Iowa Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant
Iowa Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant supports new and existing Iowa charter schools with start-up and expansion work to promote academic outcomes, postsecondary success and innovative school models.
Funder: Iowa Department of Education
Due Dates: October 2, 2026 (CSP Notice of Intent) | February 3, 2027 (CSP application)
Funding Amounts: Funding for charter school start-up and expansion
Summary: Supports new Iowa charter schools seeking authorization and existing charter schools seeking to expand.
Key Information: Charter schools previously awarded CSP start-up funds are not eligible for expansion funds.
Description
The Iowa Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant is administered by the Iowa Department of Education to support charter school development. The FY27 opportunity funds start-up activities for new charter schools seeking authorization and expansion activities for existing charter schools in Iowa. These public schools organize around a specific mission, curriculum, theme or teaching method, with flexibility over budgets, staffing and educational programming.
The CSP application emphasizes best practices in governance, leadership, instructional programming, data use and student support systems to promote academic outcomes and postsecondary success. Competitive priorities address educationally disadvantaged or underserved students and innovative charter school models not otherwise available locally. Grant-supported development sits within Iowa’s charter school accountability framework, which evaluates academic, financial and operational performance.
