Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2026: Special Support Earmarks

Fund Codes: 9611, 9612, 0001, 7061, and 1004

Purpose:

The purpose of this RFP is to administer state legislative earmarks to Public School districts as outlined in the FY26 state budget.

Eligibility:

Public School districts as listed in the state budget.

Funding Type:

State funded Legislative Earmarks

Funding:

Approximately $405,000 is available across five accounts, fund codes 9611, 9612, 0001, 7061, and 1004 for various earmarks to public schools.

As outlined in the state budget:

  • 7061-9611 — After School and Out-of-School Grants
  • 7061-9612 — Safe and Supportive Schools
  • 7061-0033 — Public School Military Mitigation
  • 7035-0001 — Career and Technical Education Program
  • 7027-1004 — English Language Acquisition

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.

Fund Use:

7061-9611 — After School and Out-of-School Grants
For grants or subsidies for after-school and out-of-school programs; provided, that preference shall be given to after-school proposals developed collaboratively and that support quality enhancements and increased access to after--school and summer learning programs by public and nonpublic schools and private community--based programs.

7061-9612 — Safe and Supportive Schools
For the implementation of subsection (f) of section 1P of chapter 69 of the General Laws to create safe and supportive school environments.

7061-0033 — Public School Military Mitigation
For a reserve to assist towns negatively impacted by shortfalls in federal impact aid for the education of children in families employed by the federal government on military reservations located within a town's limits; provided, that any grants provided under this item shall be expended by a school committee without further appropriation; and provided further, that not less than $150,000 shall be made available to the town of Lincoln to mitigate the costs of educating the children of retired--military families.

7035-0001 — Career and Technical Education Program
For a program to be run by the department of elementary and secondary education for planning grants and implementation grants for regional and local partnerships to develop new career and technical education programs, including the establishment and support of career technical institutes, including technical institutes established in chapter 74 of the General Laws; provided, that preference shall be given in awarding planning and implementation grants to vocational schools with demonstrable waitlists for admission; provided further, that not less than $35,000 shall be expended for transportation costs that are not otherwise reimbursed via the town of Hopedale for the development of the center for innovation, research and creativity at Memorial elementary regional school transportation program.

7027-1004 — English Language Acquisition
For services that improve outcomes for English language learners, including, but not limited to, English language acquisition professional development to improve the academic performance of English language learners; provided, that funds shall be expended to implement the programs under chapter 71A of the General Laws.

Project Duration:

7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026*

*Earmarked Grant funds cannot be drawn down prior to DESE receiving a substantially approvable Application Submission as directed in this RFPs Submission Instructions. Funds cannot exceed the project duration end date unless otherwise noted in the budget language associated with that earmark.

Program Unit:

RASP/Federal Grants Unit

Contact:

Email the RASP/Federal Grants unit with any questions.

Date Due:

Rolling but no later than Friday, January 30, 2026

Earmarks can have a start date of 7/1/2025, if needed by the earmark recipient, provided an application is submitted in a timely manner. To guarantee access to these earmark funds, the recipient must act and apply in the GEM$ system.

Additional Information:

If you have any questions regarding the funds earmarked in this account, please contact the state legislative contact on this funding.

Submission Instructions:

The earmarks referenced in this RFP must be submitted in the Grants for Education Management System (GEM$). GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system.

Earmarks will follow the exact same application process and workflow as an entitlement or targeted grant in GEM$. Just as with all other grants in GEM$, grant submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for the Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign-off.

Grant Submission at the LEA level requires roles to be established for the Grant writer for the specific fund code, LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign-off. All roles should be established before 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

Last Updated: November 28, 2025

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