School safety grant applications open

In 2013, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation that created the Indiana Secured School Safety Grant Program (SSSG), a matching grant program that helps improve safety in Hoosier schools.

Senate Republicans have continued to work diligently to improve school safety. This session, through Senate Enrolled Act 325 and House Enrolled Act 1004, lawmakers expanded the list of things for which schools could use a SSSG, and in the new state budget, allocated $19.2 million per year to the SSSG program.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is now accepting applications for the SSSG program through Aug. 2.

SSSGs can be used to fund the following safety initiatives:

• Employ a school resource officer or law enforcement officer;
• Conduct a threat assessment;
• Purchase equipment that restricts access to the school or helps expedite the notification of first responders;
• Support firearms training in districts that choose to implement such programs (new this year);
• Support the implementation of a student and parent support services program (new this year); and
• Fund the one-time startup costs of an active alert warning system (new this year).

Public school corporations, accredited non-public schools, charter schools or a coalition of school corporations and/or charter schools applying jointly are eligible to apply for the matching grants of up to $100,000.

To date, the SSSG program has given more than $53 million in matching grants to Indiana school districts. In 2018, more than $14 million in matching grants were awarded to 388 schools or districts.

Grant awards will be announced by Sept. 1.

For more information and to apply, click here.