Federal Grant Award Summary

Swain County Board of Education received a $2.39M Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Impact Aid Program (CFDA 84.041) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2031. This award provides financial assistance to support comprehensive K-12 educational services for the school district, which qualifies for Impact Aid funding due to the presence of federally connected children—those residing on federal property, including Indian lands, and/or having parents employed on federal property or serving on active duty in the uniformed services. The funding supports general instruction, special education, English language learning, school nutrition, career and technical education, teacher professional development, and technology integration across Swain County Schools in Bryson City, North Carolina.

The school district has demonstrated a consistent track record of effectively administering federal education grants, including prior awards from the Indian Education Formula Grants program and sub-awards through partners such as Appalachian State University's GEAR UP initiative and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for Title I programs and pandemic recovery support. The Impact Aid funding enables Swain County Schools to maintain educational services in an area where federal land presence has reduced the local tax base, ensuring equitable educational opportunities for the region's student population.