Pennsylvania Grants

Pennsylvania State-Specific Grants:

PCCD School Safety & Security Grants (Act 44)
- What it is: Recurring grants for SROs, SPOs, security tech, and safety training.
- Why it matters: Ideal to fund hardware like visitor management kiosks, access control systems, and secure entry points.
PCCD School Mental Health & Safety Grants
- What it is: State-run, often with federal passthrough funds, for student wellness staffing and programs.
- Why it matters: Can be leveraged to fund tools that track attendance and early warning signs of disengagement.

Miscellaneous areas to look into:

Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)
- What it is: Businesses get tax credits for donating to Education Improvement Orgs.
- Why it matters: District foundations can secure private dollars to fund attendance or compliance pilots.
Grable & Neubauer Foundations [their site]
- What it is: Focused on innovative models, blended learning, data-driven improvement.
- Why it matters: Ideal for piloting new attendance apps or HR compliance systems.
Basic Education Funding (BEF Formula)
- What it is: Annual, formula-based state aid (Basic Education Funding) appropriated in the PA state budget and distributed by PDE to public school districts each fiscal year—no application needed; funds are programmed through the district’s budget process.
- Why it matters: Because BEF is unrestricted operating revenue, districts can allocate it to infrastructure hardware like SmartClocks and the required software/services—and sustain them year over year—without being constrained by grant category caps or eligibility carve-outs. This makes BEF one of the most reliable pathways to deploy and maintain district-wide time tracking solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we use safety grants for SmartClocks?

Yes. Many federal and state-level school safety grants allow funding for secure entry systems, visitor management, and accountability technology. Attendance kiosks and time-collection devices often qualify when tied to improving building safety, student supervision, and emergency preparedness.

Do federal funds cover staff training for new systems?

Absolutely. Federal programs like Title II-A and Title IV-A explicitly permit the use of funds for professional development and training. This means districts can not only purchase new compliance or attendance systems, but also train staff to use them effectively.

Which grants require local matches?

Most formula-based federal funds (such as Title I–IV, IDEA, Perkins) do not require a local match. However, some competitive safety and security grants (for example, COPS SVPP or certain state-level safety funds) may require a partial cost share. Districts should review the application guidelines for each program.

What’s the best fit for rural or small districts?

Rural and small districts often benefit most from flexible funding streams such as the Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP/RLIS), smaller targeted state safety grants, and regional cooperative programs (like service agencies or intermediate units). These sources are designed to give smaller districts the flexibility to cover essential needs like attendance or HR compliance technology.

Can foundations or private donations support pilot projects?

Yes. Across the U.S., local education foundations, community foundations, and corporate giving programs frequently support pilot programs, innovative technology, or attendance improvement initiatives. Many states also have tax-credit donation programs where businesses fund local education foundations. These funds can help districts test attendance or HR tools before scaling them district-wide.

Pennsylvania K-12 Education Grants & Funding Resources