Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP): Grants to State Entities CFDA Number 84.282A | ED GRANTS 032717 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 032717 002

The Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) announced a discretionary federal grant competition called the Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP): Grants to State Entities, listed under CFDA 84.282A. In simple terms, this opportunity is designed to fund state-level entities so they can run a subgrant program inside their state, and then pass funds down to eligible charter school developers and operators. The overall goal is to increase access to high-quality charter schools by supporting the start-up phase for new charter schools and by helping proven charter schools grow through replication (opening new schools based on a successful model) and expansion (growing enrollment or grade levels at existing high-quality schools).

The program’s core purpose is twofold. First, it provides money that state entities can award as subgrants to eligible applicants so they can open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools, or replicate and expand high-quality charter schools. That “open and prepare” language matters because it points to early-stage activities that happen before a school is fully operating, such as planning, staffing, curriculum development, family outreach, and other launch-related work typically needed to get a school ready to serve students. Second, the program allows grant funds to be used for support functions that make the charter sector stronger overall, including technical assistance for eligible applicants and for authorized public chartering agencies. The notice also highlights an explicit interest in improving authorizing quality, including building the capacity to conduct strong fiscal oversight and auditing of charter schools, which reflects federal emphasis on responsible stewardship and accountability alongside growth.

In the background section, the Department explains that the CSP State Entities program is meant to support charter schools serving elementary and secondary students within a state. At the same time, it notes that charter schools receiving CSP support may also serve students in early childhood education programs or even postsecondary students, suggesting the program can accommodate schools or models that include pre-K components or extended pathways, as long as they fit within the program’s definitions and the state’s approach. The notice frames this competition as part of the CSP structure under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, updated by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), specifically citing the statutory sections at 20 U.S.C. 7221-7221j. It also contrasts this with the earlier era under No Child Left Behind, when awards were made to state educational agencies, emphasizing that ESSA brought updated rules, definitions, and competition structure that applicants need to follow.

Eligibility is aimed primarily at state-level applicants. The public listing identifies “State governments” as eligible applicants and also indicates “Others” may be eligible depending on the detailed eligibility language in the official Federal Register notice (the document repeatedly emphasizes that the Federal Register version is the controlling source for exact definitions, eligibility, priorities, and requirements). The basic structure, however, is clear: the U.S. Department of Education makes awards to qualifying state entities, and those state entities then run a subgrant competition or process for eligible charter school applicants within their state.

From an application logistics standpoint, the competition required electronic submission through Grants.gov only. Applicants were instructed to locate the package by searching the CFDA number without the alpha suffix (meaning search “84.282” rather than “84.282A”), download the forms, complete them offline, and then upload and submit them through the Grants.gov portal. The notice is explicit that applications could not be submitted by emailing an electronic copy to the Department, reinforcing that Grants.gov was the required submission channel.

The timeline and key dates were laid out clearly. The application became available on March 27, 2017, and the deadline for transmittal of applications was May 11, 2017. The Department also scheduled a pre-application webinar on March 30, 2017, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, giving prospective applicants a chance to hear program information and ask questions before submitting. Prospective attendees were encouraged to pre-register by emailing their name, organization, and contact information to CharterSchools@ed.gov with a specified subject line, and there was no registration fee.

In terms of scale, the listing shows an award ceiling of $23,000,000 and an expectation of 8 awards, signaling a relatively small number of large state-level grants rather than many small grants. The funding activity category is Education, the funding instrument type is Grant, and the opportunity category is Discretionary, meaning awards are competitive and based on the Department’s selection criteria and priorities described in the Federal Register notice.

The main contact information provided for the pre-application meeting was Kathryn Meeley at the U.S. Department of Education, including a phone number and email address, and the notice repeatedly directs applicants back to the official Federal Register application notice for the full requirements. That official notice is where an applicant would find the precise definitions of “State entity,” “eligible applicant,” “high-quality charter school,” “replicate,” “expand,” and the required elements of the application narrative, as well as performance measures, program priorities, and the detailed selection criteria used to score applications.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII): Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP): Grants to State Entities CFDA Number 84.282A" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.282.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 27, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 11, 2017 Application Available March 27, 2017. Date of Pre-Application Webinar March 30, 2017, 200 p.m. to 400 p.m., Washington, DC, time. Date of Pre-Application Webinar The Department will hold a pre- application meeting via Webinar for prospective applicants on March 30, 2017 from 200 p.m.-400 p.m., Washington, DC, time. Individuals interested in attending this meeting are encouraged to pre-register by emailing their name, organization, and contact information with the subject heading STATE ENTITIES PRE-APPLICATION MEETING to CharterSchools@ed.gov. There is no registration fee for attending this meeting. For further information about the pre-application meeting, contact Kathryn Meeley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 4W257, Washington, DC 20202-5970. Telephone (202) 453-6818 or by email kathryn.meeley@ed.gov. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications May 11, 2017.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $23,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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