FY 2026 School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP)
Opportunity number: O-COPS-2026-172540
Program owner: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
Summary: Competitive federal grants for eligible state, local, territorial, and tribal government entities and public agencies—including law enforcement agencies—to improve K-12 school security through evidence-based programs, law-enforcement coordination and training, deterrent equipment, and emergency-notification technology.
The FY 2026 School Violence Prevention Program supports evidence-based measures that improve security at K-12 schools and on school grounds. Eligible projects may strengthen coordination with local law enforcement, train local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence, install allowable deterrent equipment, or deploy technology that expedites emergency notification to law enforcement.
Awards have a 36-month period of performance beginning October 1, 2026. Funded recipients must conduct comprehensive school safety assessments during the award period for all schools involved in the project.
Who is eligible?
Applicant types: States and territories; state, county, city, township, special-district, and other units of local government; eligible tribal governments; public agencies; independent school districts; school boards; and law enforcement agencies.
States, units of local government, Indian tribes, and their public agencies, including school districts, public charter schools included within eligible school districts, school boards, and law enforcement agencies. Individual schools not operating as school districts and independent or private schools, including private charter schools, are not eligible as primary applicants. When multiple entities will carry out an award, only one may be the primary applicant and the others must be proposed as subrecipients.
What can the funding be used for?
Allowable statutory purposes include coordination with local law enforcement; training local law enforcement officers to prevent student violence against others or self; placement and use of metal detectors, locks, lighting, and other deterrent measures; acquisition and installation of technology for expedited emergency notification to local law enforcement; civilian personnel serving as coordinators with local law enforcement; and other measures determined by the COPS Office Director to significantly improve school security. Activities must concern K-12 schools or school grounds and be programmatically linked to the proposed project. Recipients must conduct comprehensive school safety assessments for all participating schools.
Restrictions
Pre-award costs incurred before the period-of-performance start date are unallowable. In-kind contributions cannot satisfy the required match. Applicants may not submit the same project and costs under the COPS Office, BJA, and OJJDP funding opportunities; applications to those programs must propose distinct projects and costs. Additional unallowable activities and costs are identified in the FY26 SVPP Application Resource Guide.
How to apply
Apply in two steps: (1) complete and submit the SF-424 through Grants.gov by August 4, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET; and (2) submit the full application and all required forms, responses, budget information, assurances, and attachments through JustGrants by August 11, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. ET. Applicants may submit only one FY26 SVPP application to the COPS Office.
Required materials
Required components include the SF-424 submitted through Grants.gov and, in JustGrants, Standard Applicant Information, required application survey and data responses, a proposal abstract, the web-based budget detail worksheet with supporting budget narrative, disclosures, assurances, and certifications. The application must include the statutory assurance that it was prepared after consultation with a range of stakeholders. Letters of support are required when the proposed project involves coordination with another jurisdiction or agency. A noncompetitive or sole-source justification and consultant-rate justification must be attached when applicable.
Program contact
COPS Office Response Center
[email protected]
800-421-6770
Official sources
- COPS Office checked September 2, 2026
Grant details can change. Confirm all requirements on the official source before applying.