CENTEGIX® | EDUCATION
Funding Sources for School Safety Solutions
CENTEGIX School Safety Funding Guide
Download our School Safety Funding Guide to find various federal and state funding sources to purchase school safety solutions to help protect your students and staff.
Funding & Grant Programs
COPS School Violence Prevention Program
Now open, up to $73 million in federal funding is available through the FY26 COPS School Violence Prevention Program to help schools strengthen critical security technology and safety measures.
CENTEGIX and other school safety technology providers help law enforcement agencies apply for awards of up to $500,000 to support school security improvements, which are used to protect K-12 campuses and support safer daily operations.
FY26 Grant Highlights
Up to $500,000 is available per applicant, with a $250,000 minimum for approved recipients. Funds can be used to deploy notification and detection-compatible school safety technology and integrations.
Application Deadlines:
Grants.gov: August 4, 2026 | JustGrants: August 11, 2026.
Whether you're applying for the first time or building on previous safety initiatives, we're here to help you develop your application. The School Violence Prevention Program provides funding for the following school safety measures for K-12 schools:
- Coordination with law enforcement
- Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent violence
- Metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures
- Technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during school emergencies
- Any other measure that the COPS Office determines may provide a significant safety improvement
BJA STOP School Violence Grant Program
Applications for the FY25 BJA STOP Program are now open, with $83 million available nationwide and deadlines of October 31, 2025 (Grants.gov) and November 19, 2025 (JustGrants).
The US Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) administers the STOP School Violence Grant Program. Initiated in 2018, this program aims to improve school security by giving students and staff the tools they need to recognize, respond to, and report acts of violence. Funding supports threat assessment, protocols, and crisis intervention tools that strengthen the safety and security of school infrastructure.
Eligible applicants include:
- State and local governments, including city, township, and county governments
- Independent school districts
- Tribal governments
- Specific nonprofit organizations
- Private, public, and state-controlled higher education institutions
- Units of local government
Eligible projects include:
- Development and operation of anonymous reporting technology. These include hotlines, websites, digital apps, and other means by which threats of school violence can be reported.
- Development and operation of a school threat assessment as well as convening a multidisciplinary team of multiple stakeholders to create an evidence-based assessment.
- Specialized training for school officials in responding to mental health crises and staff training on topics including bullying, social-emotional learning, and suicide prevention.
- Training for school personnel and students to prevent student violence against others and self.
- Hiring support personnel whose expertise directly supports school violence prevention.
- Any other measure the BJA determines may provide a significant security improvement.
Higher education institutions may apply, but STOP funds cannot be used for safety projects on college or university campuses—only for initiatives that support K-12 schools or students.
Title & IDEA Funds
Title I, Part A
Title I, Part A’s purpose is to provide all children with a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps. Title I, Part A provides federal funding resources to schools with high numbers or high percentages of students from low-income families. The grant supports schools to ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.
Schoolwide Program (SWP) schools may use the funds for school safety if aligned with the school’s comprehensive plan. Schools must conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and develop a schoolwide plan aligned with Title I goals to include school safety.
Title IV, Part A
The Every Student Succeeds Act includes Title IV, Part A. These funds increase the capacity of states and local education agencies to provide all students with a well-rounded education, improve learning conditions in schools, and invest in technology to enhance academic achievement and digital literacy. A minimum of 20% of Title IV, Part A funds must be spent on school safety, student health, or other initiatives that fall under the “Safe and Healthy Students” category. Title II, Part A funding can be transferred into Title IV, Part A, allowing those funds to be used for school safety.
IDEA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) supports early intervention and special education services for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. The CENTEGIX Safety Platform® aligns with the goals of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by providing technology that enhances emergency preparedness and response for students with disabilities.
The Safety Platform supports IEP implementation by enabling immediate, accessible communication during behavioral or medical incidents, ensuring that students with disabilities receive timely, appropriate support. These inclusive safety measures benefit the broader school population while fulfilling IDEA’s commitment to equitable, supportive learning environments.
Nonprofit Security Grant Program
Administered by FEMA to enhance the physical security of nonprofit organizations at high risk of terrorist attacks or extremist violence. Funds can be used for physical security enhancements. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and those described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, particularly those considered high-risk. Public schools are not eligible. Nonprofits must apply through their State Administrative Agency (SAA) and cannot apply directly to FEMA.
State Homeland Security Grant Program
Administered by FEMA, the SHSP is part of the broader Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). It provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to enhance their ability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks and other emergencies. You must apply through your State Administrative Agency (SAA) and cannot apply directly to FEMA. Not all states permit schools to apply, so check with your SAA for more details. Funds are allocated based on risk assessments and the effectiveness of proposed initiatives. Key focus areas include:
- Planning: Developing emergency operations plans and protocols.
- Equipment acquisition: Procuring necessary equipment to support emergency preparedness and response.
- Training and exercises: Conducting training programs and simulation exercises for emergency personnel.
OJJDP Enhancing School Capacity to Address Youth Violence Grant
The Office of Justice and Juvenile Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) will fund the Enhancing School Capacity to Address Youth Violence grant program. This program supports targeted, evidence-based prevention and intervention programs to address youth violence in schools. The program’s goals are to reduce the incidence of school violence through improved school safety and climate and to prevent youth violence, delinquency, and victimization in the targeted community.
FEMA Targeted Violence & Terrorism Prevention
Administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the TVTP Grant Program funds evidence-based approaches to prevent acts of targeted violence in communities, including schools. This program supports K-12 schools working with community partners to develop proactive strategies that reduce the risk of school-based violence.
Eligible uses include:
- Behavioral threat assessment training and implementation
- Development of multidisciplinary intervention teams
- Community engagement and education on violence prevention
- Technology that facilitates early detection and rapid response to threats
TVTP grants are designed to supplement existing school safety efforts by focusing on early intervention and long-term violence prevention strategies.
Stronger Connections Grant Program
The 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) provides historic funding to support state and local education agencies and schools to establish safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments. The BCSA expands vital mental health services and provides support for states and districts to design and enhance initiatives that will promote safer, more inclusive, and positive school environments for all students, educators, and school staff.
The Stronger Connections Grant Program is one component of the BSCA. This program seeks to capitalize on the strength of local communities and leaders to improve schools’ climates and student achievement. The Stronger Connections Grant Program utilizes a portion of the $1 billion in BSCA funding for state education agencies (SEAs) to competitively award subgrants to high-need local education agencies (LEAs). The program seeks to award LEAs that employ evidence-based approaches to create comprehensive plans for creating safe, supportive, and healthy schools. As such, security measures, wellness initiatives, safety planning, and associated training may all be eligible for funding.
Initiatives that may receive funding include:
- Safety improvements and corresponding safety plans and strategies
- Efforts to support a positive school culture and climate, including positive behavioral interventions and student wellness support
- Programs to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate
- Programs to support staff well-being
- Training to improve trauma-informed practices
- Efforts to support a positive school culture and climate, including positive behavioral interventions and student wellness support
- Programs to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate
- Programs to support staff well-being
- Training to improve trauma-informed practices
The Stronger Connections Grant Program mandates that SEAs and LEAs engage community members and local partners to identify areas for which they will seek funding. Because the program aims to assist schools and students most in need of services, LEAs applying for funding should seek input from a diverse set of community members and from communities that face systemic barriers.
Appropriations Requests (Community Project Funding)
School districts and other local government entities can request direct federal funding for safety and security initiatives – such as panic alert systems – through their U.S. Senators or Representatives. These requests are not competitive grants but earmarked funds added to the federal budget to support critical local priorities. Requests are typically submitted in early spring, so early planning and outreach to congressional offices is essential. Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives to learn their specific submission process.
ESSER Funds
Federal COVID-19 relief funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) programs ended on January 31, 2025. Schools may no longer obligate or spend ESSER funds for new purchases.
Greenlights Grant Initiative
The Greenlights Grant Initiative is focused on raising awareness about school safety grants, equipping school districts with resources and tools for successful applications, and ensuring continuous and more equitable federal funding for school safety.
Grant writing services can be facilitated by the initiative for:
- High need, low-capacity districts (as identified by the Greenlights Grant Initiative).
- Have not applied for federal grants previously.
- Need grant writing support NOW.
- Factors used to identify these districts are high poverty rates, student-to-mental health professional ratio, school districts in which students have recently experienced a natural disaster or traumatic event, and geographic diversity.
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF
Schedule a funding consultation with our CENTEGIX team today.
Our team is ready to support you in creating a culture of safety at your organization. To explore funding options and receive tailored guidance, contact your grant coordinator or fill out our form and we will get back to you.