School Access for Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program

The School Access for Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program is a discretionary grant program administered by the State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Public Safety, Office of School Safety. The program is authorized under SB18-158 and SB23-241 and is intended to enhance school safety incident response by improving interoperable communications between schools and first responders. For the Fiscal Year 2027 program, $5,000,000 was appropriated, of which $4,850,000 is available to grant recipients; the remaining funds are used by the Office of School Safety to manage the program. Awards are competitive and are contingent on submission of a complete application satisfying the eligibility criteria and execution of a grant agreement. Grant funds support emergency communications and response capabilities. Allowable purposes include training district-based security personnel and appropriate school personnel in effective communications with first responders; implementing interoperable technology solutions; providing or upgrading systems or technology that can be activated and deactivated by the public safety 911 answering point, network administrator, and school; developing radio and other technology bridge capabilities that are not vendor-specific; maintaining or improving existing interoperable communications hardware or software; providing interoperable communications hardware or software to schools that do not have it; and necessary radio system capacity expansions where school loading significantly affects public safety system loading. Hardware used for daily operations is not eligible. Salaries, overtime, fringe benefits, travel, staff incentives, and other existing or ongoing operational expenses unrelated to the grant are not allowed, and dual compensation is prohibited. Match is not required, although applicants may voluntarily include a match and describe its amount and use. Eligible applicants are schools and public safety communications system owners, with the application materials also providing specific templates and instructions for individual schools, school districts and BOCES, multiple campuses, and public communications system applicants. Eligible school applicants must have a signed Memorandum of Understanding dated within the previous three years with a regional public safety 911 answering point or the local law enforcement agency or agencies serving the school for communications interoperability. Applicants must also have a current Emergency Operations Plan dated within the last year with current staff contacts. Proposals covering multiple schools must provide an Emergency Operations Plan for each school. Cloud-connected communications proposals have additional requirements, including a separate MOU addressing use of the system, detailed quotes, and an implementation and configuration proposal. Applicants were required to submit one complete application electronically by 5:00 p.m. MST on May 11, 2026, to cdps_oss_safer@state.co.us. Only one application per applicant is permitted; multiple applications from one applicant will result in rejection. The signed application must be provided in both Excel and PDF format, and links to Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar services are not accepted. Required submission materials include the completed and signed application, applicable MOU documentation, Emergency Operations Plan documentation, a current W-9, the OSS Self-Risk Assessment, and, when applicable, cloud-connected communications documentation. All required components must be submitted together as attachments in a single email. The subject line must identify the legal applicant name, SAFER grant program, and applicable fiscal year. Applicants receive an automated response and should also receive confirmation of receipt within 48 hours. The application includes applicant information and signatures, a Project and Budget Narrative, Project Budget, and Self-Risk Assessment. Applicants must provide required points of contact and signatures, respond to the narrative questions, explain and justify budget figures, and ensure that the narrative and itemized budget agree. Budget categories include Training, Exercise, Maintenance, Software, and Hardware. For multiple projects, expenses should be separated and projects prioritized. The Self-Risk Assessment evaluates the applicant's financial and administrative capacity to oversee and implement the grant. Quarterly reports are required after award and must document progress toward project goals and objectives and expenditures under the approved budget; reports are due by the 30th day following each calendar quarter. Funding decisions consider the likelihood that the project will improve communications between schools and first responder communication systems, the school's compliance with the Colorado School Response Framework, and whether an emergency operations plan identifies safety team members responsible for first responder communications. OSS also evaluates the issue statement, project description, population served, goals and measurable objectives, quality assurance plan, collaboration, budget and budget narrative, and Self-Risk Assessment. The budget must be reasonable, necessary, efficient, accurate, and supported by detailed justification. The timeline listed announcement of the Application Guidebook on March 31, 2026, the application deadline on May 11, 2026, notification of funding recommendations on June 12, 2026, and requests for reconsideration on June 19, 2026. Applicants denied funding may request reconsideration within six calendar days after receiving the denial notification. Questions and requests for technical assistance regarding the SAFER Grant Program should be directed to cdps_oss_safer@state.co.us. Applicants are also instructed to check OSS.colorado.gov frequently for updates. No individual program contact or telephone number is identified in the guidebook. The guidebook does not state a specific grant performance period or establish that the opportunity recurs annually or on another fixed schedule, so no recurrence is assumed. OSS retains authority to administer the program, determine permissible costs, reject applications, waive minor irregularities, fund portions of applications when appropriate, and impose sanctions including suspension or revocation of an award for failure to comply with grant requirements.

Submit only one complete application and send all required attachments together in one email; ensure required signatures are wet or certified electronic signatures; make narrative responses complete and specific; ensure Project and Budget Narrative figures match the Project Budget; justify every budget item and show its relationship to project operations; prioritize multiple projects; clearly demonstrate how funding will improve communications between schools and first responders; document measurable goals, objectives, outcomes, quality assurance, and collaboration; verify MOU and EOP documents meet the stated recency requirements