Funder: Department of Education
Due Dates: June 16, 2025 (Notice of Intent, optional) | June 25, 2025 (Application) | August 25, 2025 (Intergovernmental Review)
Funding Amounts: Estimated total: $60M | Typical award: $2M–$20M (avg. $16M) | 3–4 awards | No cost share required
Summary: Supports public and nonprofit entities in enhancing access to loans and bond financing for charter school facility acquisition, construction, and renovation.
Key Information: No subgrants allowed; max. 2.5% for admin costs; competitive preference for projects serving high-need communities.
Description
This program provides competitive grants to eligible public and private nonprofit entities to help charter schools access private sector capital for acquiring, constructing, and renovating school facilities. The grants are intended to enhance the availability of loans and bond financing, making it easier for charter schools to secure the facilities they need to operate and serve students. The program prioritizes projects that target communities with the greatest need for public school choice, including areas with low-performing schools and high proportions of low-income students.
Due Dates
- Notice of Intent to Apply (optional): June 16, 2025
(Applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to submit.)
- Application Deadline: June 25, 2025 (11:59 p.m. ET)
- Intergovernmental Review Deadline: August 25, 2025
Funding Amount
- Estimated Total Funding: $60,000,000
- Award Range: $2,000,000 to $20,000,000 per project
- Average Award: $16,000,000
- Expected Number of Awards: 3–4
- Project Period: From award date until all federal funds and earnings are expended for grant purposes or until facilitated financing is retired, whichever is later
- Cost Sharing/Matching: Not required
- Administrative Cost Limit: Up to 2.5% of funds for administrative costs
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include:
- Public entities (e.g., state or local government agencies)
- Private, nonprofit entities
- Consortia of the above
Nonprofit organizations must demonstrate nonprofit status (e.g., IRS 501(c)(3) letter, state certification, or incorporation documents).
Note: For-profit entities are not eligible. Grantees may not award subgrants to other entities to directly carry out project activities.
Application Process
- Application Portal: Grants.gov Opportunity ED-GRANTS-051625-001
- Required Forms:
- Table 1: Non-Grant Funds Projected to be Generated
- Table 2: Applicant Activity Table for Most Recent Fiscal Year
- Table 3: Budget Form: Grant Funds Expenditures
- Table 4: Risk Level of Charter Schools Served (for past grantees)
- Consortium agreements (if applicable)
- Instructions: Follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs.
- Pre-Application Webinar: Details will be posted at the program page.
- Notice of Intent: Email subject “Intent to Apply” to charter.facilities@ed.gov with applicant and contact info (optional, but encouraged).
Additional Information
- Competitive Preference Priority: Up to 6 extra points for projects targeting:
- Areas with many schools identified for comprehensive/targeted support under ESSA
- Areas with low student proficiency on state assessments
- Communities with high proportions of low-income students
- Use of Funds:
- Guaranteeing/insuring bonds, notes, loans, and leases for charter school facilities
- Facilitating financing and bond issuance for charter schools
- Predevelopment costs for site assessment
- Reserve Account: Funds (except admin costs) must be deposited in a reserve account for eligible activities.
- Reporting: Annual performance reports required; must track leveraged funding and number of charter schools served.
- No subgrants: Grantees may not award subgrants to carry out project activities.
- Open Licensing: Grant deliverables must be openly licensed unless an exception applies.
External Links
Contact Information
| Name | Email | Phone | Address |
|---|
| Thea Fowles | charter.facilities@ed.gov | (202) 987-1727 | U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-5970 |
For accessibility requests, contact the program email above.