Fulton Schools

Fulton Schools, a public school district headquartered in Middleton, Michigan, receives federal formula grants directly from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education as a prime grant recipient and participates in subordinate federal education and nutrition programs through pass-through sub-awards administered by the Michigan Department of Education. Fulton Schools operates as a U.S. local government entity (school district) and does not hold federal contracts or serve as a federal contractor; its federal funding footprint consists exclusively of education and nutrition grant work.

Fulton Schools' prime grant activity centers on the Small, Rural School Achievement Program. The district has received five formula grants from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under this program, with awards dated July 1 in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, each running through the following September 30. The most recent award is current through September 2027. This recurring annual formula-grant pattern reflects Fulton Schools' designation as a small, rural school district eligible for federal equity support.

The district's sub-award footprint is substantially larger than its prime footprint, reflecting its status as a sub-recipient within Michigan's federal education and nutrition infrastructure. Twenty-five sub-awards flow through the Michigan Department of Education, spanning from November 2021 through June 2026. These sub-awards support Title I, Part A programs (designed to help disadvantaged children meet high academic standards through Schoolwide or Targeted Assistance programs), USDA nutrition programs in Michigan, Department of Energy programs, and American Rescue Plan ESSER III (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funds for pandemic mitigation and learning recovery. Prime awards represent 18% of Fulton Schools' total award count; sub-awards account for 82%.

The district has engaged two federal customer agencies: the Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (22 awards) and the Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (17 awards), accounting for 100% of tracked awards. Combined dollars obligated across all forty-nine awards total $5.6 million. Only one award reaches ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, indicating minimal recompete pressure in the near term. Fulton Schools' federal footprint is characteristic of rural school districts: primary reliance on formula grants and pass-through sub-awards for classroom and nutrition support, with no prime contracting vehicle or direct federal contractor relationships.