COLUMBUS, Ohio (AVC News) — Ohio school districts can apply for a share of $9.01 million in grants to support safety improvements, training and equipment for the 2027-28 academic year.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson announced the funding, which was approved by the 136th General Assembly through House Bill 96.
Grant money can be used for a variety of school-safety needs, including school resource officer certification, active-shooter response training and equipment, educational resources, and training to identify and assist students experiencing mental health issues.
Other eligible expenses include safety-related supplies and equipment, systems providing responding law enforcement with immediate access to school cameras, silent panic alarms, gunshot-detection technology, license-plate reader alerts for vehicles associated with registered sex offenders and alert systems for wanted dangerous individuals.
Each school district may apply for two types of grants.
The formula-based grant provides $2,500 per organization or $4.50 per student, whichever amount is greater, until funding is exhausted.
The program-based grant provides up to $40,000 per organization, regardless of district enrollment, also until funding is exhausted.
Districts may apply for one or both grants. Awards will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications must be submitted by May 28, 2027.
Applications are being accepted through the Ohio School Safety Center and the Ohio Grants Portal. Applicants should select “Funding Opportunities” and look for “Ohio Attorney General’s FY27 Formula Based School Safety Grant” or “Ohio Attorney General’s FY27 Program Based School Safety Grant.”
More information is available at https://ohioschoolsafetycenter.ohio.gov/ and https://grants.ohio.gov/funding-opportunities.
Questions about the grants can be directed to SchoolSafetyGrants@OhioAGO.gov.
Last Updated on November 3, 2026 by AVC News
