HARRISBURG – Senator Michele Brooks announced today that a new round of funding is available for area schools and community groups to apply for $60 million in grants to help improve student safety and security and reduce community violence.
A total of $18.72 million will be distributed to all schools that submit a qualifying application, and an additional $33.78 million in grants will be awarded on a competitive basis.
Another $7.5 million will be awarded to improve community safety and reduce the risk of violence through projects that include mentoring and intervention for at-risk children and families; promoting communication between school entities and law enforcement; linking the community with local trauma support and behavioral health systems; and other programs designed to reduce community violence.
The deadline for applications is November 4th.
The School Safety and Security Grant Program was created by Senator Brooks and her fellow lawmakers last year to provide grants to school districts, area vocational-technical schools, charter schools and private residential rehabilitative institutions for individualized projects to improve school safety.
“It has always been my priority to provide flexibility to school districts so they could use funding in a way that best meet their own specific needs,” Brooks said. “Additionally, I wanted to ensure every school in my legislative district had access to this funding, and not just those in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Students in both the largest cities and the smallest hometowns need a safe and secure environment to learn, and these grants will help local schools make that happen.”
Grants can be used to hire school security officers, purchase security-related technology, complete safety and security assessments, implement violence prevention curricula, offer counseling services for students, and create other programs to protect students, staff and visitors.
The program was updated in June to include an emphasis on trauma-informed education and support services to help students who have experienced distressing events and life circumstances.
The grant program is administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).
The application period for grants is open now through November 4. More details about the program are available at the PCCD School Safety and Security webpage.
Contact: Diane M. McNaughton (717) 787-1322