Secured School Safety Grant

The Secured School Safety Grant (SSSG) program is an Indiana state-allocated fund designed to enhance school safety through matching grants. This program directly aligns with a foundation's mission focused on ensuring the well-being and security of educational environments, as it provides critical resources for creating safer schools. The grants are available to school corporations, accredited non-public schools, charter schools, and coalitions of school corporations, ensuring a broad reach across the state's educational landscape. The core objective is to mitigate threats, improve emergency response capabilities, and foster a secure learning atmosphere for students and staff. The target beneficiaries of the SSSG program are primarily students, school employees, and the broader school communities within Indiana. The impact goals are comprehensive, aiming to reduce the incidence of violence, enhance preparedness for critical incidents, and support the mental and behavioral health of students. The grant seeks to achieve these goals by funding initiatives that directly address vulnerabilities and promote a proactive approach to safety. The SSSG program focuses on several key priorities. These include the employment of school resource officers or law enforcement officers, conducting site vulnerability assessments and critical incident digital mapping, and purchasing equipment to restrict access, manage visitors, expedite first responder notification and access, and detect various threats. The program also prioritizes enhancing emergency communications, assisting with emergency medical response, implementing student and parent support services, and providing training for canine units and school employees on safety-related topics. Furthermore, it supports the design and construction of security-enhancing additions or renovations, bullying prevention programs, and active event warning systems. Expected outcomes include a measurable improvement in school security infrastructure and protocols, a reduction in safety incidents, and an increased sense of safety among students and staff. The program also anticipates enhanced preparedness for emergencies and more effective responses when incidents occur. Through these direct interventions and support for proactive safety measures, the SSSG contributes to a strategic priority of fostering safe and supportive learning environments. The underlying theory of change is that by investing in robust security measures, well-trained personnel, and comprehensive support systems, schools can deter threats, effectively manage crises, and ultimately create an optimal environment for student success and well-being. This grant directly contributes to a foundation's strategic goal of promoting community safety and educational excellence by providing tangible resources to achieve these critical objectives.