ESSER Is Gone. Here’s How Districts Are Funding Security in 2026.
The Short Version
ESSER III funds officially expired in September 2025. If your district used ESSER to fund security upgrades, that runway is gone. But the need hasn’t changed — and neither has the money. It’s just moved.
This guide covers the five funding sources that are actively funding school security technology right now, how to access each one, and what districts in Minnesota and Michigan are actually doing.
What Happened to ESSER
The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund was the largest one-time federal investment in K-12 education in history — $189.5 billion across three rounds. ESSER III, the final and largest allocation ($122B), required districts to obligate funds by September 30, 2024, and fully liquidate by January 28, 2025.
Some districts moved fast and used ESSER to modernize security infrastructure. Most didn’t. Less than 8% of ESSER III funds were directed toward safety and security technology.
If you missed the ESSER window, you’re not alone. And you’re not out of options.
5 Funding Sources Replacing ESSER for Security
1. State School Safety Grants
Every state administers its own school safety grant program, typically through the Department of Education or Department of Public Safety.
Minnesota: The Safe Schools Levy allows districts to levy up to $36 per pupil unit for school safety expenses, including surveillance and access control. The Minnesota Department of Education also administers SSTAC grants.
Michigan: The Michigan State Police administers the School Safety Grant Program, and Section 31a “Generally Allowable Use of Funds” explicitly lists security infrastructure — cameras, door locks, hardened vestibules, window screening, and firearm detection — as eligible expenses.
Check your state DOE website for open application windows. Most operate on an annual cycle with spring deadlines.
2. Local Bond Measures
Post-ESSER, districts are increasingly including security line items in general obligation bonds. Voters have shown strong support — in Michigan alone, Oakland County passed a $48M bond in late 2025 with $6.2M earmarked for security technology.
Security technology is easier to include in a bond when it’s framed as infrastructure modernization — not a new line item. “Replacing end-of-life DVR systems with cloud-based video management” sounds like maintenance, not expansion.
3. Federal Grant Programs (Non-ESSER)
Several federal programs remain active and fund security technology:
- SVPP (School Violence Prevention Program): $100-500K per award. Administered by COPS Office. Typically opens in spring. Covers cameras, access control, and coordination technology.
- BJA STOP School Violence Program: Funds evidence-based school safety programs including physical security.
- HSGP (Homeland Security Grant Program): Michigan’s SHSP FY2026 cycle opens March 1 with $12M available statewide, with critical infrastructure surveillance as a priority area.
These grants are competitive, but they reward specificity. Districts that show a completed security assessment and phased implementation plan win disproportionately.
4. E-Rate (Indirect Funding)
E-Rate does not directly fund security cameras. But it does fund the networking infrastructure cameras require — switches, cabling, wireless access points, and network management. If your camera upgrade requires network improvements, E-Rate can cover that portion.
Separate your security project into “network infrastructure” and “security application” components. Fund the network through E-Rate, the cameras and software through other sources. Several districts have reduced total out-of-pocket by 30-40% using this split-funding approach.
5. Cooperative Purchasing Contracts (Sourcewell, TIPS/TAPS, OMNIA)
Not a funding source, but a funding accelerator. Cooperative purchasing contracts like Sourcewell allow districts to skip the full RFP process and purchase at pre-negotiated pricing. This reduces procurement timelines from 6-9 months to 4-6 weeks.
Grant programs and bond measures have spending deadlines. Cooperative purchasing lets you move fast enough to actually deploy within the funding window.
What Smart Districts Are Doing Right Now
Three patterns:
- They stack funding sources. E-Rate for network + state grant for cameras + Sourcewell for procurement speed. No single source covers everything, but combinations cover most of it.
- They pilot before they commit. A 30-60 day pilot costs little to nothing and produces the data needed for grant applications, board presentations, and bond proposals.
- They treat security as infrastructure, not a project. Districts that budget security technology as ongoing operational expense avoid the cycle of chasing one-time grants entirely.
Next Steps
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