Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Charter Schools Program (CSP): CSP Developer Grants for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools, Assistance Listing Number 84.282E | ED GRANTS 051525 003

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 051525 003

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Charter Schools Program (CSP) Developer Grants competition under Assistance Listing Number 84.282E is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Education designed to help charter school developers replicate or expand high-quality charter schools. In practical terms, the program is meant to support proven charter school models that are ready to grow, either by opening additional campuses (replication) or increasing the size and reach of an existing school (expansion). While CSP Developer Grants can also support opening new charter schools in general, this particular listing (84.282E) focuses on replication and expansion of high-quality schools, with the goal of increasing access to strong educational options for students.

A key feature of this competition is where it can be used. To be eligible, the charter school project must be located in a state that has a charter school law on the books (a statute authorizing the creation of charter schools, as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act), and that state must not currently have an active CSP State Entity grant under ALN 84.282A. This effectively targets federal developer funding to states that are not already receiving CSP support through a statewide entity grant, concentrating resources in places where that state-level CSP infrastructure is not in place.

Eligible applicants are "developers," which the statute defines broadly as an individual or a group of individuals, including public or private nonprofit organizations. The definition intentionally includes the kinds of people who often found or grow charter schools, such as teachers, school leaders, other staff, parents, and community members. To qualify as an eligible developer for this grant, the applicant must have already applied to an authorized public chartering authority to operate a charter school and must have provided adequate and timely notice to that authorizer. In other words, this is not meant for groups that are only exploring the idea; it is meant for developers who are already in the formal pipeline with a recognized authorizer.

The notice also highlights an important timing and maturity expectation for schools seeking funds. As a general rule, the Department considers charter schools that have been operating for more than five years to be beyond the initial implementation phase. Because of that, such schools are generally considered ineligible for CSP funds aimed at opening a new school or for replication funding. However, the Department notes an exception: schools that have been operating for more than five years may still be eligible under ALN 84.282E if the request is specifically for expansion of a high-quality charter school. The implication is that replication is generally viewed as an early growth-stage activity tied to the initial years of implementation, while expansion funding can still be appropriate for more established schools that are scaling up their enrollment, grades served, or programming within the existing school.

Charter schools supported through these CSP Developer Grants provide elementary education, secondary education, or both. They may also serve students in early childhood education programs or postsecondary students, as long as those services are consistent with the school’s charter terms. This language is meant to allow flexible models, such as charters that incorporate pre-K components, or schools with early college or dual enrollment elements, provided the charter authorizes those offerings.

From a funding and competition standpoint, the opportunity is listed as ED GRANTS 051525 003, categorized as a discretionary grant, with an application deadline of June 30, 2025. The Department anticipates making about 10 awards, and the maximum award amount (ceiling) is $2,000,000. As with many federal discretionary programs, the public synopsis emphasizes that the Federal Register application notice is the controlling document for the full set of requirements, including how to apply, what must be submitted, any pre-application steps, priorities that may affect scoring, required performance measures, and official contact information. The Department also points applicants to its Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published December 23, 2024) for the standard federal submission and formatting instructions, including where and how to obtain and submit an application.

Finally, for applicants that are nonprofit organizations, the synopsis includes a reminder about how to prove nonprofit status under 34 CFR 75.51. Acceptable documentation includes an IRS determination letter recognizing 501(c)(3) status, a certification from a state taxing body or state attorney general confirming nonprofit status and restrictions on private benefit, or certified incorporation documents that clearly establish nonprofit status. If the applicant is a local affiliate of a larger parent organization, the affiliate can submit the parent’s qualifying documentation along with a statement from the parent confirming the affiliate relationship. This documentation is typically a threshold eligibility item, so applicants need to have it ready and aligned with federal requirements before submission.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Charter Schools Program (CSP): CSP Developer Grants for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools, Assistance Listing Number 84.282E" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.282.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-05-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-06-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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