The US Department of Justice is offering up to a total of $53,000,000 in grants for School Violence Prevention.
This School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grant is offering a ceiling grant of up to $500,000 per recipient and requires a 25% match in local cash contributions. Its purpose is to support efforts to improve K-12 schools in the following:
- Acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification to law enforcement during an emergency
- Placement and use of video surveillance, mass communication technology, public address systems, access control systems, intrusion detection, and other deterrent measures
- Coordination with local law enforcement
- Training for law enforcement officers to prevent school violence
— ALL GRANT APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY June 14, 2022! —
If your school district is located in the greater DFW metroplex, click here to reach a Communication Concepts consultant to help expedite the grant process and secure funding.
More Program Details
The goal of the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is to improve security at schools and on school grounds through the implementation of evidence-based school safety programs and technology. SVPP awards will contribute to this goal by funding projects which include funding of civilian personnel to serve as coordinators with local law enforcement, training for local law enforcement officers, purchase and installation of certain allowable equipment and technology, and other measures to significantly improve school security. Anticipated outcomes of SVPP awards include: improved information sharing with local law enforcement; increased interaction and improved communications between law enforcement and school officials; reduced notification times to law enforcement; improved response time to threats and events; accurate identification of danger (without resort to discriminatory stereotypes or violating privacy) and follow-up; increased knowledge of and use of community policing principles; and increased school safety and sustainability planning efforts. For the purposes of this program, a school is defined as an elementary or secondary school, including a Bureau-funded school (as defined in section 2021 of title 25).
As a condition of funding, if awarded, recipients must conduct comprehensive school safety assessments during the grant award period for all schools involved in the project. These assessments must inform the measures necessary to improve school safety and ensure a safe and positive learning environment for students. See Federal Award Administration Section for more information.
Applicants must ensure that the project being proposed meets the purposes of COPS Office funding under this statute (see Statutory Authority). The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Program (OJJDP) also provide grants under STOP Act funding. Those programs fund different purpose areas and project types from COPS funding.
The following school safety measures are considered out of scope for the COPS SVPP program, but may be eligible for funding under the BJA STOP School Violence program solicitation, https://bja.ojp.gov/program/stop-school-violence-program/overview, or the OJJDP FY 2022 Enhancing School Capacity to Address Youth Violence solicitation, https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/
- Train school personnel and educate students on preventing student violence against others and themselves.
- Develop and operate technology solutions, such as anonymous reporting systems for threats of school violence, including mobile telephone applications, hotlines, and internet websites.
- Develop and operate:
- School threat assessment and intervention teams that may include coordination with law enforcement agencies and school personnel
- Specialized training for school officials in responding to mental health crises
- Support any other measure that, in the determination of the BJA Director, may provide a significant improvement in training, threat assessments and reporting, and violence prevention.
The COPS Office is committed to advancing work that promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthens community safety and protects the public from crime and evolving threats, and builds trust between law enforcement and the community.
This is a competitive, discretionary program.
Visit grants.gov for all grant details and to directly apply.
