Back by popular demand – another answer to a recent Grantscast question! This Grantscast was focused on the funding landscape for K-12 education in the year ahead. One attendee asked:

When it comes to competitive grant funding for districts to apply for, why do some states have more opportunities than others?

 “State’s Rights” means that even with certain federally mandated activities under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, education practice and funding can vary drastically from state to state. Some state legislatures invest heavily in public education while others do not. As a result, some states are host to multiple competitive grant opportunities throughout the year, while others may only look forward to “pass-through” grant opportunities from the federal government.

Pass-through grants (such as 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants or Carl D. Perkins Career & Technical Education Grants) come from the US Department of Education, go through each State Education Agency before being passed on to local entities. States may still have to apply for these funds and often keep a portion to cover administrative costs, but once awarded, each state will maintain its own re-granting process, timeline, and may choose to add additional priorities beyond those initially required by the federal agency.

For a look at how grant seeker friendly is your state education agency, check out Volume 9, Issue 3 (August 2019) of Funded Magazine!