Michigan Department Of Education

Michigan Department of Education, a U.S. state government entity headquartered in Lansing, operates as a prime recipient of federal grants across education, child nutrition, and early intervention programs, with no contracting footprint. The agency administers formula grants and project grants from the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, and other federal partners, distributing the vast majority of obligated dollars through pass-through sub-awards to local educational agencies, school districts, intermediate school districts, and community organizations across Michigan.

MDE's federal funding is concentrated in K-12 education support and child nutrition administration. The Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education is the dominant customer, issuing 260 awards covering Title I grants to local educational agencies ($247.4 million for FY 2026), Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers ($39.2 million to $41.1 million across recent cycles), Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants ($40.9 million to $42.8 million), English Language Acquisition State Grants ($12.9 million to $13.3 million), Special Education Grants to States ($162.3 million for FY 2026), Special Education Preschool Grants ($13.8 million recurring), Migrant Education State Grants ($5.4 million to $5.9 million), Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants ($14.8 million), Rural Education Achievement Program ($1.7 million to $1.8 million), Education for Homeless Children and Youth ($4.1 million to $4.2 million), and Grants for State Assessments and Related Activities ($9.0 million to $9.2 million). The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service issues 279 awards across National School Lunch Program administration ($276.4 million for FY 2026), Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsor and facility funding ($5.6 million to $6.5 million), State Administrative Expenses for Child Nutrition ($11.5 million across multiple awards), Child Nutrition-Technology Innovation Grants ($541,924 to $1.45 million), Team Nutrition training and education ($799,833 to $997,222), Emergency Food Assistance Program administrative funding, Commodity Supplemental Food Program administration, Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer administration, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program distribution ($5.9 million), and farm-to-school initiatives. The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services funds the Special Education-Grants for Infants and Families (Early On) program ($14.5 million historically). Secondary customers include the Institute of Education Sciences (eight awards, $7.4 million combined potential value, anchored by a $3.0 million National Assessment of Educational Progress State Coordinator contract awarded April 2025 running through March 2035), the Institute of Museum and Library Services (library services and technology grants, $7.2 million), the Office of Child Care (Child Care and Development Fund and block grants, multi-year formula funding), the Employment and Training Administration (career and technical education basic grants under Perkins V), and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (school-based youth risk behavior surveillance, $107,500 five-year cooperative agreement).

Recent activity reflects steady award volume. MDE received 15 awards in 2026 (year-to-date through August), 35 awards in 2025, 31 in 2024, 35 in 2023, and 44 in 2022, with 753 total awards across the dataset spanning 1989 to present. Twenty-five awards face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, representing recompete exposure concentrated in repeating formula grant cycles (July 1 and October 1 award dates dominate). Combined dollars obligated across all awards total $47.14 billion against a combined potential value of $7.7 million, indicating the source captures historical multi-year obligations flowing through formula grants that dwarf the stated ceiling figures. MDE operates exclusively as a prime recipient; one documented sub-award exists (August 2026, University of Michigan, school nutrition data services). The agency's role is administrative pass-through: it receives formula allocations, sets aside modest amounts for state-level administration and activities (typically 1 to 5 percent), and distributes the remainder to over 60 to 110+ sub-recipients per major program cycle. Sub-recipients span Detroit Public Schools Community District, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Dearborn Public Schools, Kalamazoo Public Schools, rural school districts, intermediate school districts, charter schools, community action agencies, nonprofits, universities, and regional education service agencies. MDE maintains compliance and audit obligations under the Uniform Guidance; states must execute written agreements with federal agencies, approve annual state administrative expense plans, and retain records for three years post-expenditure.