BJA STOP School Violence Grant: Up to $1 Million for School Districts (Deadline November 6)

Q: Is Your District Eligible?

School districts apply under Category 2, where BJA expects to make about 80 awards of up to $1 million each. Local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and charter and private K-12 schools are also eligible. No local match is required, and awards run 36 months.

Q: How Does the Two-Step Federal Application Process Work?

Submit the SF-424 through Grants.gov by October 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern, then complete the full application in JustGrants by November 6, 2026 at 8:59 PM Eastern. Active SAM.gov registration is required, so start registration or renewal as soon as possible.

Q: What Can STOP Grant Funds Actually Pay For?

Behavioral threat assessment and intervention teams, anonymous reporting systems, violence prevention training, mental health crisis training for school officials, and other school safety technology. Target hardening equipment and new School Resource Officer positions are not allowable.

Q: How To Build A Competitive Application?

Project design and implementation (35%) and capabilities and competencies (30%) carry the most weight, followed by goals and objectives (15%), budget (15%), and description of need (5%).

Q: What Should Districts Do Now?

Verify SAM.gov registration, choose and document your target schools, gather local school data, and secure MOUs or letters of intent from partners.

Carrie P

10 hours ago

3 min read

The Bureau of Justice Assistance has opened applications for the FY26 STOP School Violence Program, and school districts can apply for up to $1 million over three years with no local match required. The program has up to $111 million available nationally. Full applications are due November 6, so now is a good time to start planning.

Is Your District Eligible?

School districts apply under Category 2. BJA expects to make about 80 awards of up to $1 million each in this category, which also includes local governments, tribes, and nonprofits. Charter and private K-12 schools are eligible too.

Each organization can submit one application. No local match is required, and awards run 36 months starting January 1, 2027.

How Does the Two-Step Federal Application Process Work?

You must submit applications through two separate federal systems with different deadlines. First, submit the SF-424 through Grants.gov by October 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Then complete your full application in JustGrants by November 6, 2026 at 8:59 PM Eastern Time.

Your district needs active SAM.gov registration before it can submit. If yours isn't active, start registration or renewal as soon as possible, since delays here can hold up the entire application.

What Can STOP Grant Funds Actually Pay For?

STOP grants fund prevention programs, training, and reporting technology, not physical security equipment. The STOP School Violence Act of 2018 defines what the program can pay for, and activities beyond those uses will not be funded.

Approved activities include:

Behavioral threat assessment and intervention teams that coordinate with law enforcement and school personnel
Anonymous reporting systems, including mobile apps, hotlines, and websites
Training to prevent student violence against others and self, for school personnel, students, and local law enforcement
Specialized training for school officials responding to mental health crises
Other technology solutions that improve school safety

Not allowable under STOP:

Target hardening equipment
Armed security personnel, including new School Resource Officer positions
Trinkets, promotional items, and food costs
Covered telecommunications equipment or services

Districts needing target hardening equipment should apply to the COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) instead, and those looking to hire School Resource Officers should see the COPS Hiring Program. Stipends in lieu of overtime may be allowable with a separate, justified request.

How To Build A Competitive Application?

Your score depends most heavily on two areas: project design and implementation (35%) and capabilities and competencies (30%). Together they make up nearly two-thirds of your score, so a detailed plan and proof that your team can deliver it matter more than anything else. Project goals and objectives (15%) and budget (15%) follow, and description of need is 5%.

Need is a small share of the score, but the NOFO still requires specific, current, local data gathered directly from your target schools. The proposal narrative is capped at 10 pages.

OJP may give priority consideration to projects that advance its agency priorities, including directly supporting law enforcement operations and protecting American children. If your project advances one, say so explicitly in your narrative and complete the Agency Funding Priorities Inventory in JustGrants.

What Should Districts Do Now?

With the Grants.gov deadline on October 30, these steps are critical:

Verify SAM.gov registration today
Choose the schools you'll serve and document why you selected them
Begin gathering local data directly from your target schools
Contact law enforcement and behavioral health partners this week for MOUs or letters of intent

For technical questions, contact the OJP Response Center at 800-851-3420 or OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov.

How Can GrantSmiths Help?

A strong STOP application brings together your district, your partners, and local law enforcement. GrantSmiths specializes in education and school safety funding and understands the details that separate funded applications from the rest. Contact us to discuss your eligibility and application strategy.