New DOJ funding opportunities for counties to improve school security and reduce youth violence

Key Takeaways

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released three funding opportunities for counties to improve security at schools and reduce youth violence. Additionally, DOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released a notice of funding opportunity, known as the Community-Based Alternatives to Youth Incarceration Initiative, to assist counties in expanding community-based services for justice-involved youth.

DOJ will be hosting an FY 2023 STOP School Violence Program Solicitation Webinar on April 6 at 1:00 p.m. EDT to provide interested applicants with more information on the programs and application process.

Supported by the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018, DOJ has released the following funding opportunities to assist counties in reducing violence in local schools:

FY 2023 Stop School Violence Program

Administered through DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Grant Program is designed to improve K–12 school security by providing students and teachers with the tools they need to recognize, respond and prevent acts of violence. Counties can utilize funding to develop anonymous reporting systems for threats of school violence, develop and implement multidisciplinary behavioral threat assessment teams, train school personnel on responding to individuals in mental health crises, and more. Counties must apply by May 8, 2023.

FY 2023 School Violence Prevention Program

Administered through DOJ’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), funding under the School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) can be used towards training civilian personnel to serve as coordinators with local law enforcement, training for local law enforcement officers to prevent school violence, and the purchase and installation of metal detectors, locks, lighting and other deterrent measures. Counties must apply by May 10, 2023.

FY 2023 Enhancing School Capacity to Address Youth Violence Program

Administered through DOJ’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), counties can use direct funding from the Enhancing School Capacity to Address Youth Violence Program to create partnerships between schools and community based organizations to develop violence prevention/reduction programs and strategies. A Model Programs Guide prepared by OJJDP can be found here. Counties must apply by May 3, 2023.

ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING HIGHLIGHT

OJJDP has also released a funding opportunity for the Community Based Alternatives to Youth Incarceration Initiative. Counties may use funding to close youth detention and correctional facilities, reinvest cost savings to expand community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, and assess and respond to the economic impact of facility closures on staff and surrounding communities. Counties must apply on grants.gov by April 11, 2023, then to JustGrants.gov by April 25, 2023.

OJJDP will be hosting a webinar for interested applicants of the Community Based Alternatives to Youth Incarceration Initiative on April 13 at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Additionally, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) will provide training and technical assistance for the new initiative to support counties during the planning and implementation process. Counties interested in technical assistance from NICJR can contact Brett Mattson at bmattson@naco.org to be connected to this opportunity.

Additional Resources

• OJP Grant Application Resource Guide
• National Center for School Safety’s Trauma-Informed, Resilience-Oriented Schools Toolkit
• BJA STOP Program National Training and Technical Assistance
• SchoolSafety.gov
• U.S. Department of Education’s Laws and Guidance on School Climate and Discipline