Promise Neighborhoods Program

Overview

The PN program is authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The purpose of the PN program is to significantly improve the academic and developmental outcomes of children and youth living in the most distressed communities of the United States, including ensuring school readiness, high school graduation, and access to a community-based continuum of highquality services. The program serves neighborhoods with high concentrations of individuals with low incomes; multiple signs of distress, which may include high rates of poverty, childhood obesity, academic challenges, and juvenile delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration; and adverse childhood experiences; and also serves schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 1111(d) of the ESEA. All strategies in the continuum of solutions must be accessible to children with disabilities and English learners.

Priorities: This notice includes three absolute priorities, three competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority.

Absolute Priority 1—Non-Rural and Non-Tribal Communities. To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a PN strategy that serves one or more nonrural or non-Tribal communities. 

Absolute Priority 2—Rural Applicants. Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate one or more of the following: (a) The applicant proposes to serve an LEA that is eligible under the Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) program or the Rural and Low-Income School (RLIS) program authorized under Title V, Part B of the ESEA. (b) The applicant proposes to serve a community that is served by one or more LEAs with a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43. (c) The applicant proposes a project in which a majority of the schools served have a locale code of 32, 33, 41, 42, or 43. (d) The applicant is an IHE with a rural campus setting, or the applicant proposes to serve a campus with a rural setting. Rural settings include any of the following: Town-Fringe, Town-Distant, Town-Remote, Rural-Fringe, Rural- Distant, Rural-Remote, as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) College Navigator search tool.

Absolute Priority 3—Tribal Communities. To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to implement a PN strategy that serves one or more Indian Tribes (as defined in this notice).

Competitive Preference Priority 1— Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change. Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based approach to improving outcomes for underserved students in coordinating efforts with Federal, State, or local agencies, or community-based organizations, that support students, to address community violence prevention and intervention. 

Competitive Preference Priority 2— Applications From New Potential Grantees. Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant has never received a grant, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127–75.129, under the program from which it seeks funds. 

Competitive Preference Priority 3— Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and Opportunities. Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant proposes a project designed to promote educational equity and adequacy in resources and opportunity for underserved students— (1) In one or more of the following educational settings: (i) Early learning programs. (ii) Elementary school. (iii) Middle school. (iv) High school. (v) Career and technical education programs. (vi) Out-of-school-time settings. (vii) Alternative schools and programs. (viii) Juvenile justice system or correctional facilities. (ix) Adult learning; (2) That examines the sources of inequity and inadequacy and implements responses, and that includes establishing, expanding, or improving the engagement of underserved community members (including underserved students and families) in informing and making decisions that influence policy and practice at the school, district, or State level by elevating their voices, through their participation and their perspectives and providing them with access to opportunities for leadership (e.g., establishing partnerships between civic student government programs and parent and caregiver leadership initiatives).

Invitational Priority: This priority is: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism. Projects designed to increase regular student attendance and engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism through evidence-based strategies such as— (1) Developing and implementing family- and child-centered effective engagement, messaging, and communication plans with parents, families, and students; (2) Strengthening relationships with families, including through strategies such as home visits; (3) Using multitiered systems of support and intervention, including through strategies such as an early warning system; or (4) Creating and sustaining positive and inclusive school climates, including those designed to build strong, trusting relationships.

Estimated Range of Awards: $400,000 to $500,000. 
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $450,000. 
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. 
The Department plans to fully fund awards made under this notice with FY 2024 funds. 
Estimated Number of Awards: 4–5. 
----------
Deadlines:
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 29, 2024.
Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to apply may still apply for funding; applicants that do submit a notice of intent to apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information provided.
Deadline for Transmittal of Application: September 10, 2024.