National Center for School Safety

What National Center for School Safety does

The National Center for School Safety (NCSS) is a non-profit research and training center housed at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health and Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention in Ann Arbor. It operates as the federally designated Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) provider for the Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence Program, supporting K-12 schools nationwide through expert-led training, one-on-one technical assistance, and an evidence-based resource library. NCSS also runs the Michigan School Safety Initiative (MSSI), a state-funded program providing tailored training and support to PreK-12 schools in Michigan.\n\nNCSS's portfolio centers on two core programs: STOP TTA, which delivers free support to organizations funded by STOP School Violence grants, and MSSI, which serves Michigan schools with state-specific resources including firearm storage communication toolkits and a school-prosecutor partnerships course. The product mix includes a searchable library of 186+ trainings, toolkits, podcasts, videos, guides, and a Crisis Navigation Resources hub, plus an interactive ArcGIS-based STOP Grant Awards Map. All offerings are free and delivered through a Canvas LMS-based training portal, Zoom for live webinars, and downloadable resources from the website. The center reaches audiences through social media (X, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), the weekly "National Handout" and monthly "Michigan Handout" newsletters, and a network of contributing partners including UVA, AASA, Sandy Hook Promise, NAESP, and Michigan State University.\n\nNCSS is funded entirely through government grants rather than commercial revenue. Its primary funding stream is the BJA cooperative agreement (2019-YS-K001 and renewed as 15PBJA-23-GK-00798-STOP), with secondary funding from the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services under PA 166 of 2022 and HB 5783. The center is governed under the University of Michigan Regents structure and supported by a National Advisory Board of external experts. Cumulative scale metrics include 1,405 grants supported, 108 trainings and resources developed, and 25,186 enrollments across NCSS offerings.

Name

National Center for School Safety

Legal name

National Center for School Safety

Website

https://nc2s.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NCSS is a University of Michigan-based non-profit serving as the federally designated Training and Technical Assistance provider for the BJA STOP School Violence Program, delivering free expert-led training, one-on-one support, and an evidence-based resource library to K-12 schools nationwide and to Michigan schools via MSSI.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

School Safety Training and Technical Assistance

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Crisis Response & Threat Assessment (Suicide Prevention, Violence Prevention) (EDAJAIAH)

Keywords

• School safety training
• Violence prevention resources
• K-12 technical assistance
• Threat assessment training
• Crisis response education

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Funding: Funded by Bureau of Justice Assistance Cooperative Agreement No. 2019-YS-K001 and No. 15PBJA-23-GK-00798-STOP from the U.S. Department of Justice to provide STOP School Violence Training and Technical Assistance to STOP Program grantees.
2. State of Michigan Funding: Michigan School Safety Initiative is funded by the State of Michigan through the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (PA 166 of 2022 & HB 5783) to provide free training and technical assistance to Michigan schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The National Center for School Safety (NCSS) provides free, expert-led training, one-on-one technical assistance, and evidence-based resources to K-12 schools nationwide. Its core offerings are the STOP Training and Technical Assistance (STOP TTA) program supporting Bureau of Justice Assistance grant recipients, and the Michigan School Safety Initiative (MSSI) serving Michigan schools with tailored training and implementation support. All programs are delivered at no cost through a Canvas LMS-based training platform, webinars, downloadable toolkits, and direct engagement with school safety specialists.

Product overview

The National Center for School Safety (NCSS) is a multi-disciplinary resource and training center — not a single software product — offering a portfolio of programs, resources, and tools for K-12 school safety. The core offerings are: STOP Training and Technical Assistance (STOP TTA), providing free support to Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence grant recipients nationwide; and the Michigan School Safety Initiative (MSSI), providing free, tailored training and one-on-one support for Michigan schools. Key resources include a searchable Trainings & Resources Library (186+ items including webinars, self-paced trainings, podcasts, videos, toolkits, and publications), the Crisis Navigation Resources hub, the STOP Grant Awards Map (an interactive ArcGIS visualization), and the A Positive Youth Development Approach to School Safety conceptual framework. Supporting outputs include the weekly NCSS Newsletter ('The Handout'), the monthly MSSI newsletter ('The Michigan Handout'), Product Highlights one-pagers, and the Spotlights blog. All offerings are free and publicly available, delivered primarily through the NCSS Canvas LMS platform and Zoom for live webinars.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STOP TTA: STOP Training and Technical Assistance provides free TTA to organizations funded by the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence grants.
• MSSI

Products and services

• STOP Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Free training and technical assistance provided to organizations funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance STOP School Violence grants. Includes webinars, workshops, a STOP Grantee Community of Practice on Canvas, Networking Drop-Ins, and a STOP Grant Awards Map.
• Michigan School Safety Initiative (MSSI) State-specific project providing free training, technical assistance, and one-on-one support to Michigan PreK-12 schools and communities for implementing evidence-based school safety practices. Includes toolkits, self-paced trainings, presentations, and the monthly 'Michigan Handout' newsletter.
• Evaluation Support Comprehensive evaluation services including evaluation planning, tool recommendations or development, data collection and analysis, and data visualization and storytelling, available upon request to school safety organizations.
• Crisis Navigation Resources A curated collection of crisis support resources organized by audience (educators, students, caregivers, mental health professionals) and crisis type including school crisis, death of student/staff, community crisis, suicide, and ongoing grief.
• STOP Grant Awards Map An interactive ArcGIS-based map displaying the geographic distribution of BJA and COPS-funded STOP School Violence grantees across the U.S., filterable by school safety strategy, organization type, and grades served. Data covers fiscal years 2018–2022.
• NCSS Trainings & Resources Library A searchable catalog of 186+ free trainings and resources including webinars, self-paced trainings, podcasts, videos, toolkits & guides, publications, reports, clearinghouses, grant opportunities, learning communities, workshops, and spotlights.
• Returning to School After a Crisis Guide A comprehensive guide providing strategies for school staff following a crisis such as a shooting or traumatic event, covering trauma responses, warning signs, student communication tips, and mental health resources for post-crisis recovery.
• School Communication Toolkit for Secure Firearm Storage A toolkit equipping Michigan schools with resources and guidance to communicate secure firearm storage to families and communities, supporting youth violence prevention.
• Michigan Secure Firearm Storage Guide for Families & Caregivers A practical guide for Michigan families on securely storing firearms to prevent unauthorized access by children, strengthening school safety and community well-being.
• Finding School Safety Funding in Michigan A practical guide for Michigan schools on identifying, applying for, and securing school safety funding from federal, state, and private sources.
• A Positive Youth Development Approach to School Safety Framework A comprehensive conceptual framework developed by NCSS researchers describing multiple pathways to school safety and positive youth development, covering contextual factors, environmental approaches, equitable response, and outcomes across a spectrum of prevention, intervention, and recovery.
• Understanding Firearm-Related Injury and School Violence Series A five-episode podcast series featuring expert interviews on topics including contributing factors for firearm injuries, firearm safety and youth suicide, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, anonymous reporting systems, and community engagement.
• Navigating Comprehensive School Safety in Michigan A self-paced course for Michigan school leaders, educators, and safety professionals covering evidence-based strategies for comprehensive school safety, including social climate, physical security, and proactive prevention.
• Building Bridges: Strengthening School-Prosecutor Partnerships A 1-hour self-paced course exploring how Michigan schools and county prosecutors can strengthen communication, build trust, and collaborate on school safety. Delivered through the NCSS Canvas catalog.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25,186 enrollments in NCSS trainings and resources
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• University of Michigan School of Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSS is based out of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, which provides institutional backing, research faculty, and academic credibility to the center's school safety initiatives.
• Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention at University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSS is co-located with the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, enabling integration of firearm injury research with school safety programming and access to leading researchers in the field.
• University of Virginia School of Education and Human DevelopmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner organization providing expertise in education and human development to support NCSS school safety initiatives.
• National Council for Mental WellbeingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner organization bringing mental health expertise to support school-based mental health initiatives and crisis response.
• AASA: The School Superintendents AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner representing school superintendents nationwide and providing district-level perspective on school safety implementation.
• Michigan State University School of Criminal JusticemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner bringing criminal justice expertise and research capabilities to school safety and violence prevention efforts.
• NAESP: National Association of Elementary School PrincipalsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner providing elementary school leadership perspective on school safety needs and implementation challenges.
• Sandy Hook PromisemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing partner bringing expertise in violence prevention programs, threat assessment, and anonymous reporting systems to NCSS.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Navigate360: Navigate360 is a broader K-12 safety and wellness platform encompassing ALICE Training, visitor management, social-emotional learning, and behavioral threat assessment. Comparable to NCSS as a wider portfolio school safety vendor where NCSS is a free, training-and-resource specialist.

Direct peers

• Raptor Technologies: Raptor Technologies provides school safety software including visitor management, emergency management, and tip reporting for K-12 districts. Comparable to NCSS as a school safety provider, though NCSS focuses on training/resources while Raptor sells software to the same buyer.
• Safe and Sound Schools: Safe and Sound Schools is a national nonprofit that provides school safety training, resources, and advisory services to K-12 schools and districts. Comparable to NCSS for its practitioner-led, training-and-technical-assistance model targeting school safety improvement.
• Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise is a national nonprofit delivering evidence-based school violence prevention programs, anonymous reporting systems (Say Something), and training for K-12 students and educators. Directly comparable to NCSS as a federally-relevant, school-safety-focused training and resource provider.
• CrisisGo: CrisisGo offers emergency response and safety communication platforms purpose-built for K-12 schools, including panic buttons, drills, and incident management. Comparable to NCSS for serving the same K-12 school safety market with crisis response tools and training content.
• REMS TA Center: REMS TA Center is the federally funded Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center supporting K-12 emergency preparedness. Comparable to NCSS as a government-funded TTA center delivering free training and resources to schools on safety and crisis preparedness.
• The "I Love U Guys" Foundation: The "I Love U Guys" Foundation develops and disseminates the Standard Response Protocol and Standard Reunification Method used widely in K-12 schools. Comparable to NCSS as a practitioner-driven K-12 crisis response training and resource organization.
• EVERFI: EVERFI (now part of Vector Solutions) delivers K-12 digital courses on social-emotional learning, health, and safety topics to schools at no cost through district sponsorships. Comparable to NCSS as a K-12-focused digital training content provider offering free, online coursework.
• ALICE Training Institute: ALICE Training Institute delivers active shooter preparedness and response training to K-12 schools and workplaces nationwide. Comparable to NCSS as a K-12-focused school safety training provider with national reach and certification-based offerings.

Others

• Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at the University of Colorado Boulder is an academic research center studying violence and prevention, with overlapping expertise in school safety, threat assessment, and program evaluation. Comparable to NCSS as a complementary academic partner in the school violence prevention field.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NC2S_Tweets
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXL94AeIf-pqIJn7P22Uuuw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SafeSchoolsUS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nationalcenterforschoolsafety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles43 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Center for School Safety