School Access for Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program

The School Access for Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program, administered by the Colorado Office of School Safety (OSS), is a discretionary funding opportunity established under SB18-158 and SB23-241. It is designed to enhance emergency response communications between schools and first responders across the state. For Fiscal Year 2027, a total of $4,850,000 in competitive grant funding is available to eligible applicants, which include individual schools, school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and public safety communications system owners operating within Colorado. The program is appropriated under Colorado Revised Statutes §24-33.5-2107 and is administered by OSS under the Department of Public Safety. The SAFER Grant Program specifically targets the improvement of interoperable communication systems within educational environments and the public safety infrastructure that serves them. The eligible uses of funds include training programs for school personnel on emergency communication protocols, implementation or upgrade of technology that integrates school networks with public safety communication systems, acquisition and maintenance of interoperable communication hardware or software, and expansion of radio system capacity where school network activity significantly impacts public safety infrastructure. Importantly, funding is strictly reserved for emergency communication improvements and cannot be used for hardware intended for daily operational use. Applicants must meet several strict eligibility requirements to qualify. Each applicant must be either a school or a public safety communications system owner and must submit a completed application by the deadline. In addition, eligible school applicants must maintain a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) dated within the past three years with either their regional public safety 911 answering point or local law enforcement agencies. They are also required to have an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), dated within the last year, that includes current staff contacts. Submissions must be complete, accurate, and submitted electronically in both Excel and PDF formats by May 11, 2026, at 5:00 PM MST. Incomplete, incorrect, or multi-email submissions will not be accepted. The application process includes multiple components: a fully signed and certified application form, MOU, EOP, a W-9, a completed self-risk assessment tool, and, if applicable, a detailed implementation and configuration plan for cloud-connected communication systems. Applications must be submitted via email to [email protected] with a clearly labeled subject line identifying the applicant and grant cycle. Receipt of submission is acknowledged via automated and manual confirmation emails. Once submitted, applications are reviewed by a grant selection committee (GSC) using a strict evaluation framework. Proposals are assessed based on their alignment with the goals of the SAFER program, demonstrated need, capacity for implementation, collaboration with emergency service entities, budget clarity, and the presence of current safety protocols. The OSS evaluates how the proposed projects will enhance communications with first responders, compliance with state school safety frameworks, and readiness to manage the grant efficiently. Applicants have the right to submit a written request for reconsideration if their proposal is denied, provided it is received within six calendar days of the denial notification. Award recommendations will be announced by June 12, 2026, with reconsideration decisions due by June 19, 2026. Recipients are expected to comply fully with state contract requirements, quarterly reporting expectations, and grant oversight. While matching funds are not required, if included, they must be described within the application budget. The program is not recurring and does not support rolling submissions. This is a time-sensitive, highly structured funding opportunity intended to significantly improve emergency preparedness through communications interoperability across Colorado’s educational and public safety systems.

Ensure all documents are fully signed and attached in a single email with certified or wet signatures. No cloud storage links allowed.