Funding program

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program

Formula

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections program flows as formula funds to state education agencies, which competitively subgrant to high-need districts for safer learning environments including safety assessments and corresponding plans. Districts apply through their state, not directly to the U.S. Department of Education, and the funding skews toward mental health and climate alongside safety.

Program details

What the program funds, and who can apply

Activities authorized under section 4108 of the ESEA (safe and healthy students): school safety, school-based mental health services, violence/bullying/harassment prevention and response, safety assessments and corresponding plans, suicide prevention, mentoring and counseling, and positive school climate. Funding skews toward mental health and climate rather than physical security hardware. STATUTORY PROHIBITION: BSCA section 13401 amended ESEA section 8526 so these funds may NOT be used to arm teachers or other individuals, or to provide training in the use of weapons.

Administering agency

U.S. Department of Education (formula funds to State Educational Agencies under Title IV, Part A of ESEA; subgranted to LEAs)

Who can apply

State Educational Agencies receive funds by formula; high-need Local Educational Agencies apply to their SEA for competitive subgrants. Applicants apply through their state, not directly to the U.S. Department of Education, and each SEA defines 'high-need LEA' and sets its own subgrant timeline.

Status

Time-critical and closing. Stronger Connections funds are available for obligation by SEAs and LEAs through September 30, 2026, which is the OBLIGATION deadline, not a spend-by date: funds must be committed by that date, not necessarily disbursed. The ED FAQ states this period already includes the additional one-year availability provided by the Tydings Amendment (GEPA section 421(b)), so no further extension is available under that authority. This is a formula program to State Educational Agencies, not an open federal competition; whether a given LEA can still act depends on its state's subgrant timeline, so contact your SEA directly.

Deadline

Federal obligation deadline for Stronger Connections funds: September 30, 2026. Subgrant deadlines are set per state by each SEA and are not published centrally.

Funding amount

$1,000,000,000 originally provided by the BSCA and allocated to SEAs on September 15, 2022. The ED allocation table now carries a Supplemental Award Amount (September 2025) and a Revised Final SCG Allocation (September 2025) for every state; for example Alabama $15,404,231 plus $48,079 supplemental equals $15,452,310 revised, and California $119,828,943 plus $374,009 equals $120,202,952. SEAs must use at least 95 percent for competitive subgrants to high-need LEAs and may reserve up to 5 percent for state-level purposes, with up to 1 percent for administration. Per-LEA award amounts are set by each state.

Assistance listing (CFDA)

84.424F

FAQ

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program, answered

Can Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program pay for school safety mapping?

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections program flows as formula funds to state education agencies, which competitively subgrant to high-need districts for safer learning environments including safety assessments and corresponding plans. Districts apply through their state, not directly to the U.S. Department of Education, and the funding skews toward mental health and climate alongside safety.

Who is eligible for Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program?

State Educational Agencies receive funds by formula; high-need Local Educational Agencies apply to their SEA for competitive subgrants. Applicants apply through their state, not directly to the U.S. Department of Education, and each SEA defines 'high-need LEA' and sets its own subgrant timeline.

What is the deadline for Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program?

Federal obligation deadline for Stronger Connections funds: September 30, 2026. Subgrant deadlines are set per state by each SEA and are not published centrally. Confirm the current timeline at the official program source, as cycles change.

Source

Straight from the official program

Every figure on this page comes from the official program source below, last verified 2026-09-01. Programs, amounts, and deadlines change, so confirm the current rule at the source before you apply. This page is informational and not legal or grant-writing advice. How we verify.

What we could not confirm on a primary source

The post-obligation liquidation period. Neither the ED program page nor the FAQ states a liquidation deadline for this program, and ED's specific application of the general rule at 2 CFR 200.344 was not confirmed. Do not publish a liquidation date.
Whether any reallocation of unobligated funds applies. No ED source located states one.

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