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How to Apply to COPS SVPP Grant to Fund Your School Safety Software

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The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) provides a competitive award program—the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP)—to give funding to K-12 schools to improve their security and safety. The COPS Office is within U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).  

The SVPP provides funds directly to units of local governments, including school districts, independent school districts, public boards of education, and police departments. The program will provide up to 75% of funding for K-12 schools to implement school safety technology that helps with things like coordination with and expedited notification to law enforcement. 

Each award is three years, and each recipient can receive up to $500,000. Recipients are required to conduct a comprehensive school safety assessment during the grant award period for every school involved in the project. Award recipients are also required to contribute a local match of at least 25 percent towards the project. 

Goals of the Program

The overall goal is to increase safety by helping schools purchase software that improves:

 

Applying to SVPP

There are two main steps to applying for the SVPP competitive grant. First, schools need to complete the standard application form for federal assistance on the Grants.gov website by June 15, 2021. The remaining components of the application are completed on the JustGrants system (justicegrants.usdoj.gov) by June 22, 2021.

The application includes a proposal, budget worksheet, and other required documentation. Each applicant must also answer a series of questions, including but not limited to:

 

Applications will first be scored according to the following weighting methodology:

  • Program Impact: 25 percent
  • Improved Security Need: 50 percent
  • Federal Assistance Need: 25 percent

The COPS Office will also consider your location, presence of a crisis in your area, and the demonstrated need for improved safety. Schools with high rates of violence, particularly gun violence and gun-related incidents on school grounds, receive priority consideration.

Applicants who move to the next round will be evaluated on their:

  • School Safety Planning and Assessment efforts
  • Funding Request and Integration
  • Management and Implementation Plan Sustainability Plan

 

Purchasing Raptor with SVPP Funding

Raptor provides integrated visitor, volunteer, and emergency management software that can give you complete control over your school security and create the ultimate benefit: safety and peace of mind for everyone in your community. All Raptor software directly relates to the SVPP goals and allowable expenses.

Raptor Emergency Management helps schools protect their students and staff and be in complete control during drills, active incidents, and reunifications events. With Raptor Emergency Management, you can share critical documents and floor plans with first responders and:

  • Ensure your students and staff can confidently keep everyone safe in an actual crisis
  • Get the right help for localized incidents and school- or district-wide emergencies from wherever you are on campus with a mobile panic button
  • Account for students, staff, and visitors and know their real-time location and status during emergencies
  • Reunite students with approved guardians up to 4 times faster
  • Customize Raptor to your emergency protocols
  • Comply with state mandates like Alyssa’s Law

 

Raptor Visitor Management eliminates uncertainty and gives you full control of who is allowed to enter. With Raptor Visitor Management, you can screen every visitor against sex offender and custom databases, confirm you’re releasing students to approve guardians, conduct both onsite and remote COVID-19 health screening, and generate accurate district- and school-level reports. 

Raptor Volunteer Management simplifies volunteer processes by enabling you to customize your volunteer application; manage events at the school or district level; better recruit, screen, approve, and communicate with volunteers; and automatically track participation across your district to effectively scale your initiatives. 

To learn more about Raptor and to schedule a personalized demo, contact us today.