For Posting - 84.184 School Safety Enhancement FY2026 Application Notice and Instructions.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of the

U.S. Department of Education

School Safety Enhancement Program

Assistance Listing Number: 84.184A

FY 2026 Grant Competition Posted May 27, 2026

Contents Program Information

Background

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Costs

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Program Description

Priorities

Application Requirements

Program Requirements

Selection Criteria

Performance Measures

Application Submission Information

Application Review Information

Definitions

Award Requirements

Application Checklist

Program Information Program Purpose: The Administration for Children and Families at the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the School Safety Enhancement (SSE) program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Secretary of Education (the Secretary). The SSE program provides competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to develop, implement, and strengthen statewide school safety systems and the physical security of schools consistent with findings outlined in the U.S.

Department of Justice January 18, 2024, report, “Critical Incident Review: Active Shooter at Robb Elementary School”.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.184A.

Program Authority: Section 4631(a)(1)(B) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7281)

OMB Control Number: 1894–00061.

1 According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 60 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering, and maintaining the data needed, and completing and

For Further Information: Nicole White, Telephone: (202) 987-1594. Email:

school.safety@ed.gov.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $93,000,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000- 5,000,000 per 36-month project period.

Estimated Number of Awards: 30.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Application Deadline: July 28. 2026.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), ED generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, selection criteria, definitions, application requirements, and other requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), however, allows ED to exempt reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit and voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov and reference the OMB Control Number 1894-0006. Note: Please do not return completed applications to this address.

https://cops.usdoj.gov/uvalde https://cops.usdoj.gov/uvalde https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/5/553 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/5/553 from rulemaking requirements regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant competition for this program under section 4631(a)(1)(B) of the ESEA, therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, ED has decided to forgo public comment on the priorities, requirements, and definitions under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. These priorities, requirements, and definitions will apply to the FY 2026 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Note: This application notice and instructions is the official document governing the grant competition.

Contingent upon the quality of applications, ED anticipates making awards for the 36-month project period using available funding. ED is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Background The School Safety Enhancement (SSE) Grants program provides competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to develop, implement, and strengthen statewide school safety systems and the physical security of schools consistent with findings outlined in the U.S. Department of Justice January 18, 2024, report, “Critical Incident Review: Active Shooter at Robb Elementary School”. The program will support States in implementing evidence-based school safety measures, including improving school infrastructure security, strengthening emergency response planning and coordination, and enhancing training and preparedness exercises for school personnel and school resource officers (SROs).

Consistent with findings in the DOJ report concerning Robb Elementary School, this initiative prioritizes:

• Secured and monitored school entry points;

• Functional door-locking systems and perimeter controls;

• Coordinated incident command structures;

• Clear emergency response protocols;

• Enhanced training and preparedness exercises for school personnel and School

Resource Officers; and

• Regular safety drills aligned with best practices.

ED recognizes that school safety requires systemic coordination among schools, law enforcement, and emergency responders. This program focuses on strengthening State-level leadership and oversight to ensure local implementation of evidence-informed safety https://cops.usdoj.gov/uvalde practices. At the local level, incorporating school safety practices should be done systematically, ideally through adoption into a school emergency operations plan, a widely used planning framework that is updated annually by over 80 percent of LEAs nationwide and provides an established mechanism for integrating and sustaining effective safety practices.

This competition includes priorities, application requirements and program requirements consistent with Congress' explanatory statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-75), as well as the activities described in the seventh paragraph under the School Safety National Activities section of House Report 119-271.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants Consistent with 20 U.S.C. 7281(a)(1)(B) and the Secretary's Notice of Final Priorities and Definitions-Secretary's Supplemental Priorities and Definitions on Evidence-Based Literacy, Education Choice, and Returning Education to the States, published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2025 (90 FR 43514) (2025 Secretary’s Supplemental Priorities) eligible applicants are:

(a) State educational agencies (SEAs), as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49).

Note: Only one application per State is permitted.

Costs Cost Sharing or Matching

This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

Supplement, Not Supplant

This competition contains a supplement, not supplant requirement, as further described in the Program Requirements section of this document.

Indirect Cost Rate Information

This program uses a restricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see the ED website.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/09/09/2025-17310/final-priorities-and-definitions-secretarys-supplemental-priorities-and-definitions-on https://www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division

Administrative Cost Limitation

This competition includes an Administrative Cost Limitation, as further described in the Program Requirements section of this document.

Subgrantees

An SEA grantee under this competition may award subgrants to directly carry out project activities described in its application to the following types of entities: Local educational agencies (LEAs). The SEA grantee may award subgrants to LEAs it has identified in an approved application or that it selects through a competition under procedures established by the SEA. However, an SEA grantee is not required to award subgrants and may instead administer the program directly. Additionally, under 34 CFR 75.708 (b) and (c) LEAs are not authorized to make subgrants. (34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c))

Submission Requirements and Deadlines

Applications Available May 27, 2026 Application Deadline July 28, 2026 Deadline for Intergovernmental Review September 25, 2026

Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.

Program Description

Priorities This competition has two absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority.

Absolute Priority 1 is from the 2025 Secretary's Supplemental Priorities. We are establishing Absolute Priority 2 in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). The competitive preference priority is from 34 CFR 75.227.

Absolute Priorities: ED considers only applications that meet both absolute priorities.

Competitive Preference Priority: An application may receive a maximum of 3 additional points under the competitive preference priority.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1232 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.227

ED will not review or award points for a competitive preference priority if an applicant fails to clearly identify in its project abstract and project narrative that it is addressing the competitive preference priority.

Priority Required Priority Language Points Absolute Priority 1—Returning Education to the States

Yes Projects or proposals that will be carried out by State educational agencies (as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49)).

Not applicable

Absolute Priority 2— Improving school safety systems and physical security of schools

Yes To meet this priority, an SEA must describe how funds will support one or more of the following:

(a) Installation or upgrading of interior door locks and secure entry systems;

(b) Installation or upgrading of deterrent measures, including but not limited to metal detectors or security cameras;

(c) Installation or upgrading of perimeter controls;

(d) Installation or upgrading of visitor screening infrastructure;

(e) Acquiring or upgrading emergency communication systems;

(f) Development or updating of emergency response and coordination plans; or

(g) Training and preparedness exercises for SROs and school personnel in active threat response.

Not applicable

Competitive Preference Priority—Rural Applicants

No To meet this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the following:

(a) The applicant proposes to serve a community that is served by one or more LEAs—

(i) With a National Center for

Education Statistics (NCES) locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43; or

(ii) With a NCES locale code of 41, 42, or 43.

0 or 3 points

Application Requirements We are establishing these application requirements for the FY 2026 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

An eligible entity must include the following in its application:

(a) A description of how the applicant will identify and prioritize LEAs with the greatest need to improve school safety systems and physical security of schools, consistent with Absolute Priority 2, and how the applicant will use grant funds to support these LEAs.

(b) A description of the competition procedures that will be followed, if awarding subgrants through a competition. If applicants plan to subgrant through a noncompetitive process, they must identify in their application the specific LEAs that will receive subgrant awards and how they were selected.

(c) A description of how the proposed project aligns with and advances the goals and recommendations outlined in chapters 13, 16, and 19 of the 2018 Final Report on the Federal Commission on School Safety .

(d) A description of how the proposed project aligns with and advances the goals and recommendations from the U.S. Department of Justice January 18, 2024, report, “Critical Incident Review: Active Shooter at Robb Elementary School” that the proposed activities address.

Program Requirements We are establishing these program requirements for the FY 2026 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

(a) Administrative costs for applicants that receive an award under this program may not exceed 10 percent of the annual grant award.

(b) Applicants that receive an award under this program must use grant funds to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds that would otherwise be available for activities funded under this program.

(c) Applicants that receive an award under this program must ensure that all school safety equipment and technology implementation is compliant with all applicable codes, including the building and life safety codes.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1232 https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/documents/school-safety/school-safety-reportpdf.pdf https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/documents/school-safety/school-safety-reportpdf.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1232

(d) Applicants that receive an award under this program are prohibited from using program funds for: (1) gender ideology, (2) political activism, (3) racial stereotyping, or (4) hostile environments for students of particular races.

Note: Pursuant to section 8526 of the ESEA and 34 C.F.R. 75.533, no grant funds under this program may be used for construction, renovation, or repair of any school facility. Please refer to the definitions of “construction,” “facility,” and “minor remodeling”.

Selection Criteria Selection criteria outline how the application will be scored. The maximum possible score an application can receive for addressing the selection criteria is 100 points. The maximum possible score for addressing each criterion is indicated in parentheses following the criterion. The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210.

When scoring applications, reviewers will be provided with and may consider the following optional scoring rubric:

Criteria Maximum Points

Weak Adequate Strong

Quality of Project Design

30 0-11 12-24 25-30

Management

Plan

30 0-11 12-24 25-30

Adequacy of Resources

20 0-7 8-144-7 15-20

Project

Evaluation

20 0-7 8-14 15-20

(a) Quality of the project design: (up to 30 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified, measurable, and ambitious yet https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.210 achievable within the project period, and aligned with the purposes of the grant program. (up to 20 points)

(2) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates that it is designed to build capacity and yield sustainable results that will extend beyond the project period. (up to 10 points)

(b) Quality of the management plan: (up to 30 pts). The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:

(1) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks. (up to 15 points)

(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project. (up to 15 points)

(c) Adequacy of resources: (up to 20 points). The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. (Up to 10 points)

(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the number of persons to be served, the depth and intensity of services, and the anticipated results and benefits. (up to 10 points)

(d) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building: (up to 20 points). The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project. (up to 5 points)

(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

(up to 5 points)

(3) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about effective strategies suitable for replication or testing and potential implementation in other settings. (up to 10 points)

Performance Measures For the purposes of ED reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, ED has established a set of performance measures.

In addressing these performance measures, applications must describe:

(1) The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data.

(2) The applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.

Program Measure Description Program Performance Measure 1 The cumulative, unduplicated number of schools that installed or upgraded interior door locks or secure entry systems with grant funds.

Program Performance Measure 2 The cumulative, unduplicated number of schools that installed or upgraded deterrent measures with grant funds.

Program Performance Measure 3 The cumulative, unduplicated number of schools that upgraded or installed perimeter controls with grant funds.

Program Performance Measure 4 The cumulative, unduplicated number of schools that upgraded their visitor screening infrastructure with grant funds.

Program Performance Measure 5 The cumulative, unduplicated number of schools that acquired or upgraded their emergency communications systems with grant funds.

Program Performance Measure 6 The cumulative, unduplicated number of schools that developed or updated their emergency response and coordination plans with grant funds.

Program Performance Measure 7 The cumulative, unduplicated number of SROs and school personnel that received training or participated in a preparedness exercise in active threat response with grant funds.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.110

Application Submission Information Competition Resources

ED will post a pre-application presentation for prospective applicants. To access the pre-application presentation, visit the SSE Grants webpage at https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/safe-and-supportive-schools/school-safety-enhancement-program-84184a.

Registration

To apply, you must first be registered in two systems: SAM.gov and Grants.gov. If you are already registered, make sure your registration is active and up to date.

Grants.gov registration involves several steps, including registration on SAM.gov which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot apply until all registration steps are complete. Once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to become available in Grants.gov. For detailed information on the registration steps, please go to: Grants.gov Applicant Registration.

Please note that your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.

SAM.gov

You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process early.

To register, go to SAM.gov and click on "Get Started."

Click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register in SAM.gov.

If you need help, you can call 866-606-8220 or live chat with the Federal Service Desk.

Grants.gov

You must also have an active account with Grants.gov.

To register, go to Grants.gov and click “Register.” When ready, click on “Get Registered Now” and complete the required fields.

For more information or assistance, click on “Applicant Registration Page.”

https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/safe-and-supportive-schools/school-safety-enhancement-program-84184a https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/safe-and-supportive-schools/school-safety-enhancement-program-84184a https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/grants-birth-grade-12/safe-and-supportive-schools/school-safety-enhancement-program-84184a http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/entity-registration https://sam.gov/sites/default/files/2024-11/entity-checklist.pdf https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://grants.gov/ https://grants.gov/register https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces?INITIAL_LOAD=true https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/register.faces?INITIAL_LOAD=true https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

ED strongly recommends that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application.

Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. If Grants.gov rejects your application, you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

You must provide the Unique-Entity ID (UEI) on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This UEI is assigned to your organization in SAM at the time your organization registers in SAM. If you do not enter the UEI assigned by SAM on your application, Grants.gov will reject your application.

A Grants.gov applicant must apply online using Workspace, a shared environment in Grants.gov where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. The Grants.gov website contains further instructions on how to apply.

Intergovernmental Review

This is subject to Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. One of the objectives of Executive Order 12372 is to strengthen federalism – or the distribution of responsibility between localities, States, and the Federal government – by fostering intergovernmental partnerships. This idea includes supporting processes that State or local governments have developed to coordinate, and review proposed Federal financial grant applications. Grant applicants need to contact State Single Points of Contact (SPOC) for information on their State’s procedures. Multi- State applicants should follow procedures specific to each state. Further information about the SPOC List and the official list of entities can be found online.

Absent specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the point of contact listed in this notice.

Verify Submission

Verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, log in to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned.

If the date/time received is later than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received,” it is still awaiting https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.ojp.gov/IntergovernmentalReviewSPOCList.pdf validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov website.

For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to the Grants.gov Support Center for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs as well as additional information on Workspace.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or via email at: support@grants.gov. You may also access the Grants.gov Self- Service Knowledge Base web portal.

Application Review Information Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that, in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, ED may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217, information outside the rank order of applications, including: the information in each application; and any other information—

(a) Relevant to a criterion, priority, or other requirement that applies to the selection of applications for new grants;

(b) Concerning the applicant's performance and use of funds under a previous award under any ED program; and

(c) Concerning the applicant's failure under any ED program to submit a performance report or its submission of a performance report of unacceptable quality.

Before making awards, ED staff will screen applications submitted in accordance with the requirements in this notice to determine whether applications have met eligibility and other requirements, including whether an application may fail to meet the “Terms and https://www.grants.gov/applicants/encountering-error-messages https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.217#p-75.217(d)(3) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.217#p-75.217(d)(3)

Conditions” applicable to awarded funds referenced elsewhere within this notice. This screening process may occur at various stages of the review and selection process.

Applicants that are determined to be ineligible will not receive a grant, regardless of whether the application was included in the peer review process. Applications not selected for funding will be informed of ED’s decision in accordance with 34 CFR 75.218.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, ED requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from ED (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

Definitions For FY 2026, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following definitions apply. The definitions of “local educational agency,” “State,” and “State educational agency” are from 20 U.S.C. 7801. In accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, we are establishing definitions for “emergency communication systems,” “interior door locks and secure entry systems, “perimeter controls,” “training and preparedness exercises for SROs and school personnel in active threat response,” and “visitor screening infrastructure.” The definitions of “ambitious” and “baseline” are from 34 CFR 77.1(c).

Ambitious means promoting continued, meaningful improvement for program participants or for other individuals or entities affected by the grant, or representing a significant advancement in the field of education research, practices, or methodologies. When used to describe a performance target, whether a performance target is ambitious depends upon the context of the relevant performance measure and the baseline for that measure.

Baseline means the starting point from which performance is measured and targets are set.

Emergency communication systems means technology used to rapidly communicate emergency alerts and safety information to students, staff, and first responders, including mass notification interoperable communication systems. This may also include upgrades to WiFi hardware, but would not include routine costs (e.g., monthly subscription fees).

Interior door locks and secure entry systems means the door hardware or building access control systems designed to restrict or control entry to school buildings or interior spaces, including ensuring universal master key access boxes.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.218 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-104.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-106.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-108.8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-110.23

Local educational agency means a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or of or for a combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools.

(1) The term includes any other public institution or agency having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary school.

(2) The term includes an elementary or secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education but only to the extent that including the school makes the school eligible for programs for which specific eligibility is not provided to the school in another provision of law and the school does not have a student population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) with the smallest student population, except that the school shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of any SEA other than the Bureau of Indian Education.

(3) The term includes educational service agencies and consortia of those agencies.

(4) The term includes the SEA in a State in which the SEA is the sole educational agency for all public schools.

Perimeter controls means physical security measures used to control access to school grounds.

Training and preparedness exercises for SROs and school personnel in active threat response means training or participation in preparedness exercises for school resource officers and school personnel to recognize, respond to, and coordinate during violent incidents or other emergencies, including (as appropriate) coordination with students, local law enforcement, first responders, and local government agencies.

State means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas.

State educational agency means the agency primarily responsible for the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary schools.

Visitor screening infrastructure means physical security measures to control access to school buildings, including controlled entry points, and visitor management or identification screening systems.

Award Requirements Terms and Conditions

If you are awarded a grant under this competition, you must ensure and may be required to demonstrate that federal funds will not be used under this project in any manner that violates the United States Constitution, Title VI or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq. or 42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.), section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794), the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.), the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. 7905), section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1011f), or other applicable federal law. To the extent that a grantee uses grant funds for such unallowable activities, ED may take appropriate enforcement action including the potential recovery of funds or may pursue termination or non-continuation. The Grant Award Notification document accompanying your award may contain further terms and conditions, as necessary, to ensure grantee compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and administrative priorities.

Please note the provisions of Executive Orders 14151, 14168, 14173, and 14190 as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s July 29, 2025, non-regulatory “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination,” which clarifies the application of federal antidiscrimination laws to programs or initiatives that may involve discriminatory practices, including those labeled as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) programs.

Such activities may risk violating federal civil rights laws and may jeopardize federal funding. This includes any discriminatory equity ideology in violation of a Federal anti-discrimination law. A definition of “discriminatory equity ideology” is contained in Section 2(b) of Executive Order 14190. To the extent that any entity receiving grant funds under this grant uses those grant funds for such unallowable activities, ED reserves the right to take appropriate enforcement actions, including the recovery of grant funds or may pursue termination or non-continuation.

Applicable Regulations

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000d https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000d https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/2000e https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1681 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/29/794 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/6101 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/42/12131 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/7905 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/20/1011f https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1409486/dl https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1409486/dl

Requirements For Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) 2025 Secretary’s Supplemental Priorities.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Continuation Awards

In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, ED considers, among other things:

whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; if ED has established performance measurement requirements, whether the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance targets in the grantee's approved application, and whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

In making a continuation award, ED also considers whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the terms and conditions specified elsewhere in this notice and the assurances in its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from ED (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). In making any continuation award determination, ED may consider all relevant information.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-75.253 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-100.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-104.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-106.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-108.8 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/section-110.23

Application Checklist The application will require you to fill out several forms, which are listed and linked in grants.gov. See below for a description of forms and sections:

1. Standard Documents

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

ED Supplemental Information for SF-424

2. Budget Information

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

3. Abstract Form

Project Abstract

4. Project Narrative

Application Narrative (Project Narrative Attachment Form)

5. Budget Narrative

Budget Narrative (Budget Narrative Attachment Form)

6. Other Attachment Forms

Individual Resumes for Project Director & Key Personnel

ED Grant Application Form for Project Objectives and Performance Measures

Letters

Supplementary Information

Other Appendices

7. Assurances and Certifications

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)

Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Part 1: Standard Documents

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) ED Supplemental Information for SF 424 (Instructions)

These forms require basic identifying information about the applicant and the application. Please provide all requested applicant information (including name, address, e-mail address and UEI). When applying electronically via Grants.gov, you will need to ensure that the UEI on your application is the same as the UEI your organization used when it registered with the System for Award Management.

Applicants are advised to complete the Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF

424) first. Grants.gov will automatically insert the correct Assistance Listing Number and program name automatically wherever needed on other forms.

Please do not attach any narratives, supporting files, or application components to the Standard Form (SF 424). Although this form accepts attachments, ED will only review materials/files attached in accordance with the instructions provided within this application.

Part 2: Budget Information

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

The SF-424A Budget Information Form is required. This part of your application contains information about the Federal funding you are requesting. The form requires total funding requests for each year of the project, but only requires detailed information for Year 1 of the project. You will provide information on all years of the project, including an itemized budget breakdown for each year of the proposed project, in your Budget Narrative. Specific instructions for completing the Budget Narrative are provided within this application notice and instructions under Budget Narrative. Budget Narrative attachments are not included in the page count.

Instructions for completing SF-424A:

The SF-424A has six sections (A-F). While the form includes several sections and boxes, please use the information below to complete only the necessary sections.

Section A – Budget Summary

• Section A-Budget Summary: Enter the name of the grant program for which you are requesting funds in 1(a).

• Section A-Budget Summary: 1(b): Enter the Assistance Listing Number (84.184A).

https://www.ed.gov/media/document/instructions-sf-424-ed-supplemental-2026-113023.pdf

• Section A-Budget Summary: 1(e) “Federal”: Include the total amount requested for the entire performance period. The amount you enter here will auto populate in 5 (e).

• Section A-Budget Summary: 1(f) “Non-Federal”: Only include an amount in this section if you propose to include non-Federal financial resources as part of this project, including any non-Federal funds to meet any program cost sharing requirements. If not including non-Federal financial resources, leave this blank or include 0.

• Section A-Budget Summary: 1(g): If using Grants.gov form, the total amount included here will be auto-calculated based on what is included in 1(e) and 1(f).

Section B – Budget Categories

Section B-Budget Categories:

• Line 6. Object Class Categories: The categories listed here (a-k) are the categories you will need to further describe in the Budget Narrative. For this section, only include the total amount by category for Year 1 of the project. You will provide a breakdown by category for each year of the project in the Budget Narrative. If using Grants.gov, line 6 column (1) will be auto-populated with the name of the program for which you are requesting funding.

o Personnel (line 6a): Enter project personnel salaries and wages only. Include fees and expenses for consultants on line 6f or 6h.

o Fringe Benefits (line 6b): The organization’s normal fringe benefits contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this line blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of the indirect cost.

o Travel (line 6c): Indicate the travel costs of employees and participants only.

Include travel of persons such as consultants on line 6f or 6h.

o Equipment (line 6d): Indicate the cost of tangible, non-expendable personal property that has a usefulness greater than one year and acquisition costs that are the lesser of the capitalization level established by the applicant entity for financial statement purposes or $10,000 per article. Lower limits may be established to maintain consistency with the applicant’s policy.

o Supplies (line 6e): Show all tangible, expendable personal property. Direct supplies and materials differ from equipment in that they are consumable, expendable, and of a relatively low unit cost. Supplies purchased with grant funds should directly benefit the grant project and be necessary for achieving the goals of the project.

o Contractual (line 6f): The contractual category should include all costs specifically incurred with actions that the applicant takes in conjunction with an established internal procurement system. Include consultant fees, expenses, and travel costs in this category if the consultant’s services are obtained through a written binding agreement or contract.

o Construction (line 6g): Construction funds are not authorized.

o Other (line 6h): Indicate all direct costs not covered on lines 1-6. For example, include costs such as space rental, required fees, honoraria and travel (where a contract is not in place for services), training, and communication and printing costs. If applicable, include stipends under other. Do not include stipends when calculating the indirect cost. Do not include costs that are included in the indirect cost rate.

o Total Direct Costs (line 6i): The sum of lines 6a-6h. If using Grants.gov, this number is auto-calculated.

o Indirect Costs (line 6j): Enter the amount of indirect cost in accordance with the Costs section of these instructions, negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or the 15% de minimis rate. Costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. For more information, please see the grantor agency requirements. If not applicable, leave blank.

o Total Cost (line 6i and 6j): This number should be equal to sum of lines 6i-6j (total of direct costs + indirect costs). If using Grants.gov, this number is auto-calculated. The sum for column one, labeled Project Year 6 (1), should also be equal to item 15a on the application cover sheet (SF Form 424).

• Line 7. Program Income: You may leave this field blank.

Section C – Non-Federal Resources

This section should only be completed if you are proposing a cost share or if the program for which you are applying requires a Non-Federal cost share. If include a cost share, provide a breakdown by including the dollars that will come from the applicant, State, and other sources, as applicable.

Section D – Forecasted Cash Needs

• Line 13. Federal: The total for 1st Year column will automatically calculate based on the funding amounts included in Quarters 1-4. These quarters apply to Year One ONLY. Enter the forecasted cash needs from Federal sources for each quarter of the first program year. The amount entered for each quarter will be used to auto-calculate the amount in line 15 and is your forecasted needs. You will have an opportunity to provide updates to these quarterly amounts in post-award.

• Line 14. Non-Federal: The total for 1st year column will automatically calculate based on the funding amounts included in Quarters 1-4. These quarters apply to Year One ONLY. Leave this blank for each quarter if you are not including any Non-Federal Funds. If including non-Federal funds, enter the forecasted cash needs from non-Federal sources for the first quarter of the first program year. If not applicable, leave blank.

• Line 15. (sum of lines 13 and 14): If using Grants.gov, the total is auto-calculated.

Section E – Budget Estimates of Federal Funds Needed for Balance of the Project

This section collects information for future funding periods. While the columns are labeled First (b) through Fourth (e), this is the section where you will include the total amount of Federal funds requested for Years 2-5, for five-year projects. You are only including the total amount of Federal funds requested for the outyears beyond Year 1. The total amount in Section D. line 13 plus the total amount in the outyears should match the project total requested in Section A line 5 (e).

• Line 16 Column (a) Grant Program: If using Grants.gov, this box will be auto-populated with the name of the program you included in Section A Line 1.

• Line 16 Column (b) First: Include the total amount requested for the first outyear.

Year 2 of the project. Ensure this amount matches what is in your Budget Narrative.

• Line 16 Column (c) Second: Include the total amount requested for the second outyear. Year 3 of the project. Ensure this amount matches what is in your Budget Narrative.

• Line 16 Column (d) Third: Include the total amount requested for the third outyear.

Year 4 of the project. Ensure this amount matches what is in your Budget Narrative.

• Line 16 Column (e) Fourth: Include the total amount requested for the fourth outyear. Year 5 of the project. Ensure this amount matches what is in your Budget Narrative.

Section F – Other Budget Information

• Line 21. Direct Charges: You may leave this field blank.

• Line 22. Indirect Charges: Enter the type of indirect rate (provisional, predetermined, final or fixed) or 15% de minimis rate that will be in effect during the funding period, the estimated amount of the base to which the rate is applied, and the total indirect expense.

• Line 23. Remarks: You may leave this field blank.

Part 3: Abstract Form

The project abstract should not exceed two double spaced pages and should include a concise description of the following information:

• Proposed project objectives and activities

• Absolute Priority(ies)

• Competitive preference priority(ies), if applicable

• Proposed project outcomes

• Proposed project partners, if applicable

Ensure that you only attach the ED approved file types detailed in the 2025 Common Instructions.

Part 4: Project Narrative

This section should be attached as a single document to the Project Narrative Attachment Form in accordance with these instructions and should be organized in the following manner and include the following parts in order to expedite the review process.

Ensure that you only attach the ED approved file types detailed in the 2025 Common Instructions. When attaching files, applicants should limit the size of their file names.

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents shows where and how the important sections of your proposal are organized and should not exceed one double-spaced page.

Application Narrative

ED encourages applicants to limit this section of the application to the equivalent of no more than 15 pages. The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/29/2025-16571/common-instructions-and-information-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant…