WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today announced that federal school safety grant applications for up to $500,000 will be accepted through June 22nd at 6:59pm CDT. The COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grants were created through Bost’s bipartisan legislation, the Securing Our Schools Act, which was signed into law in March 2018. One hundred sixty school districts and police departments were awarded grants last year, including nine in Illinois – three of which were in the 12th Congressional District.
“One of my proudest accomplishments in Congress was introducing the legislation that created these grants to make our classrooms more secure,” said Bost. “Over the last three years, hundreds of schools across the country have made their campuses a safer place for children to learn, make friends, and pursue their dreams. I believe every school district in America should be giving a good, hard look at how they can strengthen safety measures in their classrooms, because there is nothing to lose and everything to gain in applying for these life-saving grants.”
Background:
SVPP is a competitive award program designed to provide funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the grantees’ jurisdictions through evidence-based school safety programs. $53 million is available through this year’s COPS SVPP.
The program provides funding directly to states, units of local government, and Indian tribes to be used to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the grantees’ jurisdictions through evidence-based school safety programs that may include one or more of the following:
- 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
- Any other measure that, in the determination of the director of the COPS Office, may provide a significant improvement in security
Click HERE for more information on the 2021 School Violence Prevention Program.
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