School Violence Prevention Program-SVPP Grant-2020
The COPS Office STOP School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a competitive award program designed to provide funding to improve security at schools. This is done through evidence-based school safety programs. SVPP funding is available for the following purpose areas:
- Coordination with local law enforcement.
- Training for local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others and themselves.
- 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, may provide a significant improvement in security.
The COPS Office anticipates making awards totaling $25 million, with funding requests capped at $500,000 per award. There is a three-year award period. Applicants are required to contribute a local cash match of at least 25 percent toward the total cost of the approved project during the award period. Applicants are strongly encouraged to demonstrate a comprehensive approach to school safety. Consultation with law enforcement prior to preparing an application is recommended for this purpose.
Who Can Apply for SVPP Grant
All States, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies (police departments, sheriff’s departments, school districts, etc.) are eligible to apply. Grant recipients may use funds to contract with or make sub-awards to local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations (excluding schools), units of local government or tribal organizations. Schools are defined as elementary or secondary schools.
Allowable costs for SVPP Grant
- Technology: Including, among other things:
- Communications technology: Two-way radios, alarm notification systems, emergency call boxes, intercoms/PA systems
Video surveillance technology: Surveillance cameras and/or systems (and accompanying equipment) - Identification technology (ID scanning devices), tracking systems (smartphone applications), laptops, maps of schools/bus routes (GIS software), printers
- Video prediction technology: Data-driven software
• Equipment: Entry control equipment, school site alarm and protection systems (including motion detectors), metal detectors and X-ray machines, lighting.
• Contracts/Consultants:Consultant expenses and contracts include goods or services that directly contribute to the implementation or enhancement of the SVPP project
Equipment and technology items must be clearly linked to the enhancement or implementation of the School Violence Prevention Program. Other allowable uses of SVPP funding include coordination (salaries and benefits for civilian/non-sworn personnel); travel/ training for law enforcement officers to prevent school violence; supplies; contracts/ consultants; and sub-awards
PikMyKid Solution Offers a Proven Basis for Your SVPP Grant Application
Industry studies, such as The Role of Technology in Improving K-12 Student Safety, conclude that helping educators and first responders reliably connect and communicate is one of the most pressing and universal needs among schools. At PikMyKid, we offer a wide range of solutions to promote school safety and security, increase operational efficiency and help connect teachers, School Resource Officers, and first responders in extreme emergencies:
PikMyKid Emergency Alerts:
Easily accessible mobile and web-based ‘SAFER Alert system’ is available on every mobile and desktop for the staff to access when seconds matter. School staff can alert the law enforcement team or other emergency contacts from anywhere in the campus through a single click from their phone.
Location tracking and live chat software:
During an emergency, the law enforcement team can track the location of emergency instantly before any loud alarm panic students or parents. Active chat features help first responders to stay in touch with the staff and guide them. All the school staff and the emergency contact teams receive voice, text and email alerts.
EAS portal for emergency guide and Maps:
Any emergency checklist should be easily accessible in the smart devices or desktop when an emergency arises. The Kidio school portal includes a single, secure storage location for all emergency resource documents. It includes school layout, aerial images of the school property, emergency plans, emergency contact information, and any additional critical data. When an emergency arises, these checklists can become a quick text message refresher for the staff. Schools configure custom groups to perform test drills, record and for internal emergency on power outage, weather alerts.
Tipline for Anonymous or Registered User reporting:
Open channels of communication are critical to enabling proactive measures to practice safety. It creates an open and efficient communication channel that is not only smart and dynamic but also relevant and timely. This solution is a tip management service that the school districts can use to encourage students to share. It may include any bullying threats or incidents that make them feel less secure at campus or outside. Tipline is also used by Law Enforcement agencies to anonymously collect tips from citizens. It also prevents K-12 campus crimes and solves more cases using this channel.
Practicing Daily Safety and Parent Engagement:
We all agree that every school needs to be a safe and secure place for our children. This means a closed campus with access controls and restricted entry points. Yet, during dismissal time, all the gates are open and students stream out into the corridors. This allows unrestricted access to anyone who chooses to enter the campus.
Weakest Link:
A chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Schools with the best security systems are vulnerable if they do not have good dismissal protocols in place. The PikMyKid dismissal safety platform validates a parent in realtime when they arrive at the campus. The SRO and school staff can then send the students outside. Parents are also notified in real-time on the dismissal. This daily practice of safety trains them for an emergency reunification when a crisis situation arises.
Violence in schools negatively affects children’s future life outcomes and the culture and performance of the school. For these reasons, promoting school safety is a national priority for many federal agencies, including the National Institute of Justice. The use of Technology in Improving K-12 Student Safety is one of the most pressing and universal needs among schools today.
How to Apply
Completing an application under this program is a two-step process. Applicants are first required to register via www.grants.gov and complete an SF-424, submitting it through the Grants.gov website. Once the SF-424 has been submitted via Grants.gov, the COPS Office will send an invitation email to the applicant with instructions on completing the second part of the SVPP application through the COPS Office Online Application System
The Application Guide can be found here. Other related Program Documents, including FAQs, may be found here.
Step by Step guide for filing the application and the School Violence Prevention Program Grant application click here
• Project Narrative – School safety planning efforts
– Funding request and how integration into existing efforts will fill specific gaps and needs
– Management and implementation plan
– Sustainability plan
– The Project Narrative requirements explained in Section 13 of the Application Guide (pp. 45-49).
– Letters of support required from major partners and other significant stakeholders when a proposed project involves coordination with another jurisdiction or agency (city, county, law enforcement agency, school district, etc.).
• Budget Narrative
– The Budget Narrative requirements are explained in Section 13 of the Application Guide (pp. 45-49)..
• Budget Detail Worksheets
– Budget Detail Worksheet requirements and samples may be found in Section 14 of the Application Guide (pp. 50-56).
Additional Resources for SVPP Grant
The following documents developed through the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative may be helpful to you in the development of your narrative application and request for funding:
• The Readiness and Emergency Management (REMS) Technical Assistance Center Provides excellent interactive tools and other resources to help school planning teams and community partners develop and implement emergency operations plans. www.rems.ed.gov
• FEMA Multihazard Emergency Planning for Schools Toolkit Provides a wide variety of resources to assist schools in planning and assessments. https://training.fema.gov/programs/emischool/el361toolkit/start.htm
• The Role of Technology in Improving K–12 School Safety (RAND Corporation) Provides a synthesis of expert opinions and a review of the literature regarding school safety technology.
• A Comprehensive Report on School Safety Technology (Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory) Provides a comprehensive summary on the effectiveness of school safety technologies. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/250274.pdf
We Can Help You With Grant Application
The School Violence Prevention Program Grant application can be challenging to navigate. To help you, Pikmykid‘s in-house Customer Service can assist you with any questions or concerns. Please shoot an email to [email protected]. To download this blog as a PDF file Click Here
