Federal State & Private Funding Sources
School Safety and Security
FEDERAL SOURCES:
ESSER - ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND
The stimulus bill that passed in late March, known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES Act, earmarks $30.7 billion under an Education Stabilization Fund for states to spend on education. The law lists 12 allowable uses of the $13.2 billion in the package’s K-12 relief fund, and of those,
two are applicable to the G2 Secure Suite of Safety and Security Solutions:
- Providing principals and others school leaders with the resources necessary to address the needs of their individual schools.
- Developing and implementing procedures and systems to improve the preparedness and response efforts of local educational agencies.
E-RATE PROGRAM
E-Rate funding can help K-12 schools digitize and deliver customized anytime, anywhere learning and rich online experiences.
- The FCC started E-rate to help schools and libraries provide affordable broadband access. The program offers 20-85% discounts on technology purchases—the specific rate is determined by each district’s poverty level and rurality.
- E-rate funding is available in two categories: Category One (C1): Data transmission and Internet services and Category Two (C2): Internal connection such as switches, routers, wireless, basic firewalls
STUDENT, TEACHERS, AND OFFICERS PREVENTING (STOP) SCHOOL VIOLENCE PROGRAM
- Designed to improve school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond quickly to, and help prevent acts of violence.
- The Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services provides grants to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes.
- Award recipients must use evidence-based strategies and programs such as those identified by the National Institute of Justice’s Comprehensive School Safety Initiative.
Contact David Adams, Senior Policy Advisor, 202-514-5309, David.Adams@ojp.usdoj.gov
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROJECT SCHOOL EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE (SERV)
- Grants to fund short-term and long-term education-related services to help schools recover from violent or traumatic events in which learning environments have been disrupted.
- Funding appropriation changes from year to year; consult U.S. DOE SERV link above for specific information regarding future funding availability.
For more information, contact Hamed Y. Negron-Perez, Project.Serv@ed.gov, U.S. Department of Education OSHS/ OESE, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Rm. 3C130, LBJ, Washington, DC 20202, 202-453-6725.
RURAL AND LOW-INCOME SCHOOL PROGRAM (RLIS)
- Provides rural and low-income districts with funding to improve student achievement, including improving school safety.
- Annual awards issued to state education agencies, which make sub-grants to districts; Awards are made to all states that apply and meet the applicable requirements.
- Eligible districts: 20+% of students ages 5 through 17 must be from families below the poverty line; all schools must have designated school locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43.
For application information, contact David Cantrell, Ph.D., Office of School Support and Rural Programs, U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, 400 Maryland Ave. S.W., Washington, DC 20202-6400, 202-401-0039, reap@ed.gov, or contact your REAP Program State Coordinator.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY STATE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM (SHSP)
- Awards are made to states and territories, from which districts apply for funds
- Grants are awarded per fiscal year; consult DHS SHSP link above and state homeland security offices for future funding availability, eligibility requirements, and details.
- SHSP supports state, tribal, territorial, and local preparedness activities that address gaps in terrorism preparedness.
- Priority: Risk management for protection programs and activities, particularly in high-risk urban areas
STATE SOURCES:
Most state education departments offer school safety program grants, which often fund school safety technologies.
- 28 states with dedicated school safety funding: AL, AZ, AK, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, PA, TN, TX, VT, WI
Contact your individual state education agency for funding details, eligibility, and deadlines.
PRIVATE AND CORPORATE SOURCES:
Ongoing grant programs with varying eligibility requirements and application windows. Consult the links below for specific details.