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Tag: grant funding

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April 17, 2025

Why Investing in Technology Matters: Turning A&T Funds Into Long-Term Safety Solutions

As school districts continue navigating a landscape shaped by growing safety concerns, evolving technology, and funding fluctuations, one thing is certain: how you invest your resources today can define your district’s security for years to come. That’s why now, more than ever, it’s crucial to think beyond quick fixes — and start building sustainable, scalable safety solutions.

Short-Term Fixes vs. Long-Term Strategy

When the  Alabama Advancement and Technology (A&T) funds become available, it can be tempting to make quick, visible upgrades — like installing a few extra cameras or replacing outdated devices. While helpful in the short term, these one-off solutions often don’t integrate into a larger, cohesive safety strategy.

Instead, schools should be asking:

  • How does this investment connect to our overall emergency response and safety plan?
  • Will it work with the tools we already use?
  • Can it adapt to future needs and growth?

A unified safety platform — like nSide — provides exactly that. It brings together emergency planning, facility management, and more into one centralized location. The result? A proactive approach that grows with your school.

A&T Funds: A Strategic Opportunity

Strategic A&T investments should do more than address current gaps — they should prepare districts for the future. That means choosing technologies that:

  • Support district-wide safety goals
  • Integrate with first responders
  • Offer real-time situational awareness
  • Reduce long-term operational costs
  • Improve communication and coordination

Safety is a Partnership, Not a Purchase

School safety isn’t solved with a one-time purchase. It’s an ongoing process that requires training, adaptability, and support. That’s why the best investments are ones that come with long-term partnership — not just products.

With the right technology partner, your district can stay ahead of potential threats while creating a culture of safety that extends from classrooms to communities.

Let’s Build a Safer Future — Together

Don’t wait for a crisis to reveal the gaps in your school’s safety strategy. Partner with nSide to proactively identify risks, streamline emergency planning, and strengthen your entire safety ecosystem.

Whether you’re looking to enhance communication, support student mental health, or fortify your campus infrastructure, nSide is here to help every step of the way.

See What’s Possible!

April 17, 2025
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April 9, 2025

How to Use Your Alabama A&T Funds to Strengthen School Safety

The Alabama Advancement and Technology (A&T) Fund offers public schools across the state a valuable opportunity to invest in much-needed upgrades. While districts often use these dollars for infrastructure, instructional tools, or facility improvements, one of the most impactful ways to allocate A&T funds is toward enhancing school safety.

If you’re starting to think about how to best use this year’s funding, let us walk you through practical, eligible investments that support the safety and wellbeing of your entire school community.

Why Prioritize Safety?

School safety isn’t just about responding to emergencies—it’s about preventing them, staying prepared, and ensuring that everyone on campus knows how to act when every second counts. The A&T Fund includes “school security measures” as a key area of focus, meaning your district can strengthen your safety systems without pulling from your day-to-day operating budget.

Eligible Safety Solutions You Can Fund

Here are a few ways Alabama schools can use their A&T funds to upgrade safety systems:

1. Emergency Management Tools

nSide – The School Safety Platform™ gives your school a central place to manage emergency operations plans, building maps, reunification processes, and more. These digital tools streamline crisis response and ensure your safety team is always aligned—before, during, and after an incident.

2. Video Surveillance Systems

Installing or upgrading security cameras is a one-time investment that can make a long-term impact. Whether you’re expanding coverage, improving camera quality, or integrating your system with local law enforcement, A&T funds can help cover those costs.

3. Mass Communication & Alert Tools

Reliable communication is critical in a crisis. A&T funds can help districts implement or enhance tools like silent panic alert systems and district-wide notification platforms that keep staff, students, and first responders in sync during an emergency.

4. Access Control & Door Locking Systems

Controlling who enters your campus—and when—is foundational to school safety. Upgrades such as integrated door locking solutions can help prevent unauthorized access while improving day-to-day campus security.

5. Fleet & Transportation Safety Tools

If your district operates buses or campus vehicles, A&T funds can be used to support fleet tracking tools, GPS monitoring, and communication systems to ensure safety beyond the school building.

How to Start Planning

The A&T Fund is designed for one-time expenses, so it’s a great fit for capital investments in technology and infrastructure. As you begin planning:

  • Review your district’s most pressing safety needs
  • Evaluate what’s already in place and where gaps exist
  • Consult with your school safety partners (like nSide!) to explore eligible upgrades
  • Create a roadmap that prioritizes long-term impact and ease of use

We’re Here to Help

Navigating funding opportunities can be complicated, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our team at nSide is here to walk with you every step of the way—from identifying the best-fit solutions to helping you prepare your funding plan.

Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or you’re ready to implement new tools, we’re here to support you.

Need help getting started?

April 9, 2025
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March 21, 2025

Important Update: BJA Office Pauses School Funding Opportunity

We wanted to share an important update regarding the Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence Grant and other federal funding opportunities.

At this time, the BJA has announced that their school funding opportunities and associated webinars are currently paused. This is a temporary pause; we have not received any indication that funding opportunities will be canceled—just delayed for the time being.

“At this time, the BJA FY25 STOP School Violence Program Notice of Funding Opportunity and associated webinars are paused. Please check back to to keep up to date on future notices of funding opportunities and webinar postings.” – Bureau of Justice Assistance

While we wait for further updates, this pause offers a unique opportunity to prepare ahead—giving you more time to gather information, refine your grant strategy, and explore how to make the most of upcoming funding when it becomes available.

Our team is here to help you

  • Strategize around school safety goals and initiatives
  • Identify opportunities to align your needs with future funding
  • Build a strong foundation for grant applications

We’ll continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available. In the meantime, feel free to reach out—we’d love to support your efforts in making schools safer.

Let’s start the conversation now so you’re ready when funding opens back up.

Stay Proactive – Request Grant Support Now

March 21, 2025
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March 13, 2025

Funding School Safety: Strategies for a Successful Application

Grant writing can feel like a daunting task, but with the right approach, you can craft a compelling proposal that increases your chances of success. Whether you’re new to the process or looking to refine your skills, this guide will walk you through key steps to building a strong grant application.

Before You Write: Understanding the Process

First and foremost, grants are not free money—they are investments in solving real problems. It’s easy to chase funding opportunities, but avoid losing focus on your organization’s priorities—your grant should align with your goals, not create unnecessary work.

One of the most critical steps is thoroughly reading the Request for Proposal (RFP). Some requirements—such as matching funds—may not be obvious at first glance but could determine your eligibility. Save yourself the time and frustration of discovering ineligibility after putting in the hard work of writing.

Start with the Budget

A well-thought-out budget should guide your grant proposal. Knowing how you plan to spend the funds will shape your narrative. Every activity outlined in your work plan should be reflected in your budget—otherwise, you risk either:

  • Writing yourself into an unfunded mandate (where you’ve promised to do work but lack the resources to support it)
  • Realizing you can actually achieve your goals without needing the grant

Crafting the Need Section

The Need Section is often where grants are won or lost. Here’s where you outline the problem your project will address. The key is to highlight the issue without making your organization look incapable of managing funds.

Be intentional about how you frame your needs. For example, if a grant does not allow funds to be used for staff salaries, avoid making the case solely about needing more personnel. Instead, highlight how additional training or technology—eligible expenses—could improve efficiency and achieve the same goal. Always support your claims with data from multiple credible sources to strengthen your proposal.

Building a Strong Work Plan

This section details how you will implement the project, and it should be both clear and flexible. Use phrases like “such as” to leave room for adjustments while staying within the grant’s scope. Never find yourself asking “Now what?” after winning a grant—plan the details internally before applying.

If applicable, strong letters of support from stakeholders, community leaders, or beneficiaries can add credibility to your request.

Defining Measurable Outcomes

Grant funders expect clear, measurable outcomes—so how will you demonstrate success? Reviewing past performance reports can help you understand what metrics funders prioritize. Your outcomes should be specific, data-driven, and achievable. For example:

  • Improving school safety by reducing response times to emergencies by 15% through enhanced communication tools
  • Increasing teacher participation in professional development programs from 50 to 75 educators within a year
  • Boosting student engagement by raising average attendance rates from 88% to 93% over the course of a semester

If defining exact numbers is challenging, structuring your goals within a timeline can also provide a clear roadmap for progress and accountability.

Evaluation & Sustainability

Your proposal should include a clear plan for evaluating effectiveness. Consider both formative (ongoing) and summative (final) evaluations, using both qualitative and quantitative data.

The sustainability section is often the hardest to answer—how will you continue funding this project once the grant runs out? Having a well-thought-out strategy for long-term impact will strengthen your application.

After You’ve Been Awarded the Grant

Securing a grant is an exciting milestone, but the real work starts now. To ensure a smooth implementation:

  • Thoroughly review the Grant Award Notification (GAN) to understand all requirements and restrictions.
  • Record important deadlines for reporting and project completion to stay on track.
  • Make sure the right person signs and submits all required documents promptly.
  • Organize your budget immediately and revisit your grant proposal to confirm alignment with the approved funding.

Essential Tips for a Strong Grant Application

  • Keep your grants team informed—they may have insights on additional funding opportunities.
  • Get a second pair of eyes on your proposal to catch errors and ensure clarity before submission.
  • Handle federal grant registrations early to avoid last-minute issues that could delay your application.

By following these steps, you can confidently approach grant writing and improve your chances of securing the funding needed to make a real impact. 

These tips were crafted with the guidance and knowledge of Jessica Harrison – Director of Grants Development for Northwest Shoals Community College.

Check out our recent webinar “Funding School Safety: Insights on the STOP Grant Process”

Want to know more about how nSide can help?

Email us: help@nside.io

Call us: 1-800-604-1822

March 13, 2025
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6 things you can do with alabama cares act funding
May 6, 2021

Six Things your Alabama School can do with their CARES Act funding

The recent passage of the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act is something that brought many American households hope and tangible financial assistance. However, as with many similar bills, the verbiage can feel complex, and many people may not realize that the act offers additional help in other sectors. When it comes to school safety, we always get excited over anything that helps schools update or improve their security, but we REALLY love the benefits of the CARES act: over $899 million dollars in funding for technology upgrades! What does this mean for you and your school? Only the best news ever! You can now receive nSide products AT NO COST because of this funding and its implications. 

In accordance with the guidelines laid out by the CARES Act, our products and services meet the criteria, such as developing procedures to improve response efforts of local agencies, facility upgrades, repairs or improvements that can support student’s health needs, and purchasing educational technology. To get started, claim your funding HERE, then read on to find six things you can do with this important money:

Start planning ahead with the nSide Base Platform.

  1. This is our signature product, and it works in tandem with all our other products to enhance your emergency planning and communication. It includes components like mapping and 360 degree views of your campus, creating and storing your emergency plans, help with compliance for state and local guidelines, and training for your school community (staff, students, and educators) in protocols and procedures. 
nSide Base Platform

Be more prepared with nSide|View.

nSide|View is like a digital blueprint of your school. It links images and photographs together to create a virtual walk-through of the structures, and provides first responders with accurate and detailed exits, entrances, and anything else they’d need to know. It also helps you base emergency decisions on more than old paper maps of your school’s rooms, hallways, and more. 

nSide | VIEW

Gain extra insight with nSide|Live.

Ever wished that you had an extra set of eyes (or two)? That’s what you will gain when you use the nSide|Live platform: extra viewing abilities to help in an emergency, to help protect students from bullying, drugs, and crime, and a secure way to view happenings on campus. Best of all, this data can be provided to first responders in an instant, giving them potentially life-saving information rapidly and in real-time. 

nSide | Live

Monitor your school bus systems with nSide|Fleet.

This comprehensive way to keep track of your students and drivers keeps them safe and allows emergency personnel to reach them in the event of a crisis. You can also view reports that show fuel levels, maintenance issues, and geofencing to ensure the utmost safety for the children under your care. 

nSide | Fleet

Close off your campus with one-touch with nSide|Edge.

This amazing piece of technology gives the ability to lock down the campus doors with just one click. This is effective in the event of active shootings, or any instance where an immediate lockdown would be needed. You can also schedule when doors are locked to coordinate traffic flow through your building. Be assured that the ability is completely secure, so only authorized personnel would be able to initiate the lockdown procedures! 

nSide | EDGE

Reach the most critical audience with nSide|Notify.

When you need to reach parents, students, or staff in a hurry, you will want a quick, cohesive way to do so in a professional way, and nSide|Notify is the answer. It uses the existing communication standards at the school, and integrates them to decrease lag time in an emergency and allow mass communication in a smooth manner. It saves you time when moments matter!

This funding can make a huge impact on your school, and the process to receive it is simple and straightforward. If you’re unsure if you can integrate or install our products or services, we would love to connect you with our team members. They can walk you through the steps to decide which products meet the guidelines for your specific campus, and how to get started! 

May 6, 2021
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