Applications will soon be released for Year 10 of the Nonpublic School Safety Equipment (NPSE) grant. Now more than ever this funding is crucial for our schools to meet their greatly increased security needs. Thankfully, the annual budget allocation for Year 10 has jumped to $45 million, up from $15 million dollars in all years prior. In addition, this year the grant includes broader eligibility options. Schools will now be able to apply for reimbursement “for remediation, repair, and maintenance of buildings, facilities, equipment and systems related to health and safety.” While NYSED has yet to release the full details, we know that this will allow for many more opportunities for reimbursements for our schools.
When NYSED releases the Year 10 reimbursement form and updated guidance, they will also be releasing updated allocations for Year 10. Although Year 10 allocations were already released, there was an error in the calculations. Each school should receive a slightly smaller allocation for Year 10 than originally indicated by NYSED; however, we anticipate that this will be only a slight change per school.
The deadline to submit the NPSE reimbursement form will be April 15. While we await detailed guidance on eligibility and for the updated allocations, it is important to begin preparing your documentation. Consider which of your expenses may be eligible, make sure they are paid in full, and check that all relevant paperwork is aligned. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions. We value your time, your effort, and most importantly the safety of your students!