A Quick Guide to Funding Opportunities for Mass Notification in K-12 Schools
Kara Stamets, Content Marketing Specialist, Alertus Technologies
Gun violence is a growing concern across the US and many states are working to pass legislation to improve school safety by requiring silent alert systems.
Since the school shooting tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has signed Alyssa’s Law and allocated $17 million for grant programs to implement panic buttons in schools. In Oregon, a new bill requires all public school classrooms to have panic buttons that contact authorities when activated. Missouri recently distributed $20 million in school safety assistance for 169 school districts and charter schools and is proposing an additional $50 million for the program, and Connecticut announced $15 million for school safety and security funding for security improvements.
With Alertus’ WiFi Panic Button, teachers and staff can quickly and subtly activate alerts and request help.
These are just a few of many states working to increase funding for panic buttons, video surveillance, and other emergency notification systems to improve safety measures and provide peace of mind to staff, students, and families. Read on for more information on federal, state, and private school safety grants for mass notification solutions.
Federal Opportunities
A large portion of federal funding is being allocated to support student safety initiatives, one of them being the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV), in which local education agencies (LEAs) and institutions of higher education (IHEs) have experienced traumatic events that severely disrupt the teaching and learning environment.
Federal funding is offered by:
The Department of Health and Human Resources
The Department of Justice
The Department of Homeland Security
Use this Grants Finder tool to discover current funding opportunities.
State Opportunities
Most state education departments offer school safety program grants that fund school safety technologies. Visit the US Department of Education’s website for funding details, eligibility, and your state's deadlines.
States with dedicated school safety funding (29 total) include: AL, AZ, AK, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, PA, TN, TX, VT, WI
Private Opportunities
The Alertus Safe In Seconds Initiative provides software and hardware grants for K-12 schools with severe budget challenges. To see if your organization qualifies, click here.
Additional Resources & Information
Learn more about Alyssa’s law requirements
Alyssa’s Law requires public schools to have silent panic alert systems linked directly to first responders and law enforcement. Find out how you can meet Alyssa’s Law compliance by checking out our latest video and reading our blog.
Visit us at the SSAC school safety conference
Alertus will be at the SSAC School Safety Conference July 24-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit us to learn more about our solutions and chat with our experts on leveraging existing and new mass notification technology in your school.