Also open: the U.S. Dept. of Education’s $93M School Safety Enhancement (SSE) grant — see the SSE guide →
DOJ · COPS Office · STOP School Violence Act
The 2026 SVPP grant: up to $500K to harden your campus.
The School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) is a competitive federal grant your district can apply for directly — funding the cameras, locks, access control, panic buttons, and notification systems that keep students safe. This is your plain-English guide to getting it.
SVPP at a Glance (FY 2026)
National funding Up to ~$73M
Max award (federal share) $500,000
Award period 36 months
Local match 25% (waivable)
Expected awards ~200
Who applies Districts directly
🏫 Districts apply directly · 🔓 Funds locks, cameras & access control · 📡 Panic buttons & mass notification · 🤝 Built with law enforcement · 🪙 Microgrants: 100% federally funded
New Here? Start With This
Your SVPP grant journey, step by step
Federal grants feel intimidating. They don’t have to be. Here’s the path most successful districts follow — and where XSponse fits in.
1
Confirm you’re eligible
Public school districts, school boards, and law enforcement agencies can apply directly. Individual or private schools apply through a district/LE partner. See eligibility →
2
Build your coalition
SVPP requires consultation with stakeholders. Loop in local law enforcement, 9-1-1 dispatch, mental health, teachers, and parents — and gather letters of support early.
3
Run a safety assessment
Reviewers fund documented needs. Conduct a site/threat/risk assessment to pinpoint gaps — blind spots, broken locks, slow notification.
4
Register in federal systems
Get active in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants. This can take weeks — don’t wait for the solicitation.
5
Scope allowable technology
Map your gaps to allowable, evidence-based tech. See what’s covered → XSponse can scope a quote-ready solution for your narrative.
6
Apply (two steps)
Submit SF-424 & SF-LLL on Grants.gov, then the full narrative + budget in JustGrants. See how to apply →
Eligibility
Who can apply for SVPP?
Unlike the SSE grant (states only), SVPP awards funds directly to local applicants — which means your district can lead its own application.
✅ Eligible applicants
- Public school districts (including public charter schools and single-school districts)
- School boards
- Law enforcement agencies (police & sheriffs’ departments)
- States, units of local government, and Indian tribes / public agencies
⚠️ Not eligible as primary applicant
- Individual schools that aren’t operating as a district
- Independent and private schools
What It Funds
The five SVPP purpose areas
By law, SVPP focuses on improving security through evidence-based technology and coordination. Your project should map to one or more of these.
1. Coordination with law enforcement — interoperable systems and protocols that connect schools and responders.
2. Training for local law enforcement to prevent student violence and self-harm.
3. Deterrent measures — including metal detectors, locks, and lighting.
4. Expedited notification technology to alert police during emergencies.
5. Any other measure the COPS Office determines will significantly improve school security.
Allowable equipment & technology
🚪 Entry & access control
Access-control doors, locking mechanisms, peepholes, and visitor management / ID-scanning software.
🎥 Monitoring & detection
Security cameras and HD video systems, motion detectors, and site alarm systems.
📣 Communication & alerts
Two-way radios, intercoms/PA, panic buttons, and automated text/email/voice mass-notification systems.
⛔ Know what’s NOT fundable
To stay compliant, SVPP funds cannot be used for: firearms, ammunition, body-worn cameras, biometric / facial-recognition technology, license-plate readers, CAD/records-management systems, vape-detection equipment, vehicles, or the salaries/benefits of officers or security guards. (XSponse scopes every SVPP proposal to allowable categories only.)
Where XSponse Fits
One platform across the allowable categories
The XSponse Guardian platform unifies detection, access control, alerting, and mass notification — all of which sit squarely inside SVPP’s allowable, evidence-based technology.
SVPP Allowable Category
How XSponse Delivers
Deterrent measures (locks, cameras)
✓ X-Detect & X-Protect: unified video and access control with instant, automated lockdowns.
Expedited notification to police
✓ X-Alert & X-Announce: panic activation and mass notification with 911 support to cut response time.
Coordination with law enforcement
✓ X-Guardian & X-Integrate: interoperable, predefined response workflows that bring schools and responders onto one picture.
Visitor screening & entry control
✓ Access control, visitor management, and automated entry hardening.
Note: XSponse does not rely on facial recognition or license-plate readers, so deployments stay within SVPP allowable costs.
How to Apply
The two-step application
SVPP is submitted across two federal systems. Build in time — registrations alone can take weeks.
1️⃣ Step 1 — Grants.gov
Submit the standard forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL). grants.gov →
2️⃣ Step 2 — JustGrants
Once Step 1 clears, complete the full programmatic narrative and budget in DOJ’s JustGrants system. SVPP often uses survey-style questions rather than one long essay. justicegrants.usdoj.gov →
Pre-flight checklist
📁 System registrations
Verify active accounts in SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and JustGrants well before the solicitation opens.
📊 Documentation & data
Gather safety assessments and letters of support from law enforcement and community partners.
🧮 Budget & match
Identify your 25% match source — or prepare a financial-hardship waiver. Collect vendor quotes for allowable equipment.
📝 Narrative prep
Be ready for COPS’ survey-style questions; tie every request to a documented need and to expedited response.
What Wins Awards
Best practices from funded applications
🤝 Build a community coalition
SVPP requires stakeholder consultation. A letter from your Chief of Police or a mental-health director carries real weight with reviewers.
🎯 Use data to validate need
Site, threat, and risk assessments prove your requested technology solves a specific, documented problem.
⏱️ Prioritize expedited notification
Time-to-police-arrival is a key metric. Technology that removes the human bottleneck — automated alerts straight to 9-1-1 — scores well.
Resources & Links
Everything you need, in one place
Official program pages, application systems, and the legislation behind SVPP. Always confirm current dates and amounts on the COPS Office site.
Official SVPP program
COPS Office — SVPP home
cops.usdoj.gov/svpp
FY 2026 SVPP Resource Guide (PDF)
Allowable costs, drone rules & more
About the COPS Office
cops.usdoj.gov
Apply & register
SAM.gov — entity registration
Start early; takes weeks
Grants.gov — Step 1 forms
SF-424 & SF-LLL
JustGrants — Step 2 narrative
DOJ application system
Legislation & related grants
STOP School Violence Act of 2018
The law behind SVPP
BJA STOP Program (soft security)
Training, threat assessment, mental health
XSponse SSE Grant Guide ($93M)
The Dept. of Education companion program
Let’s build your SVPP application together.
Tell us about your district. We’ll help you scope an allowable, quote-ready XSponse solution and connect the dots to your narrative — at no cost.
Or contact XSponse directly: sales@xsponse.com · 305-204-0050 · Toll Free 833-XSPONSE (833-977-6673)
Questions
SVPP, answered
States, units of local government, Indian tribes, and their public agencies — including public school districts, school boards, and law enforcement agencies. Individual schools (not operating as districts) and private schools can’t apply directly, but can benefit as sub-recipients of a district- or city-led application.
The maximum federal share is $500,000 per award over 36 months. A 25% local cash match applies to standard awards, but the COPS Office may waive it for demonstrated severe financial need. Microgrants (requests of $100,000 or less, aimed at rural, tribal, and low-resourced schools) are 100% federally funded with no match.
Both fund overlapping security technology, but they’re separate programs. SVPP (DOJ COPS Office) is applied for directly by your district, up to $500K with a 25% match. SSE (U.S. Dept. of Education) is applied for by your state, which subgrants to districts, with no match and larger awards ($500K–$5M). Most districts should pursue both. See the SSE guide →
Both come from the STOP School Violence Act of 2018. SVPP (COPS Office) funds hard security — cameras, locks, lighting, panic buttons, notification. The BJA STOP Program funds soft security — mental-health training, behavioral threat assessment, and anonymous reporting.
Yes. SVPP is an open, competitive program; prior funding doesn’t disqualify you. Your narrative should explain how the new project builds on or differs from previously funded work.
The application window typically opens in spring and closes in early summer. Because federal registrations take weeks, begin your SAM.gov / Grants.gov / JustGrants setup now. Always confirm exact dates on the COPS Office SVPP page.
