Federal Grant Award Summary

Gardiner Elementary School District #7 received a $272,000 Project Grant award effective October 1, 2025, through the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education's Impact Aid Program (CFDA 84.041). This award, authorized under Title VII, Section 7003 of the Impact Aid Program, provides financial assistance to replace lost local property tax revenue resulting from the presence of federally connected children in the district's attendance area. Federally connected children are those living on federal property or having a parent employed on federal property or on active duty in the uniformed services. The grant funding supports the local educational agency (LEA) in maintaining comprehensive K-12 educational services in its rural Montana setting through September 30, 2031.

The Impact Aid Program distributes statutory formula-based payments to eligible LEAs nationwide to offset the financial burden created when tax-exempt federal property reduces the local tax base available for education funding. Gardiner Elementary School District #7 qualifies under Section 7003, which provides assistance to districts where at least three percent or 400 federally connected children constitute part of the average daily attendance. The $272,000 obligation supports the district's general educational operations and resource sustainability, enabling the continuation of instruction, special education, English language learning, school nutrition programs, and supplemental academic initiatives for its student population.