See VOLT at your school

School Safety Grants / New York

New York school safety grants

  • Smart Schools Bond Act allocations, with limits on analytics.
  • What each one funds, and whether cameras qualify.
  • Official sources on every program.
BJA STOP15 days leftOct 30

Checked October 15, 2026. Confirm dates before you apply.

New York programs

RollingCameras: sometimesNY

Smart Schools Bond Act: High-Tech Security

New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Amount

A $2B statewide bond, split into fixed district allocations.

None. Spend from your district's allocation.

Next deadline

No fixed deadline. Submit a plan while your allocation remains.

What it funds

  • High-tech security, including video surveillance and emergency notification.
  • NYSED must approve your Smart Schools Investment Plan before you bid or spend.

Who can apply

  • New York school districts, with nonpublic schools included through their district.

Does not fund

  • Facial recognition or "other similar self-learning analytic software" (NYSED is not approving it).

Cameras

Camera hardware can qualify. AI analytic software is not being approved today.

How VOLT fits

  • Plain answer: do not plan to pay for VOLT from Smart Schools funds today.
  • VOLT has no facial recognition, but NYSED also excludes similar self-learning analytics.

Sources: NYSED Smart Schools Bond Act · NYSED: About the Smart Schools Bond Act. Checked Oct 15, 2026.

Background: Funding options for school security in New York.

Federal programs open to New York schools

Open nowCameras: not eligibleFederal

STOP School Violence Program (FY 2026)

U.S. DOJ, Bureau of Justice Assistance

Amount

Category 1 up to $2,000,000. Category 2 up to $1,000,000. About $111.1M in total.

No match required.

Next deadline

Grants.gov: Oct 30, 2026, 11:59 pm ET. JustGrants: Nov 6, 2026, 8:59 pm ET.

What it funds

  • Training to prevent violence against others and self.
  • Threat assessment and intervention teams.
  • Anonymous reporting tools: apps, hotlines, websites.
  • Training for staff responding to mental health crises.

Who can apply

  • Category 1: states; public and state-controlled colleges.
  • Category 2: cities, counties, tribes, independent school districts, private and public charter schools, private colleges, nonprofits.

Does not fund

  • Target-hardening equipment. BJA sends these requests to COPS SVPP.
  • New school resource officers or armed security.
  • Higher-education campus violence projects.

Cameras

Not for cameras. Security equipment is target hardening, which STOP does not fund.

How VOLT fits

  • STOP does not pay for VOLT. We say so up front.
  • Use STOP for training and reporting. Look at SVPP or your state program for camera work.

Sources: BJA FY26 STOP solicitation page · BJA FY26 STOP NOFO (PDF). Checked Oct 15, 2026.

Closed for this cycleCameras: sometimesFederal

COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP)

U.S. DOJ, COPS Office

Amount

Up to $500,000 per award, over 36 months. Up to $73M in FY26. Microgrants up to $100,000.

At least 25% local cash match, unless a waiver is approved.

Next deadline

FY26 closed Aug 11, 2026. Awards on or after Oct 1, 2026. The FY26 NOFO opened June 9; FY27 is not announced yet.

What it funds

  • Technology for expedited notification of local law enforcement in an emergency.
  • Metal detectors, locks, lighting and other deterrents.
  • Coordination with local law enforcement.
  • Training for local officers to prevent school violence.

Who can apply

  • States, local governments, tribes and their public agencies.
  • Public agencies can include school districts. Check the NOFO.

Cameras

Fits when the project speeds up notifying law enforcement in an emergency.

How VOLT fits

  • VOLT runs on the cameras you already have.
  • It flags someone who needs help or a visible weapon.
  • By default, a VOLT reviewer checks it before your team is notified.
  • That maps to the "expedited notification" purpose area.

Sources: COPS FY26 SVPP NOFO (PDF) · COPS FY26 SVPP fact sheet (PDF) · COPS Office grants and awards. Checked Oct 15, 2026.

Ask us for help with your application

  • Tell us your state and the program (NY Smart Schools, STOP or SVPP).
  • We help with the technology section and budget.
  • We tell you plainly if VOLT is not a fit for that program.
  • Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute readiness assessment.

Questions

Can NY Smart Schools pay for security cameras?

Camera hardware can qualify. AI analytic software is not being approved today. No fixed deadline. Submit a plan while your allocation remains.

Are there federal grants for New York schools?

Yes. BJA STOP is open now for training and reporting tools, not cameras. COPS SVPP funds emergency notification technology; its next round is not announced yet.

Will VOLT help with my application?

Yes. Tell us your program and we will help with the technology section and budget.

Other states

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