School Safety and Mental Health Grant Program

The 2025–26 School Safety and Mental Health Grants, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), are designed to support public school entities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in enhancing both the physical safety and mental well-being of students and staff. This grant program is part of the state’s broader initiative under Section 1306-B of the PA Public School Code, which authorizes the School Safety and Security Grant Fund. The funding opportunity was made available starting December 10, 2025, with applications due by February 27, 2026. It aims to ensure that schools meet foundational safety standards while also allowing flexibility for implementing advanced security and behavioral health measures. PCCD provides grant allocations to eligible applicants including public school districts, charter schools (including cyber and regional charter schools), area career and technical schools (CTCs), and intermediate units (IUs). Nonpublic schools, approved private schools, or early childhood education-only programs are not eligible under this specific funding stream. The eligible scope of funding spans both physical security enhancements and behavioral health improvements, and schools may apply for support in either or both areas through a unified application process. Before seeking funding for advanced initiatives, school entities must either meet or explain how they are working to meet all Level 1 Baseline Criteria for physical security and behavioral health. These baseline criteria cover core safety infrastructure elements such as communication systems, entry security, and trauma-informed approaches. Activities eligible for funding include, but are not limited to, hiring and compensating school security personnel, supporting contracted behavioral health professionals, enhancing cybersecurity, expanding Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and implementing trauma-informed care programs. Use of funds must not supplant existing local, state, or federal resources, and grantees are required to justify their expenditures in accordance with statutory requirements. The application process is conducted through PCCD’s Egrants system. Entities must be registered and have appropriate roles assigned for submission. The application includes detailed narrative components such as an Executive Summary and Project Description, as well as budget justifications. Applicants are advised to consult various technical assistance materials provided by PCCD, including recorded walkthroughs and instructional guides, to ensure correct completion of the forms. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and awards are structured as 24-month projects with a default performance period beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027. Applicants may choose to front-load or delay expenditures within this window depending on readiness and program design. Schools are encouraged to include evidence-based strategies and to align their projects with identified safety or mental health gaps, particularly those highlighted through assessments conducted by approved assessors or state-recognized bodies such as the Pennsylvania State Police RVAT Unit. Applicants are expected to comply with ongoing reporting and evaluation requirements once funded. These include quarterly fiscal and programmatic reports that detail training activities, purchases, service delivery metrics, and personnel information. For procurement, schools must adhere to current state thresholds and ensure competitive processes are followed unless exempted. Indirect costs are not allowable under this opportunity. Any equipment exceeding $10,000 must be properly categorized, and all budget items must be supported by justification text. For further guidance or technical support, applicants may contact [email protected] for programmatic questions or [email protected] for fiscal matters. Support for Egrants system access is available through [email protected].