SVPP Funding: What Applicants Should Know for FY26

With the current K-12 financial year winding down, districts across the country are already preparing for FY26. Enrollment projections, student support services, staffing requirements, technology modernization, and campus improvements are all part of the planning equation, but one issue consistently remains at the forefront of district strategy: school safety.

For parents, students, teachers, and administrators alike, the expectation is no longer limited to delivering an adequate education. Schools are also expected to provide a visible and measurable culture of care. One that prioritizes student wellness, operational preparedness, and physical safety.

That expectation has become increasingly difficult to manage.

Industry research continues to show rising levels of behavioral disruption, student conflict, and campus safety concerns. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly 58% of teachers report dealing with behavioral issues in the classroom every day. While not every incident escalates into violence, the cumulative impact on learning environments, staff morale, and student well-being is significant.

As a result, districts are increasingly turning toward school safety grants and federal funding programs to support both preventative strategies and emergency response infrastructure.

One of the most visible and widely used funding programs in this space is the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP).

Violence in Schools: Unpredictable, but Increasingly Preventable

School violence is not a new issue.

Student populations have always included behavioral challenges, mental health concerns, interpersonal conflict, and varying levels of disciplinary risk. What has changed in recent years is the growing recognition that traditional disciplinary models alone are no longer sufficient to address the complexity of modern campus safety threats.

District leaders are now being asked to think beyond reactive response models.

The focus has shifted toward:

• Prevention
• Early identification
• Threat assessment
• Emergency coordination
• Integrated communication
• Technology-driven response systems

That evolution has fundamentally changed the school safety conversation.

Modern K-12 safety planning now relies heavily on the systems, workflows, technology, and operational protocols that allow schools to identify threats early, communicate quickly, and coordinate effectively during emergencies.

The challenge, however, is funding.

Most districts operate within constrained budgets and must rely on a mix of:

• Federal funding
• State grants
• Local revenue
• Bond initiatives
• Competitive safety programs

Among those options, federal school safety grants remain one of the most important funding pathways available.

Understanding the Difference Between SVPP and STOP Grants

The School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) was established in 2018 under the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office.

SVPP focuses primarily on what is commonly referred to as “hard security.”

That includes:

• Physical security improvements
• Emergency communication technology
• Access control systems
• Visitor management
• Panic alert systems
• Law enforcement coordination

By contrast, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) STOP School Violence Program focuses on “soft security” initiatives.

These programs are complementary, but they fund very different categories of projects.

Districts pursuing school safety funding must understand this distinction before beginning the application process.

Applying for the wrong program wastes time, resources, and often results in automatic rejection.

Why SVPP Continues to Matter

Federal school safety funding has evolved significantly over the last decade.

The 2018 tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida accelerated bipartisan support for modernized school safety infrastructure and directly contributed to the expansion of federal grant opportunities tied to evidence-based security improvements.

Since then, SVPP has become one of the primary federal funding channels for K-12 school safety technology.

In FY25 alone, the COPS Office awarded approximately $73 million in school safety funding.

The expectation is that a similar level of funding will be available during the FY26 cycle.

At the same time, districts should be aware that federal restructuring efforts and interagency agreements may shift certain administrative responsibilities between agencies. Some notices that historically appeared through the Department of Education may now appear under other federal departments or grant portals.

That makes proactive monitoring increasingly important.

What Applicants Need to Know Before Applying

There are dozens of federal programs connected to K-12 education funding, but one of the most common mistakes applicants make is pursuing funding opportunities that do not align with their project goals.

Strong grant strategy begins with identifying the correct funding source.

For school safety projects, districts should focus on three areas immediately:

1. Match the Need to the Funding Program

Applicants should clearly connect:

• The identified safety issue
• The proposed solution
• The authorizing statute
• The measurable operational impact

Generic safety narratives are rarely competitive.

2. Build a Rolling Grant Pipeline

High-performing districts no longer treat grant applications as isolated projects.

Instead, they maintain:

• Ongoing safety assessments
• Multi-year funding plans
• Recurring application calendars
• Project readiness documentation

3. Monitor Federal Policy Shifts

Federal education and safety funding continues to evolve.

Applicants should monitor:

• DOJ announcements
• COPS Office updates
• Grants.gov
• SchoolSafety.gov
• Department-level policy changes

SVPP Funding Structure and Eligibility

SVPP is a competitive grant program with clearly defined funding rules.

Applicants should understand the following before submission:

Microgrant Exceptions

To support smaller or under-resourced districts, the DOJ reserves a portion of funding for microgrants.

These grants:

• Typically support rural or low-income districts
• Can waive local match requirements
• Simplify certain funding barriers

Eligible Applicants

SVPP funding is awarded directly to:

• School districts
• Local governments
• Public agencies
• State law enforcement agencies
• Federally recognized tribal governments

Individual schools cannot apply independently.

Private schools are not eligible as primary applicants, though they may participate through partnerships with eligible districts or agencies.

Community Coalitions Are Critical

Because SVPP operates through the COPS Office within the Department of Justice, applications are expected to demonstrate collaboration between schools and the broader community.

Successful applications typically involve:

• Law enforcement agencies
• Emergency responders
• School administrators
• Teachers and staff
• Mental health professionals
• Parents and community stakeholders

Applications written in isolation are often viewed less favorably than those demonstrating broad operational coordination.

Allowable Uses for SVPP Funding

SVPP funding is limited to approved hard-security uses tied directly to school violence prevention and emergency response.

Allowable expenditures generally include:

Emergency Notification and Communication

• Silent panic buttons
• Wearable alert badges
• Mass notification systems
• Two-way radios
• Updated PA systems
• Crisis communication applications
• Digital signage

Access Control and Physical Security

• Visitor management systems
• Entry control technology
• Access management software
• Lockdown systems
• Security analytics
• Campus monitoring infrastructure

Training and Coordination

• Violence prevention training
• Crisis response coordination
• Student self-harm prevention training
• Emergency mapping systems

Project Personnel

Funding may support civilian safety coordination roles such as:

• School safety specialists
• Technology coordinators
• Project implementation managers

Non-Allowable Uses

Certain expenditures are explicitly prohibited.

SVPP funds cannot be used for:

• Salaries for School Resource Officers (SROs)
• Private security guards
• Firearms
• Ammunition
• Drones
• Body cameras
• Facial recognition technology

Including prohibited expenditures within the application can significantly reduce competitiveness or trigger outright rejection.

What Strong Applications Have in Common

Successful applicants rarely rely on generic safety language.

Competitive applications typically include:

• Current safety assessments
• Local incident data
• Community-specific risk analysis
• Documented operational gaps
• Clear implementation plans
• Evidence-based justifications
• Measurable outcomes

Historically, the DOJ has also prioritized:

• Rural districts
• High-need communities
• Low-income jurisdictions

Recent cycles show that a significant percentage of awards were directed toward rural applicants.

How Kokomo24/7® Can Help

Kokomo24/7® supports districts in aligning school safety goals with available funding opportunities, including SVPP.

Our platform supports key safety functions that may align with allowable grant uses, including:

• Visitor Management
• Panic Button and Emergency Response
• Incident Management
• Emergency communication and coordination workflows

Our team can help districts identify funding opportunities, align project goals with grant requirements, and strengthen application planning.

Final Takeaway

School safety funding has become one of the most strategically important areas within the broader K-12 funding landscape.

For districts preparing for FY26, SVPP remains one of the most significant federal opportunities available for improving physical security infrastructure, emergency communication systems, and operational preparedness.

At the same time, competition remains intense.

Districts that approach the process proactively with strong needs assessments, clearly defined project goals, operational readiness, and community partnerships will be better positioned to compete successfully.

In today’s environment, school safety planning is no longer reactive. It is operational, strategic, and increasingly dependent on districts’ ability to secure the funding needed to support long-term safety initiatives and student wellness outcomes.