(COLUMBUS, OH) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced today that $4.25 million in grant funding is now available for safety and security enhancements at religious institutions, chartered non-public schools, licensed preschools, and nonprofit organizations.
“It’s important that we continue working together to collectively help protect entities that could be considered soft targets by those who are intent on causing harm,” said Governor DeWine. “By offering this grant funding, we hope to help eligible institutions invest in safety measures that will make their locations more secure and act as a deterrent to those with ill intentions.”
Ohio’s Safety and Security Grant Program was developed by the DeWine Administration as part its focus on helping communities with proactive violence prevention measures. The program was funded by the Ohio General Assembly in both the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 operating budgets. An additional $4.25 million in funding will be available again next year.
The funds will help cover eligible security improvements that assist organizations in preventing, preparing for, or responding to acts of terrorism; to acquire or retain the services of a resource officer, special duty police officer, or licensed armed security guards; or for the purchase of qualified equipment, including equipment for emergency and crisis communication, crisis management, or trauma; and crisis response to assist in preventing, preparing for, or responding to acts of terrorism.
The grants will be administered by the Ohio Emergency Management Agency with support from Ohio Homeland Security, both divisions of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Deadline to apply for funding is Nov. 12.
Additional information on grants is available on the State of Ohio Security Grant webpage.