Security Equipment Grants
The Virginia Public School Authority (VPSA)
issued $12 million in equipment notes in conjunction with the existing Virginia Public School Authority technology notes program. Proceeds of these additional notes will be used to help offset related local costs associated with the purchasing of qualifying security equipment to improve and help ensure the safety of students attending public schools in Virginia. See 2020-2021 School Security Equipment Grants Program Application - Superintendent's Memo 161-20-This is a Word document.
2020-2021 Application Process
School divisions are eligible to receive up to $250,000 each fiscal year through a competitive grant process. To be considered, grant applications must be submitted to VDOE between July 2, 2020 and August 1, 2020 by 5 p.m. Applications can be accessed through the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Single Sign-On for Web-based Systems (SSWS) portal under the Security Equipment Grant Management (SEGM) application.
- 2020-2021 School Security Equipment Grants Program Application - Superintendent's Memo 161-20-This is a Word document.
- Guidelines for School Divisions Applying to the School Security Equipment Grants Program
- Application Process for 2020-2021 School Security Equipment Grants Program
Eligibility Requirements
School divisions are required to use these funds to purchase security equipment that will be used in school buildings and any related equipment installation costs in eligible schools. The grants cannot be used to pay for security equipment that is not included or described in the grant application or for extended equipment warranties or service contracts agreements. The school must be scheduled to remain open for at least five more years and there be no planned renovations/additions scheduled for the next five years which would cause the security equipment being requested to become obsolete.
Local Match Requirement
In order for a school division to receive a grant, a local match of 25 percent of the grant amount is required. The Superintendent of Public Instruction is authorized to reduce the local match for school divisions with a composite index of local ability-to-pay less than 0.2000, including any such school division participating in a regional vocational center, special education center, alternative education center, or academic year Governor's School. The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind is exempt from the match requirement.
Reimbursement
A Request for Reimbursement form must be completed and submitted to the VDOE Office of Support Services with documentation showing the school name, the total cost of the qualifying equipment purchased and installation cost. Awarded grant funds will be maintained and disbursed from accounts administered by the State Non-Arbitrage Program (SNAP) under VPSA. Purchases of security equipment must be made within six months of notification.
- 2017-2018 Security Equipment Grant Reimbursement Form (XLS)
- 2018-2019 Security Equipment Grant Reimbursement Form (XLS)
- 2019-2020 Security Equipment Grant Reimbursement Form-This is an excel spreadsheet.
Once the reimbursement request is approved, written certification will be sent to SNAP for reimbursement payment. SNAP will make the payment within 30 days of receipt of the certification.
- Electronic Funds Transfer Form (PDF) for VPSA Security Equipment withdrawal
Revisions to Approved Applications
It may be necessary for a school division to revise their original grant application(s) approved for funding. A reason to revise an application may be to add additional eligible equipment to expend a remaining balance in the grant when the original equipment requested cost less than anticipated.
Revisions to the approved applications may be made through the SSWS portal for the 2019-2020 SEGM grant application. In order to make changes to an application, an SSWS account is required. If the individual making the change to the application does not have an SSWS SEGM account, they will need to request access through their school division's SSWS account manager and will need to receive “Data Entry” access in the Security Equipment Grant Management (SEGM) application.
Grants Awarded
- News Release October 17, 2019 – Governor Northern Awards $6 Million in New School Security Equipment Grant Awards
- News Release October 4, 2018 – Governor Northam Awards $6 Million in New School Security Equipment Grants
- News Release, October 6, 2017 – Governor McAuliffe Awards $6 Million in New School Security Equipment Grants
- News Release, September 15, 2016 – Governor McAuliffe Awards $6 Million in New School Security Equipment Grants
- News Release, September 16, 2015 – Governor McAuliffe Announces $6 Million in School Security Equipment Grants
- News Release, September 25, 2014 – Governor McAuliffe Awards $6 Million in School Security Equipment Grants
- News Release, September 3, 2013 – Governor McDonnell Awards $6 Million in School Security Equipment Grants
Contacts
If you have questions, please contact the Division of Support Services at 804-225-2037 or 804-225-2035 by phone or email: Vijay.Ramnarain@doe.virginia.gov or Hunter.Barnes@doe.virginia.gov or Ann.Belanger@doe.virginia.gov.