HE125426R5000-Grants to Military-Connected Local Educational

Agencies for the World Language Advancement and Readiness

Program

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Guidelines

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 12.556

Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA)

Deadline for Applications

Friday, April 24, 2026, by 11:59PM ET

Discretionary Grant Program, Notice Inviting Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

Table of Contents Section 1: BASIC INFORMATION Section 2: ELIGIBILITY Section 3: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Section 4: APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT Section 5: SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE Section 6: APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Review and Selection Process Section 7: AWARD NOTICES Section 8: POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION Section 9: OTHER INFORMATION Appendix A: Cover Page Sample and Application Template for Narrative

Application Template for Project Narrative

Sample Abstract Appendix B: Application Templates

Logic Model

Evaluation Plan Template

Appendix C: Sample Detail Budget Table * Appendix D: Approved List of Foreign Languages Appendix E: Scoring Criteria Appendix F: Executive Order 14332 Compliance Addendum

Section 1: BASIC INFORMATION

Federal Agency Name: Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA)

Funding Opportunity Title: Grants to the Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for the

World Language Advancement and Readiness Program (known herein as WLARP), Fiscal Year

2026.

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: HE125426R5000

Assistance Listing Number: 12.556 Competitive Grants: Promoting K-12 Student Achievement at Military-Connected Schools

Funding Details: DoWEA plans to award multiple grants, subject to funding availability. Each grant will range from $500,000 to $2,000,000. Award amount is subject to eligibility requirements as described within this announcement. Period of performance for each grant awarded under this announcement will begin on September 30, 2026, and will end on May 31, 2031. All applicants who are selected for award will be notified of their award selection no later than September 30, 2026.

Key Dates and Agency Contact Information:

March 23, 2026 Applications Available (https://www.grants.gov)

April 03, 2026 Pre-recorded Technical Assistance Webinar (https://dodeagrants.org/)

April 24, 2026 Deadline for Transmittal of Applications, No Later than 11:59PM

Eastern Time

No Later than

September 30, 2026 Anticipated Award Date https://www.grants.gov/ https://dodeagrants.org/

Agency Contact

Information

When contacting DoWEA, include in the subject line of the email, HE125426R5000.

DoWEA Grant Program Office:

Jennifer Dailey-Perkins, Grant Program Manager

DoDEA.Grants@dodea.edu

DoWEA Procurement Division:

ShaHannah Brown, Grants Officer

ShaHannah.Brown@dodea.edu

Executive Summary The Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) is seeking innovative applications to enhance world language programs for elementary and secondary students. DoWEA plans to award multiple grants, ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000 for up to five years, subject to funding availability.

Target Audience: Military-connected students in elementary and secondary schools.

Eligible Recipients: A Local Education Agency (LEA) with schools that have a military- connected student enrollment of 10% or greater for the 2024-2025 school year. Eligible schools must be part of an

LEA that hosts or has a pending application to host a Junior Reserve

Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) unit.

Program Goals and Objectives: Under this announcement, eligible

LEAs must apply for only the program listed below.

World Language Advancement and Readiness Program (WLARP) applicants must establish, improve, and/or expand one of the

Department of War (DoW) Strategic Languages (as outlined in

Appendix D) for PK-12 students and must incorporate one or more of the following:

I. Promote early language learning to develop higher proficiency and support national security needs.

II. Integrate world languages across subject areas and create new language experiences.

III. Use technology to enhance language instruction and expand course offerings.

Application Requirements:

a. Completion and submission of required federal forms, a written project narrative, and detailed budget table as mailto:DoDEA.Grants@dodea.edu mailto:ShaHannah.Brown@dodea.edu outlined in Section V.

b. Ability to perform post-award requirements to include having a collection method for performance measures and effectiveness data.

Section 2: ELIGIBILITY

Eligible Applicants: LEAs, including charter schools recognized as LEAs by state law, can apply for this funding. For this announcement, an LEA is a local or state authority or board of education that controls free public, local education. An LEA includes local school districts that offer free public education for elementary and secondary students, like a County Public Schools System.

However, it does not include schools that charge tuition, such as a private PK-12 school. For-profit organizations, foreign institutions, and individuals cannot apply. Federal agencies and current federal employees also cannot receive this funding but can be project partners. Current DoWEA grant recipients can apply. DoWEA grants require at least a part-time (0.5 FTE) Project Director to serve as key personnel. More information regarding this key personnel position can be found in the “Application Contents and Forms” section. Resources will be provided to LEAs for their eligible schools. Only one application per LEA will be accepted. Eligible schools must meet these criteria:

• Schools must have at least 10% military-connected students for the 2024-2025 school year. This can be verified through various sources like the district’s U.S.

Department of Education Impact Aid totals or State Military Student Identifier data. Each school must individually meet the 10% requirement. A military-connected student is defined as a student who is a dependent of a member of the

Armed Forces, a civilian employee of the DoW, or someone employed on Federal property.

• Schools must be part of an LEA that currently hosts or has applied to host a JROTC unit in one of their high schools. JROTC programs are elective courses run by the

Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in over 3,000 high schools nationwide. To check if an LEA has a JROTC program, visit the respective service JROTC website.

Funding Details: The amount available through this announcement will be dependent upon final

FY 2026 budgetary decisions. Publication of this notice does not obligate DoWEA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funding. Applications submitted under this announcement may be considered for funding in subsequent fiscal years subject to the availability of funds. If any applicant incurs any costs prior to receiving an award agreement from the authorized DoWEA Grants Officer or DoWEA Grant Program Manager, the applicant does so solely at the LEA’s own risk of such costs not being included under an award if an award is made to the applicant. Pre- award costs are not allowed under this award.

Applicants can request funding up to the amount prescribed in the funding formula outlined in

Table 1. The funding formula for this opportunity is based ONLY on the total number of military-connected students at eligible/target school(s).

Table 1. DoWEA FY26 WLARP Grant Funding Formula

Number of Military-Connected

Students at Eligible School(s)

Award Amount

(Total for 54 months)

500 or fewer $500,000.00

501 – 750 $750,000.00

751 – 1,000 $1,000,000.00

1,001 – 1,250 $1,250,000.00

1,251 – 1,500 $1,500,000.00

1,501 or greater $2,000,000.00

Cost Sharing: Cost sharing, or non-federal share, is NOT required. If voluntarily committed, the contributions must meet all of the criteria established in 2 CFR § 200.306(b)(1)-(7). Any proposed cost sharing becomes a binding term of the award.

Section 3: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Since 2009, over three million public school students in 39 states have been impacted by this program. Additionally, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have expressed concern about the lack of military personnel with advanced language skills and believe this could be addressed by promoting foreign language study programs targeting elementary and secondary students. As a result, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 authorized the development of a competitive grant program to provide support to eligible entities for the establishment, improvement, or expansion of world language study for students at public schools in an LEA that hosts a unit of the JROTC.1 To this end, DoWEA provides a competitive grant program to domestic public schools that establish, improve, and/or expand one of the DoW Strategic Languages (as outlined in Appendix D) for PK-12 students. The following provides a description of the program for LEAs.

WLARP: To be successful in national security efforts and effectively collaborate with global populations, world language skills are a critical defense competency. Experts indicate that students learning languages starting at the K-12 levels develop higher language proficiency than those starting in college; therefore, introducing elementary and secondary students to world languages is critical to developing and sustaining the pipeline of individuals with skills needed to address national security and economic competitiveness needs. As a result, the DoW is committed to increasing world language skills and cultural knowledge capability and capacity by identifying and training students who could become potential service members with high aptitude to learn world languages. The goal of any proposed effort under this announcement must provide solutions that will establish, improve, or expand world language study for PK-12 public school students in an LEA that hosts a unit of the JROTC. For this effort, world language is defined as any of the languages included on the DoW Strategic

Language List (SLL) as defined in DoD Directive 5160.41E, Defense Language, Regional

Expertise, and Culture Program, and can be found at Appendix D of this announcement.

Applicants seeking funding for WLARP should include in their application a project narrative that focuses on one or more of the following scope areas:

▪ Establish and implement programs that showcase a meaningful integration of world language(s) across subject areas. Projects under this scope would include world language immersion or partial world language immersion of any of the languages included on the

DoD SLL (Appendix D).

▪ Establish and implement an exploratory pilot program that seeks to create new world language experiences for students. For example, this type of project may link native speakers of languages other than English within the LEA with the target schools in order to promote two-way language learning. The language used for this scope must be included on the DoD SLL (Appendix D).

1 Section 1751, Public Law 116-92, Dec. 20, 2019.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-112shrg75214/html/CHRG-112shrg75214.htm https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf?ver=2020-08-25-152344-143 https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodd/516041Ep.pdf

▪ Improve or expand content-based instruction in the target school’s current world language program of one or more of the languages included on the DoD SLL (Appendix

D).

▪ Effectively use technology, such as computer-assisted instruction or distance (virtual) learning, to establish or expand course offerings of one or more world languages included on the DoD SLL (Appendix D).

Applicants can see examples of successful projects funded in the past by visiting

Dodeagrants.org and checking the map at the bottom of the homepage.

All WLARP applications should:

▪ Address the program description.

▪ Demonstrate potential to make a substantial impact.

▪ Create meaningful content and participant experiences that meet the intent of the

WLARP program.

▪ Collect a set of program-specific measures of performance to include capture of participation rates and measures of effectiveness appropriate to the goals of the project.

▪ Provide a clear overview and rationale for how grant funding will be allocated.

▪ Contain a strategy for program sustainability once the period of performance of this award ends.

Authorization: Authority for this competitive grant is provided by the following: 2007 National

Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Section 574(d) (now Section 574(c)) of Public Law 109-364, Oct. 17, 2006 (made permanent through Section 552, Public Law 115-91, Dec. 12, 2017); and 2020

NDAA Section 1751 of P.L. 116–92. This publication also constitutes a Notice of Funding

Opportunity (NOFO) as contemplated in the Department of Defense Grants and Agreements

Regulations (DoDGARS) 32 CFR 22.315 – Merit-based, competitive procedures. DoWEA will not issue paper copies of this announcement. DoWEA reserves the right to select for award all, some, or none of the applications in response to this announcement.

Application packages to include project narratives and budgets (or any other material) submitted in response to this NOFO will not be returned. DoWEA will treat all applications as sensitive competitive information and will disclose their contents only for the purposes of

DoWEA’s evaluation of the grant applications. Applications submitted under this NOFO may be considered for future funding under this authority, without resubmission of application.

Awards will take the form of individual grants, not cooperative agreements. No subawards will be considered under this NOFO. According to 2 CFR 200.1, a subaward is defined as an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out most of a

Federal award received by the pass-through entity. Any grant awarded under this announcement will be governed by the award terms and conditions that conform to DoD’s implementation of

OMB circulars applicable to financial assistance. Terms and conditions will include revisions to https://dodeagrants.org/index reflect DoD implementation of new OMB guidance in 2 CFR Part 200, “Uniform

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.”

The applicant must meet the minimum standards for receiving federal funds, as defined in 32 CFR

22.415, which states that to be qualified, a potential recipient must do the following:

1) Have the management capability and adequate financial and technical resources, given those that would be made available through the grant or cooperative agreement, to execute the program of activities envisioned under the grant or cooperative agreement.

2) Have a satisfactory record of executing such programs or activities (if a prior recipient of an award).

3) Have a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics.

4) Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive a grant under applicable laws and regulations.

The applicant must agree to abide by all federal rules and regulations regarding performance and financial management, including, but not limited to 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Any inconsistencies in the requirements of award will be resolved in the following order of precedence:

• Federal statutes.

• Federal regulations.

• 2 CFR part 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards"

• 2 CFR part 1104, “Implementation of Governmentwide Guidance for Grants and

Cooperative Agreements”

• Award-specific terms and conditions.

• DoD General Terms and Conditions.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200

Section 4: APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

Applications will only be received electronically, as editable Adobe Portable Document Format

(PDF) , Microsoft Word documents, or Microsoft Excel spreadsheets through https://www.grants.gov/ no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on April 24, 2026. Applications are NOT to be submitted via email. Access to complete instructions may be found at the following URL: https://grants.gov/applicants/grant- applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

Award Notification: It is anticipated that final selections for award will be made no later than

September 30, 2026.

Address to Request Application Package: All relevant materials are available with this announcement on Grants.gov.

Content and Form of Application Submission: Applications submitted under this NOFO must seek to address unclassified efforts. As a corollary, no classified applications shall be submitted.

Application submissions will be protected from unauthorized disclosure in accordance with applicable laws and DoD regulations. All eligible applications will be merit reviewed and rank ordered for potential award, inclusive of risk assessment. Failure to follow the below directions will result in the submitted application not being considered for funding.

An application must include all elements related to (1) and (2) below. Elements (3) and

(4) are optional and not included in the merit review process nor the total package page limit.

Any non-requested elements submitted as part of a full application package will be removed from the application prior to merit review. See full details of each element below the list.

1) Required Federal Forms

2) Project Narrative

3) References Cited

4) Letter(s) of Support and Supporting Documents

Required Federal Forms

Prospective applicants must complete the mandatory forms in accordance with the instructions provided on the forms and the additional instructions below. Files that are attached to the forms must be submitted as a PDF file unless otherwise specified in this announcement. At the time of application submission, applicants must complete and submit the following federal forms with signatures of the Authorized Representative of the submitting LEA:

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• SF-424-A, Budget Information, Non-Construction Programs

• SF-424-B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs

Project Narrative

Submit Project Narrative as an editable PDF using the following format:

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

• Paper Size – 8.5 x 11-inch paper

• Margins – 1 inch

• Spacing – single spaced

• Font – Times New Roman, 12-point

• Page limit – The project narrative cannot exceed 30 pages. While this page limit does not include cover page, abstract, table of contents or appendices that may provide additional context for narrative claims, the entire package (narrative + appendices) cannot exceed

60 pages.

• The project narrative components should include the following (scoring criteria are detailed in Appendix E):

o Overview Materials (including cover page with enrollment numbers, abstract, and Table of

Contents) o Executive Summary (< 500 words) o Needs Assessment and Rationale for the Project o Project Goals o Planning/Implementation Years Narrative o Logic Model o Professional Learning Plan o Project Evaluation Plan o Sustainability Plan o Appendix A: Key Personnel Qualifications o Appendix B: Budget Narrative and Detail Budget Table

Overview Materials (pass/fail):

Applicants must use the template for the application found in Appendix A of this NOFO for submission of your grant project proposal.

Cover Page must include all contact information (including mailing address), names of military installations served, project focus (scope) area(s), enrollment data for eligible/target schools, JROTC unit located within school district, and an authorized signature.

Abstract of no longer than 250 words is required. The abstract is placed on the cover page and should be a concise overview following the template below. NOTE: Project abstracts of applications that receive funding may be posted on program-related websites and/or included in notices that DoWEA may send to members of Congress. Please follow this template: (LEA Name) serves families from (military installation(s)). Through this grant, the district plans to (describe broad intent of the grant efforts). Key strategies to support this effort include (brief list of applicable strategies).

Table of Contents lists the elements in the grant proposal narrative with the corresponding section and page numbers.

Executive Summary (pass/fail): The executive summary should be a concise overview of the project's key points and objectives, with no more than 500 words. It should be brief and to the point, summarizing the essential details of the project. The executive summary should clearly state the problem the project addresses and outline the proposed solution, while also emphasizing the potential impact and significance of the project for the target population.

Needs Assessment and Rationale for the Project (see Table 7 for scoring criteria)

Project Goals (see Table 8 for scoring criteria)

Planning and Implementation Years Narrative (see Table 9 for scoring criteria)

Logic Model (see Table 10 for scoring criteria)

Professional Learning Plan (see Table 11 for scoring criteria)

Project Evaluation Plan – including template (see Table 12 for scoring criteria)

Sustainability Plan (see Table 13 for scoring criteria)

Appendix A: Key Personnel Qualifications (pass/fail – see table 14 for scoring criteria)

Key personnel are individuals who are essential to the successful implementation of a federal award. For all DoWEA grants, the key personnel are specifically identified as the

Project Director and External Evaluator. The Project Director (PD) is primarily responsible for the overall administration and reporting of the project funded by the award. Here are some key responsibilities of the PD:

a. Leadership and Direction: The PD leads the project, ensuring it aligns with the terms, conditions, and objectives of the award.

b. Compliance: Ensures adherence to all applicable federal regulations, monitoring, and reporting requirements.

c. Financial Management: Works with school district finance office to ensure that funds are used appropriately and in accordance with the terms of the award.

d. Reporting: Submits required performance and financial reports and ensures timely communication with the DoWEA.

It is recommended that the PD is employed by the district and lives within the commuting area of the targeted schools to ensure oversight and timely monitoring of grant requirements. It is required that the PD is at minimum 0.5 full time equivalent (FTE) for the duration of the grant.

Describe key personnel involved in the grant to include expectations for the project director and external evaluator. This portion of the narrative should address how key personnel will do the following:

• Use background knowledge and experience to direct a project with the chosen focus to include addressing project barriers and challenges (e.g., poor staff investment, school leadership turnover, low band width for technology devices) collaboratively with district and/or school staff. (Project Director)

• Utilize the project plan activities and tools presented in the logic model and planning/implementation year narrative to continually monitor and redirect strategy and professional learning implementation. (Project Director)

• Provide the external evaluator with formative and summative project data to analyze project progress and student outcomes. (Project Director)

• Use different types of metrics (e.g., quantitative, qualitative), conduct higher- level analyses, and effectively use data visualization to show progress toward goal(s), as evidenced in performance reporting (i.e., planning year report, annual reports, and closeout report). (External Evaluator)

• Use collaborative and participatory approaches to work with project staff by providing actionable information to improve strategy and professional learning implementation for ongoing implementation and sustainability. (External Evaluator)

• List support staff positions including names/roles, if known.

Append a document as Appendix A—not to exceed two pages in length—listing the qualifications for the project director and external evaluator. If either is yet to be determined (TBD), append a description of the criteria that will be used to advertise the position(s). Resumes of key personnel can be attached as an additional appendix and will not be included in merit review.

Appendix B: Budget Narrative and Detail Budget Table (pass/fail – see Table 15 for scoring criteria) - The application must include a cost proposal detailing direct labor (personnel), fringe benefits, travel, contracts, equipment, supplies, and indirect costs. The cost proposal is a budget narrative explaining and justifying budget figures in detail. A Microsoft Excel file shall be provided to support the narrative so the Government can determine reasonableness and should address the following:

a) Overview and rationale for how grant funds (and any matching funds) will be allocated. Justifications for costs must be explicitly stated.

b) Role/position for each person being funded through the grant and how their scope of work is reasonable for grant funding.

c) Estimates for implementing and maintaining strategies and action items, as well as district standards for inventory control for supplies and equipment.

The detailed budget table must include all figures, calculations, and supporting documentation to determine cost allowability, allocability, and reasonableness. It should outline costs per unit item and provide evidence (e.g., quotes, websites, invoices) for all allocable costs. Ensure links have appropriate access permissions (unlocked) and are viable. The Grants Officer must be able to verify that all proposed costs are allocable, allowable, and reasonable. The budget should be detailed enough for DoWEA staff to assess the project's proposed effort, including all anticipated expenses. Note that food and beverage costs, except for subsistence during authorized travel (per diem), are not allowable under this NOFO. Failure to provide detailed cost data for the entire grant period may result in application denial. Additional information may be requested by

DoWEA if needed. Refer to Appendix C in this NOFO for a sample Detail Budget Table.

The detailed budget table must be submitted as an appendix (labeled as Appendix B) in Microsoft

Excel and clearly referenced within the budget narrative. It should identify and justify the costs of the proposed work, correlating with the budget narrative and sustainability section. The table must include a total 5-year summary and a detailed year-by-year breakdown by cost category, separated into Federal and non-Federal categories (if applicable). It should be detailed enough to clearly understand the cost breakdown and calculations used to derive line-item subtotals in each object class of the SF-424A budget. The following direct cost funding budget category requirements apply to all awarded grants under this announcement:

(1) Personnel: This includes individual labor categories or persons, with associated labor hours and unburdened direct labor rates. Provide escalation rates for out years. All As stated in the eligibility section, DoWEA grants require at least a part-time (0.5 FTE)

Project Director to serve as key personnel. Example of allowable personnel costs under this NOFO include:

• Project Director Salary

• Instructional Coach and Content Specialist Salaries

• Substitute Teacher Costs

• Stipends and/or Honorariums

• Extra Staff Hours

Any support positions required for grant implementation must be clearly outlined in both the budget narrative and detail budget table. Salaries of administrative and clerical staff are normally indirect costs (and included at an indirect cost rate). Direct charging for administrative/clerical services is appropriate only if they meet all three of the following conditions:

• The administrative or clerical services are integral to a Federal award;

• Individuals involved can be specifically identified with a Federal award; and

• The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.

Direct charging of administrative and/or clerical support costs may be appropriate if an extensive level of support (significantly greater than normal and routine) is needed for grant planning and implementation. Budgets proposing direct charging of administrative or clerical salaries must be supported with a budget justification which adequately describes the major project and the administrative and/or clerical work to be performed.

See 2 CFR 200.430, Compensation – personal services for additional information.

(2) Fringe Benefits: These are allowances and services provided by employers to their employees in addition to regular salaries and wages. These benefits include costs of leave, employee insurance, pensions, and unemployment benefit. Other fringe benefits include

Costs for employer contributions or expenses for social security, employee life, health, unemployment, and worker's compensation insurance, pension plan costs, and other similar benefits are allowable if they are permitted under established recipients’ written policies. The application should show the rates and calculation of the costs for each rate category. Fringe benefits are only allowable to be charged to the grant for employees who are working on this grant. The overall cost of each type of benefit to include the percentage rate at which it is paid must be listed in the applicant’s detail budget table. See

2 CFR 200.431, Compensation – fringe benefits, for additional information.

(3) Travel: As a condition of accepting this grant award, the LEA is required to attend the

Annual DoWEA Community of Practice (CoP) meeting. This meeting serves as the post-award orientation meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that both the grant recipient and the awarding agency are on the same page regarding the grant's terms and conditions, reporting requirements, and overall expectations. The meeting also provides grant professionals with resources to build the capacity of grant professionals. The project director is required to attend this meeting, which is expected to occur in December 2026.

Any additional staff who are essential to the project may also attend at the district’s discretion. Applicants may allocate up to $10,000 in their travel budget for this meeting attendance. This meeting is held annually. Recipients are required to attend the meeting only in the calendar year they receive the award. However, all active grant recipients are welcome to attend the meeting annually. Any remaining funds not expended for the COP may be reallocated to other grant expenditures or used for other proposed travel. All other proposed travel costs (i.e., for training and professional learning) must include the following for each trip: the purpose of the trip, origin and destination if known, approximate duration, the number of travelers, and the estimated cost per trip. This must be justified based on the organization’s historical average cost per trip or other reasonable basis for estimation. Such estimates and the resultant costs claimed must conform to the applicable Federal cost principles. If the actual trip details are unknown, applicants should state the basis for the proposed travel costs. Applicant should refer to their written travel policy for guidance regarding acceptable travel cost. In the absence of an acceptable, written recipient policy regarding travel costs, the rates and amounts established under 5 U.S.C. 5701-11 (“Travel and Subsistence Expenses; Mileage

Allowances”), or by the General Services Administration federal travel per diem rates.

Please note: no overseas or foreign travel will be funded through this award. See 2 CFR

200.475 for additional information.

(4) Equipment: Equipment is defined in 2 CFR 200.1 as tangible personal property https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.430 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.430 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.431 https://www.gsa.gov/travel-resources https://www.gsa.gov/travel-resources https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.475 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.475

(including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost that equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level established by the recipient for financial statement purposes, or $10,000 or more per unit.

An applicant is expected to be familiar with the management requirements and disposition of equipment as listed in the 2 CFR 200.313 and 2 CFR 200.439 if the LEA chooses to acquire equipment for grant implementation. All equipment, if procured, will be tracked annually through the completion of the Tangible Personal Property Report (SF-

428). This is a standard federal form for awarding agencies to collect information on tangible property (i.e., equipment). The form consists of cover sheet (SF-428) and three attachments to be used as required: Annual Report, SF-428-A; Final (Award Closeout)

Report, SF-428- B; and a Disposition Request/Report, SF-428-C. A Supplemental Sheet, SF- 428-S, may be used to provide details on individual items. Please note: no vehicles or trailers, to include fifth wheels, will be funded through this NOFO.

(5) Supplies: Supply is defined in 2 CFR 200.1, asall tangible personal property other than those described in the definition of equipment. A computing device is considered a supply if the acquisition cost is below the lesser of the capitalization level established by the recipient or subrecipient for financial statement puporses or $10,000, regardless of the length of its useful life.All materials and supplies needed to achieve application goals should be itemized in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and attached to NOFO submission.

The itemized list should include all proposed materials and supplies including quantities, unit prices, and the basis for the estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, accessible links, etc.).

(6) Contractual: A contract, as defined by 2 CFR 200.1,. a legal instrument by which a recipient or subrecipient conducts procurement transactions under a Federal award. For additional information on subrecipient and contractor determinations, see § 200.331.

Procurement standards are outlined in 2 CFR 200.317-200.327. All procurement transactions must be conducted in a manner that provides full and open competition and is consistent with the standards set forth in 2 CFR 200.319 and 200.320. Grants will be evaluated by an external third-party evaluator, with up to 5% of the total grant award funds allocated for this purpose. The evaluator must not be a current employee of the LEA. To promote new methodologies, objectivity, talent, inclusion, diversity, creativity, and accountability, returning grantees may not use the same evaluator for more than two active DoWEA grants. Evaluators should be selected competitively from organizations such as local colleges, universities, research/evaluation organizations, or through professional websites like the American Evaluation

Association. Consultants are allowable under this NOFO. If consultants are used, provide a detailed breakdown of their hours, proposed hourly rate, current resume, other proposed costs. Federal employees cannot be paid as contractors.

(7) Other Direct Costs: Provide an itemized list of all other proposed other direct costs https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.331 http://www.eval.org/ http://www.eval.org/ such as professional learning fees, report and publication costs, and the basis for the estimate (e.g., quotes, prior purchases, catalog price lists, accessible links, etc.).

Examples include:

• Professional Learning Fees (e.g., Language Conference Registration Fees)

• Digital Subscriptions (e.g., Language software subscriptions)

• Participation & Entrance Fees (e.g., Entrance Fees)

• Membership (e.g., Professional learning association membership and licensing)

(8) Indirect Costs: If a cost has been incurred for common or joint objectives of an organization and cannot be readily identified with a particular cost objective or if the cost can benefit more than one program, it is considered an indirect cost. Some examples of indirect cost include insurance against theft and damage to computer equipment purchased with grant funds and costs of an employee personal assistance program to provide mental health, alcohol, and drug counseling and referral services. Under this

NOFO, applicants may elect to charge a de minimis rate of up to 15 percent of modified total direct cost for their indirect cost allocation. If the applicant has an indirect rate that has been approved/negotiated by a Government agency, provide a copy of the memorandum/agreement for DoWEA to determine allowability of use for the approved/negotiated rate. See 2 CFR 200.414, Indirect Cost, for additional information.

References Cited (optional): If literature references are cited in the project narrative, then a References Cited section should be included as an appendix. Each reference should include the names of all authors in the same sequence in which they appear in the publication, the article title, publication or publication title, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication.

Letter(s) of Support and Supporting Documents (optional): If substantive partnerships are described in the project narrative, letters of commitment could be provided as an appendix, but are not required and will not be included in the merit review. There is no specified format or content required for the letter(s) of support other than being authored by the appropriate representative and supporting commitment to the applicant and his or her project. Commitment may include (but is not limited to) funding, related materials and/or computer investments, technical advisement, and organizational or infrastructure support. The letter(s) can include all commitments and investments made by the representative towards the applicant and the overall statement about the relevance of the

WLARP project.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRd93f2a98b1f6455/section-200.414

Section 5: SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE

Address to Request Application Package: Applicants can only respond to this NOFO via

Grants.gov. The deadline to submit completed required forms, written project narrative and detailed budget is Friday, April 24, 2026, by 11:59PM Eastern Time. Unique Entity Identifier

(UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov): Each applicant must be registered in

SAM.gov before submitting its application; provide a valid UEI in its application; and continue to maintain an active registration in SAM.gov with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal agency.

Submission Instructions: Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information. The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

1) Register with the SAM.gov and obtain a UEI: This is one of the data elements mandated by

Public Law 109- 282, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), for all federal awards. The federal government's primary database for complying with

FFATA reporting requirements is www.sam.gov. OMB designated www.sam.gov as the central repository to facilitate applicant and recipient use of a single public website that consolidates data on all federal financial assistance. Under the law, it is mandatory to obtain a UEI number and register in sam.gov before submitting an application. Applicants must enter the UEI number in the data entry field labeled "UEI" on the SF-424 form. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to: https://sam.gov/content/home

2) Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step is to create an account with Grants.gov.

Applicants must know their organization's UEI number to complete this process.

Completing this process automatically triggers an email request for applicant roles to the organization's E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) for review. The EBiz POC is a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for SAM. To apply for grants on behalf of your organization, you will need the Authorized Organizational Representative

(AOR) role. More detailed instructions may be found at the following URL:

https://www.grants.gov/register

3) Authorize Grants.gov Roles: After creating an account on Grants.gov, the EBiz POC receives an email notifying them of your registration and request for roles. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the

AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been approved as an AOR.

4) When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization's AOR that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.grants.gov/register legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov: Grants.gov applicants can apply online using

Workspace. For an overview of Workspace, refer to the following URL:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Online Submission. All applications must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern time on April 24, 2026. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by

Grants.gov. The applicant AOR will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov

Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DoWEA successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Applications received by

Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DoWEA.

Certifications and Assurance

SAM registration and annual renewal require attestment to general certification and assurances.

Please ensure your district’s SAM registration is active at time of application. Applicants may be requested to submit additional certifications and assurances even if they have submitted the annual renewal. DoWEA will inform applicants if additional certifications are needed.

All potential conflicts of interest, including financial, that could cause bias or lack of fairness in determining the application, evaluation, selection, or administration of a notice of funding must be included.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview

Section 6: APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Background: If awarded, in case of disagreement with any requirements of award, the recipient shall contact the DoWEA Grants Officer who issued the grant to resolve the issue. The recipient shall not assess any costs to the award or accept any payments until the issue is resolved.

Applicants should be aware of the following:

• Information regarding the application packages can be found at the following URL:

https://grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants

• Grant applications will be reviewed only if they (1) meet the criteria specified by this

NOFO and (2) are submitted through Grants.gov.

DoWEA may make award(s) based on initial applications received, without discussions or technical assistance. Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint. DoWEA reserves the right (though it is under no obligation to do so), however, to enter discussions and/or technical assistance with one or more applicants to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application prior to making an award determination.

Review Criteria

DoWEA will conduct a merit review of applications. Awards under this NOFO will be made to

Applicants based on the criteria listed in Appendix E. The primary basis for selecting applications for award will be project narrative, relevance to the subject of this announcement, proposed cost realism and reasonableness, and the availability of funds to support the effort.

Any proposed cost sharing becomes a binding term of any award. DoWEA reserves the right to request and require additional supporting information and documentation prior to and after it makes the selection determination. DoWEA reserves the right to remove applicants from award consideration if the parties fail to reach agreement on award terms, conditions, or cost/price within a reasonable time; or if the applicants fail to provide additional information within requested DoWEA deadline.

Review and Selection Process

Review Process

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with evaluation criteria stated above and an internal risk assessment. Approval of this announcement was provided by the Assistant Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness (ASD(P&R)). The ultimate approval for award of applications under this announcement will be made by the ASD(P&R) or his political designee.

Applicants will receive an additional 5 competitive priority points during merit review if one of the following criteria apply: (1) applicant has never received a DoWEA grant or (2) applicant will not have an active DoWEA grant award by June 1, 2026, and has a successful past performance rating.

Applicants’ proposals will be awarded based on the following:

1) Merit-reviewed score based on the criteria listed in Appendix E, inclusive of risk assessment. This ranked list is sent to ASD(P&R) or his political designee for proposed funding approval.

2) Applicants for proposed funding undergo both a DoWEA procurement grant award decision review and a legal sufficiency review prior to making award.

3) After receiving legal sufficiency, grants are awarded based on availability of funding.

Handling of Selection Information

Generally, submission information will not be disclosed except as necessary for evaluation.

Project narratives and budgets submitted under this NOFO will be protected from unauthorized disclosure.

RISK REVIEW

In accordance with 2 CFR 200.206 DoWEA will conduct a risk assessment of all potential recipients. In addition to the elements listed in 2 CFR 200.206, DoWEA may include other criteria to determine various types of risk (e.g., key personnel, past performance, Personally

Identifiable Information (PII), etc.).

If any award under this NOFO will be more than the simplified acquisition threshold during its period of performance, following applies:

(i) DoWEA must review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov (see 41 U.S.C.

2313).

(ii) The applicant can review and comment on any information in the responsibility/qualification records available in SAM.gov.

(iii) Before DoWEA makes an award decision in the risk review required by 2

CFR 200.206 DoWEA will consider any comments by the applicant, along with information available in the responsibility/qualification records in SAM.gov.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-C/section-200.206…