Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program
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.
What the program funds, and who can apply
Evidence-based programs to establish safer and healthier learning environments: 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.
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program, answered
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.
State Educational Agencies receive funds by formula; high-need Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) apply to their SEA for competitive subgrants. (Applicants apply through their state, not directly to the U.S. Department of Education.)
Set per state (SEA-administered subgrants). Federal obligation deadline for Stronger Connections funds: September 30, 2026. Confirm the current timeline at the official program source, as cycles change.
Straight from the official program
Every figure on this page comes from the official program source below, last verified 2026-06-23. 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.
- U.S. Department of Education - Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (official page) verified 2026-06-23
Other funding worth knowing
See if your district qualifies
Tell us about your district and we will show you whether Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) - Stronger Connections Grant Program fits, which other programs may apply, and what a responder-ready deployment looks like.