Secured School Safety Grant Program
News/Updates
FY2023 Awards
The Secured School Safety Board awarded more than $22 million in Secured School Safety Grant funding to 425 schools or school systems. Find the list of awarded schools below under Previous Distributions and Support.
About the Secured School Safety Grant Program
Since being signed into law in 2013, the Indiana Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG) Program has served as a critical resource to ensure Hoosier schools are safe and secure. The program has awarded about $133 million in matching grants to Indiana school districts across the state to address potential safety threats and help them prepare. The program supports a dedicated state grant fund that provides matching grants to school corporations, accredited non-public schools, charter schools or a coalition of school corporations and/or charter schools applying jointly to:
- Employ a school resource officer* (salary, benefits and basic 40-hr training course);
- Conduct a threat assessment; and/or
- Purchase equipment to restrict access to the school or expedite the notification of first responders;
- Support firearms training in districts that choose to implement such programs (new for FY20);
- Support the implementation of a student and parent support services program (new for FY20);
- Fund the one-time startup costs of an active alert warning system (new for FY 20)
The budget passed during the 2019 General Assembly session allocated $19 million to the SSSG program for school grants and administrative costs.
*School Resource Officer (SRO) Qualifications: To qualify for funding through SSSG, an SRO must be a graduate of the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board (LETB) basic training program per Indiana Code (IC 5-2-1-9), have received (or is in the process of receiving) 40 hours of SRO training through the LETB, the National Association of School Resource Officers or another program approved by the LETB, be assigned to one or more school corporations, private or charter schools, and be currently employed/appointed by a law enforcement agency. Also, following 2019 legislative changes, SSSG is now able to reimburse schools for employing a law enforcement officer and/or entering into a MOU with local law enforcement agency for a LEO to serve in schools. SSSG will reimburse for salary and fringe benefits for LEO staff. Schools are also able to apply for the LEO to take the 40-hour BASIC SRO training and become a certified SRO, if applicable.
Application (Notice of Funding Opportunity)
- Apply for the Grant
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Application
- FY2023 SSSG Notice of Funding Opportunity
- FY2022 SSSG Notice of Funding Opportunity
- FY2021 SSSG Notice of Funding Opportunity
- FY2020 SSSG Notice of Funding Opportunity
Apply online via IntelliGrants
Need Help with IntelliGrants? Visit the IntelliGrants page.
Resources
- 2018 School Safety Recommendations
In March 2018, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a letter commending the state for its leadership in school safety initiatives. He requested an additional $5 million be allocated to the Secured School Fund to support safety initiatives and directed the executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and the director of School Building Physical Security & Safety for the Indiana Department of Education to lead a group of experts in establishing recommendations that would address the unique threats facing schools today. The complete recommendations were delivered to the governor on Aug. 1, 2018.Over the course of more than four months, several key focus areas to enhance school security were identified through the efforts of the working group. Indiana must address gaps in areas that go beyond hardening our buildings and training to respond to incidents. An increased emphasis on enhanced and expanded mental health services as well as the adoption of equipment and technology impacting school safety is needed. In addition, it is recommended that policy makers re-evaluate the scope of eligible projects and the funding formula for the Secured School Fund. Finally, it is clear that multiple agencies and groups collect data on trends, threats, and student behavior, but that information is rarely shared with all the stakeholders with an interest in student well-being. The recommendations set forth in this report will help Indiana take school security to the next level and further establish the state as a national standard when it comes to protecting children.
- Active Shooter Preparedness
- Advances from the Common School Fund
A school corporation or charter school who has applied for and been awarded a matching grant from the Indiana Secured School Fund (established at Ind. Code 10-21-1-2) may apply for an advance from the Common School Fund. Details on the advance program and the application for an advance may be found here.
- Indiana School Safety Information
- Indiana Secured School Safety Board
The Indiana Secured School Safety Board was established to approve or disapprove applications for matching grants through the Secured School Safety Grant Program. Visit the Boards and Commissions page for more information.
Secured School Safety Board Contact
Rusty Goodpaster
Secured School Safety Director - Previous Distributions and Support
For more information on distribution and support, please visit the Data and Statistics page.
The awarding of grants began in 2014 and continues annually through the Indiana Grants Management System (iGMS). Since 2014, about $133 million has been awarded to Indiana schools that meet the eligibility requirements in their grant requests.
From FY14 to FY23, the Indiana Secured School Grant Board has approved 3,132 grant requests.
Note: Before FY2020, there were only three categories, which were School Resource Officers, Equipment and Threat Assessments. Since FY2020, three categories have been added: Active Event Early Warning System, Student and Parent Support Services, and Other Training.
- Mental Health Services MOUs
Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 246 - Mental Health Services was passed in 2020 and requires a school corporation, charter school or accredited nonpublic school to certify to IDHS that it has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in place with a community mental health center or provider certified or licensed by the state to provide mental and behavioral health services to students before applying for a grant from the Indiana Secured School Fund.