Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson on Monday, Nov. 2 announced $9.01 million in state grant funding for school safety projects. Every school district in the state can apply, including Strongsville City Schools, North Royalton City Schools and Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District.

The money, approved by the 136th General Assembly as part of House Bill 96, covers the 2027-28 academic year, according to a press release from Wilson's office. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the money runs out, with a May 28, 2027 application deadline.

Two grant options

Districts can apply for one or both of two grants.

The formula-based grant provides $2,500 per organization or $4.50 per student, whichever is greater. The program-based grant offers up to $40,000 per organization, regardless of enrollment.

For a district the size of Brecksville-Broadview Heights, which enrolls approximately 3,616 students according to the district's 2026-27 high school profile, the formula-based grant alone would total about $16,272 based on the per-student rate.

What the money covers

The grant funding covers a wide range of safety needs, according to the attorney general's office. Eligible uses include active-shooter response training or equipment, gunshot-detection technology, silent panic alarms and systems that give responding law enforcement immediate access to school security cameras.

Districts can also use the funds for certification training for school resource officers, mental-health training to identify and assist students, license-plate reader alerts for vehicles belonging to registered sex offenders and alert systems warning of dangerous individuals.

"The technology and training funded by these grants will strengthen security across Ohio's classrooms, supporting a safe environment where students can thrive," Wilson said in the announcement.

Spectrum News 1 also covered the grant announcement.

How to apply

Both grant applications are live on the Ohio School Safety Center website and the Ohio Grants Portal. Districts should look under "Funding Opportunities" for the attorney general's fiscal year 2027 formula-based or program-based school safety grant, according to Wilson's office.

Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Whether Strongsville, North Royalton or Brecksville-Broadview Heights officials plan to apply has not been publicly announced.