Virginia State Funding
State Funding
Virginia supports school safety through competitive equipment grants, one-time safety funding, school safety personnel grants, and newly enacted wearable panic alarm legislation.
School Security Equipment Grant
The Virginia School Security Equipment Grant is a competitive grant program administered by the Virginia Department of Education for public school divisions.
For the 2026–2027 grant cycle, applications are accepted from July 1, 2026, through August 1, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. Eligible school divisions may receive up to $250,000 per fiscal year, and a 25% local match is required.
The program helps school divisions purchase and install security equipment designed to improve the safety of students, staff, and visitors.
Eligible or commonly funded items may include:
- voice and video internal communication systems;
- mass notification systems;
- security card access systems;
- visitor ID badging systems;
- surveillance cameras;
- two-way radios;
- security vestibules;
- interior and bus-mounted cameras;
- security panic systems;
- other approved safety equipment.
Grant awards are competitive and generally prioritize schools with greater security needs, needs identified through school security audits, higher numbers of safety-related incidents, and divisions with less local ability to afford upgrades.
FY2024 School Safety and Security Grant
Virginia also provided a one-time School Safety and Security Grant for public schools through the FY2024 state budget.
The program awarded school divisions base funding of $50,000 to support safety and security improvements in public school buildings. Funds could be used for equipment purchases and installation, software, planning, and on-site training connected to school safety and security.
This program should now be described as previously awarded funding, not a current open grant. Federal allocations had to be obligated by December 31, 2024, and should be fully expended by December 31, 2025.
he grant was created as a one-time funding opportunity for Virginia public schools through the final FY2024 state budget. The Virginia Department of Education awarded $18.5 million in combined state and federal funds to school divisions statewide, with each school division receiving a base allocation of $50,000.
Divisions could use the funds for safety-related needs such as equipment purchases and installation, software, planning, and on-site training to improve the safety and security of public school buildings. Because this was a one-time grant, it should be presented as previously awarded funding; federal funds had to be obligated by December 31, 2024, and should be fully spent by December 31, 2025.
School Safety Personnel, Programming, Equipment, and Training Grant
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services administers the School Safety Personnel or Programming Grant Program.
For FY2027, DCJS is accepting applications for new and continuation school safety personnel positions. The grant period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and awards are made on a competitive basis.
Eligible or commonly funded items may include:
- division school safety directors, coordinators, or emergency managers;
- division threat assessment directors or coordinators;
- behavior interventionists or specialists;
- law enforcement liaison officers;
- school ambassadors.
Grant funds may also support equipment, supplies, training, and programming necessary for the funded school safety personnel positions. Local units of government are eligible to apply, and awards are contingent on available funding.
Alyssa’s Law in Virginia
HB 592
Virginia enacted House Bill 592 in 2026, adding a wearable panic alarm provision to the Code of Virginia.
The law permits any school board to provide school board employees in public elementary and secondary school buildings with a wearable panic alarm system.
A wearable panic alarm system is defined as a body-worn security system that can be manually activated to send:
- a signal to the local 911 public safety answering point indicating a school security emergency that requires immediate response;
- a multisensory schoolwide emergency notification, when appropriate.
Under the law, a school security emergency includes a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, medical emergency, or active shooter situation.
This law should be presented as an authorized local option, not as a statewide mandate requiring every Virginia school to install wearable panic alarms.
The funding information and links provided on this page are based on publicly available information at the time of publication. While we make every effort to keep this resource current and relevant, funding programs, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and website links may change over time. If you discover outdated information, inaccurate content, or a broken link, please let us know by emailing info@carehawk.com.