educational facilities with ensuring the safety of their staff and students when carryin out the instructional services they provide to children. The program is available to eligible Ohio employers that wish to purchase equipment that will substantially improve the safety and security of licensed educational facilities and reduce the potential for injuries. This grant opportunity is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who is eligible?

The School Safety and Security Grant Program is available to Ohio employers that operate licensed preschool through grade 12 educational facilities, have had a BWC policy for at least two years and have remained in good standing with the BWC.

What will schools receive?

Eligible employers may receive up to $40,000 from the School Safety and Security Grant Program. It is a three-to-one matching program, which means BWC will pay $3 to every $1 the school spends toward the eligible equipment.

What can schools do with the money?

Schools may apply for:

• Safety interventions such as flooring/floor coatings for reducing slip hazards; lightweight lunch tables that reduce lifting and handling hazards; motorized bleacher systems to reduce manual pushing and pulling forces; safe food fryers; food cutting/slicing equipment; and floor cleaning machines.
• Incident response equipment such as equipment bags/backpacks stocked with trauma first-aid supplies; two-way communication devices and software designed to directly interface with emergency responder radio systems; and school wide panic alarm/panic button systems.
• Building/grounds/transportation security enhancements such as interior and exterior security doors and mechanisms (for example, panic bars or other fire code compliant door-locking mechanisms, bulletproof glass, bullet resistant coating materials for existing glass); protective vehicle crash barriers at entrances; modifications of building/facility entrances to restrict access; secured keycard systems; metal detectors (fixed or portable); security cameras; and emergency (police dispatch) call poles.

When can schools receive funds?

Please note that the deadline for employers to submit School Safety and Security Grant Program applications for fiscal year 2020 was March 31, 2020. Details for future applications and deadlines will be announced at a later date.

Who do I contact with questions?

Interested employers can visit the School Safety and Security Grant webpage to learn more about the program and to download a fillable PDF version of the application. Questions or inquiries can be submitted via the BWC Division of Safety & Hygiene’s Safety Intervention Grant email box.

Ohio Attorney General’s Office School Safety Training Grants

Ohio’s schools had the opportunity to apply for their share of $10 million in school safety grants for the 2019-2020 school year. Funding for the grants comes from money Ohio legislators set aside for school safety in House Bill 166, the main operating budget. The law gave school leaders flexibility to decide how the grant funds can benefit school safety and security efforts. This grant opportunity is currently closed. Check back for updates as new funding opportunities are released.

Who is eligible?

Public schools, chartered nonpublic schools and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities are eligible to receive either $2,500 or $4.49 per student, whichever is greater.

What can schools do with the money?

Funding can be used for school safety and security efforts including, but not limited to:

1. The support of school resource officer certification training;
2. Any type of active shooter and school safety training;
3. All grade-level type educational resources;
4. Training to identify and assist students with mental health issues;
5. Any other training related to school safety.

When can schools receive funds?

The Attorney General’s Office notified superintendents about eligibility and provided instructions for accessing the funds. All applications were due by Dec. 13, 2019.

Who do I call if I have questions?

Ohio’s schools have the opportunity to apply for their share of $10 million in school safety grants for the 2020-2021 school year. Funding for the grants comes from money Ohio legislators set aside for school safety in House Bill 166, the main operating budget. The law gave school leaders flexibility to decide how the grant funds can benefit school safety and security efforts. 

Who is eligible?

Public schools, chartered nonpublic schools and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities are eligible to receive either $2,500 or $5.15 per student, whichever is greater.

What can schools do with the money?

Funding can be used for school safety and security efforts including, but not limited to:

1. The support of school resource officer certification training;
2. Any type of active shooter and school safety training or equipment;
3. All grade level type educational resources;
4. Training to identify and assist students with mental health issues;
5. School supplies or equipment related to school safety or for implementing the school’s safety plan;
6. Any other training related to school safety.

When can schools receive funds?

The Attorney General’s Office notified superintendents about eligibility and provided instructions for accessing the funds. All applications are due by January 29, 2021.

Who do I call if I have questions?

Please contact the Attorney General’s office at (614) 466-6963 or email SchoolSafetyGrants@OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

Columbus Valley schools can apply for safety grants

Schools can apply for a share of $10 million in school safety grants awarded by Attorney General Dave Yost’s office for the 2019-20 school year.

All public schools, chartered nonpublic schools and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities are eligible to receive either $2,500 or $4.49 per student, whichever amount is greater.

Funding for the grants comes from funds legislators set aside in House Bill 166. The law gives school leaders flexibility to decide how the grant funds can best benefit school safety and security efforts. These efforts may include:

• School resource officer certification training.
• Any type of active shooter and school safety training or equipment.
• All grades educational resources
• Training to identify and assist students with mental health issues.
• School supplies or equipment related to school safety or for implementing a school’s safety plan.
• Any other training related to school safety.

Applications are due by Dec. 13.

Schools can now apply for share of $10M in safety grants

Ohio schools can now apply for their share of $10 million in school safety grants for the 2019-20 school year.

Public schools, chartered nonpublic schools and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities are eligible to receive either $2,500 or $4.49 per student, whichever amount is greater.

Funding for the grants comes from dollars that legislators set aside for school safety in House Bill 166. The law gives school leaders flexibility to decide how the funds can best benefit school safety and security efforts.

Ashtabula school officials applying for safety grants.

SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — Ashtabula Area City Schools are stepping up school safety training, thanks to grants funded through the Attorney General’s office.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is awarding $10 million in school safety grants for the 2019-20 school year.

All public schools, chartered nonpublic schools and schools operated by county boards of developmental disabilities are eligible to receive either $2,500 or $4.49 per student, whichever amount is greater, according to a news release. Applications are due by Dec. 13.

“Our kids learn and grow best in an environment free from fear and violence,” Yost said in a prepared statement. “These grants will help bring that goal closer to reality.”

Last year, Ashtabula Area City Schools received a one-year, $19,520 state grant, which the district is using for safety and security efforts, such as active shooter training and training for school resource officers, Superintendent Mark Potts said.

At Wednesday night’s special Board of Education meeting, the board approved an application for $15,300 to continue the effort.

“The proceeds of the Ohio Safety grant will be utilized for security and safety equipment upgrades such as door control access, increased surveillance equipment and ongoing safety training for staff and students,” AACS treasurer Mark Astorino said.

OKLAHOMA ARP FUNDING

Voters in Edmond recently passed a $63.7 million bond package for school upgrades and improvements. Approximately $750,000 was allocated for projects to upgrade school security. Anticipated purchases include electronic security devices, door locks, photo ID badges, card reader systems, and video surveillance cameras. Other funding from the bond package is allocated for the construction of a storm shelter.

Moore Public Schools, also in Oklahoma, recently passed a bond election that will provide $338.7 million for school upgrades. Student safety at three campuses will receive a large part of the funding, but the district also plans to make major technology investments related to cybersecurity.

Oklahoma allocating $3 million for the technology. 

Technology can include panic alarms.  The alerts, like modern variations of bank-teller alarm buttons, silently transmit information to 911 dispatchers and police, such as the precise location of the caller, school floor plans and live video feeds from cameras on campus. Users can trigger them by a radio, pendant or smartphone app, and most schools limit access to teachers and other staff.

McKenzie School District Bond Measure

The McKenzie School District is anticipating that voters will approve a $15.2 million bond election on May 18. Projects outlined in the bond package include improvements to security systems. Specifically noted in the measure are needs for new access control gates, security cameras, alarm systems, and a secure entry.

7/11/22 - Pennsylvania: A closer look at how the state's tax dollars will be spent

A new $100 million round of school safety and security funds – first given in 2018 after the Marjorie Stoneman Douglass High School shootings in Parkland, Fla. — is available. An additional $100 million was allocated for mental health resources in schools, which will be allocated by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and use the same funding formula as the safety and security grant program.

School security, mental health funding receive boost in latest state budget

4/14/22 - PA Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program

On November 7, 2019, House Bill 859 (or Act 83 of 2019) was signed into law, establishing a new program called the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program at the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).

Act 83 directs PCCD to administer grants to nonprofit organizations who principally serve individuals, groups or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI's Hate Crime Statistics Publication.  Applicants are eligible for security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of the users of a facility located in the Commonwealth that is owned or operated by the nonprofit organization.

Eligible expenses for security enhancements include the following:

• Safety and security planning
• Purchase of safety and security equipment
• Purchase of security-related technology, which may include, but is not limited to:
• Metal detectors
• Protective lighting
• Surveillance equipment
• Special emergency communications equipment
• Electronic locksets
• Deadbolts
• Trauma kits
• Theft control devices

• Safety and security training
• Threat awareness and response training
• Upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security
• Vulnerability and threat assessments
• Specialty-trained canines
• Any other safety or security-related project that enhances safety or security of the non-profit organization*

A total of $5.23 million was awarded to the following projects:

Adams County

Gettysburg College, $75,000

 Allegheny County

Chabad of Carnegie Mellon University, Inc., $25,000

Jewish Residential Services, Inc., $25,000

Allies for Health & Wellbeing, $36,419

Chabad Lubavitch of South Hills, Inc, $150,000

Chabad of Squirrel Hill Inc, $150,000

Yeshivath Achei Tmimim of Pittsburgh, $150,000

Lubavitch Center, $25,000

Congregation Dor Hadash, $14,000

Hillel Jewish University Center, $24,943

Chabad Young Professionals Inc., $25,000

First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, 9,220

Perry Highway Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wexford, $25,000

Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church, $24,200

Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation, $25,000

Attawheed Islamic Center, $25,000

Legacy International Worship Center, $25,000

Bethany Baptist Church, $24,000

Rodef Shalom Congregation, $150,000

Tzohar Seminary, $25,000

Temple Sinai, $41,000

Carlow University, $117,295

Sri Venkateswara Temple, $41,177

Berks County

Reform Congregation Oheb Sholom, $19,094

Goggle Works, $150,000

Sacred Heart School, $25,000

Bucks County

St. Robert Bellarmine Church - Archdiocese of Philadelphia, $24,832

Ohev Shalom of Bucks County, $24,800

George School, $150,000

Salem United Church of Christ, $25,000

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha - Northeast Inc., $24,978

Congregation Tifereth Israel of Lower Bucks County, $21,240

Cambria County

Cambria Library Association, $25,000

Centre County

Unity Christian Ministries International, $25,000

Congregation Brit Shalom, $75,000

Chester County

Islamic Society of Greater Valley Forge, $45,757

Coatesville Center for Community Health, $24,430

Masjid Al Rahman of Chester County Inc, $100,000

Congregation B'nai Jacob Phoenixville PA, $24,980

Kesher Israel Congregation, $40,000

Cumberland County

Dickinson College, $15,000

Masjid Al-Nur, $27,520

Dauphin County

YWCA Greater Harrisburg, $6,895

Metropolitan Community Church of the Spirit, $15,439

Islamic Center Masjid Al-Sabereen, $74,436

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha - Northeast Inc, $24,928

Chisuk Emuna Congregation, $10,503

Delaware County

Congregation Beth Israel of Media, $24,891

Everest PACE Center Inc., $150,000

Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid, $20,000

Upper Darby Township & Sellers Memorial Free Public Library, $20,000

St. Paul's Syrian Orthodox Church, $10,560

Erie County

St Jude the Apostle Church, $47,707

Bosnian Islamic Community Erie, INC, $25,000

 Lackawanna County

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha - Northeast Inc., $24,899

Temple Israel of Scranton, $25,000

Yeshiva Beth Moshe – The Milton Eisner Yeshiva High School of Northeastern PA, $150,000

Elan Gardens, Inc, $25,000

Lancaster County

Congolese community of Central Pennsylvania, $17,230

YWCA Lancaster, $24,991

First Reformed Church UCC, $25,000

Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster, $16,162

Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, $13,732

 Lehigh County

Congregation of Keneseth Israel, $40,300

Jewish Community Center of Allentown, Pennsylvania, $75,000

Jewish Day School of the Lehigh Valley, $81,705

Luzerne County

Temple Bnai Brith, $17,135

Agudas Israel Congregation, $17,788

Cheder Menachem Inc, $24,500

 Monroe County

Family Promise of Monroe County Inc, $5,000

Montgomery County

Kaiserman Jewish Community Center, $17,980

Gan Israel Chabad, Inc., $25,000

Brotherhood Temple Brith Achim, $24,950

Congregation Adath Jeshurun, $25,000

Abington Monthly Meeting, Inc, $24,200

Har Zion Temple, $75,000

YWCA Tri-County Area, $23,687

Temple Sinai, $25,000

Lubavitch of Abington Inc., $25,000

Main Line Reform Temple, $150,000

Temple Adath Israel of the Main Line, $150,000

Lubavitch of Montgomery County, $55,640

The Mesivta High School of Greater Philadelphia, $50,000

Friends' Central School, $24,090

Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim (DBA Mesivta Yesodei Yisroel), $75,000

Chabad Lubavitch of the Main Line, Inc, $50,250

Darchei Noam, $23,051

Reconstructing Judaism, $24,967

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha - Northeast Inc., $24,987

Caskey Torah Academy, $25,000

Bharatiya Temple Inc, $79,366

Northampton County

Sikh Sadh Sangat Inc., $150,000

Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha Northeast Inc., $24,993

 Philadelphia County

UUs of Mt. Airy, $5,000

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (The Weitzman Museum), $104,000

Northeast Philadelphia Chinese Association of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, $25,000

Mazzoni Center, $42,624

Philadelphia Chinese Chamber of Commerce, $25,000

Society Hill Synagogue, $22,500

AL AQSA ISLAMIC ACADEMY, $75,000

Congregation Rodeph Shalom, $74,812

The Urban League of Philadelphia, $23,163

Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, $21,294

Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, $25,000

St Luke's Episcopal Church, Germantown, $20,000

Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, $97,300

Philadelphia FIGHT, $25,000

Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, $25,000

Galaei/Urban Affairs Coalition, $25,000

Federation Day Care Services d/b/a Federation Early Learning Services, $15,901

Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, $25,000

Congregation Bnai Israel Ohev Zedek, $23,439

Chabad Serving Drexel, $25,000

Northeast Philadelphia Development Corporation, $25,000

Pike County

Mesivta Eitz Chaim, $75,000

Union County

Chabad Of Lewisburg, $24,000

Washington County

St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, $25,000

 Wyoming County

Mesivta Chazak Inc., $25,000

York County

Emmanuel United Church of Christ, $23,000

The Young Women's Christian Association of York, PA, $24,500

4/14/22 - Sen. Fontana Announces Almost $100,00 in Safety Grants for Non-Profits

Allegheny County – April 14, 2022 –Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana announced today that $99,200 in non-profit security grants have been awarded to four community organizations in Allegheny County.

“These grants support safety equipment, planning and training that could save lives in a crisis,” said Sen. Fontana. “The local organizations receiving these grants are pillars of their communities and deserve peace of mind about the safety and security of their congregations. I hope the funds will not only provide that peace of mind but also serve as a symbol of support and unity from myself and the commonwealth.”

Community organizations who received funding include:

• Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob Congregation, Pittsburgh – $25,000
• Legacy International Worship Center, Pittsburgh – $25,000
• Attawheed Islamic Center, Carnegie – $25,000
• Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church, Carnegie – $24,200

The grants are funded from $5 million that was made available for FY 2021-2022 for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). More information about funding opportunities through PCCD can be found at https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Funding/Pages/default.aspx.

1/22/21 - Pennsylvania schools awarded safety grants through a state program

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Schools across the area and state were awarded a cumulative $8 million through the Safe Schools Targeted Grants program, Gov. Tom Wolf's office announced on Friday.  

According to the state Department of Education's website, these funds are intended to reduce "unnecessary student disciplinary actions" while promoting "an environment of greater productivity, safety, and learning."

The money will also assist schools with enhancing anti-violence efforts between schools, law enforcement, community organizations, parents, and local governments.

Gov. Tom Wolf made the announcement Friday that $8 million in Safe Schools grants had been awarded to more than 300 educational agencies throughout the state.   Some of the awards are listed below.

The following schools received funding for equipment:

• Antietam: $25,000 security equipment, $20,000 for programs
• Fleetwood: $24,980 
• Oley Valley: $24,999 security equipment. , $19,999 for programs.
• Brookeside Montessori: $11,820
• Pine Forge Academy: $25,000
• St. Catharine’s: $25,000
• New Castle Area School District:$23,824 security equipment, $60,000 for programs
• Mohawk Area School District: $19,892
• Lawrence County Career & Technical Center: $23,510 
• Iroquois School District $24,500
• Shenango Area School District: $40,000 for a police officer
• Altoona Area School District, $25,000
• Claysburg-Kimmel School District, $25,000
• Hollidaysburg Area School District, $25,000
• Spring Cove School District, $25,000
• Tyrone Area School District, $25,000
• Conemaugh Valley School District, $25,000
• Ferndale Area School District, $25,000
• Saint Michael School District, $25,000
• Cambria County Christian School, $25,000
• Forest Hills School District, $6,400
• Penns Valley Area School District, $16,800
• DuBois Area School District, $25,000
• Moshannon Valley School District, $25,000
• Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District, $20,538
• West Branch Area School District, $25,000
• Johnsonburg Area School District, $25,000
• Conemaugh Township Area School District, $24,704.29
• Rockwood Area School District, $25,000
• Dallastown Area School District,  Equipment Grant: $25,000, School Resource Officer Grant: $60,000
• Dover Area School District, Equipment Grant: $21,193.80,
• Eastern York School District, Equipment Grant: $17,500
• Red Lion Area School District, Equipment Grant: $23,705
• West York Area School District, School Resource Officer Grant: $60,000
• York City School District,  Equipment Grant: $24,999, Program Grant: $14,796, School Police Officer Grant: $40,000, SRO Grant: $60,000
• Allentown School District, $24,727 equipment grant, $20,000 program grant.
• East Stroudsburg School District, $19,452 Equipment Grant
• Pleasant Valley School District, $25,000 Equipment Grant, $60,000 School Police Officer Grant
• Pocono Mountain School District, $19,960 Safety Program Grant, $90,000 School Resource Officer Grant.
• Chester County School District, $25,000 Equipment Grant, $20,000 Program Grant
• $24,000 for the Chester County Technical College High School for safety equipment.
• $40,860 for the Church Farm School for safety equipment ($22,910) and safety programs ($19,950).
• $20,260 for the Saints Phillip and James School for safety equipment.
• $24,938.00 for the Saint Agnes School for safety equipment.
• $22,700 for the Saint Norbert School for safety equipment.
• $21,515 for Villa Maria Academy High School for safety equipment.
• $12,580 for West Chester Friends School for safety equipment.
• $24,930 for Windsor Christian Academy for safety equipment.
• $22,125 for the Woodlynde School for safety equipment.
• West Greene School District $25,000 
• Schuylkill Technology Center - $6,398 safety program grant
• Shenandoah Valley School District – $51,584.40 school police officer grant (over 2-year span)
• Big Beaver Falls Area School District $40,000
• Blackhawk School Districts $40,000
• Riverside School District, $39,987.20, for school police officers.
• Beaver Area School District, $60,000 for school resource officers
• Hopewell Area School District, $60,000 for school resource officers
• New Brighton Area School District, $60,000 for school resource officers
• South Side Area School District, $40,000 for school resource officers
• New Sewickley Township Police Dept, $47,376 in school resource officer funding
• Aliquippa School District received $19,730 in program funding

More information on the Safe Schools program can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.

12/27/21 - Yough School District to receive nearly $100,000 from Federal grant

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — Yough School District is set to receive money from the Department of Justice to advance school safety under the STOP School Violence Act.  The grants will help add or increase safety measures in and around schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.  The district will receive $99,380 from this grant.

12/27/21 - Millcreek Twp. School District Awarded $500K Federal Grant for School Safety

Millcreek Township School District will receive a $500,000 federal grant for school safety, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday.  It is one of four western Pennsylvania school districts awarded grants under the STOP School Violence Act.

Nearly $126 million nationwide will be used to help institute safety measures in and around primary and secondary schools, support school violence prevention efforts, provide training to school personnel and students, and implement evidence-based threat assessments.

Millcreek's grant specifically comes through the COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP), which provides up to 75 percent of the funding for school safety measures in and around schools, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.  The 153 SVPP awards, totaling almost $52 million, are must be used for coordination with law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence; locks, lighting and other deterrent measures; technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and other measures that provide a significant improvement in security.

Gov. Wolf: 2021 Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program Now Open

1/4/21 - Governor Tom Wolf announced today the availability of $5 million in funding for security enhancement projects for nonprofit organizations serving diverse communities throughout the commonwealth.

“These grants expand the school safety and security grants introduced in 2019,” Gov. Wolf said. “And will continue to help our many nonprofits address security needs and any safety concerns that exist for religious, social and other nonprofit organizations across the commonwealth.”

Applicants can find the application and information about the Program on PCCD’s website at http://www.pccd.pa.gov.  Grant awards can range from $5,000 to $150,000 for a wide variety of eligible items, including:

• Safety and security planning and training;
• Purchase of safety and security equipment and technology;
• Upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security; and
• Vulnerability and threat assessments.

The application period will be open for a 30-day window from Monday, January 4 to Wednesday, February 3.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by a PCCD-established workgroup comprised of representatives of PCCD, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, with awards being considered at the March 10 PCCD meeting.

Questions regarding the Program and the application process should be forwarded to: RA-CD-NPSEC-GRANT@pa.gov.

Berks County schools awarded $178,618 in safety grants

The state has awarded Berks County schools $178,618 to improve safety in their classrooms.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced that dozens of schools across the commonwealth will receive more than $9 million in competitive Safe Schools Targeted Grants to prevent and reduce violent incidents through the state Department of Education's Office for Safe Schools.

The money the schools receive will go toward buying security-related equipment, launching safety program or providing for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

The schools that received grants in Berks include:

• Antietam School District: $25,000 for equipment and $20,000 for program funding.
• Brandywine Heights Area School District: $20,131 for equipment and $20,000 for program funding.
• Muhlenberg School District: $25,000 for equipment and $20,000 for program funding.
• La Salle Academy: $25,000 for equipment.
• St. Ignatius School: $23,487 for equipment.

Petrarca announces $115K in school safety grants

HARRISBURG — Approximately $115,432 in Safe Schools Targeted Grants have been awarded to several schools in Westmoreland, Armstrong and Indiana counties, state Rep. Joseph Petrarca announced.

Petrarca, D-Westmoreland/Armstrong/Indiana, said the grants, which are awarded by the state Department of Education, are awarded to schools to help prevent and reduce violence incidents, purchase safety and security-related equipment, and provide training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

Grants were awarded to the following schools:

Westmoreland County – equipment grants
Champion Christian School: $21,464;
Christ the Divine Teacher: $9,780;
Mary Queen of Apostles: $18,694.

New Castle, Holy Spirit Academy receive safety grants

One local school district and one private academy are the Lawrence County recipients of safety grants awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The competitive 2020-21 Safe Schools Targeted Grants total more than $9 million that will be distributed to more than 150 school district statewide.

The funds are awarded to schools to prevent and reduce violent incidents, to purchase safety and security-related equipment and to provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

The New Castle Area School District received a school resource officer grant of $60,000, the maximum grant given in the program. It additionally received a $20,000 program grant.

The Holy Spirit Academy, a nonpublic school, received a $25,000 equipment grant.

Pleasant Valley, MCTI get grants for safety, career-enhancing opportunities

The Pleasant Valley School District received two safety and security grants, Rep. Jack Rader (R-176) announced.

The district received a $40,000 grant that will go toward training and compensating a school police officer, and another grant for $24,999 to purchase security-related equipment. That can include identification systems, metal detectors, protective lighting, surveillance equipment, special emergency communications equipment, electronic locksets, deadbolts and theft control devices and training in the use of the security-related technology.

Bucks, Eastern Montco schools get state safety grants

Several school districts and schools in Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties will be able to bolster their security systems thanks to safety grants recently handed out by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Grants went to both public and private schools in four different categories, equipment, programs, or to help pay for school police officers or school resource officers.

Receiving equipment grants were the North Penn ($23,500), Souderton Area ($9,087), Upper Moreland ($16,596) and Abington ($6,375) school districts, plus the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology in Willow Grove ($25,000), Abrams Hebrew Academy in Yardley ($24,465) and Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster ($19,604).

Also receiving equipment grants were the Plumstead Christian Academy Upper/Middle School ($11,942) and Lower School ($462), St. Andrew Catholic School in Newtown Township ($23,748), St. Joseph/St. Robert in Warrington ($5,940), Lansdale Catholic High School ($23,794) and Upper Bucks Christian School in Sellersville ($11,813).

Abington also received a $19,625 program grant.

State lawmakers whose districts include several of the schools and school districts said other aspects of school safety can't be ignored even though the coronavirus pandemic is dominating the news.

Ringgold, Washington awarded safe school grants

Ringgold and Washington school districts are among the Pennsylvania schools that will receive a portion of the more than $9 million in competitive grants awarded by the state Department of Education’s Safe Schools Targeted Grants program.

Grants are awarded to schools to prevent and reduce violent incidents, to purchase safety and security-related equipment and to provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

Ringgold received a $25,000 equipment grant, while Washington School District was awarded a $24,990 grant.

Ringgold School District was also awarded a $20,000 program grant intended to support programs that promote an environment of greater productivity, safety and learning and enhance anti-violence efforts involving schools and parents, local governments, law enforcement and community organizations.

Ringgold and Washington school districts each received $40,000 as part of the Safe Schools School Police Officer Grant Program, and Ringgold received a $60,000 grant for the School Resource Officer Grant Program, which provide financial assistance for the training and compensation of school resource officers and school police officers over a two-year period.

State lawmakers announce safety grants for Schuylkill County schools

HARRISBURG — Grants were awarded to boost safety for school districts in Schuylkill County, according to state lawmakers representing the area.

The Schuylkill Technology Centers will receive a $9,914 equipment grant and a $4,707.45 program grant.

The Williams Valley School District will receive a $24,000 equipment grant, a $20,000 program grant and a $40,000 school police/resource officer grant.

The Tri-Valley School District will receive an $8,800 program grant, and the Schuylkill Haven School District will receive a $23,140 equipment grant.

The Schuylkill Haven Area School District received $23,140 for new safety equipment.

The St. Clair Area School District received $25,000 for new safety equipment.

The North Schuylkill School District received $24,911 for new safety equipment.

The Tamaqua Area School District received a total of $65,000 for safety equipment and training and compensation for a school police officer.

Marian Catholic received $25,000 for the purchasing of new safety equipment.

Williams: $257.4K in School Safety Grants for Schools in 74th District, Chester County

HARRISBURG, PA — State Rep. Dan Williams announced that $257,419.51 in Safe Schools grants were awarded to area schools that students from his district attend to purchase safety and security-related equipment.

The following schools received funding for equipment:

Villa Maria Academy High School – $16,784
Church Farm School – $23,716
Bishop Shanahan High School – $20,430
Assumption B.V.M. – $16,318.39
Pope John Paul II – $20,937
SS Peter and Paul – $24,937
St. Norbert – $22,093
Upland Country Day School – $24,923.12
Windsor Christian Academy – $19,693
Woodlynde School – $17,588
Downingtown School District – $25,000
Coatesville Area School District – $25,000

Local schools share over $100K in safety grants

Three Bedford County school districts or schools will receive more than $103,000 in Safe Schools Target Grants, local lawmakers said Monday.

State Sen. Wayne Langerholc and state Reps. Jesse Topper and Carl Walker Metzgar, in a joint news release, said Chestnut Ridge School District, Bedford County Technical Center and HOPE for Hyndman Charter School will split $103,581 in the grants through the state Department of Education.

Grants are awarded to schools to prevent and reduce violent incidents, to purchase safety and security-related equipment, and to provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

Chestnut Ridge is slated to receive $64,999; HOPE will receive $23,841; and Bedford County Technical Center will get $14,741.

Luzerne County schools awarded $492K in state safety grants

Six Luzerne County School Districts, the Luzerne Intermediate Unit and eight non-public schools combined to nab $492,329 in state school safety grants announced Monday.

According to a media release, the money can be spent to prevent and reduce violent incidents, to purchase safety and security-related equipment, and to provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers.

The State Department of Education Office for Safe Schools offers four types of competitive grants: Equipment grants of up to $25,000, program grants of up to $20,000; School Police Officer grants of up to $40,000; and School Resource Officer grants of up to $60,000.

The two main goals of the grants are to reduce student disciplinary action while increasing productivity and learning, and enhancing anti-violence efforts between schools, parents, local governments, law enforcement and community organizations.

Four school districts got equipment grants: $24,948 to Greater Nanticoke Area, $20,482 to Hanover Area, $24,780 to Wyoming Valley West, and $25,000 to Crestwood.

The Luzerne Intermediate Unit got an equipment grant of $24,493. The IU provides a variety of services to public and non-public schools in Luzerne County and part of Wyoming County.

Individual non-public schools also got equipment grants: Good Shepherd, Holy Family, Holy Redeemer, St. Jude, St. Nicholas/St. Mary and Wyoming Area Catholic each got grants of $24,885; Immanuel Christian received $17,388; Holy Rosary got $24,385.

Two districts received school police officer grants: $39,992 for Greater Nanticoke Area and $35,600 for Northwest Area.

And two districts got grants for school resource officers: $45,951 for Hanover Area and $60,000 for Lake-Lehman.

FIVE INDIANA COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RECEIVE SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT MONEY

State Representative Jim Struzzi announced on Monday that five Indiana County School Districts were awarded a combined $171,834 in Safe Schools Target Grants.

The money, administered by the PA Department of Education, is awarded to schools to prevent and reduce violent incidents, to purchase safety and security-related equipment, and provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers. More than $9 million will be awarded to schools across the state this year.

In the 62nd legislative district, the districts that received funds included:

• Homer-Center, who received $64,994
• Purchase Line, who received $48,455
• Indiana, who received $42,996
• United, who received $38,840
• Penns Manor, who received $25,000.

This program is different from the School Safety and Security Grant program, as that grant program is administered by the PA Commission on Crime and delinquency.

Bradford County schools receive safety funding

BRADFORD COUNTY, Pa. (WETM) – School districts in Bradford County have been awarded Safe Schools Targeted Grants to improve safety and security measures, according to Rep. Tina Pickett.

“This funding helps to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff through equipment purchases and the hiring of security officers,” said Pickett. “I am pleased these local schools are taking advantage of the grant program in order to create a more secure learning environment.”

The following school districts/schools in the 110th Legislative District were awarded funding:

Epiphany School – $24,498 equipment grant.
Sayre Area School District – $60,000 school resource officer grant.
St. Agnes School – $24,498 equipment grant.
Towanda Area School District – $14,353 safety grant.
Wyalusing Area School District – $24,999.84 equipment grant and $19,999.80 safety grant.

Equipment grants can be used to purchase security-related equipment including identification systems; metal detectors; protective lighting; surveillance equipment; special emergency communications equipment; electronic locksets; deadbolts and theft control devices; and training in the use of the security-related technology.

MASD gets $500,000 safety, security grant to be used at MAMS, Reid Elementary School

May 5, 2020 -  Middletown Area School District recently received nearly $500,000 in safety and security grants.

At the end of February, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced that its school safety and security committee had approved about $53.7 million in school safety and security grants.

Local districts receiving funds include $490,000 to the Middletown Area School District, $40,000 to Lower Dauphin School District, and $35,000 to Steelton-Highspire School District.

The school board voted to develop bid documents and advertise bids at its April 21 meeting for projects, which will take place at Reid Elementary School and Middletown Area Middle School.

“Since the project involves security, there is limited information that can be shared publicly,” MASD Superintendent Lori Suski told the Press & Journal in an email.

She said the district is working with its architects to update the specifications of the safety and security projects.

The project would then be advertised for bid unless the district uses competitive purchasing, Suski said.

“Our intent is to take advantage of the extra time without students in the buildings to begin this work as soon as possible so that it would be completed before students are scheduled to return at the end of August,” Suski said.

DOJ: $83M in grants available to support school safety, reduce violence

PITTSBURGH (WJAC) — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania Scott Brady announced Tuesday that more than $83 million in Department of Justice grants are now available to help prevent and reduce school violence.

According to a release, the funding is available to school districts, state and local governments, law enforcement agencies, nonprofits and public- and state-controlled higher education institutions. The grants will provide students and teachers with the necessary tools to recognize, quickly respond to and help prevent violent acts, the release states.

“Keeping students safe while at school is the first priority of every local government and school district,” Brady said in the release. “These funds provide the opportunity to increase and enhance school safety across western Pennsylvania. I encourage cities and school districts to take advantage of the critical support these grant funds provide.”

According to the DOJ, the funding is available through the Office of Justice Programs. The programs support various activities and services, including those designed to tighten school security and improve the reporting of threats.

“School violence is no longer an abstract threat but has become a tragic reality in too many of America’s communities. Moving to meet this challenge is among the Administration’s top domestic priorities,” said Katharine T. Sullivan, principal deputy assistant attorney general for the Office of Justice Programs. “The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight to meet this challenge. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.”

The grants are available now and include:

• STOP Act School Violence Program, $71.4 million (deadline 4/13/2020)
• Research and Evaluation on School Safety, $5 million (deadline 4/13/2020)
• Strategies to Support Children Exposed to Violence, $7 million (4/27/2020)

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, click here.

County school districts receive state funding for security, safety improvements

$2 million in school safety grants headed to Lehigh Valley: Find out which districts are receiving money for security improvements

Pa. school safety grants awarded to Berks districts

A total of $53.7 million in grants were awarded Wednesday by the School Safety and Security Committee within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency as part of the School Safety and Security Grant Program, which was created by lawmakers in 2018.

In the Berks County the following districts and the amounts: Antietam, $30,000; Boyertown, $495,000; Brandywine Heights, $35,000; Conrad Weiser, $40,000, Daniel Boone, $40,000; Exeter, $45,000; Fleetwood, $40,000; Gov. Mifflin, $45,000; Hamburg, $223,171; Kutztown, $35,000; Muhlenberg, $40,000; Oley Valley, $35,000; Reading, $45,000; Schuylkill Valley, $35,000; Tulpehocken, $187,554; Twin Valley, $40,000; Wilson, $45,000.

Two local universities will receive a state grant for security improvements

Safety of students, faculty, and staff on college campuses is important. The state recognizes that, which is why two local campuses will receive a $30,000 state grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

The purpose of the grant is to improve security measures, and to provide resources to educate campus communities on reporting crimes and sexual assault.

Northern Lehigh to use $365K in grants for security upgrades, equipment

Northern Lehigh School District is set to receive $365,679 it will use toward security upgrades, equipment, planning, training and staff.

The office of Rep. Zach Mako, R-Lehigh/Northampton, announced on Wednesday that the committee has awarded more than $860,000 in school safety and security grants to school districts in the 183rd Legislative District.

Northern Lehigh Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tania Stoker said the grant will enable the district to make “significant safety and security improvements, as well as implement and augment mental health program offerings.”

Safety grants announced for local school districts

School districts will benefit from a new round of state grant funding announced this week by area legislators.  

Souderton Area School District received one of the area's largest grants, getting $460,437, according to a release from state Rep. Steve Malagari, D-53rd.

The North Montco Technical Career Center received a $150,000 grant award and the North Penn School District received $45,000, as did other districts in Montgomery County. The money comes from the state's School Safety and Security grant program.

The grant award comes as part of a total of $60 million in safety grants for the commonwealth approved this week by the state's School Safety and Security Committee established within the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Other Montgomery County districts and schools that received grant funding include:

• Abington School District: $455,550
• Agora Cyber Charter School: $143,226
• Cheltenham Township School District: $45,000
• Colonial School District: $45,000
• Hatboro-Horsham School District: $45,000
• Jenkintown School District: $30,000
• Lower Merion School District: $45,000
• Lower Moreland Township School District: $40,000
• Methacton School District: $221,370
• Norristown Area School District: $467,756
• Perkiomen Valley School District: $45,000
• Pottsgrove School District: $40,000
• Pottstown School District: $490,000
• Springfield Township School District: $40,000
• Spring-Ford Area School District: $45,000
• Upper Dublin School District: $45,000
• Upper Merion Area School District: $45,000
• Upper Moreland School District: $40,000
• Upper Perkiomen School District: $40,000
• Western Montgomery Career & Technology Center: $72,994
• Wissahickon School District: $45,000

10 Valley schools split $1.5 million in safety grants

Ten school districts in the Valley received a combined $1,549,959 in state grant funding to bolster security at public schools.

Mifflinburg received $485,000, the largest award granted to a local district. According to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), the district is to invest in safety planning, security equipment purchases and training and compensation for its in-house police department.

Milton received $423,238 to be spread across multiple initiatives. Lewisburg received $371,721 for emergency preparedness, planning and security equipment purchases.

Danville, Shamokin, Shikellamy, Midd-West and Selinsgrove all received $40,000 each. Warrior Run and Mount Carmel received $35,000 apiece.

The state awarded approximately $53.7 million for 524 schools across the state.

School Districts Receive State Safety Funding Bristol Borough

The Bristol Borough School District will get $77,665, the Bristol Township School District will receive $45,000, the Neshaminny School District is due $45,000, and the Pennsbury School District will get $45,000 for a variety of items based on the needs of the schools, including equipment, trainings, programs, counseling services, planning, screenings, and to secure behavioral health care professionals and support.

The Central Bucks School District, Council Rock School District, Morrisville Borough School District, New Hope Solebury School District, Palisades School District, and Pennridge School District also are receiving funding.

Phoenixville Gets $495K In Grants For School Safety

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Great news for the Phoenixville Area School District: they have received a major grant from the state to support safety in all their schools.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced this week that Phoenixville would receive $495,000 in safety funding. It's more than any other school district in Chester County received.

The grants will be used to purchase new security technology, support behavioral health training, prepare emergency plans, as well as hire hire school resource officers, psychologists, social workers, and more.

Eight county schools receive safety grants

Eight Lycoming County schools were awarded school safety grants totaling $796,275, according to an announcement by area legislators.  

School districts receiving the grants and the amounts they received are: East Lycoming, $35,000; Jersey Shore Area, $40,000; Loyalsock Township, $35,000; Montgomery Area, $320,821; Montoursville Area, $35,000; Muncy, $30,000; South Williamsport Area, $255,454; and Williamsport Area, $45,000.

In addition, two districts in Tioga County were awarded grants — Northern Tioga, received $326,718 for security planning and the purchase of security-related technology, and Wellsboro Area, $35,000 for security planning and the purchase of security-related technology, and pursuing trauma-informed approaches to education.

MCSD gets safety grant

LEWISTOWN – Mifflin County School District has been awarded $495,000 in school safety and security grants.

According to a press release provided by the office of Kerry Benninghoff, R-171, this funding is made available to every school district in Pennsylvania. Money is to be used toward security measures deemed most critical by the receiving district. Other districts in Benninghoff’s legislative district received $35,000 to $45,000.

Safety, security grant amounts

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency grants to local school districts are awarded for use in many safety and security areas throughout school buildings.

Those areas include performing school safety assessments; purchasing security-related technology and equipment; supporting school safety-related and behavioral-health trainings; preparing all-hazards plans; hiring school resource officers, school police officers, school counselors, social workers and school psychologists; and providing for trauma-informed approaches to education.

Meritorious grants were awarded to each school district that applied. The grant amount is based on the district’s average daily attendance. Additional grant funding was awarded on a competitive basis.

Many districts are opting to use the funds for the purchase of security-related technology and/or the training of school resource officers and school police officers, among other uses.

York County districts receive more than $1M in school safety grants

All 16 of York County's school districts were awarded state safety grant money, totaling about $1.2 million.

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency released a complete list of approved applicants in late February. Grants were approved by the School Safety and Security Committee, established under the PCCD through Act 44 of 2018.

Statewide, $53.7 million in school safety and security grants was awarded to 524 educational entities, and $7.5 million in community violence prevention/reduction grants was awarded to 30 organizations, according to a news release.

Oberlander announces safety, security grants for local schools

HARRISBURG – The Redbank Valley School District was awarded nearly a quarter of a million dollars to bolster school security last week.

Redbank is among nine local school districts that will each receive at least $30,000 to assist with security- and safety-related expenses at their facilities, according to state Rep. Donna Oberlander (R-Clarion).

Fox Chapel Area School District receives $45,000 grant for safety and technology

Fox Chapel Area is among several regional school districts to receive state money to boost safety and technology.

The district was awarded $45,000 from the state’s School Safety and Security Committee, about the same amount as North Allegheny, Pine-Richland, Hampton and Shaler Area.

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Debate Governors Proposal to Severely Cut School Safety Grant Program

Pennsylvania lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are arguing that the state must allocate more money for school safety efforts amid tense negotiations over the state’s budget.

Area schools receive grants for safety and security enhancements

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced on Wednesday grant funding to enhance safety and security in area schools.

The commission’s School Safety and Security Committee awarded at least $30,000 to each school district in the Herald-Standard coverage area as part of a statewide allocation of more than $53 million in safety grant funding.

Belle Vernon Area School District is set to receive $487,648 in funding through the grant program for safety enhancements.

Highlands to buy metal detectors, cameras, fencing with state safety grant

Highlands School District will enhance and improve its security and safety measures using a nearly half-million-dollar state grant, a district spokeswoman said.  The district received about $484,000 from the School Safety and Security Committee within the state Commission on Crime and Delinquency.  Highlands was one of 524 school entities that were awarded a total of $53.7 million in grants.

“The district is ecstatic to have received this amount of money that will be used to significantly enhance the safety and security for our students and staff,” Highlands Superintendent Monique Mawhinney said. “Keeping our students and staff safe is our number one priority, so the upgrades to our current systems will help us achieve that goal.”

C-L and Forest Area school districts safety, among schools receiving security grants for local schools

McClinton, Donatucci announce $540,000 grant program for safety in Delaware County schools

HARRISBURG – State Reps. Joanna McClinton and Maria Donatucci, both D-Delaware and Philadelphia counties, announced last Wednesday that $540,000 in school safety grants are being provided for Southeast Delco and William Penn school districts.

The William Penn School District received $495,000 in state funds to help strengthen security measures, including classroom management, emergency preparedness procedures and violence prevention.

Glendale receives over $293K from School Safety and Security Grant

FLINTON — Glendale School District was recently informed by the state Commission on Crime and Delinquency, the district is a recipient of a School Safety and Security Grant part of the $53.7 million in school safety and $7.5 million in community violence prevention and reduction grants awarded.

Superintendent Edward DiSabato said he is proud to announce the district was selected to receive School Safety and Security Grant funding in the amount of $293,309 from the PCCD.

The funding will be used to provide financial support needed to employ a school resource officer, enhance ongoing social work services and make numerous security upgrades to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.

In Bucks County, grants received - total of just over $1 million in state school security grants.

Thirteen school districts from Bucks County and four from Eastern Montgomery County were recently among the recipients of school safety grants from the state.

In all, 524 school entities across the state received $53.7 million in grants that can be used for hiring school security officers to implement violence prevention curricula through funds distributed by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Awardees included school districts, intermediate units, area vocational-technical schools, charter schools and private rehabilitative institutions, officials said.

In Bucks, just over $1 million was distributed to the following districts:

Bensalem: $45,000 for conflict resolution or dispute management; positive behavior support; violence prevention program development; security planning and security-related technology purchases; staff training programs for positive behavior; and trauma-informed approaches to education.

Bristol Borough: $77,665 for positive behavior support; school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards planning; security planning and security-related technology purchases; specialized staff and student training programs; and funding for school resource and police officer training.

Bristol Township: $45,000 for school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards planning.

Centennial: $45,000 for risk assessment, safety-related, violence prevention curriculum; training on risk assessment factors; staff training programs for positive behavior; funding for guidance counselor training; administration of evidence-based screenings for adverse childhood experiences; and trauma-informed approaches to education.

Central Bucks: $45,000 for safety and security assessments; positive behavior support; and funding for school resource and police officer training.

Council Rock: $465,750 for funding for guidance counselor training.

Morrisville: $30,000 for safety and security assessments; risk assessment, safety-related, violence prevention curriculum; security planning and security-related technology purchases; and funding for school resource and police officer training.

Neshaminy: $45,000 for safety and security assessments; risk assessment, safety-related, violence prevention curriculum; school safety, violence prevention, emergency preparedness and all-hazards planning; and security planning and security-related technology purchases.

New Hope-Solebury: $35,000 for security planning and security-related technology purchases.

Palisades: $35,000 for positive behavior support; peer helper programs; specialized staff and student training programs; counseling services for students; staff training programs for positive behavior; and trauma-informed approaches to education.

Pennridge: $45,000 for emergency preparedness and all-hazards planning; and security planning and security-related technology purchases.

Quakertown: $45,000 for school-based diversion programs; classroom management; student discipline management; and 12 other programs.

Montgomery County’s 24 districts received $3.14 million with four Eastern Montgomery districts getting just over $1 million, including:

Hatboro-Horsham: $45,000 for security planning and security-related technology purchases.

North Penn: $45,000 for conflict resolution or dispute management; positive behavior support; security planning and security-related technology purchases; and funding for school resource and police officer training.

Souderton: $460,437 for security planning and security-related technology purchases; funding for guidance counselor training; and trauma-informed approaches to education.

Kiski Area, Burrell school districts collectively awarded $83,500 for school security

The Kiski Area School District and the Burrell School District collectively were awarded $83,500 in state Department of Education Safe School Target Grants.

The districts are among others throughout the state receiving a total of $7.2 million in competitive 2019-2020 Safe Schools grants. The money, awarded through the education department’s Office for Safe Schools, is intended to to prevent and reduce acts of violence by offsetting costs of school resource or police officers, equipment or programs related to school safety.

Allegheny Township was awarded $60,000 to pay for a school resource officer in the Kiski Area School District.

The Department of Education awarded Burrell School District about $23,500 for security-related equipment. The grants are typically used for security planning and buying security equipment such as metal detectors, protective lighting, surveillance equipment, deadbolts and theft control devices and security technology equipment.

State lawmakers established the competitive grant program in the wake of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in Parkland, Fla. The mass shooting caused Pennsylvania schools to compete for grants to pay for school safety programs.

PDE’s Office for Safe Schools offers four types of safety grants: equipment grants of up to $25,000; program grants of up to $20,000; school police officer grants of up to $40,000, and school resource officer grants of up to $60,000.

Cambria and Somerset counties, Local schools awarded safety grants.

Eight public and non-public schools in Cambria and Somerset counties were awarded a total of $260,939 in school safety grants Oct. 17 from the state Department of Education’s 2019-2020 Safe Schools Targeted Grants program.

Schools can apply for equipment, program, school police officer and school resource officer grants to purchase safety and security-related equipment, prevent and reduce violent incidents, and to provide for the training and compensation of school resource and police officers. The funds are to help schools reduce unnecessary student disciplinary actions, promote an environment of greater productivity, safety and learning, and enhance anti-violence efforts among schools and parents, local governments, law enforcement and community organizations.

Equipment grants, Cambria County: Ferndale Area High School, $24,800; Westmont Hilltop, $24,610; Divine Mercy Catholic Academy, $24,000; Bishop McCort Catholic High School, $22,753; and All Saints Catholic School in Cresson, $20,000.

Equipment grants, Somerset County: Conemaugh Township Area High School, $25,000; Windber Area High School, $22,558; and Johnstown Christian School, $17,970. All Saints Catholic School also received a $20,000 grant and Windber high school received a $59,248 school resource officer grant.

Security grants for faith-based institutions, nonprofits signed into law.

HARRISBURG – Governor Wolf has signed into law bipartisan legislation to provide security grants to faith-based institutions and nonprofit organizations, according to Senator David G. Argall, who sponsored similar legislation earlier this year.

House Bill 859 would make grants available to faith-based institutions and nonprofits that serve individuals, groups, or institutions listed by the FBI as at risk for hate crime incidents. “Schools and other community institutions should be a safe place for every child and resident,” said Wolf. “I thank the bipartisan efforts that helped ensure safety and security funding was available for these nonprofit, community institutions where people gather and should have peace of mind.”

The program is similar to the School Safety Security Grant Program, which helps schools meet a variety of security needs. Argall introduced legislation this year to expand the program to nonpublic schools, after chairing ten statewide public hearings on the subject of school safety in 2018.

“We have made a lot of progress toward protecting our schools and providing a safer environment for young people, especially in the past two years,” Argall said. “This bill allows us to apply the same approach – and the same protections – to residents of our communities who suffer from the greatest risks of violence.”

Grant awards will range from $5,000 to $150,000. Faith-based institutions and nonprofits could utilize the grant dollars for a variety of security planning, equipment, and technology needs, including metal detectors, surveillance cameras, emergency communications equipment, electronic locksets, threat assessments, and building upgrades.

Safety measures for Upper Darby schools get update

UPPER DARBY — School safety was the dominate talking point for the Upper Darby School Board’s finance and operations committee Tuesday night as it updates district policies and security systems.

District Supervisor of Procurement Services Joe McGilvery updated the board and public about a $2.2 million school safety grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency that will be used for interior and exterior building surveillance cameras, access control to the secondary school buildings and a restorative safety practices program called Safer Saner.

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SC U.S. Attorney's Office announces over $83 million available to support school safety

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCIV) — Over $83 million in Department of Justice grants is available to help improve school security and protect students, teachers and faculty from threats of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney A. Lance Crick of South Carolina announced.

The funding is available through OJP, the federal government’s leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local and tribal jurisdictions. Its programs support a wide array of activities and services, including programs that are designed to increase school security and improve the reporting of threats.

6/28/22 - Memphis-Shelby County School Board approves $5.5M in safety, security upgrades

MEMPHIS, Tenn.– With mass shootings and active shooter incidents on the rise, the Memphis-Shelby County School Board approved $5.5 million in safety and security technology upgrades during Tuesday’s board meeting.

District documents say the multi-million dollar investment will go towards several security measures including upgrading cameras, card access, and alarm systems.

According to board reports, the current system is described as “unreliable and ineffective.”

The district said when it comes to the safety of students and staff there is no price tag.

Tennessee to Distribute $200 Million to County and City Governments Through Governor’s Local Support Grants

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)– Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Monday, April 6 that  $200 million in grants to be distributed to every county and city government across Tennessee for one-time, local expenses in fiscal year 2021.

“Capital maintenance, public safety and road projects don’t pause for disasters like the March tornadoes and the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gov. Lee. “This grant fund will ease the burden on local governments as they work to meet infrastructure and safety obligations.”

Funding is based on population as published by the US Census Bureau. Each county will receive at least $500,000, and each city or municipality will receive at least $30,000. The three Metro governments (Davidson, Moore and Trousdale) will receive one allocation, whichever is largest.

The application will be made available by April 30, 2020, and the funds will be made available after July 1, 2020.

Clarksville will receive $3,490,203 in funding and Montgomery County will receive $2,097,099.

Funds may be used for road projects, I.T. upgrades, capital maintenance, utility system upgrades, and public safety projects. Certain disaster-related expenses are also eligible for funding.

Funds will be available after July 1, 2020.

One-time expenses related to COVID-19 are eligible including supply and equipment purchase, cleaning, emergency food and shelter programs. Counties impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes including Benton, Carroll, Davidson, Gibson, Putnam, Smith, and Wilson counties may also use the funds for tornado relief efforts.

Additional information on the application and appropriation process is available here.

Here are the counties and cities in the coverage area and their eligible grants:

COUNTIES

ANDERSON – $1,093,102

BLEDSOE – $1,035,446

CLAY – $980,868

CUMBERLAND – $962,752

FENTRESS – $1,062,293

MORGAN – $1,088,365

OVERTON – $671,133

PICKETT – $539,410

PUTNAM – $1,111,411

RHEA – $756,249

ROANE – $912,089

WHITE – $710,209

CITIES

Allardt – $43,727

Byrdstown – $47,611

Crab Orchard – $46,838

Crossville – $284,979

Harriman – $165,611

Jamestown – $73,254

Kingston – $158,549

Oakdale – $34,590

Oliver Springs – $105,386

Pikeville – $65,839

Pleasant Hill – $42,535

Rockwood – $150,317

Spring City – $71,158

Sunbright – $41,718

Wartburg – $49,840

Sumner County legislative delegation and grant funding

This year, members of the Sumner County legislative delegation — Rep. Johnny Garrett, Speaker Pro Tempore Ferrell Haile, and Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver — joined the entire General Assembly to enhance school safety for Tennessee children. All believe every child must attend a good, safe school. 

During the 2019 legislative session, we passed House Bill 947 as part of our ongoing efforts to improve school safety. This legislation makes a $40 million investment to secure our schools through funding that includes a new $30 million investment for the school safety grant fund. The measure also makes additional changes to existing law to prioritize the distribution of school resource officer (SRO) grants to help schools — especially in rural Tennessee communities — secure resource officers. 

Hamilton County schools getting just over $1 million in first two years of state school security program.

NASHVILLE — Hamilton County's public schools have received nearly $333,000 so far under a Tennessee school safety grant program created last year in the wake of a mass shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school.

And local officials anticipate getting another $668,510 during the current fiscal year that runs through June 30 as a result of the Safe School grant program, proposed by then-Gov. Bill Haslam and approved by state lawmakers in 2018.

Officials in Tennessee's 147 local school districts can use the safety funds to pay for school resource officers, surveillance technology and access controls aimed at better securing schools.

Hamilton County Department of Education spokesman Tim Hensley said the funds so far have been used locally "primarily for safety equipment."

Hensley said the school system has also used the funding to "purchase video entrance cameras and notification systems so that the office can identify visitors before they enter the school and video security cameras for school campuses."

6/30/22 - Extension of School Safety and Security Grant

TEA has extended the end date for the 2019-2021 School Safety and Security Grant Notice of Grant Award (NOGA). The new end grant end date is June 15, 2023. Grantees do not have to amend their applications to receive their revised NOGA. Revised NOGA certificates can be accessed, viewed, and printed using the Print NOGA button in the Expenditure Reporting (ER) system. The Print NOGA button is available when a NOGA ID is selected in the ER system. Total award amounts are posted at Eligible Applicants Funding Amounts. LEAs can review their total amount of funds remaining to be drawn down in the ER system.

Current grantees that have an open grant can continue to draw down funds and amend their grant applications. Refer to the TEA Grant Opportunities webpage for additional information and resources. Search “2019-2021 School Safety and Security Grant” in the Keyword(s) in Application Name section to find the associated grant documentation.

Senate Bill 500 (SB500) appropriated $100,000,000 to the Texas Education Agency to provide funding to public schools, including the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the School for the Deaf for:

1. exterior doors with push bars;
2. metal detectors at school entrances;
3. erected vehicle barriers;
4. security systems that monitor and record school entrances, exits, and hallways;
5. campus-wide active shooter alarm systems that are separate from fire alarms;
6. two-way radio systems;
7. perimeter security fencing;
8. bullet-resistant glass or film for school entrances; and
9. door-locking systems.

The grant funds must: 1) be used to meet the intent of this program as stated above; 2) be used for costs that are reasonable and necessary; and 3) meet an allowable activity.  Please email grants@tea.texas.gov with any questions or for additional guidance.

6/14/22 - Texas House speaker pitches spending more than $100 million for mental health, school safety programs

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan pitched redirecting more than $100 million in state funding to quickly boost mental health and school safety programs before school starts again next fall.

Phelan’s request includes an estimated:

• $37.5 million in additional yearly funding for the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine program, which provides telemedicine services for schools to help identify and assess children with behavioral needs and gives them access to mental health services. The state’s current yearly $25 million funding for the program serves 40% of the state.
• $10.5 million per year to create “pediatric crisis stabilization and response” teams across the state to give children and families access to crisis intervention. The teams can respond immediately to a mental health crisis and create a bridge to ongoing care, which can take pressure off the foster care system and hospital emergency rooms. Phelan wants to create six full teams and six half teams, which would have a startup cost of $3 million.
• $575,000 in yearly funding per team for “multisystemic therapy” teams, which offer intervention aimed at reducing the risk of violence. There are currently seven teams in the state, and 140 teams are required to meet the statewide need. Each team would also require a $100,000 cost for first-year training.
• $950,000 in yearly funding for two additional “coordinated specialty care” teams, including one in the Uvalde area, that treat youth experiencing a first episode of psychosis, which is linked with an increased likelihood of committing suicide if untreated.
• $30 million per year to expand the number of pediatric mental health beds in hospitals across the state.
• $7 million to provide all law enforcement cadets and active law enforcement officers research-based active-shooter training developed by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University.
• $7 million to ensure that the Texas School Safety Center at Texas State University can provide all school districts in the state training on active-shooter response and a review of their response plans for these attacks.
• $18.7 million for all of Texas’ public and charter schools to purchase panic alert technology, as legislatures in New Jersey and Florida have done.

REQUEST FOR APPLICATION 2019-2021 School Safety and Security Grant

Authorized by SB 500, Section 32, 86th Texas Legislature
Application Closing Date---5:00 p.m., Central Time
Application due date January 22, 2020

CLICK HERE for the APPLICATION

Governor Abbott announces over $296 Million in funding for public safety initiatives in Texas

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott Friday announced that his Public Safety Office (PSO) will administer more than $296 million in grant funding for a variety of programs and services in Texas to support a broad range of public safety initiatives. This grant funding is made possible through a combination of federal and state dollars.

“Nothing is more important than the safety and security of Texans, and this grant funding will strengthen our efforts to prevent and combat crime while also supporting victims and survivors,” said Governor Abbott. “Protecting public safety requires a comprehensive approach, and each of these recipients play an essential role in keeping our communities safe. Texas thanks the hundreds of award recipients for serving their fellow Texans and for working to build a safer and stronger Texas.”

A press release explains The Governor’s Public Safety Office administers numerous state and federal grant programs in coordination with state-level and regional partner agencies including the 24 regional Councils of Governments (COGs) in Texas and the Urban Area Working Groups (UAWGs) in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Houston, and San Antonio. Entities interested in seeking funds to support their public safety initiatives during the next grant cycle (FY 2022) should reach out to their local COG to learn about region specific timelines and requirements.  The PSO posts funding opportunity announcements containing program purposes, a description of allowable activities, timelines, and other requirements on the Office of the Governor’s eGrants website.

Tyler Pounds Regional Airport plans to use $1 million federal grant to upgrade antiquated security, surveillance tech

Security fencing at the Tyler Pounds Regional could soon receive updates to move the airport’s surveillance system into the 21st century thanks to funding from the Federal Aviation Administration.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced Monday the airport will receive over $1 million in federal funding for security enhancements.

The funding of $1,020,400 comes from the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program.

Brownsville ISD receives safety and security grant

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (KVEO) — The Brownsville Independent District received a $718, 468 safety and security grant from the Texas Education Agency.

The grant aims to help the district improve the safety and security measures of the district.

A press release states the funding will be distributed between the district’s police department and the facilities department.

Brownsville ISD police will be receiving $409,000, which will be used for barriers, security cameras and two-way radio systems. The district states the improvements will provide better communication with law enforcement agencies in Cameron County.

The Facilities Department will be receiving $309, 468. This funding will be used for fencing for Stillman Middle School and other campuses that need improvements, according to the release.

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this grant from the Texas Education Agency,” said Oscar Garcia, police chief of Brownsville Independent School District, in the release.

For more information, visit the Brownsville ISD website.

Texas State University To Receive $8.5M Federal Grant For Active Shooter Response Training

Texas State University will receive an $8,494,893 federal grant for the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center, to provide multi-disciplinary, scenario-based active shooter training to first responders, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced.

The funding comes through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services’ (COPS Office) Preparing for Active Shooter Situations (PASS) Program and was authorized through the Protecting Our Lives through Initiating COPS Expansion (POLICE) Act, which Sen. Cornyn authored and was signed into law on July 22, 2016.

“First responders risk their lives every day to ensure the safety of our families, friends, and neighbors, and they deserve the best possible training to do their jobs,” said Sen. Cornyn.  “Texas State’s ALERRT Program has proven to be highly successful in training first responders in Texas and across the nation to respond to active shooter situations and is leading the way in keeping those who protect us safe.”

McKinney ISD schools to receive nearly $400,000 in security enhancements

The Texas Education Agency has awarded nearly $400,000 to McKinney ISD to enhance the district’s safety and security measures.

The grant money, awarded in April, will bolster the district’s existing efforts to enhance safety at MISD schools, according to a MISD news release.

“Our first priority is always the safety of our students and staff members. Everything else comes after that,” said Cody Cunningham, chief communications and support services officer, in the release. “While we have great confidence in the safety and security program that we have in place, we always look for opportunities to enhance what we already do and routinely evaluate our practices to ensure that we have created the safest possible learning environment.”

MISD officials said the district plans to get started on safety upgrades using the grant funds, with a heavy emphasis on completing as much work as possible over the summer.

Using the TEA grant funds, the district will add about 140 security cameras across the district. There are already about 1,600 security cameras in place, according to the news release.

The district will also update its Aiphone entry system, which provides an initial security screen at every campus that allows employees to verbally and visually identify visitors before granting them access to the building, according to the news release.

Adding more lockdown buttons at each school is another feature for which the TEA grant funds will provide, the release said. Along with the buttons, the district will install additional alarm-activated, emergency strobe and sound devices at each campus. The security enhancements will include an upgraded, districtwide 24-hour intrusion alarm system that will send an alert if a door is left open.

The grant funds will also be used to upgrade MISD’s security camera server to help store and retrieve video files, the release said.

The district plans to finish these upgrades by this time next year, officials said.

Most North Texas School Districts Fail To Apply For Federal Money To Improve Safety

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – North Texas schools are missing out on millions in federal dollars to improve student safety.

After the 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Congress set aside $1 billion over ten years for school security. Millions have already been invested.

Yet, two years after the passage of the STOP School Violence Act, only four North Texas districts have received any of the money – Lake Worth ISD ($500,000), Weatherford ISD ($78,323), Duncanville ISD ($375,000), and Lovejoy ISD ($500,000 in 2018).

Less than 5% of North Texas school districts even applied.

Texas eGrants Funding Schedule

The Office of the Governor (OOG) may solicit applications for grants in the form of a Request for Applications (RFA) through the Secretary of State’s Texas Register. RFA notices serve to inform potential applicants of available funding opportunities. In addition to an RFA, OOG may solicit applications for grants in the form of a Request for Proposals (RFP). The chart below lists each funding opportunity along with the method used to solicit applications and the deadline for submitting applications through eGrants to OOG.

All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds and any modifications or additional requirements that may be imposed by law.  For a full list CLICK HERE.

Mission school district gets $367,000 security grant

MISSION — Schools in Mission last week received several hundred thousands of dollars in federal funding to tighten security within Mission CISD.

Awarded through the Department of Justice, the $367,374 grant from the COPS Office School Violence Prevention program will be used to improve security at schools throughout the district through evidence-based school safety programs.

Congressman Henry Cuellar presented the district with the grant at Escobar/Rios Elementary School on Monday.

“It is critical we do everything we can to ensure our schools are safe learning environments for all students,” Cuellar wrote in a statement. “By improving school security infrastructure and providing training to teachers, school administrators and law enforcement, we can prevent senseless and tragic violence in our community.”

At the presentation, Cuellar said that the funds should help the district prevent tragedies that have been seen elsewhere.

“These monies are to make sure that we have prevention and make sure that we prevent anything that we see in other places, because as a parent, we drop off a child, we put them in the hands of our educators at a school district, and we want to make sure that they’re safe,” he said. “Unfortunately, we don’t teach in a vacuum. Sometimes teachers have to be social workers, sometimes they have to be nurses, they have to be so many things at one time, and security is one of the other elements that have to be provided.”

Martin Castaneda, Mission CISD’s coordinator for safety and security, says that the money will be used primarily to purchase communications equipment.

“We’re hoping to apply to purchase a communication system, radios and emergency call buttons, to provide that on all of our campuses so we can have access to communicate with all of our first responders should an emergency arise,” he said.

Trent ISD applying for $25,000 grant to make campus safer

TRENT, Texas — Trent ISD is asking for the community to fill out a survey on how to spend a $25,000 grant to make their school's safer.

The survey asks you to rank the following items on a scale of 1 - 5:

• Metal detectors at school entrances
• Erected vehicle barriers
• Security systems that monitor and record school entrances, exits, and hallways
• Campus wide active shooter alarm systems that are separate from fire alarms
• Perimeter security fencing
• Door-locking systems

Provo school district furthers safety efforts with new position and grant allocation

The Provo City School District’s first safety, security and risk manager is one of its most familiar faces.  The district announced Feb. 13 that Stephen Oliverson, who has been the principal of Provost Elementary School for 17 years, has been appointed to the position, effective immediately.  In his new role, he’ll be overseeing how the district spends a $500,000 federal grant on school safety. Grant money will go toward funding security improvements at schools. 

Grand County School District receives safety and policing grant

The Grand County School District will soon be improving school safety measures, after receiving a federal grant to fund greater coordination with law enforcement, video surveillance advancements, and updated communication technology to connect staff, law enforcement and first responders.

In a statement, the school district reported that it was the only entity in Utah to receive the award from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community-Oriented Policing Services and the School Violence Prevention Program. The roughly $114,000 in funding will go primarily to video surveillance equipment and communication technology. Funding will also support local law enforcement training related to school safety.

Scott announces second round of school safety grants

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced that 69 public, private and independent schools across Vermont have been awarded funds to make safety improvements to school infrastructure. The $1.4 million school safety grant program will allow the schools to complete a total of 150 projects to better secure facilities.

Governor Scott and the Legislature approved the funds during the 2019 legislative session to allow eligible schools to plan for, and install, equipment to enhance building security. Priority was given to exterior and interior door locking mechanisms and public address systems to ensure all those in and outside school buildings can be informed of an emergency. Other improvements funded through these grants include security cameras, window shading and other projects.

For more information on school safety in Vermont, visit the Vermont School Safety Center website at www.schoolsafety.vermont.gov.

$1.4 million awarded to schools for safety upgrades

One school will be upgrading its alarm systems, another will use funds to make it harder to look in through the windows.

Several local schools were the recipients of state grants to be used for upgrading their safety features. Gov. Phil Scott announced the awards earlier this week.

All told, $1.4 million was awarded to 69 institutions, a mix of public, private, and independent.

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6/20/22 -Virginia school safety grant funding includes money for resource, security officers

Virginia is committing $6.8 million in grant funding to help local school systems hire school resource officers and school security officers.  The money is part of a $37.5 million criminal justice grant package announced on Friday by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, which also includes monies to support local victim witness programs, gun violence prevention programs, juvenile delinquency prevention programming and hospital-based violence prevention programming.  The school grants will support 86 SRO positions and 15 SSO positions for FY23 in school divisions throughout the Commonwealth.  Youngkin has proposed an additional $22.5M in both FY 23 and 24 to fund additional SRO and SSO positions in Virginia’s schools. Included in the governor’s proposed increase is language that waives the matching cash requirements for grant recipients in the first year of the four-year grant, further alleviating the burden on the localities to find matching funds for these grants which require a local match.

1/4/22 - Va. Department of Education Pledges Funding for More School Security

STATEWIDE — The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) announced that schools around the Commonwealth would receive $12 million in grants to help bolster security on campuses.

The funding comes from the School Security Equipment Grant, which was created by the 2013 Virginia General Assembly after the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

The grant will go to 583 schools in 93 school divisions based on schools that need updated security equipment, that have high numbers of offenses, and school divisions that are least able to afford upgrades.

Of the $12 million, Williamsburg-James City County Schools will receive $81,383. The funds will go towards equipment such as, video monitoring systems, voice and video internal communication systems, school bus interior cameras, mass notification systems, visitor-identification systems, access control systems, two-way radios and security vestibules.

Local divisions awarded grants are as follows:

• Bedford County — $166,410 for Goodview Elementary, Huddleston Elementary, Moneta Elementary, Staunton River High, Staunton River Middle, Stewartsville Elementary, Bedford Elementary, Bedford Primary, Big Island Elementary, Boonsboro Elementary, Forest Elementary, Jefferson Forest High, Liberty High, New London Academy Elementary and Otter River Elementary.
• Franklin County — $28,720 for Burnt Chimney Elementary, Dudley Elementary, Franklin County High, Benjamin Franklin Middle, Boones Mill Elementary, Callaway Elementary, Ferrum Elementary, Henry Elementary and Rocky Mount Elementary.
• Pittsylvania County — $250,000 for Brosville Elementary, Chatham Middle, John L. Hurt Elementary and Mount Airy Elementary.

PWCS Receives VDOE Grant for School Safety

Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) received $195,619 as part of the Virginia Department of Education’s (VDOE) state School Security Equipment Grants. The VDOE press release states that the grant money will go toward the purchase of, “video monitoring systems, voice and video internal communications systems, school bus interior cameras, mass notifications systems, visitor-identification systems, access control systems, two-way radios, security vestibules, and other security upgrades.”

The schools selected by the VDOE for the grant this year are Bel Air, Coles, Occoquan, Potomac View and Rockledge Elementary Schools. The criteria for the awards were developed by the VDOE in conjunction with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Schools with the most need for modern security equipment were given priority, among other criteria such as schools identified with a need for equipment by audits on school security, or schools identified that need assistance to make security upgrades.

This year, the program expanded to include funding for school bus security equipment. The 2019 Appropriation Act doubled the amount of funding for the program from $6 to $12 million. The same legislation also increased the maximum amount a school division could receive from $100,000 to $250,000, allowing needed resources to be allocated to more schools.

Supervisors allocate $441K to school division's capital improvement fund

The Nelson County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation of more than $441,000 to the county’s school system for capital improvement projects and planning.

According to county documents, the Nelson County School Board will work to complete already-identified projects that have been submitted to supervisors. While the school board has yet to formally commit funds to any project in particular, those involving safety are high on the list of priorities.

One example of this would be a required local match for the division’s 2020 School Equipment Security Grant award from the Virginia Department of Education (below).  In December, the Virginia Department of Education allocated about $12 million in funding to school divisions across the commonwealth for various amounts to be used for school security upgrades. Nelson County, despite its relatively small size, was one of nine divisions to receive the maximum available funding of $250,000 and is required to pay a local match of 25%.

Virginia Dept. of Education announces $12 million in funding for school security equipment

RICHMOND, Va. (WDVM) — The Virginia Department of Education announced $12 million in state school security equipment grants today. The department says the grants will fund 489 schools in 102 school divisions for systems to protect students, faculty and visitors.

The grants will fund security programs such as video monitoring systems, school bus interior cameras, mass notification systems, visitor-identification systems and other security upgrades.

“This year, we have doubled the amount of assistance available to help Virginia school divisions protect our students and the educators, administrators, and staff dedicated to preparing them for success,” Governor Northam said. “We remain focused on supporting students and their families in navigating the pandemic and preparing for in-person learning to resume, which includes ensuring that our schools have all the necessary technology, equipment, and systems to keep everyone safe and to respond to emergencies.”

The maximum award per school division was also increased from $100,000 to $250,000 by the General Assembly last year, a move proposed by the governor.

Nelson among school divisions awarded security equipment grants

The Virginia Department of Education announced Dec. 4 about $12 million in school security equipment grants to further protect students, faculty and visitors across 102 school divisions, including allocations to Lynchburg-area systems.

According to a news release from VDOE, the grants will pay for video monitoring systems, voice and video internal communications systems, school bus interior cameras, mass notification systems, visitor-identification systems, access control systems, two-way radios and security vestibules among other safety upgrades.

Nelson County Public Schools received the maximum amount of $250,000 and across the county line, Amherst County Public Schools was allocated more than $160,000. Other Lynchburg-area divisions received:

$173,200 in Appomattox County,
$97,280 in Bedford County,
$175,275 in Campbell County, and
$132,320 in Lynchburg.

Despite its relatively small size, with two elementary schools and a joint complex that houses the county’s only middle and high school, Nelson County Public Schools was one of only nine divisions across the commonwealth to receive the maximum amount of $250,000.

The School Security Equipment Grants program was established by the General Assembly in 2013 in the aftermath of the December 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.

Most school divisions are required to pay a local match of 25%.

Grant funding for emergency preparedness and security projects

RICHMOND, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- Localities across Virginia are getting grant funding to enhance emergency preparedness and security.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management announced more than $10 million in Homeland Security Grant Awards on Wednesday.

According to a release, the VDEM coordinated an annual stakeholder-driven review process to allocate and administer these funds to support an array of emergency preparedness and security operations, equipment replacement, training, planning, and exercise programs by local governments.

12/30/21 - Puyallup schools gets federal money for security upgrades. Voters must approve the rest

The U.S. Department of Justice recently awarded grants to multiple agencies across the nation under the STOP School Violence Act, and it includes one school district in Pierce County. The Puyallup School District received $473,062 from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Puyallup is the only recipient from Washington state. There were over 150 recipients. The Department of Justice announced on Dec. 23 it distributed a total of about $126 million, according to the DOJ press release.

New Bellevue School District bond to fund school rebuilds, renovations and security

The Bellevue School District (BSD) is asking the community for continued support.

The Bellevue community has supported students and schools by rebuilding and remodeling school facilities since 2002, the district said.

BSD is floating a capital bond in the Feb. 11 election to address needs in the areas of aging schools, improving safety, and adding classroom space to accommodate the district’s continued growth.

The capital bond will add security vestibules to eight schools that currently do not have them. Security vestibules make visitors enter the vestibule before entering the main school area and require them to enter the office to check-in before gaining access to the rest of the building.

Mayor Bowser Announces Security Grant Funds Available for District Nonprofits and Houses of Worship

(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that nonprofit organizations in the District of Columbia are eligible to apply for federal grant money to support efforts for target hardening, planning, training, and other security-related activities at their facilities. The grants are managed through the District of Columbia’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA) as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).

Upshur County Schools to improve school safety with Department of Justice grant

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has provided nearly $150,000 to improve school safety across Upshur County.

The grant comes through the DOJ’s School Violence Prevention Program and will go toward adding an upgraded phone system, allowing staff to respond to emergencies faster. That’s a goal that’s more meaningful when school officials see data from around the country.

“FBI data suggests that incidents like an active assailant or active shooter incident are typically over in five to six minutes, so we need to be able to get a notification out as quickly as possible,” said Jeffery Harvey, director of safety and emergency preparedness.

The grant program is part of the DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

West Virginia Establishes a designated fund

West Virginia’s B. 632 establishes the Safe Schools Fund to provide funding to county boards of education for a variety of school safety improvements, including physical upgrades to facilities and the hiring of school resource officers.

1/5/22 - Beloit schools receive nearly $300K grant from DOJ for security upgrades

BELOIT, Wis. – The School District of Beloit received nearly $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice to fund security improvements.

Officials announced the grant, worth $289,394, on Wednesday. The award is part of the DOJ’s Community Oriented Policing Services Office School Violence Prevention Program and is designed to give funding for improved security on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs.

Wisconsin Justice Department finishes school safety grant program

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Justice Department has finished handing out $100 million in grants to bolster school safety.

Former Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill in 2018 that established the Office of School Safety within the Justice Department and provided $100 million for the grants.

Justice Department officials said Thursday the money has gone to upgrade school security systems, train police and educators in understanding adolescent mental health, train school resource officers, create a confidential threat reporting tip line and a threat assessment study with the University of Wisconsin and 40 schools around the state.

Southern Door County School District receives safety grant of $156,853

DOOR COUNTY (WLUK)-- The Southern Door County School District announced on Saturday that it received a Grant of $156,853 from the Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office).

The COPS Office announced the decision on Thursday. Southern Door County School District is one of 160 schools nationwide and six schools in the state to receive this funding through the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).

The grant will be used to enhance safety measures as well as safety equipment, “Grant funds will be used to purchase classroom evacuation and lockdown to-go kits; additional video surveillance cameras on buses, facility door alarms, facility mapping software, a digital intercom system, and advanced safety training for District staff and its school resource officer. The District’s EPCOT (Emergency Planning Collaborative Operations Team) which consists of District staff and community representatives from the Sheriff’s Office, Emergency Management, B.U.G. and Southern Door Fire Departments, Emergency Responders, and Door County Medical Center helped to identify the safety needs to be addressed.” said Superintendent Patti Vickman.


The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide almost $50 million to states, units of local government, Indian Tribes, and public agencies such as school districts and law enforcement to improve security at schools, according to Southern Door County School District.

Students, staff, parents form front line in school safety

The school district has spent years upgrading security at its buildings.

About $6 million was earmarked for building improvements, including secure entrances and dual-entry systems, as part of the successful 2016 referendum.

The district also received $421,287 through a state School Safety Grant following the Wisconsin Legislature’s passage of Act 143, which created the Office of School Safety in 2017. The money went toward physical upgrades like improved communications systems, security cameras and panic lockdown buttons, as well as staff training for lockdown procedures, trauma-informed schools and adolescent mental health, said Bobby Matherly, the school district's director of building and grounds. 

School Safety Grant upgrades, round one and two: $421,287 total

• Security film at entryways. Window film makes it more difficult for intruders to break the glass to gain entry, buying valuable time for first responders to arrive.
• ALICE training for staff.
• Emergency responder VHF radio repeaters. Improved communications for first responders when they are inside district buildings.
• Panic lockdown buttons. Administrative offices at each school can press a button to lock all doors so only key personnel and emergency responders can access the building.
• Security camera system monitors. Larger, higher quality monitors at the front desk area of each building enable staff to see live footage of multiple security cameras at the same time.
• Adolescent mental health training for staff.
• Centralized DVR server to store camera footage for at least 30 days.
• Trauma-Informed Schools training for staff.

4/8/22 - Wyoming communities can now apply for the 2022 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) grant from the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security.

The SHSP grant is 100 percent federally funded and provides funding to eligible applicants based on Wyoming’s homeland security strategies and priorities. State, local, tribal governments, and other special districts are eligible to apply for funding. At least 30 percent of the combined SHSP funds allocated must be dedicated toward law enforcement terrorism prevention activities. The state must pass through 80 percent of the grant allocation to local entities.

The SHSP provides grants to support the implementation of risk-driven, capabilities-based state homeland security strategies to address capability gaps and sustain existing capabilities.

The priority areas defined within the grant this year include enhancing cybersecurity, enhancing information and intelligence sharing, security of soft targets/crowded places, combating domestic violent extremism, community preparedness and resilience, and election security. The SHSP provides funds to assist state, local and tribal efforts to build, sustain and deliver the capabilities necessary to prepare and respond to acts of terrorism. The fiscal year 2022 SHSP grant award for Wyoming is anticipated to be similar to 2021’s allocation of approximately $4.5 million.

These grant awards are preliminary figures and are subject to change. The deadline for grant applications is May 6, 2022. For more information about this grant and for updates on the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, visit the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security website at hls.wyo.gov.

NCSD WANTS THE LEGISLATURE TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming School Board Association backs a resolution proposed by the Natrona County School District to provide additional funding to improve school safety.

The resolution asks the Legislature for funding to provide “increased access to school safety measures, including, but not limited to, School Resource Officers (SROs), school safety infrastructure, and other security measures designed to protect students and staff from an active shooter on school grounds.”

It also asks for funding that would go toward school employee training and coordination with law enforcement and first responders “to ensure appropriate responses to incidents of violence in schools.”

That rationale behind the resolution calls violence across the country “epidemic.”