The ISCC Health & Safety Grant Program: What It Is and How It Works

The following comes from ISCC Board Member Jon Wasserman of The Rivers School, on behalf of the Claims and Loss Control Committee.

Many members think of ISCC as an insurance company that steps in after an employee accident happens. That work matters, but it tells only part of the story. Our group also puts real resources toward preventing those losses before they ever occur.

Alongside our webinars and on-site outreach, one of our signature loss prevention efforts is the Health & Safety Grant Program. Here is what the program offers, what members have used it for, and how it has grown.

What the Program Offers

Each year, ISCC provides grants of up to $5,000 to member institutions. Members use these funds to launch safety programs or purchase equipment that improves the overall health and safety of their employees.

Since the program began in 2018, ISCC has awarded nearly $400,000 in grants to more than 75 member institutions. That represents a substantial investment in the people who keep our schools and cultural institutions running every day.

What Members Have Funded

The range of initiatives supported through the program reflects the real safety needs members face across their campuses. Recipients have used their grants to:

• Add AEDs to their campuses
• Improve parking lot lighting
• Provide safety equipment and training
• Acquire snow and ice removal equipment
• Supply employees with OSHA-compliant footwear
• Add kitchen safety equipment

That list only scratches the surface. Each grant addresses a specific hazard that a member identified on their own campus, which means the funding goes exactly where it will protect employees most.

Jon Wasserman, CFO at the Rivers School & ISCC Board Member

Where Grant Ideas Come From

Some safety initiatives come recommended through ISCC’s other loss prevention programs. Others come straight from the creativity of a member’s internal staff who spot a need and act on it. Both paths are welcome, and both have produced meaningful improvements across our membership.

How the Program Has Grown

The program received just 2 applications in its first year. This year, that number climbed to nearly 40.

That kind of increase says something important about our membership. ISCC members have engaged with this program because they take the safety of their employees seriously and they want to build healthier, safer environments proactively rather than reactively.

Looking Ahead

On behalf of the Claims and Loss Control Committee, we look forward to seeing more requests for innovative safety interventions in the years to come. Every application represents a member choosing to protect their people before an injury occurs, and that is exactly the culture this program was built to encourage.

If your institution has a safety need, whether it surfaced through an ISCC loss prevention program or through your own staff, the Health & Safety Grant Program may be able to help. We would rather fund the equipment or training that prevents an injury than process the claim that follows one.

Interested in applying for a Health & Safety Grant? Contact ISCC to learn about eligibility, funding, and the application process for your institution.