Supported with federal funds, the purpose of this competitive Exemplary Programs grant is to support a network of high quality 21st Century Community Learning Center programs (21st CCLC) that can demonstrate continuous program improvement by identifying and elevating best practices and demonstrate the ability to serve as models, mentors, and resources on those practices.
Support improved attendance and academic growth among our lowest-performing students.
Effectively engage students with identities and cultures that have been historically marginalized in educational settings.
Support the Department’s Educational Vision and strategic priorities including Massachusetts’ Vision of a Graduate .
Contribute to deepening student learning during the school year and summer through engaging project-based and academically enriching learning opportunities that help build knowledge and skills that prepare students to pursue postsecondary goals.
Contribute to the development of a library of grantee designed and implemented high quality project-based learning units.
Leverage assessment data to design programming that is tailored to the needs and interests of students and demonstrates continuous program improvement efforts.
Develop systems that elevate youth agency and voice and provide opportunities for young people to make decisions and drive chang in their own lives and in their communities,
Develop systems of support that engage students and families in ways that are culturally relevant, and leverage the knowledge, strengths, and assets of students, families, educators, and the community.
Develop sustainable models for supporting additional quality learning time.
Priority will be given to districts and schools in the strategic transformation region and accelerated achievement schools.
Applicants may apply for sites that received a Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Fund Code (FC) 647 Supporting Additional Learning Time (SALT) grant and/or an FY24 FC 0646 grant Exemplary Programs grant as well as corresponding continuation grants and have met all grant and eligibility requirements (detailed in Addendum A).
Federal Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance CFDA 84.287
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 General Laws G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.
A total of approximately $3,000,000 is projected to be available.
Please refer to Addendum D for a list of eligible schools/sites and amounts.
Applicants may apply for up to an additional $10,000/site to help support transportation costs. The additional transportation funds may only be used to support transporting students home from the 21st Century Community Learning Center CCLC program during the school year (SY) and to and from the program during the summer. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the need for additional transportation funds.
Note: For students who have transportation as a related service in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) it is the responsibility of the district to support the costs of specialized transportation during the School Year SY.
Pending federal budget approval continuation grant amounts in years two (2) and three (3) are anticipated as follows:
See the Project Duration section below for more details about the anticipated continuation grant cycles.
Per federal requirements, the minimum grant award amount is $50,000.
This Request for Proposal 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.
Funds must be used solely to support, enhance, and/or provide related programming and activities that address the Purpose and Priorities detailed above, and may include salaries, stipends, contracts, instructional materials, and other expenses associated with implementing 21st Century Community Learning Center CCLC approved programming.
These funds may not be used to supplant existing costs, which would otherwise be funded (in the absence of these grant funds) from other sources (e.g., current salary levels, current transportation costs, instructional materials already being used during the school day, etc.).
No more than 10% may be used for program materials/applicant site. Any single purchase over $500 must be pre-approved.
Upon Approval (No earlier than 9/1/2026) – 8/31/2027
Pending appropriation and the meeting of grant requirements, awarded grantees may be eligible for continuation grant(s) in FY28 and FY29 (anticipated Upon Approval (no earlier than 9/1/27) – 8/31/28 and Upon Approval (no earlier than 9/1/28) – 8/31/29).
Student and Family Support
Karyl Resnick
Friday, July 24, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Proposals must be received at the Department by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on the date due.
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE Competitive Grant Submission Policy
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in Grants for Education Management System GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the Local Educational Agency LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the Request for Proposal RFP.
All responses must be submitted through 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 Submission 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 forms must be entered or uploaded in Grants for Education Management System GEM$, if applicable, templates are available in Grants for Education Management System GEM$.
Site visits as well as information gathered by the Department through data collection will account for approximately 30% of an applicant’s overall score and the grant application will account for the other 70%. Additionally, points will be deducted based on risk assessment data. Refer to Addendum F for risk assessment data points.
In addition, the following priorities will be considered when making funding decisions:
Recipients will be required to utilize the Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes (SAYO) for all students served by these funds.
Note regarding use of artificial intelligence (AI): Applicants may use Artificial Intelligence AI as a supportive thought partner for brainstorming and outlining their application, provided it does not serve as a ghostwriter or a replacement for original human authorship. Direct copying and pasting from generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools is strongly discouraged. To maintain academic integrity, use of Artificial Intelligence AI must be clearly disclosed and properly cited, reflecting a commitment to transparency and active human oversight.
Grant award notification: The Department will provide notice to all applicants when grant awards are finalized and will post a list of funded grantees on the Department’s Grant Awards webpage. All applicants not selected for funding will be provided with information about the process for requesting feedback about their application. See the Department’s formal appeal process for more information.
The Department will be hosting a virtual grant information session to review the Request for Proposal RFP and respond to questions. Registration details will be shared with all applicants when confirmed.
The FY27 0646 21st Century Community Learning Center CCLC Exemplary Programs Grant will be submitted in our new Grants for Education Management System GEM$ system. Grants for Education Management System GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)
New organizations that do not have an established Local Educational Agency LEA with Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE skip to Step 3.
Step 1: Establish and assign proper roles before the grant due date/time. Grant Submission at the Local Educational Agency LEA level requires roles to be established for Grant writer for the specific fund code, Local Educational Agency LEA fiscal for financial review/approval, and Superintendent/Chief Executive sign off.
All roles should be established prior to the grant due date and all appropriate forms should be either uploaded to Grants for Education Management System GEM$, maintained at the Local Educational Agency LEA level or sent in to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE Request for Proposal RFP contact as described on the individual forms. The user guidance documents and forms are found on the Grants for Education Management System GEM$ homepage under Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE Resources. These forms can be accessed without logging in to the system.
Step 2: Submit the grant through all Local Educational Agency LEA steps in Grants for Education Management System GEM$. There are three Local Educational Agency LEA steps a competitive grant must be submitted through by the due date and time to be considered for funding:
Competitive grant applications are considered submitted once the grant application is submitted by the Superintendent or their designee through the "Local Educational Agency LEA Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved" step in Grants for Education Management System GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the Local Educational Agency LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date and time listed in the Request for Proposal 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 Local Educational Agency LEA in Grants for Education Management System GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization established in Grants for Education Management System GEM$ must contact the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 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 Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE before you can then assign the proper roles and submit the grant as outlined in Steps 1 and 2.
Failure to provide Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE with Grants for Education Management System 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. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.
Last Updated: July 16, 2026