Community Safety Grants available to municipalities, colleges, organizations

Local municipalities, colleges and community groups are encouraged to apply for grants to boost safety and reduce the risk of violence, according to state Sen. David Argall.

The grants will be offered as part of a program that was included in this year’s state budget to improve school safety and combat community violence. A total of $7.5 million will be awarded statewide during this fiscal year through June 30 to support community violence prevention programs.

During a series of Senate Majority Policy public hearings chaired by Argall on the subject of school violence earlier this year, this funding was strongly supported by a bipartisan coalition of local schools, state senators and representatives, and communities throughout the state.

Applications will be accepted until February 7, 2019.

“It is a sad reality that the risks facing children in Pennsylvania do not end when the school bell rings at the end of the day,” Argall said. “The grants rewarded through this program will aid communities in building stronger partnerships with the hope of creating a safer environment for young people in Pennsylvania.”

Eligible uses for the grants include mentoring services and other intervention services for at-risk children and families; promoting communication between school entities and law enforcement; linking the community with local trauma support and behavioral health systems; and other programs designed to reduce community violence.

An additional $52.5 million in grants will be awarded to school districts to improve school safety throughout this fiscal year. The first round of these school safety grants was announced in October.

Applications and more information about the grants are available on the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s website at www.pccd. pa.gov under the School Safety and Security heading.