The purpose of this federal competitive grant is to provide funding for programs that ensure students who are homeless enroll and attend school and engage in learning that values and builds on their background knowledge, lived experiences, and cultural and linguistic assets. Students are active participants and have a voice in shaping their learning experiences through the following grant program purposes:
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act prioritizes funds to support the education of students who are homeless through racially equitable and culturally responsive high-quality programming in any or all the following:
Priority will be given to districts and schools in the strategic transformation region.
All Massachusetts public school districts (including charter school districts) with fifty (50) or more enrolled students who are homeless are eligible to apply. Based on the number of identified students who were homeless during the 2023-2024 school year submitted to DESE.
Two or more districts with a combined total of fifty (50) or more enrolled students who are homeless may apply as a consortium, or they may designate their collaborative to apply on their behalf as a consortium.
Federal CFDA 84.196
Federal grant funds must adhere to:
The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
Approximately $1,200,000 is anticipated to be available
Applicants may apply for up to the designated amounts for each of the following categories for which they are eligible.
This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.
Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available, it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.
Programs can either expand or improve services provided through a school's general academic program but cannot replace that program (supplement and not supplant). To the extent practicable, activities and services are to inclusively serve students who are homeless and students who are housed.
Districts may provide services through programs on school grounds, at other facilities, or may use funds to enter contracts with other agencies that are committed to racial equity to provide services for children and youth who are homeless. McKinney-Vento funds may provide the same services to students who are housed to ensure that program activities integrate students who are homeless.
Grant funds cannot be used to pay for the district's Homeless Education Liaison, a position required in all school districts, unless the liaison has responsibilities in the district for students who are homeless beyond those required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Grant funds cannot be used for food, gift cards, hotel room rental or rent for families or unaccompanied youth.
Grant funds cannot be used for the transportation costs that are required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Other types of homeless transportation costs may not exceed 10% of the grant.
Upon Approval (No Earlier than 7/1/2025) – 6/30/2026
Pending appropriation and the meeting of grant requirements, awarded grantees may be eligible for continuation grant(s) in Fiscal Year(s) 2027 and 2028. Grantees must have met all grant requirements as well as submitted all required documents. Fluctuations in homeless populations may necessitate a review of funding amounts in continuation years.
Student and Family Support
Shirley Fan-Chan
(781) 338-6310
Thursday, June 5, 2025*
Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on the date due.
*Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP.
All responses must be submitted through the proper steps and received by the due date/time listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not received on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity.
All required program information and forms will be submitted in DESE's new Grants for Education Management System (GEM$) . See Submission Instructions for details.
Questions and Answers — Applicants can find all the questions asked regarding this funding opportunity and DESE's responses posted in the DESE Resources section of GEM$. Please send questions to achievement@mass.gov with the Subject Line: FY26 FC 0310 Question.
Regional Technical Assistance Specialists grant sub-category E, please see the DESE Regional Technical Assistance Specialist Job Description for duties of the Regional Technical Assistance Specialist position.
Key Grant Requirements: Funded applicants will:
The FY26 0310 McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Grant must be submitted in GEM$. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that DESE utilizes to administer grant funds.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)
New organizations that do not have an established LEA with DESE skip to Step 3.
Step 1: Establish and assign proper roles before the grant due date/time. Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off.
All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to GEM$, maintained at the LEA level or sent in to the DESE RFP contact as described on the individual forms. The user guidance documents and forms are found on the GEM$ homepage under DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.
Step 2: Submit the grant through all LEA steps in GEM$. There are three LEA steps a competitive grant must be submitted through by the due date and time to be considered for funding:
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted once the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the RFP. Please plan accordingly.
The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.
Step 3: (If applicable) New organizations request temporary organization access. New organizations are entities that have not been established as an LEA in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.
Temporary Access will need to be created by DESE before you can then assign the proper roles and submit the grant as outlined in Steps 1 and 2.
Failure to provide DESE with GEM$ Temp Organization Access Request at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.
Last Updated: May 1, 2025