A district's guide to federal grants
SAM.gov, Grants.gov, formula vs competitive funding and how to plan your year.
Formula vs competitive
Formula programs allocate funds to eligible LEAs automatically; competitive programs require a full application and are scored.
Register early
Federal applications require an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID. Registration can take several weeks.
Plan around the calendar
Many federal programs recur annually. Use K-12 Funding's expected-next-deadline estimates to plan, but treat estimates as estimates.
Matching and supplement-not-supplant
Check whether a program requires matching funds and how it restricts replacing existing spending.