INDIANA — The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) has officially opened the application window for the Fiscal Year 2027 Secured School Safety Grant (FY27 SSSG). The state-backed program provides critical matching funds to fortify school infrastructure and enhance the safety of students and faculty across Indiana.
School administrators must move quickly, as the state maintains a strict deadline. All digital applications must be fully completed and submitted through the state’s online portal by Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. ET. IDHS officials emphasized that no late or incomplete applications will be considered under any circumstances.
Mandatory Checklist for Applicants
Before logging into the system to apply, eligible educational institutions must ensure they have completed several structural prerequisites to prevent immediate disqualification:
- System Registration: Must hold an active, fully registered profile within the IntelliGrants platform.
- State Bidder Number: Must possess a valid, verified bidder number registered with the State of Indiana.
- State Supplier Number: Must have an active supplier number registered with the state to facilitate fund disbursements.
- Communication Portal: Administrators must formally opt in and sign up for official state grant updates.
Funded projects approved under the FY27 cycle will operate on a fixed implementation schedule, with the official performance period running from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027.
Impact and Funding Allocations
The program has served as the backbone of Indiana’s school security funding strategy. Since its inception in 2013, the state has distributed more than $214 million in matching grants. In the most recent funding cycle, the Secured School Safety Board approved a record $27 million in awards distributed across 494 public, charter, and accredited non-public schools.
The grant fund is highly versatile, providing local districts with the flexibility to address their unique security vulnerabilities. Allowable expenses for the FY27 cycle span several core categories:
- Personnel & K9 Units: Funding to employ dedicated School Resource Officers (SROs) or Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs). This extends to purchasing, housing, and training specialized canines used for detecting firearms, narcotics, and explosives, alongside handling training for officers.
- Physical Security & Technology: Upgrades to restrict physical access to school grounds, manage visitors, expedite first-responder notifications, track open/closed exterior and interior doors, and enhance internal emergency communications. It also covers student management tech and targeted security architectural renovations.
- Safety Assessments & Prevention: Conducting site vulnerability assessments, critical incident digital mapping, and implementing evidence-based bullying prevention plans.
- Emergency Response Training: Staff training costs—including per diem, lodging, and travel expenses—covering defensive tactics, firearms training, or establishing active event warning systems in coordination with local county sheriffs.
Key Regulatory Changes for FY27
Administrators who have applied for SSSG funding in previous cycles should take note of several strict policy modifications taking effect this year:
1. Single Application Cap
Eligible applicants that share a common Federal Identification Number (FEIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN) are strictly limited to one application per grant cycle. While a district can bundle multiple projects across multiple schools into a single submission, separate applications from schools sharing an EIN will be rejected without review.
2. Re-Categorization of Medical Kits
Bleeding Control Kits and their corresponding training have been eliminated as an independent funding category. However, schools can still secure funding for these items. The kits themselves must now be requested under the Equipment, Technology, Hardware, and Materials category (specifically under the “Assist with emergency medical response on school property” subcategory), while the instruction must be billed under general Training Expenditures.
3. New Seclusion Area Monitoring
A new subcategory has been added to the Equipment expenditures framework, allowing schools to purchase specialized audiovisual monitoring devices specifically to oversee student seclusion and time-out spaces.
Cell phone pouches, lockboxes, or any other alternative cell phone storage options are strictly classified as non-allowable expenses for the FY27 SSSG cycle. Districts must use local funds for these items.
School officials seeking comprehensive guidance can download the official Notice of Funding Opportunity through the state’s online School Safety Hub. For individualized technical assistance or system troubleshooting, administrators are advised to submit an official Grants Support Ticket directly through the IDHS portal.
