Building Stronger Connections

CONCORD, NH — Grants totaling $4,594,698 have been awarded this month to 21 New Hampshire school districts as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Stronger Connections grant program. 

Aiming to reduce the risk of gun violence in schools and communities and improve student health and safety, the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHED) previously launched a Request for Application notifying public schools and public charter schools about the Stronger Connections competitive grant process. 

“These new grants will be used to enhance school safety for dozens of schools throughout the Granite State. Creating a safe learning environment is vital, and with all of the funding initiatives set aside throughout the past five years to secure our schools, New Hampshire is not only following best practices, but is preparing for the unimaginable,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. 

NHED received 34 applications and was able to award grants to 21 school districts, exhausting the federal funding that was available for this initiative. The grants were awarded to a total of 85 high-need schools to fund activities that will foster safe, healthy, supportive and drug-free environments, while focusing on three priority areas – access control, emergency alerting and surveillance. The grants will be used to enhance school preparedness through prevention, protection, mitigation, response and recovery.

Schools that were eligible for the new Stronger Connections grant include schools with high concentrations of poverty, students experiencing housing instability and homelessness, students in foster care, a high rate of chronic absenteeism, substance misuse, referrals to alternative education placements and community and school violence. 

With America’s Safe Schools Week underway, this newest grant opportunity is part of nearly $53 million in state and federal grants awarded – or about to be awarded – to New Hampshire schools since 2018 (see related press release).