Stronger Connections Grant
The Oregon Department of Education has made awards for the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG). This one time competitive grant program provides additional funding and resources to grantees to support the strengthening of their programs to ensure student well-being.
The Stronger Connections Grant is part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), enacted by Congress “...to establish safer and healthier learning environments, and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate that impact our school communities at individual and systemic levels, among other programs and activities”.
For more information, see United States Department of Education's Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), enacted by Congress "to establish safer and healthier learning environments, and to prevent and respond to acts of bullying, violence, and hate that impact our school communities at individual and systemic levels, among other programs and activities”. For more information, see United States Department of Education’s (USED)
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Stronger Connections FAQs.
Purpose of Funding
All grant funded activities proposed in the application must be allowable under Title IVA (ESEA
Section 4108), Safe and Healthy provisions, prioritize the outreach and engagement of Focal Student Groups and provide inclusive, culturally affirming, responsive and culturally specific programming, where appropriate, to support the strengths, assets and needs of students.
Funding priorities include a focus on mental health supports and activities, suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, safe and inclusive school climates and systems to address chronic absenteeism.
Consultation with private schools and Oregon's Tribes are required of SCG applicants. Please refer to ODE's
Tribal Consultation Toolkit for guidance.
Stronger Connections Grantees
Grantee |
Award Amount |
Harney County SD 3 |
$556,695.00 |
Jefferson County SD 509J |
$601,500.00 |
Ontario SD 8 |
$601,500.00 |
Reynolds SD 7 |
$601,500.00 |
Vale SD 84 |
$510,529.00 |
Brookings Harbor SD 17C |
$601,500.00 |
Butte Falls SD 91 |
$601,500.00 |
Klamath Falls City Schools |
$500,242.00 |
Prospect SD 59 |
$600,607.00 |
Three Rivers SD |
$601,500.00 |
Falls City SD 57 |
$415,837.00 |
Mapleton SD 32 |
$536,538.00 |
McKenzie SD 68 |
$384,364.00 |
North Bend SD 13 |
$601,500.00 |
Siuslaw SD 97J |
$582,304.00 |
Equitable Service Requirements
Eligible districts that have private schools within their boundaries must initiate consultation regarding equitable services with these private schools. This consultation must take place prior to submission of an SCG application so the private schools' needs are included in the community needs assessment and these equitable services are included in the proposed budget.
If an eligible applicant is awarded, they must:
- Notify any participating private schools to continue ongoing consultation.
- Notify any private schools that have previously chosen not to participate and invite them to consultation.
- Invite all private schools to SCG consultation on an annual basis, regardless of their previous participation.
The SCG Intent to Participate Letter is a sample letter that awarded districts may use to invite private schools to annual consultation.
The awarded applicant can only offer equitable services to private schools that align with their awarded application and budget.
SCG RFA Documents
Eligible districts' applications are due to ODE by
March 8th, 2024 by 3:00 PM PST.