Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2026: Safe and Supportive Schools Competitive Grant

Fund Code: 0337

Purpose:

The goals of this state funded safe and supportive schools continuation grant program are to:

help support implementation of school-wide action plans created by Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Fund Code (FC) 0335 Option 1 — Action Planning grantees in the prior year; and
continue, expand, or extend the implementation and support efforts by FY25 FC 0335 Option 2 — Implementation and Support grantees.

Priorities:

The main priorities for this grant are to help ensure that each participating school creates an equitable, safe, positive, healthy, culturally-competent, and inclusive whole-school learning environment for all students, and makes effective use of a system for integrating services and aligning initiatives that promote students' behavioral health and wellness.

These efforts are supported through school-based implementation of action plans that were created after completing the Safe and Supportive Schools Self-Reflection Tool (SaSS Tool).

An additional priority for Option 2 — Implementation and Support grantees is to provide support for Option 1 grantees, other new SaSS Tool users, schools and districts that are new to implementation, as well as the Department, Safe and Supportive Schools Commission, and others as needed and appropriate.

Eligibility:

Massachusetts school districts that received FY2025 Fund Code (FC) 0335 Safe and Supportive Schools are eligible to apply for this continuation funding opportunity to support implementation of action plans created by school and school district teams, based on all six elements of the Safe and Supportive Schools Framework (Framework)/Tool (all grantees), and mentor/support activities (former FY25 FC 0335 Option 2 grantees only).

Applicants must propose focusing this work in one or more schools where the FY2025 FC 0335 grant supported a team of school and district stakeholders to create school and district action plans (FY2025 Option 1 grantees), or where the grant supported implementation activities and support activities (FY2025 Option 2 grantees).

Eligible Districts and Maximum Funding Amounts (Option 2 grantees are indicated with an asterisk):

Eligible Districts	Maximum Funding Amounts
Agawam Public Schools*	$10,000
Ayer Shirley School District (Ayer)	$10,000
Gateway Regional School District (Huntington)	$10,000
Gloucester Public Schools*	$10,000
Lowell Public Schools	$10,000
North Middlesex Regional School District (Towsend)	$10,000
North Reading Public Schools	$10,000
Ralph C Mahar School District (Orange)*	$10,000
Sharon Public Schools	$10,000
Waltham Public Schools	$10,000
Westport Public Schools	$10,000

Funding Source:

State: 7061-9612

The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.

Funding:

Approximately $110,000 is available to support these grants.

Applicants are eligible for up to the amounts listed in the Eligibility section above.

Notes about funding:

Funding is contingent upon availability.
All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change.
Districts are eligible for up to the amount they received for FY2025 FC 0335.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

Grant funds may be used for school and district-based implementation coordinator(s), consultants, substitutes, evidence-based programs/initiatives, and materials to be used in the implementation of district action plans and school action plans for proposed schools. Funds cannot be used for electronics (such as iPads, computers, tablets, etc.) or construction.

These funds must be used to implement action plans that incorporate all six elements of the Framework, as submitted with the FY2026 application (or as part of the FY2025 FC 0335 grant).

All applicants may consider partnering with Educational Collaboratives or other consultants to help facilitate the implementation process.

Option 2 grantees may also use funds for activities related to providing support to other districts/grantees.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval* – 6/30/2026

*Grant start date cannot be prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFP's Submission Instructions. Goods and Services cannot be procured prior to Grants receiving and approving an application submission. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date.

Program Unit:

Student and Family Support

Contact:

Emily Taylor

Phone Number:

(781) 338-6313

Date Due:

Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 5:00 P.M.

Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted prior to the due date. Extensions, if needed, may also be requested by the due date.

Note: The start date will be based on when an approvable grant is entered in GEM$.

Additional Information:

School and District Action Plans
Action plans must be received by the Department for all schools included for funding under FY2026 FC 0337. Option 1 grantee action plans should have been submitted during the FY2025 FC 0335 grant cycle and should also be resubmitted in the GEM$ application (either the previously submitted or updated version). Option 2 grantees are required to submit an action plan with this application with any changes or updates since the action plan was originally submitted. Missing action plans will result in a delay in the grant award and start date.

Program Evaluation and Professional Development
Grantees shall participate in professional development (e.g., conferences, webinars, and/or regional events, etc.) to be held by the Department, as well as in an evaluation of this grant program. In addition, the Department and Safe and Supportive Schools Commission will use feedback from grantees to inform continuous updates and improvements to the Framework and Tool. Details will be provided to all grantees once information is confirmed.

GEM$ Submission Instructions:

GEM$ Submission Requirements:

The FY2026 Fund Code 0337 Safe and Supportive Schools Continuation grant will be submitted in our new Grants for Education Management System (GEM$) system. See below for submission instructions. The following will be required to be submitted or uploaded directly into GEM$:
- Required Program Information/Program Narrative
- Assurance Statement
- Budget: FY2026 — School Year budget will be entered into the GEM$ Budget Form
- Action Plan — Attach a previously completed Safe and Supportive Schools action plan aligned with the implementation activities proposed in Program Narrative
This Application Planning Template contains the questions asked in the Program Narrative. While it may be used as a planning and organizing tool, responses to the questions in the Program Narrative must be submitted through GEM$ in order to be reviewed.

GEM$ Submission Instructions:
The FC 0337 Safe and Supportive Schools Continuation grant will be submitted in Grants for Education Management System (GEM$).

Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off. All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms.

The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.

Last Updated: September 18, 2025