Promise Neighborhoods-84.215N

The Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education seeks applicants for Promise Neighborhoods grants to improve academic and developmental outcomes for children and youth in distressed communities, with applications due August 6, 2026 and an estimated $65 million available for approximately 12 implementation awards of $4 million to $6 million each over 60 months.

Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations, or one or more nonprofit entities in formal partnership with a high-need local educational agency, IHE, chief elected official, or Indian Tribe. Matching fund commitments are mandatory: 100 percent of the grant award for non-rural/non-tribal communities, 50 percent for rural or tribal communities. A notice of intent to apply is due June 22, 2026.

The program targets neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income individuals, multiple signs of distress including high poverty rates, childhood obesity, academic challenges, and juvenile delinquency or incarceration, and adverse childhood experiences. Funded projects must serve schools implementing comprehensive or targeted support and improvement activities under ESEA section 1111(d). All strategies in the continuum of services must be accessible to children with disabilities and English learners.

Applicants must submit a comprehensive needs analysis, description of pipeline services from birth through postsecondary education and career attainment, community engagement strategies, preliminary memoranda of understanding with partners, performance metrics, and annual reporting capabilities. The Department scores applications on project design (40 points), management plan quality (30 points), and adequacy of resources (30 points). Three competitive preference priorities worth up to 5 points each are available for evidence-based literacy instruction, high-quality interventions and accelerated learning supports, and career-connected learning.

CFDA 84.215. Applicants must register with SAM.gov and Grants.gov and follow the 2025 Common Instructions for ED Discretionary Grant Programs.