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Free Resources Available to Help Secure School Violence Protection Funding

Ed tech provider Bluum is offering a suite of free grant resources and consulting services to help school districts apply for funding from the COPS School Violence Protection Program, a grant opportunity from the United States Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services with awards totaling $73 million.

Available to all public school districts, public school boards, and public charter schools, the COPS SVVP grant will award up to $500,000 per recipient over a three-year period to provide up to 75% funding for the following school safety measures:

  • Coordination with law enforcement;
  • Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and self;
  • Metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures;
  • Technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement during an emergency; and
  • Any other measure that the COPS Office determines may provide a significant improvement in security.

Additional school safety measures are available through the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) as part of the STOP School Violence Act of 2018:

  • Development and operation of anonymous reporting systems (such as hotlines, websites, and mobile apps);
  • Development and operation of a school threat assessment;
  • Specialized training for school officials in responding to mental health crises;
  • Training for school personnel and students to prevent student violence against others and self; and
  • Any other measure the BJA determines may provide a significant improvement in security.

Free grant resources provided by Bluum include:

"The SVPP grant program is a powerful opportunity to improve campus safety, but few busy administrators have the time and resources to take on a grant application of this size," said Emily Cook, vice president of education services at Bluum, in a statement. "We're excited to make this a lighter lift for them through our comprehensive support and personalized consultations that guide them through the application process as they work to ensure the safety and well-being of their students and staff."

Grant applications are due in two parts: Materials must be submitted via Grants.gov by June 11, 2024, and via JustGrants by June 17, 2024.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

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