Burns promotes competitive state funding for violence prevention initiatives
Rep. Frank Burns February 1, 2019 | 4:41 PM
HARRISBURG, Feb. 1 – State Rep. Frank Burns said he wants to alert municipalities, institutions of higher education, counties and community-based organizations of a grant opportunity to help them implement violence-prevention initiatives.
"This funding can help ensure our schools and the communities that surround them are safe places,” Burns said. “Public safety should be a priority, and I encourage those who are eligible to apply for this funding."
Applicants for 2019 Community Violence Prevention Grants may submit proposals for up to two-year projects designed to reduce community violence, and may request up to $350,000. All applications must be submitted by Feb. 7 to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Awards will be approved and announced at the public meeting of the School Safety and Security Committee in April.
Those interested in applying must visit https://www.pccdegrants.pa.gov/Egrants/Public/OpenAnnouncements.aspx. Interested applicants that are not already registered in PCCD’s E-grants system must register here before applying: https://www.pccd.pa.gov/Funding/Pages/Egrants-Home.aspx.
Additionally, school entities that applied for School Safety and Security Grant Program funding by Oct. 12, 2018, will be able to revise and resubmit their applications between Feb. 4 and 25. Those applications may be accessed through the E-grants system.
The funding for these grants became available in 2018-19 under Act 44 of 2018, which established the School Safety and Security Grant Program and specified that up to 12.5 percent, or $7.5 million, would be earmarked for community violence prevention.
In a service Burns provides free, any 72nd Legislative District entity seeking help with preparing a grant application can contact his Portage office at (814) 736-7339 and ask for Brittany Blackham, who serves as in-house grant writer/assistant.