FY 2023-24 Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools (Closed)

On January 10, 2024, PCCD announced that up to $14,511,000 was available to eligible nonpublic schools to address school violence and school mental health. Eligible uses include any allowed under 24 P.S. §13-1306-B(j) or programs that address school violence by establishing or enhancing school security, including costs associated with the training and compensation of school security personnel.  The SurveyMonkey initial request period is now closed for applications. 

Deadline to Apply: The solicitation period was from Wednesday, January 10, 2024 through 11:59 PM on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Eligible Applicants: Nonpublic schools, defined by Section 923.3-A of the PA Public School Code as “any school, other than a public school within this Commonwealth, wherein a resident of this Commonwealth may legally fulfill the compulsory school attendance requirements of this act and which meets the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88-352, 78 Stat. 241).” 

Budgetary Amounts: Nonpublic schools were eligible for a maximum award not to exceed $75,000 for up to a two-year project period. PCCD anticipates being able to make over 180 awards to nonpublic schools under this solicitation. 

Eligible Projects and Expenses: Funding may be used to support any eligible activity under 24 P.S. §13-1306-B(j) and to fund programs that address school mental health, school violence, or enhance school security, including costs associated with the training and compensation of school security personnel. Due to the competitive nature of these grants, PCCD cannot weigh in on allowable projects or expenses.

Priority Considerations: Per the SSSC, priority consideration under this competitive funding announcement will be for requests to address gaps identified in physical or behavioral health assessments meeting SSSC assessment standards and requests to meet ‘Level 1’ of the Baseline Criteria (revised and adopted by the SSSC, May 2023), which are standards that assist school entities in guiding their decisions about their physical security and behavioral health needs. PCCD recognizes that the Baseline Criteria were developed with public schools in mind, so it is possible that certain standards are outside the scope of a nonpublic school. Further, many of these criteria are NOT REQUIRED of nonpublic schools. However, as these are a basic standard for student and staff safety as recommended by experts in the field, they will be used to help prioritize requests for assistance under this solicitation. Geographic distribution will also be considered

Financial Considerations: Nonpublic schools seeking funding under this solicitation should know the following: 

• IUs are eligible to take up to 5% of the overall award to assist in the administration of these funds.
• Sustainability planning is not a necessary component of an application under this solicitation.
• Per the PA Public School Code, grant funds shall be used to supplement and not supplant existing spending on school safety and security. Requested funds should be used to enhance and add to security within each school entity.
• The SSSC, in its discretion, may award in whole or in part a request made by a nonpublic school based upon the merit of a specific item requested. Please note that PCCD has approval of all final budgets and may require budget reductions or modifications.  Nonpublic schools recommended for funding are also expected to meet all IU requirements. 
• PCCD may also randomly audit and monitor grant recipients to ensure the appropriate use of grant funds and compliance with provisions of the grant program.

Confidentiality: Nonpublic schools should be aware that sensitive information that is reasonably likely to result in a substantial and demonstrable risk of physical harm or the personal security of students or staff is confidential and shall not be accessible for inspection and duplication under the Right-to-Know Law. 

Award Notification Process: Nonpublic schools’ requests recommended for approval will be taken to the SSSC for consideration at a tentatively scheduled April 24, 2024 meeting. Following that meeting, nonpublic school applications recommended for funding will be contacted by PCCD staff via email. A nonpublic school’s respective IU, if applicable, will also be contacted to initiate the final application process in PCCD’s Egrants system which is required prior to the issuance of funding. Intermediate Units and approved vendors will use PCCD’s Egrants system on behalf of the recommended nonpublic schools within their region for the final application process (i.e., an IU will submit a single application for all selected schools, similar to the process utilized for the COVID-19 Nonpublic School Health and Safety Grants in 2020/21).  More instructions on this process will be provided at a later time. Nonpublic schools not recommended for an award will also receive an email notice following the SSSC meeting.