Relevant Near Future Grant Opportunities
Updated December 2021
Please Note: Most of the information presented here are anticipated opportunities, and are subject to change or many not actually be released. The summaries provided in many anticipated cases are based on the last open round for this competition. It is possible that some of the information below will change when the new RFP is released.
Funding Opportunity: Funding for training and education to prevent school violence, development of systems to prevent school violence.
BJA STOP School Violence – Mental Health Training
General: Funds:
- Training to prevent student violence against others and self, including training for local law enforcement officers, school personnel, and students. This can also include specialized training for school officials to respond to mental health crises.
- The development and operation of anonymous reporting systems for threats of school violence, including mobile telephone applications, hotlines, and internet websites. Threat assessment and/or intervention teams must coordinate with law enforcement agencies and school personnel.
- The development and deployment of—
- School threat assessment and intervention teams that include coordination with law
enforcement agencies and school personnel
- Specialized training for school officials in responding to mental health crises
Eligibility: The grant has 4 categories, Category 1 and 2 are for states. School districts and units of local government are eligible for Category 3 and 4.
Funding: For schools and public agencies, approximately 80 awards up to $750,000.
Priorities: High-poverty areas
Expected Release Date: February-March 2022
For More Information: https://bja.ojp.gov/program/stop-school-violence-program/overview
Opportunity: Funding for school safety improvement.
School Violence Prevention Program
General: SVPP is designed to provide funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the grantee’s jurisdiction through evidence-based school safety programs. FY 2020 funding may be used for coordination with local law enforcement; training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence against others and self; placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and any other measure that, in the determination of the COPS Office Director, may provide a significant improvement in security.
Eligible Costs:
SVPP funding will provide up to 75% funding for the following school safety measures in and around K-12 schools and school grounds for the following activities:
- Coordination with local law enforcement
- Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and self
- Placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures
- Acquisition and installation of technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency
- Any other measure that, in the determination of the COPS Office Director, may provide a significant improvement in security
The following are the eligible costs:
- Coordination—Civilian/Nonsworn Personnel (Salaries and Benefits). Please note that personnel hired under SVPP must function in a role directly related to the SVPP project (examples of allowable personnel may include project coordinators, project managers, technology managers, emergency management coordinators, or trainers).
- Equipment. Entry control equipment, school site alarm and protection systems.
- Technology. Communication technology, emergency alerts, identification technology, laptops, maps of schools and bus routes, printers, social media monitoring, tracking systems, and video surveillance technology.
- Supplies. Manuals, paper, pens, and postage.
- Travel/Training for law enforcement officers to prevent school violence.
- Contracts/Consultants.
- Subawards.
- Other costs. Allowable overtime, other office supplies not already listed, and shipping costs.
School Resource Officers is not an eligible cost.
Eligibility: The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) solicitation is open to all states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and their public agencies.
Funding: Up to $500,000 over the 3 year period. Expected awards nation-wide 150. Up to $50 million is available through this year’s COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).
There is a 25% local match for this grant.
Expected Release Date: March-May 2022
Project Duration: Three years
Recommendations: It is recommended school districts first consult with their local law enforcement agency and county mental health agency in regard to their interest. They will need to be either a partner or the lead agency. This is competitive but there is twice as much funding this year, so it is less competitive than last year.
For More Information: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp
Opportunity: Purchase food service equipment.
FY 2021 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grant for School Food Authorities (SFAs)
The School Food Service Equipment Grant is intended to provide schools the opportunity to purchase equipment that will allow the school to: serve healthier meals that meet the updated meal patterns, improve the overall quality of meals, improve efficiency of production and service and expand participation.
Eligibility: All schools under a School Food Authority (SFA) in the NSLP are eligible. The SFA will apply on behalf of their eligible schools.
Requirements: The SFA will submit a separate application for each piece of requested equipment for an eligible school.
Priorities/Bonus points:
- High Level of participation in the NLSP– 5 points
- 40% FRL or above – 5 points
- If the school hasn’t had a previous award – 10 points
Note: We (not NYSED) recommend you don’t apply unless you have at least 10 bonus points
Previous Food Service Equipment Grant Recipients
Funds Available: $1.8 million statewide, grants minimum is $1,000 and grant maximum is $20,000.
Expected Release Date: January – March 2022
Analysis: This is a simple application. If assistance is provided, it will still be up to the food service director to identify the equipment, get at least three (apples to apples) quotes, and provide the reason the equipment is needed.
For More Information: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2020-national-school-lunch-program/home.html
Opportunity: Funding for archiving records and establishing records management systems.
Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) Grants
General: Provides funds to help local governments establish records management programs or develop new program components.
Eligible Funding Costs:
- Records-lifecycle management of electronic mail.
- Disaster Management
- Historical Records
- File Management
- Document Conversion and Access.
Eligibility: Municipalities, school districts, BOCES, and consortiums of eligible organizations. Shared Services projects (two or more eligible applicants working together – to include past the grant cycle) continue to be a priority for funding and the State Archives. Preference will be given to applications proposing to establish new shared services consortiums for the management of records. This preference will be expressed in the form of bonus points (10).
Funding: Individual grant projects will typically receive up to $75,000. Shared services projects will receive up to $150,0000.
Expected Release Date: December 2021-January 2022
For More Information: http://www.archives.nysed.gov/grants/grants_lgrmif.shtml
Analysis: This is an achievable grant but it has a very low return on investment and is already a CoSer service. Very time intensive. Requires a detailed inventory of records by the grantee.
Opportunity: Fund synchronous interactive distance learning to expand educational opportunities from colleges and other schools. Recommended for districts with a municipal population with less than 10,000 and where students are not able to take courses due to low-enrollment.
USDA Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grants
The grant to provide distance learning in rural communities. There are three categories of eligible purposes: 1) equipment; 2) acquiring instructional programming, (to include video conferencing licenses); and 3) technical assistance and instruction for using eligible equipment. The intent of the program is to benefit rural areas (20,000 or less). Typical end-users are rural facilities such as elementary, secondary, and other educational institutions, rural hospitals, primary care centers, or other community facilities. The program helps rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. For example, this program can link teachers and clinicians with students in a rural school or on their personal device with both educational and clinical services.
Eligibility: Non-profits, School Districts (in communities of less than 20,000 people), hospitals, municipalities, government agencies, tribal governments.
Awards: Approximately 80 to 90 up to $1,000,000, 3-Year program.
Match: A 15% match is required.
Expected Release Date: February-April 2022
Analysis: This is a very achievable grant. Districts may purchase the equipment after they submit an application but would need to wait for reimbursement until the application is approved for funding.