How to Fund Your Student Safety Technology

Federal Grants

Federal programs support school transportation upgrades, fleet modernization, and student safety improvements. Districts commonly use:

• EPA Clean School Bus Program – replaces older diesel buses with low- or zero-emission buses and supports related infrastructure.
  https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus
• EPA Clean School Bus Rebates – simplified rebate route for eligible districts.
  https://www.epa.gov/cleanschoolbus/clean-school-bus-rebates
• DOJ School Violence Prevention Program – supports technology for student tracking, incident response, and communication.
  https://bja.ojp.gov/program/svpp/overview
• FEMA and Homeland Security preparedness grants – can fund communication and information sharing technology and other safety tools.
  https://www.fema.gov/grants
• Department of Energy funding opportunities – for fleet efficiency and clean transportation projects.
  https://www.energy.gov/funding-opportunities

Districts can search and track federal opportunities here:
https://www.grants.gov

State Funding and Safety Grants

Most states offer annual cycles for safety, technology, fleet modernization, and alternative fuel vehicles. Examples include:

• New Jersey Electric School Bus Grant Program – funding for electric school buses and charging infrastructure.
  https://dep.nj.gov/stopthesoot/electric-school-bus-program/
• Pennsylvania Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) – funding for alternative fuel and electric school buses.
  https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/programs-and-services/grants-loans-rebates/alternative-fuels-incentive-grant
• Texas Clean School Bus / All-Electric Program – grants to replace or retrofit diesel school buses and support all-electric buses.
  https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/terp/school-buses.html

Districts can find federal grant details and links via:
US DOE Grants & Programs

SchoolSafety.gov Grants Finder Tool

Education Funding Streams

Several education funding streams can support student safety and transportation technology when they improve access, attendance, or support for vulnerable students:

• Title I
• Title IV-A (Student Support and Academic Enrichment)
• IDEA (special-needs transportation and services)
• Perkins (career and technical education transport)
• McKinney–Vento (transportation support for displaced or homeless students)

Funding guidance:
https://www.ed.gov/grants-and-programs/formula-grants/school-improvement-grants/title-i-part-improving-basic-programs-operated-local-educational-agencies
https://nche.ed.gov/mckinney-vento

Infrastructure and Environmental Incentives

Districts can stack clean-transportation incentives with BusBoss technology for charging, routing, and fleet optimization:

• IRS elective pay (direct pay) and clean energy tax credits:
  Clean Vehicle Tax Credit
• Alternative Fuels Data Center – national database of incentives:
  https://afdc.energy.gov/laws
• DSIRE – state incentives database:
  https://www.dsireusa.org

Other Funding Pathways

In addition to grants, districts frequently fund BusBoss and the wider student safety technology stack through:

• Capital improvement or bond programs.
• Standard operating budgets when replacing legacy systems.
• Transportation service contracts with third-party operators.
• Corporate and foundation grants via PTAs or education foundations.
• Insurance and risk-management pools that support safety technology.
• Reinvestment of savings from more efficient routing and reduced mileage.