Opportunity Information: Apply for HE125426R5001
The Military-Connected Schools Construction, Modernization and Facilities Maintenance Program is a discretionary grant opportunity intended to help public school districts improve the physical condition of schools that serve significant numbers of federally connected, military-connected students. Authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2008, it allows federal funds to be used for school facility construction-related work so districts can address urgent infrastructure problems and strengthen day-to-day learning conditions for students whose families are tied to the uniformed services or who work on federal property. The core purpose is practical: make sure these schools are safe, functional, and capable of supporting modern instruction, especially where local tax bases are constrained by federal land or a large federally connected student population.
The program makes a total of $100 million available under this announcement, with an award ceiling of $25,000,000 per grant. Even though funding is announced, the notice emphasizes that the agency is not required to fund any particular application or obligate the full amount, and applications may be carried forward for consideration in later fiscal years if funds are available. The administering entity listed is the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the eligible applicant type is independent school districts (local education agencies applying on behalf of specific schools).
Projects funded under this opportunity must be for educational facilities only and must fall within the federal definition of "construction" as referenced in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) section 7013(3). That definition is broad and includes pre-construction planning (preparing drawings and specifications), the actual physical work (erecting, building, acquiring, altering, remodeling, repairing, or extending school facilities), oversight functions (inspection and supervision of construction), and even debt service associated with those construction activities. In other words, the program is not limited to cosmetic upgrades; it is designed to support real capital improvements and the professional services needed to deliver them.
Funded work is expected to support one or both of the main objectives described in the notice. The first objective focuses on modernization or renovation to improve health, safety, accessibility, environmental quality, and emergency preparedness. Examples include repairing or upgrading major building systems, strengthening structural elements, and creating safer, more secure spaces that better protect students and staff. The second objective targets academic learning conditions through facility-based improvements, such as modernized classrooms and instructional areas, specialized learning spaces, and environments that are ready to support current technology needs. The common thread across both objectives is that the facility improvements should directly translate into safer, healthier, more functional buildings that support student learning.
The program uses two stated funding priorities to guide awards. Priority 1 favors projects that demonstrate an emergency need, meaning conditions that present immediate health or safety risks or that could force a school facility to be closed or deemed unusable. The notice gives concrete examples: compromised structural integrity, serious roof leaks that threaten the building, HVAC failures that lead to unsafe indoor temperatures, and environmental hazards like mold or water intrusion, as well as failing electrical systems. It also identifies the types of situations that qualify as life-safety emergencies, including building or fire code violations that affect occupancy, threats to structural stability, or conditions that prevent the facility from being used for instruction. Priority 2 favors projects where the physical modernization is clearly tied to academic needs, meaning the construction or renovation has an explicit connection to instructional delivery, learning space functionality, or educational programming requirements rather than being purely general maintenance.
Eligibility is tied to Impact Aid and to the concentration of military-connected enrollment at the school level. The applying local education agency must be eligible to receive U.S. Department of Education Impact Aid Basic Support Payments under ESEA section 7003(b). Practically, that means the district must educate at least 400 federally connected children in average daily attendance, or federally connected children must constitute at least 3 percent of the district's total average daily attendance. In addition, the specific target schools included in the application must have at least 15 percent military-connected student enrollment at the time of application. For this opportunity, military-connected students are defined as children of members of the uniformed services and children whose parents work on federal property, and the district must be able to verify that enrollment through school records and/or military student identifier sources.
Key administrative details from the source notice include the funding opportunity number HE125426R5001, CFDA 12.556, and an application closing date of 2026-05-22. Overall, the program is a capital-focused grant meant to help eligible districts tackle either urgent, safety-driven facility failures or well-justified modernization projects that improve instructional spaces for schools serving a substantial military-connected student population.Apply for HE125426R5001
- The DoD Education Activity in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Military-Connected Schools Construction, Modernization and Facilities Maintenance Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.556.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-19.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts.
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Military-Connected Schools Construction, Modernization and Facilities Maintenance Program - FAQs
What is the Military-Connected Schools Construction, Modernization and Facilities Maintenance Program?
It is a discretionary grant opportunity intended to help public school districts improve the physical condition of schools that serve significant numbers of federally connected, military-connected students. The program supports construction-related work so districts can address urgent infrastructure problems and strengthen day-to-day learning conditions, especially where local tax bases are constrained by federal land or a large federally connected student population.
Who administers this grant opportunity?
The administering entity listed in the notice is the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).
What is the legal authority for this program?
The program is authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2008.
How much funding is available under this announcement?
The notice states that a total of $100 million is available under this announcement.
What is the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling is $25,000,000 per grant.
Is the agency required to fund every qualified application or spend the full $100 million?
No. The notice emphasizes that the agency is not required to fund any particular application or obligate the full amount announced.
Can an application be considered in a later fiscal year?
Yes. The notice indicates that applications may be carried forward for consideration in later fiscal years if funds are available.
Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant type listed is independent school districts (local education agencies) applying on behalf of specific schools.
How is eligibility tied to Impact Aid?
The applying local education agency must be eligible to receive U.S. Department of Education Impact Aid Basic Support Payments under ESEA section 7003(b).
What Impact Aid threshold must a district meet to qualify (as described in the notice)?
The notice explains that, in practical terms, eligibility means the district must educate at least 400 federally connected children in average daily attendance, or federally connected children must constitute at least 3 percent of the district's total average daily attendance.
What additional school-level enrollment requirement applies?
The specific target schools included in the application must have at least 15 percent military-connected student enrollment at the time of application.
How does the notice define "military-connected students" for this opportunity?
Military-connected students are defined as children of members of the uniformed services and children whose parents work on federal property.
How must a district verify military-connected enrollment?
The district must be able to verify military-connected enrollment through school records and/or military student identifier sources.
What types of projects can be funded?
Projects must be for educational facilities only and must fall within the federal definition of "construction" referenced in ESEA section 7013(3).
What does "construction" include under the ESEA definition referenced in the notice?
The definition is broad and includes pre-construction planning (such as preparing drawings and specifications), the physical work itself (erecting, building, acquiring, altering, remodeling, repairing, or extending school facilities), inspection and supervision of construction, and even debt service associated with those construction activities.
Does the program only support minor or cosmetic upgrades?
No. The notice indicates the program is designed to support real capital improvements as well as the professional services needed to deliver them, not just cosmetic changes.
What are the main objectives that funded work is expected to support?
Funded work is expected to support one or both of the stated objectives: (1) modernization or renovation to improve health, safety, accessibility, environmental quality, and emergency preparedness; and/or (2) facility-based improvements tied to academic learning conditions, such as modernized instructional spaces and environments ready to support current technology needs.
What are examples of health and safety-focused modernization mentioned in the notice?
Examples described include repairing or upgrading major building systems, strengthening structural elements, and creating safer, more secure spaces that better protect students and staff.
What are examples of academic learning condition improvements mentioned in the notice?
Examples described include modernized classrooms and instructional areas, specialized learning spaces, and facility environments that are ready to support current technology needs.
What are the funding priorities used to guide awards?
The notice lists two stated funding priorities: Priority 1 (emergency need) and Priority 2 (modernization tied to academic needs).
What qualifies as an "emergency need" under Priority 1?
Priority 1 favors projects that demonstrate conditions presenting immediate health or safety risks or that could force a school facility to be closed or deemed unusable.
What are specific examples of Priority 1 emergency conditions?
The notice provides examples such as compromised structural integrity, serious roof leaks that threaten the building, HVAC failures leading to unsafe indoor temperatures, environmental hazards like mold or water intrusion, and failing electrical systems.
What types of situations are described as life-safety emergencies under Priority 1?
The notice identifies life-safety emergencies as including building or fire code violations that affect occupancy, threats to structural stability, or conditions that prevent the facility from being used for instruction.
What does Priority 2 mean by modernization tied to academic needs?
Priority 2 favors projects where physical modernization is clearly tied to academic needs, meaning the construction or renovation has an explicit connection to instructional delivery, learning space functionality, or educational programming requirements rather than being purely general maintenance.
Are projects required to serve a particular purpose beyond general facility improvement?
Yes. The notice emphasizes that improvements should directly translate into safer, healthier, more functional buildings that support student learning, aligning with one or both stated objectives and the funding priorities.
What is the funding opportunity number for this announcement?
The funding opportunity number is HE125426R5001.
What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 12.556.
What is the application closing date?
The application closing date listed in the notice is 2026-05-22.
What is the overall purpose of this grant in plain terms?
The core purpose is to help eligible districts make sure schools serving substantial military-connected populations are safe, functional, and capable of supporting modern instruction, particularly in communities where federal land or high federally connected enrollment can limit the local tax base.
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