After months of uncertainty around federal school safety funding, the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) has released the FY25 Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), signaling renewed federal momentum and expanded opportunities for districts to strengthen prevention, training, and early intervention strategies.
The return of STOP funding, along with the anticipated reopening of the COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP), is welcome news for schools after a year in which both programs were delayed or paused. This renewed activity underscores a growing national commitment to supporting comprehensive, evidence-based approaches to keeping schools safe.
Expanded Funding and Renewed Federal Focus
The FY25 STOP School Violence Program brings significant new resources to the table, with $83 million in total funding, a $20 million increase over last year. Awards are divided into two main categories:
- States: Up to 10 awards, each up to $2 million
- Localities, Tribes, Nonprofits, and School Districts: Up to 69 awards, each up to $1 million
The program period is 36 months, with projects expected to begin January 1, 2026 (though the NOFO currently lists October 1, 2025, likely as a placeholder). Applications are due late next month, giving districts and eligible partners a limited window to prepare competitive proposals.
Eligible applicants include state and local governments, tribes, independent school districts, public and private K–12 schools, and both nonprofit and higher education institutions. Public charter schools should apply as independent districts, while private K–12 schools should apply as nonprofits.
What STOP Will and Won’t Fund
STOP is designed to improve school safety by equipping students and staff with the tools to recognize, prevent, and respond to acts of violence. Funds cannot be used for cameras, locks, fencing, security personnel, or school resource officers; those items fall under the COPS SVPP or COPS Hiring Program. Instead, STOP supports initiatives that address the human and procedural side of school safety, including:
- Training for staff and students on preventing violence and responding to crises, including anti-bullying and mental health response training
- Development and operation of anonymous reporting systems (apps, hotlines, websites)
- Establishment of threat assessment and intervention teams coordinated with law enforcement and school personnel
- Specialized training for school officials to respond effectively to mental health crises
The focus on behavioral prevention, early intervention, and coordinated response reflects a broader federal shift toward comprehensive, layered school safety strategies—ones that emphasize proactive measures over reactive infrastructure.
Key Goals and Priorities
BJA outlines three core objectives for the STOP School Violence program:
- Train personnel and educate students on preventing violence, including anti-bullying efforts and specialized mental health crisis response.
- Develop and implement threat assessment and intervention teams to identify potential risks and implement strategies to mitigate them.
- Deploy technology solutions that support prevention and reporting, such as anonymous reporting apps, hotlines, or other digital tools that improve safety.
Proposals that focus on behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) teams will receive priority consideration. Additional priority is given to projects aimed at protecting children, supporting victims of trafficking or sexual assault, and combating violent crime.
Award recipients also receive free training and technical assistance from the National Center for School Safety, which provides implementation support and a clearinghouse of research-based resources, toolkits, and webinars.
Strategic Opportunities for District Leaders
This year’s STOP funding round presents several opportunities for district leaders looking to build sustainable, evidence-based safety strategies. Because the grant emphasizes prevention, training, and reporting, it creates space for schools to think more holistically about their safety posture and the ecosystems they build to support it.
Districts should begin by reviewing their current safety practices and identifying gaps in prevention and reporting. A strong application will show how new initiatives will complement, not duplicate, existing systems—for example, how a proposed anonymous reporting platform integrates with current reporting processes, or how threat assessment teams will coordinate with law enforcement and mental health professionals.
Another critical success factor is collaboration. BJA expects applicants to demonstrate support from key partners, including local law enforcement, community organizations, and service providers, through letters of support or memoranda of understanding (MOUs). Establishing these partnerships early will strengthen proposals and improve implementation outcomes.
Finally, applicants should consider how they will secure, manage, and share data collected through reporting systems and other technology solutions. Clear data governance plans are essential for both compliance and trust.
What Happens Next
The Department of Justice will host an informational webinar (date TBD) and applications must be submitted through Grants.gov and JustGrants.gov. Unlike some COPS programs, no matching funds are required for STOP, making it an attractive option for districts that may not have large budgets for safety initiatives.
Given the program’s emphasis on training, prevention, and coordination, districts should start assembling their cross-functional teams, including administrators, school safety officers, law enforcement partners, and mental health professionals, to shape comprehensive proposals before the deadline late next month.
How the GAP Program Can Strengthen Your Application
Navigating a federal grant application (especially one as competitive as STOP) can feel daunting for even the most seasoned district teams. That’s where Boxlight’s Grants Assistance Program (GAP) can make a significant difference. Led by Dr. Don Gemeinhardt, GAP provides no-cost support to help schools, districts, and their partners understand funding requirements, align proposals with program priorities, and strengthen their chances of success.
GAP support includes:
- Eligibility and strategy consultation: Assessing whether STOP or COPS SVPP is the best fit for your project goals and timeline.
- Proposal development guidance: Helping districts articulate needs, define objectives, and align their plans with allowable uses and DOJ priorities.
- Partnership and documentation support: Assisting with MOUs, letters of support, and other required materials to strengthen the application.
- Review and refinement: Providing feedback to ensure proposals are clear, compelling, and competitive before submission.
Because STOP proposals must demonstrate collaboration, thoughtful data handling, and clear integration with existing safety practices, having expert guidance can make the difference between a good application and a fundable one. GAP is designed to help districts put their strongest case forward and maximize their opportunity to secure STOP funding.
Aligning Technology Solutions with STOP Funding
While STOP does not fund traditional security hardware, it does support technology and training solutions that strengthen prevention and response efforts. Many districts are already leveraging STOP grants to implement platforms that combine anonymous reporting, communication workflows, and training tools into one cohesive system.
Boxlight solutions align well with these priorities. For example:
- FrontRow UNITY and Juno provide clear, even classroom audio that supports training scenarios and communication during safety drills.
- Conductor enables role-based messaging and layered communication channels — critical for coordinated responses during threat assessment and intervention.
- ATTENTION! can integrate reporting and alert systems, helping ensure information is delivered quickly and appropriately to staff and first responders.
Together, these tools help districts operationalize the kinds of prevention-focused, collaborative safety strategies STOP is designed to support.
With STOP funding restored and expanded, and COPS SVPP expected to follow, school districts have a renewed opportunity to build proactive safety ecosystems that go beyond infrastructure. By focusing on training, collaboration, reporting, and layered communication, districts can not only compete strongly for FY25 funds but also take meaningful steps toward safer, more resilient learning environments.
