Navigating the landscape of school security grants can be complex, and understanding the available state and federal funding opportunities is crucial for enhancing school safety. State grants, managed by various state departments, offer essential funding. Checking state websites regularly can provide valuable insights into the application process.
Similarly, federal grants from agencies like the Department of Education and Department of Justice are accessible through Grants.gov, offering alerts for new opportunities. Ensuring your readiness to apply, with a solid security plan and clear objectives, will position your school to successfully secure these competitive funds.
State Grants
The first place to look, if not already pre-emptively alerted by your state, are state websites of those organizations that oversee and manage school security grants. Each state is different, so in one state the Department of Education may oversee school security grants and in another it may be the Department of Public Safety.
States will publish a Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) which outlines who is eligible for the grant, funding amounts you can ask for, what the grant will pay for, and when the grant must be submitted (deadline). Grants are always opening and closing so it is a good idea to check the state websites often for updates.
It is always a good idea to contact the state organization that oversees the school security grant to ask any questions that you may have and for opportunities to attend webinars they may hold that provide more information and help guide you through the application process.
Each state accepts grants applications differently, using different grant portal applications. These portal applications provide registered users with current state funding opportunities and indicate if an opportunity is open or closed. Each state will have their own application timeline and process. Be sure to register with your state and contact them directly to resolve any registration issues.
Federal Grants
Start with a tour of the website for federal grants found here: Grants.Gov - You can create an account so that you are alerted every time a federal grant that may provide funding for school security opens for application. The two top federal agencies from which to receive those alerts would be the Department of Education and Department of Justice. You can also search using keywords such as “school safety”, “school security”, “physical security”.
Federal grants, like state grants, are usually not open for application for long periods of time. Sometimes as little as 30 days up to a maximum of 60 days is all the time you will have to submit a complete application with all required documentation.
Are You Grant Ready?
Competitive grant applications and funding requests usually exceed funding availability. This is why it is imperative that those who want to pursue grant funding for Verkada products and services be “grant ready” to meet the merit criteria for the funding opportunity.
How can you get ready? The best practice for grant readiness is to plan for it. Can you answer these questions? If so, then you are in a better position to be competitive and to apply.
- Is your security plan in place and in accordance with any state requirements?
- Do you have clear project goals and objectives?
- Is your project in alignment with funder priorities/goals?
- Can you validate a strong budgeting and financial planning capacity and history?
- Do you have evaluation strategies to report impact/progress and sustainability strategies to keep the project/program going once grant funding is exhausted?
- Is there supporting data and evidence to articulate the need for funding your project?
- Do you have any match required from approved sources?
- If awarded, do you have the capacity to manage the grant post-award?
Grant applications for funding from the federal or state government are complex with many requirements that must be met to be a competitive application. School security funding is no exception. Read our comprehensive guide on school grant funding for more tips and recommendations.
Available Grants
The Department of Justice COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a federal grant that is open for applications in 2024. It allows the funding to be used to purchase Verkada school security products.
This is a highly competitive grant that provides funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds. SVPP provides funding directly to states, units of local government, and public agencies like school districts, public boards of education, police departments, and sheriff departments.
Up to $73 million in funding is available for FY24 SVPP. Each award is three years (36 months) in duration for a maximum federal share of $500,000 per award. There is a local cash match (cost share) requirement of at least 25 percent. Eligible uses of the grant funds include the purchase and installation of the following:
- Security cameras and/or systems (and accompanying equipment)
- Entry Control Equipment
- Door locking mechanisms/access control doors
- School site alarm and protection systems
- Communication technology
- Panic and immediate alarm notification systems
- Emergency alerts—Automated text messages or email
Grant applications are due in two parts, June 11 and June 17, 2024. The Department of Justice SVPP website provides all relevant documents for this grant program including a fact sheet, application guidance, application forms, etc. And you can view the FY23 awardees here https://cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/2023AwardDocs/svpp/Award_List.pdf