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Charter Schools

Charter Schools

Finance & Funding Opportunities for Charter Schools

Finance

Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act FundingÌý(7/20/2020)

Commissioner's Regulations Section 119.1Ìý - Financing of Charter Schools

2016-17 State Aid Handbook (for Transitional Aid)Ìý

Funding Opportunities for Charter Schools

In fall 2024, the 51±¬ÁÏ was awarded a five-year Expanding Opportunity Through Quality Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant by the U.S. Department of 51±¬ÁÏ.Ìý Authorized by Title IV, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary 51±¬ÁÏ Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, CSP provides funding to expand opportunities for all students, particularly traditionally underserved students, to attend high-quality public charter schools and meet challenging State academic standards; provide financial assistance for the planning, program design, and initial implementation of charter schools; increase the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the United States; evaluate the impact of charter schools on student achievement, families, and communities; share best practices between charter schools and other public schools; encourage States to provide facilities support to charter schools; and support efforts to strengthen the charter school authorizing process.

NYSED's CSP project will support grants to 30 new charter schools along with grants to 25 expanding high-quality charter schools and achieve four main objectives:

  1. Add 18,750 new seats within areas that have historically served high-need student populations in disproportionately large numbers.
  2. Improve student academic outcomes in 51±¬ÁÏ charter schools.
  3. Promote the dissemination of effective practices that lead to improved academic achievement.
  4. Strengthen the overall quality of 51±¬ÁÏ charter authorizing. Ìý

CSP planning and implementation (or start-up) grants and expansion grants will be awarded though periodic competitive grant processes. Start-up grants are available to new charter schools for the planning, program design, and implementation of the new charter school. Expansion grants are available for the planning, program design, and implementation of an expanding charter school. Separate requests for grant proposals for each type of grant will be issued by NYSED and made publicly available here and on NYSED's .

CSP Start-Up Grant Request for Proposals - posted 6/18/2025 with a due date of 7/31/2025 at 5:00 p.m.

The purpose of this request for proposals (RFP) is to solicit applications for CSP start-up grants for a three-year period beginning September 1, 2025.Ìý Fourteen grants of up to $2 million are available to successful applicants.Ìý The applications will be reviewed and scored by external peer reviewers using the rubric in the RFP; an application must receive an average score or 60 or greater to be awarded.

In accordance with the application instructions in the RFP, the following templates must be used to prepare a CSP start-up grant application:

For assistance with submitting a CSP start-up grant application to NYSED, please see these submission instructions.

A charter school education corporation must to do business with 51±¬ÁÏ agencies before they can compete for a CSP start-up grant.Ìý Successful applicants will also meet the State's Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) requirement (see RFP for details and instructions).

CSP Expansion Grant Request for Proposals - posted 6/24/2025 with a due date of 8/7/2025 at 5:00 p.m.

The purpose of this request for proposals (RFP) is to solicit applications for CSP expansion grants for a three-year period beginning October 1, 2025.Ìý Five grants of up to $2 million are available to successful applicants.Ìý The applications will be reviewed and scored by external peer reviewers using the rubric in the RFP; an application must receive an average score or 60 or greater to be awarded.

In accordance with the application instructions in the RFP, the following templates must be used to prepare a CSP expansion grant application:

For assistance with submitting a CSP expansion grant application to NYSED, please see these submission instructions.

A charter school education corporation must to do business with 51±¬ÁÏ agencies before they can compete for a CSP expansion grant.Ìý Successful applicants will also meet the State's Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) requirement (see RFP for details and instructions).

CSP Grant Resources:

NYSED CSP Grant Allowable Cost Guide (4/26/25) – This guidance is meant for potential applicants for CSP start-up grants and CSP expansion grants from NYSED.Ìý Its contents are subject to change by NYSED at any time.

NYSED CSP Enrollment Policy (5/7/25)Ìý– All CSP grantees must make their enrollment plan, including information regarding the use of a lottery or weighted lottery, public. The enrollment plans of CSP grantees are subject to annual monitoring by NYSED and its representatives to ensure that the plans adhere to this guidance.

Other potential sources of funds include:

Consolidated Application for ESSA-Funded ProgramsÌý- All charter schools are eligible to receive funds from Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; Title III, Part A Immigrant; Title III, Part A ELL; Title IV, Part A; and Title V, Part B.

Ìý- This is a competitive grant program administered by the SUNY Charter Schools Institute that focuses on facility construction, renovation, financing, leasehold improvements, and other facility related expenses.

Ìý- Charter schools may be eligible for other grant programs administered by NYSED. Grant applications are released on an ongoing basis.

Ìý- Charter schools may be eligible for grant programs administered by the U.S. Department of 51±¬ÁÏ.