U.S. Mission New Zealand Annual Program Statement

Overview:

The U.S. Department of State’s Mission New Zealand Public Diplomacy Section (PDS) announces an open competition to implement a program to advance U.S.- New Zealand economic, scientific, and cultural ties. The program is intended to support organizations to build capacity to strengthen or advance the U.S.-New Zealand relationship. Projects may address one or more of the following areas but are not strictly limited to the following topics: 

• Promoting science by reinforcing cooperation in key domains, including (but not limited to) scientific research in Antarctica, space exploration and regulatory frameworks, and critical technology and artificial intelligence.
• Advancing prosperity by promoting economic growth and innovation with a focus on biotechnology, space technology, and broader innovation sectors.
• Strengthening democratic values and ties through programs that celebrate shared democratic principles, cultural connections, and innovative spirit of the peoples of the United States and New Zealand, including but not limited to programming leveraging sports, education, and other areas of connection. 

This Annual Program Statement (APS) seeks to partner with eligible entities, including not-for-profit organizations, education institutions, individuals, or government institutions, to advance U.S. foreign policy by strengthening the U.S.-New Zealand partnership in science, innovation, and shared values. By promoting collaboration in scientific research, space, critical technology, and disaster management, the APS supports a free and open Indo-Pacific and helps shape global standards. Initiatives in biotechnology and space technology foster economic growth and expand opportunities for U.S. businesses. Programs that highlight our shared history and values reinforce U.S. leadership and mutual understanding, laying the groundwork for lasting cooperation. 

Refer to Section C of this APS for a list of priorities and guidance on what makes proposals successful. Preference will be given to ambitious proposals that include multiple components addressing a core priority over an extended period of time.  

All programs must include a clear connection to or inclusion of American expert/s, organization/s, or institutions/s or cultural elements in a specific field that will promote increased understanding of United States policy and perspectives.

Priority Program Areas/Goals: Applicants may submit a proposal to address one of the program goals below. Proposals should focus on one or more of the priority outcomes, but applicants may also recommend their own objective.   

• Goal 1. Promoting U.S.-New Zealand Scientific Cooperation
• Goal 2. Advancing U.S.-New Zealand Prosperity through Economic Growth and Innovation
• Goal 3. Advancing U.S.-New Zealand Shared Cultural, Sports, and Educational Ties

Other information:

Length of performance period: Up to 24 months.
Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing or matching is encouraged but not required for this funding opportunity.  

Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program

Overview:

The Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program (Javits) supports evidence-based research, demonstration projects, innovative strategies, and similar activities designed to build and enhance the ability of elementary schools and secondary schools nationwide to identify gifted and talented students and meet their special educational needs. A major emphasis of the program is on implementing evidence-based activities that accelerate learning and improve student outcomes. 

Eligible Applicants 
To be considered for an award under this competition, an applicant must be one or more of the following: (a) State educational agency (SEA); (b) Local educational agency (LEA); (c) Bureau of Indian Education (BIE); (d) Institution of higher education (IHE); (e) Other public agency; or (f) Other private agency or organization. 

This notice includes two absolute priorities and one competitive preference priority.

Absolute Priorities: ED considers only applications that meet one of the absolute priorities. Absolute Priorities 1 and 2 constitute separate funding categories. ED intends to award grants under each of these absolute priorities provided that applications submitted are of sufficient quality. An applicant may address no more than one absolute priority in its application. To ensure that applicants are reviewed under the absolute priority most relevant to their proposed project, applicants must clearly identify the specific absolute priority that the proposed project addresses.

Absolute Priority 1: Developing new information that improves the capability of schools to identify and serve Gifted and Talented Students, and Returning Education to the States

(a) Programs and projects designed to develop new information that improves the capability of schools to plan, conduct, and improve programs to identify and serve gifted and talented students; and (b) Projects or proposals that will be carried out by one or more of the following: (i) State educational agencies; (ii) An Indian Tribe, Tribal organization, or Tribal educational agency, or (iii) Consortia of the entities identified under this priority.

Absolute Priority 2: Developing new information that improves the capability of schools to identify and serve  Gifted and Talented Students

(a) Programs and projects designed to develop new information that improves the capability of schools to plan, conduct, and improve programs to identify and serve gifted and talented students. (b) Programs and projects proposed by eligible applicants that are not SEAs Tribal Organizations, Tribal educational agencies, Indian Tribes or Consortia of these entities as identified in Absolute Priority 1.

Competitive Preference Priorities: ED awards up to an additional 10 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets one or more of these priorities. 

Competitive Preference Priority: Meaningful Learning Opportunities for Students  Projects or proposals that are designed to strengthen core instruction through improving mathematics instruction to promote student achievement through one or more of the following priority areas:  (a) Developing and implementing pathways to accelerate conceptual understanding of mathematics or advanced mathematics coursework, including strategies like automatic enrollment that encourage participation in such pathways; (b) Developing and implementing strategies for the identification of gifted and talented students, including strategies for students to access higher grade-level and/or advanced placement in mathematics; or  (c) Offering high-quality professional development based on strong, moderate, or promising evidence in mathematics for educators, which may include teachers, paraprofessionals, and other licensed educators or support for principals and other school leaders on managing the implementation of high quality mathematics instruction.

Other information:

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $550,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 17 
Project Period: Up to 60 months
Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost sharing or matching.
Deadlines: Letters of interest are strongly encouraged, though not required, and are due May 11, 2026. Applications are due June 23, 2026.

Integrated Data Systems & Services (IDSS)

Overview:

The IDSS program supports national-scale performant operational systems and services that broadly facilitate open, data-intensive and artificial intelligence-driven science and engineering research, innovation, and education. IDSS projects should be aimed to broadly impact the science and engineering research and education community in a transdisciplinary and demonstrably multi-disciplinary way, enabling researchers and educators from diverse domains and disciplines to utilize research data, integrate data, and connect data sources with other scientific resources such as computing resources, facilities, instrumentation and repositories. Projects that aim to primarily benefit a single science discipline, domain, project, or application are not supported. 

Emphasis on integration. The IDSS program supports projects that demonstrably contribute to the vision of an integrated, federated and accessible advanced research cyberinfrastructure ecosystem that meets the Nation’s foundational needs for world-leading data, computing, and networking capabilities.  Projects are expected to leverage and interconnect with other existing operational cyberinfrastructure systems and services and other data and relevant facilities, whether supported by NSF or by other entities, as appropriate to project objectives. Inline with this emphasis, all proposed projects, including collaborative projects, must be submitted as a single proposal in which a single award is being requested (PAPPG Chapter II.E.3.a). The involvement of partner organizations should be supported through subawards administered by the submitting organization.

Scientific data lifecycle. The IDSS program aims to develop a portfolio of projects that collectively enable data utilization pathways and workflows across the end-to-end scientific data lifecycle. The IDSS program has an inclusive and flexible view of the scientific data lifecycle that may include stages and functionalities such as acquisition, transfer, management, exploration, analysis, curation, sharing, synthesis, discovery, and archiving, as may be defined by a project or community. A given IDSS project need not support all stages of a reference data lifecycle but must be clear about how the project enables one or more scientific pathways through all or few stages of a lifecycle. 

Storage and curation. The IDSS program supports integrated resources, services and environments to enable hosting, manipulation of, and workflows for research data. The IDSS program does not support costs for permanent long-term hosting, storage, archival, and curation of the research data itself. Projects that involve partnerships, fee-based models, or other such mechanisms to support these long-term data storage and curation costs are encouraged. 

Innovation and adaptability: A portion of an IDSS project is expected to be dedicated to innovation and improvement of operational services over the lifetime of the award. Proposed projects designed to enable research communities to build customized tools and capabilities upon the IDSS-supported project infrastructure are also encouraged. Projects that have the goal of cyberinfrastructure innovation without operations expectations and plans are not supported. 

Relationship to other funding programs. Proposed IDSS projects should not be appropriate for funding by any other current NSF programs or solicitations. The IDSS program is complementary to other production/operations-oriented national-scale cyberinfrastructure programs supported by the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (OAC) including the Advanced Systems and Services Program (ACSS) and the ACCESS coordinated services program. ACSS and ACCESS address advanced computing needs of the broad S&E community; the IDSS program focuses on data infrastructure. The IDSS program is also complementary to the OAC CSSI and CC* programs. CC* emphasizes institutional and regional capabilities and CSSI primarily supports data and software infrastructure development; IDSS supports national-scale operational projects. Prospective proposers of pilot- and prototype-stage projects should consider other OAC programs such as CSSI or other relevant NSF programs. 

This call for proposals is for Category II submissions only. 
Category II projects. Projects proposed in this category have similar expectations as Category I projects and are intended to result in similar outcomes as Category I projects. While Category I projects may result in entirely new systems and services or compositions of systems and services, Category II projects are expected to build upon an established existing performant project with defined capabilities, systems and services, which may include pilots and prototypes, that are demonstrably successful at serving an array of users at a smaller-than-national scale and which seeks to scale up to a national operational infrastructure. Category II projects may also include targeted enhancements and expansions of existing national-scale data-focused operational systems and services.

Solicitation limitations:

An organization may submit only one proposal as lead institution for each of Category I and Category II for each solicitation deadline but may be a subawardee on other Category I and II proposals responding to this solicitation.

Other information:

Category II awards: Up to $9 million for up to 3 years.

Cost Sharing: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

William T. Grant Scholars Program

Overview:

The William T. Grant Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas.

Applicants should have a track record of conducting high-quality research and an interest in pursuing a significant shift in their trajectories as researchers. We recognize that early-career researchers are rarely given incentives or support to take measured risks in their work, so this award includes a mentoring component, as well as a supportive academic community.

The Foundation supports research in two distinct focus areas: 
1) Reducing inequality in youth outcomes, and 
2) Improving the use of research evidence in policy and practice. 
Proposed research must address questions that align with one of these areas.

Reducing Inequality
In this focus area, we fund research studies that examine programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people ages 5–25 in the United States, along dimensions of race, ethnicity, economic standing, sexual or gender minority status (e.g., LGBTQ+ youth), language minority status, or immigrant origins.

Our research interests center on studies that examine ways to reduce inequality in youth outcomes. We welcome descriptive studies that clarify mechanisms for reducing inequality or elucidate how or why a specific program, policy, or practice operates to reduce inequality. We also welcome intervention studies that examine attempts to reduce inequality.

Recognizing that findings about programs and practices that reduce inequality will have limited societal impact until the structures that create inequality in the first place have been transformed, the Foundation is particularly interested in research to uproot systemic racism and the structural foundations of inequality that limit the life chances of young people.

We invite studies from a range of disciplines, fields, and methods, and we encourage investigations into various youth serving systems, including justice, housing, child welfare, mental health, and education.
Read the application guidelines PDF for a detailed explanation of our research interests in this area.

Improving the Use of Research Evidence
In this focus area, we support research studies that examine strategies to improve the use of research evidence in ways that benefit young people ages 5-25 in the United States. We seek proposals for studies that advance theory and build empirical knowledge on ways to improve the use of research evidence by policymakers, public agency leaders, organizational managers, intermediaries, community organizers, and other decision-makers that generally shape youth-serving systems in the United States.

While an extensive body of knowledge provides a rich understanding of specific conditions that foster the use of research evidence, we lack robust, validated strategies for cultivating them. What is required to create structural and social conditions that support research use? What infrastructure is needed, and what will it look like? What supports and incentives foster research use? And, ultimately, how do youth outcomes fare when research evidence is used? This is where new research can make a difference

Our research interests in this focus area center on studies that examine strategies to improve the use, usefulness, and impact of research evidence in ways that benefit young people ages 5-25 in the United States. We welcome impact studies that test strategies for improving research use as well as whether improving research use leads to improved youth outcomes. We also welcome descriptive studies that reveal the strategies, mechanisms, or conditions for improving research use. Finally, we welcome measurement studies that explore how to construct and implement valid and reliable measures of research use.
Read the application guidelines PDF for a detailed explanation of our research interests in this area.

Solicitation limitations:

Limitation: ASU may submit only one (1) application per College to the sponsoring organization.
Notice: Mentor and Reference Letters are due June 10, 2026, 3 PM ET
Notice: ASU Limited Submissions will run this opportunity with a rapid review system to better accommodate the sponsor's immediate timeline.

Eligibility
Applicants must be nominated by their institutions. Major divisions of an institution (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, Medical School) may nominate only one applicant each year. In addition to the eligibility criteria below, deans and directors of those divisions should refer to the Review Criteria to aid them in choosing their nominees. Applicants of any discipline are eligible. Applicants must have received their doctorate within seven years of submitting their application. We calculate this by adding seven to the year the doctorate was conferred.

Other information:

Award: Award recipients are designated as William T. Grant Scholars. Each year, four to six Scholars are selected. Each Scholar receives exactly $425,000 over five years, including up to 7.5% indirect costs.

Scholars may apply for an additional award to mentor junior researchers of color. [See website for full details.]

Change Happens Foundation Grant

Overview:

The Change Happens Foundation is living into the spirit of its name by investing in partner organizations that make positive change happen through innovative and just solutions.  We value courage, collaboration, and impact.  We support environmental science, human services and education. The CHF envisions a legacy benefitting both people and the planet.

Environmental Science: Systemic Change--Fostering a future where innovation intersects with environmental stewardship, we are committed to strategically investing in forward-thinking programs that catalyze systemic and sustainable solutions. Our dedication lies in addressing and overcoming the critical environmental challenges that confront our planet. Through these targeted investments, we aim not just to contribute, but to set in motion a ripple effect of change, driving progress towards a healthier, more resilient, and greener world for generations to come.

Education: Creating Opportunities--At the heart of our mission is a steadfast commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a strong focus on early education and STEM learning. We are dedicated to empowering women and underrepresented communities, breaking down barriers to education and access in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from the earliest stages of learning. By fostering opportunities that ignite curiosity, fuel aspirations, and open doors, we are laying the groundwork for lifelong learning and innovation. Our investment in these communities is an investment in a future where transformative change is not only envisioned but realized, shaping a society that celebrates diversity, practices equity, and embraces inclusion at every level.

Human Services: Nutrition & Support--Our approach to combatting food insecurity and bolstering community health is rooted in thoughtful and strategic funding initiatives that delve deep into the underlying causes of these pervasive issues. We are unwavering in our commitment to support and scale up programs that do more than just provide – they empower. By ensuring access to wholesome, nutritious food and comprehensive healthcare services, we are actively bridging gaps for those in dire need. Our mission transcends mere assistance; it's about nurturing a robust infrastructure that fosters long-term resilience and well-being, affirming our belief that everyone deserves the fundamental right to health and nutrition.

Other information:

Proposal Submission: Following a positive review [of the LOI], selected applicants will be invited to submit a detailed proposal for further consideration and meet virtually with a Co-Executive Director prior to a full board vote.

Award: Not specified; based on 2024 Form 990 data, estimated average grant size is approximately $21,270, with observed awards up to $50,000.

Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund Grant

Overview:

Through the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, we support U.S. and Canadian communities where we have a significant presence or business interest. These communities range from rural to metropolitan, each with unique priorities and needs. 

Our employees serve on local advisory committees for our Giving Fund and help develop funding priorities within seven focus areas to support their communities: 

• affordable housing
• education and youth development
• environmental stewardship
• human services
• civic and cultural growth
• workforce development
• inclusion

These focus areas provide a strong companywide framework for giving while allowing flexibility to meet specific needs in our different communities. To learn more about our giving focus areas, view our community grantmaking framework.

In considering requests for support, preference is given to projects and programs that meet the following criteria:

• Serve a broad range of community residents
• Meet an important community need within our key areas of focus
• Show strong support from community leaders and other funders
• Are sustainable and managed competently with a history of accountability, results, cost-effectiveness, strong leadership and innovation
• Provide a significant and measurable impact on quality of life

To be eligible for funding, a program must:

• Serve a Weyerhaeuser community
• Be one of the following:
  • A tax-exempt, nonprofit public charity classified under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code
  • A registered charity in Canada with a Canada Revenue Agency number or registered as a provincial nonprofit society
  • A public education institution or government entity qualified under Section 170(c)(1) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code
  • Qualified as a Canadian municipality

Other information:

Deadline: Applications are processed throughout the year — but may be submitted at any time during our cycle year. For 2026, the deadline is September 30. Applications are generally reviewed on an ongoing basis, throughout the year.

Award: Grants vary in scale in relationship to our presence in the community and the philanthropic budget available for the year. The minimum grant awarded is $1,000.

MLFC Research Faculty: To begin an application, complete the online Proposal Intake Form at least 30 days prior to sponsor deadline. You’ll be contacted shortly thereafter with guidelines on how to proceed.

John Templeton Foundation Grant Program

Overview:

Sir John Templeton established the John Templeton Foundation to make a difference in the world by funding innovative research (including in under-explored areas of work) and by publicizing information about this research to generate more enthusiasm among scholars, practitioners and other funders for new ideas and perspectives. Our approach to grant making starts with Sir John’s philanthropic vision, is based on his guidance for how to make grants and is animated by the new insights and perspectives that applicants submit to the Foundation for consideration year after year.

The John Templeton Foundation organizes grant making in distinct funding areas. We prioritize funding for initial projects lasting up to three years and projects that include substantial funding from other sources. In general, renewal or follow-up funding is possible only if the project proposal includes a detailed plan for covering more than 50% of project costs through other funding sources. Project leaders who may wish to apply for a second round of funding are encouraged to incorporate plans for raising co-funding into their first project.

We only fund projects aligned with our major Funding Areas and Ventures:

• Character Virtue Development. The Character Virtue Development funding area supports the elevation and cultivation of character, with a focus on moral, performance, civic, and intellectual virtues.  Explore
• Individual Freedom & Free Markets. The Individual Freedom & Free Markets Funding Area supports education, research, and outreach projects to promote individual freedom, free markets, free competition, and entrepreneurship. Explore
• Life Sciences. The Life Sciences funding area supports research and engagement projects on the fundamental structures of the biological world. Explore
• Mathematical & Physical Sciences. The Mathematical & Physical Sciences funding area supports research seeking to shed light on the fundamental concepts of physical reality. Explore
• Public Engagement. The Public Engagement funding area supports a wide variety of grantees to create content, cultivate thought leadership, and develop campus programming. Explore
• Religion, Science, & Society. The Religion, Science, & Society funding area supports the discovery of meaningful and practical insights into the religious, spiritual, and cultural dimensions of humanity. Explore
• Intelligence Venture. Is there anything unique about human intelligence? What if the story of intelligence does not culminate with us? Is the world of intelligences vaster, more varied, and more wonderful than we ever imagined? Might intelligence be written into the fabric of reality itself? Starting in 2026, the John Templeton Foundation will award over $60 million in grants focused on such questions across our six funding areas. Learn More

Other information:

Our application process has two stages. Grant consideration begins with an initial Online Funding Inquiry (OFI) and, if invited, a detailed Full Proposal.

*Please submit your request before the deadline. Based on the volume and quality of requests, we may decide to close the application window early.

Award: [Per Instrumentl: Templeton grants range widely ($5K–$15M), but average grant award is $317,378.]

The Agency Fund: Open Call

Overview:

At The Agency Fund, we support innovations that expand human agency - people's ability to navigate life challenges, update their beliefs, and shape their own futures. We invite non-profits, social enterprises, and research teams across all geographies and domains of work to apply for this program. Recent advances in the social sciences suggest that even people who live in extremely difficult conditions, and who appear to have very limited options, can derive major benefits from insights and experiences that engage their consciousness, affirm their dignity, and support them in charting a path forward. Remarkable impacts can follow – not only on people’s sense of control over their lives, but also on objective development outcomes like income, health, and educational attainment. The expansion of mobile connectivity and technology, along with the falling cost of data in low-income settings, has opened new opportunities to scale support for communities navigating difficult circumstances. 

What We Fund: Innovations must meet the following criteria: 

• Relevance to Human Agency: All proposed projects should expand human agency. For us - this means approaches that help people update their beliefs, perspectives, or mental models in ways that strengthen their ability to make decisions and shape their own lives. Approaches should align with our mission by engaging people's consciousness, respecting their dignity and supporting better decision-making. Solutions must unearth relevant insights about people’s options, capabilities, or future within contexts that realistically afford them alternative choices.
• Scale & Cost-Effectiveness: Organizations should already be working with at least 1,000 users and demonstrate a credible path to reaching more than 1 million people by 2030. Solutions should leverage technology, existing networks and/or government policy to engage people in a scalable manner. Solutions should also demonstrate a clear path to cost-effectiveness.
• Data & Learning: Ideas must be grounded in, or must generate, scientific evidence of impact. This typically means a randomized controlled trial or iterative A/B testing. Also, applicant organizations should capture and analyze data for continuous performance management, evaluation of program impacts, and iterative adaptation.
• Team & Management: Teams should possess ample local context alongside a proven track record of successful partnerships, organizational stability, and rigorous and open research. Winning organizations will receive catalytic, flexible funding and access to a global network of practitioners exploring agency-based approaches to development.
• Special Focus: AI-Forward Mental Health Innovations Alongside our Open Call, we invite  submissions to a Thematic Window on AI-powered mental health innovations. Mental health receives less than 2% of health budgets in most low- and middle-income countries. Yet there is evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicating that AI interventions can significantly improve mental health outcomes and expand access to care for marginalized and vulnerable populations. We are seeking safe, effective, scalable mental health interventions in low-resource settings, particularly those working through existing community systems and outside of clinical settings. 

We are most interested in services that involve a human in the loop of care, rather than purely digital therapeutic interactions. Priority areas include early childhood prevention, coaching and feedback for lay counselors, school and workplace-based programs, and community-rooted models that foster trust and social connection.

Other information:

Award: With the help of our co-funders and partners, we have a total corpus of $2 million USD available for this open call. Based on data from last year, open call grants typically range from $75,000 to $500,000, with an average grant size of $230,400.

How to Apply: Two-Stage Process Our application process is split into two stages: 

• Stage 1: Expression of Interest (Deadline: 26th April 2026): Interested organizations will submit answers to a few introductory questions and a brief prompt to evaluate their theory of change. 

Stage 2: Full Application (4th May – 18th May): Shortlisted candidates will be invited to submit a full application. You will be given two weeks to complete this step, and we provide the topics in advance to allow for adequate preparation.

Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) Program

Overview:

The Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education (ED).  The SEED program provides funding to increase the number of highly effective educators by supporting the implementation of evidence-based practices that prepare, develop, or enhance the skills of educators to improve student outcomes. These grants will allow eligible entities to develop, expand, and evaluate practices that can serve as models to be sustained and disseminated. 

Priorities: This notice includes four absolute priorities and three competitive preference priorities.

Absolute Priority 1: Supporting Effective Teachers 
This priority is for projects that will implement activities that are supported by moderate evidence. Applicants under this priority may propose one or more of the following activities: Providing teachers from nontraditional preparation and certification routes or pathways to serve in traditionally underserved LEAs; (a) Providing evidence-based professional development activities that address literacy, numeracy, remedial, or other needs of LEAs and the students the agencies serve; or (b) Providing teachers with evidence-based professional enhancement activities, which may include activities that lead to an advanced credential.

Absolute Priority 2: Supporting Effective Principals or Other School Leaders
This priority is for projects that will implement activities that are supported by promising evidence. Applicants under this priority may propose one or more of the following activities:
(a) Providing principals or other school leaders from nontraditional preparation and certification routes or pathways to serve in traditionally underserved LEAs; 
(b) Providing principals or other school leaders with evidence-based professional development activities that address literacy, numeracy, remedial, or other needs of LEAs and the students the agencies serve; or 
(c) Providing principals or other school leaders with evidence-based professional enhancement activities, which may include activities that lead to an advanced credential.

Absolute Priority 3: Promoting Evidence-Based Literacy
Projects or proposals to do one or more of the following: (a) Advance, increase, or expand evidence-based literacy instruction (as defined in this notice), or (b) Focus on evidence-based literacy instruction (as defined in this notice).

Absolute Priority 4: Meaningful Learning Opportunities for Students
Projects or proposals that are designed to strengthen core instruction through improving mathematics instruction to promote student achievement through one or more of the following priority areas: (a) Assisting states in developing comprehensive statewide plans to raise mathematics achievement that align with mathematics instruction based on strong, moderate, or promising evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1); (b) Selecting, adopting, and/or implementing high-quality instructional materials in mathematics; or (c) Offering high-quality professional development based on strong, moderate, or promising evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) in mathematics for educators, which may include teachers, paraprofessionals, and other licensed educators or support for principals and other school leaders on managing the implementation of high-quality mathematics instruction.

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Returning Education to the States
Projects or proposals that will be carried out by entities identified, designated, or endorsed by a Governor or chief State education official for purposes of implementing the project or proposal.

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education
Projects or proposals to expand the understanding of artificial intelligence through providing professional development for educators on the integration of the fundamentals of AI into their respective subject areas. Note: This may include AI literacy. Please see DOL’s Artificial Intelligence Literacy Framework for additional background and a resource.

Competitive Preference Priority 3: Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness
Projects or proposals that are designed to prioritize and expand Registered Apprenticeships in education, including Registered Apprenticeships to prepare one or more of the following: (a) Elementary educators, or (b) Secondary educators, by including one or more of the following:  (i) Supporting the development and expansion of Registered Apprenticeship programs designed to lead to educator certification.  (ii) Creating targeted pathways for instructional assistants, paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, career changers, and other individuals already working in educational settings to earn teaching credentials and to become certified educators while employed.  (iii) Aligning secondary and postsecondary educatorregistered apprenticeship programs with State educator licensure requirements and workforce shortage areas.  (iv) Providing technical assistance to school districts, educator preparation providers, institutions of higher education, and registered apprenticeship intermediaries to establish or expand Registered Educator Apprenticeship programs.  (v) Promoting earn-and-learn models through registered apprenticeships that reduce financial barriers and increase access to the teaching profession, particularly in high-need subject areas, including provision of:  (1) Paid work experience in a full-time position;  (2) A progression of wage increases; and  (3) Coursework that leads to certification, delivered to accommodate fulltime work schedules. Note: Registered Apprenticeships are industry-vetted and approved and validated by DOL or a State Apprenticeship Agency as fulfilling the requirements of 29 CFR part 29.

Solicitation limitations:

ED must not award more than one grant under this program to an eligible entity during a grant competition. If an entity submits multiple applications for this competition, only the highest rated application will be considered for an award.

Other information:

Type of Award: Discretionary grants
Estimated Available Funds: $90,000,000
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. 
Estimated Range of Awards: $1 million to $6 million per project year 
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $3,500,000 per performance period 
Estimated Number of Awards: 25-30
Project Period: Up to 36 months
Cost Sharing or Matching: Under section 2242 of the ESEA, each grant recipient must provide, from non-Federal sources, at least 25 percent of the total cost for each year of the project activities.

Pre-Application Webinar: ED will conduct informational webinars to provide technical assistance to interested applicants for grants under this program. The schedule for these informational webinars that will occur approximately 2 weeks after the publication of this notice on Grants.gov will be posted at SEED website, including a Registered Apprenticeship 101 webinar hosted by DOL.

U.S. Embassy Sofia PDS Annual Program Statement

Overview:

The U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy Sofia Public Diplomacy Section (PDS), announces an open competition for programs that strengthen the U.S.-Bulgaria partnership and advance U.S. administration priorities to make the United States safer, stronger, and more prosperous. All programs must support U.S. foreign policy objectives and comply with applicable Executive Orders and Department of State guidance. 

Proposals must include a clear U.S. element, such as collaboration with American experts, organizations, or institutions, and should promote shared interests by strengthening cooperation in areas that advance security, economic growth, innovation, freedom of speech, countering censorship, and citizen diplomacy (people-to-people) ties. Competitive proposals should support Bulgaria as a sovereign, resilient, and economically strong partner and reinforce the role of the United States as a trusted ally and leader. 

U.S. Embassy Sofia invites proposals for projects that engage Bulgarian audiences through educational, cultural, professional, and public outreach programs that highlight American excellence, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and promote practical partnerships that benefit both the United States and Bulgaria. Programs must deliver measurable impact, encourage long-term collaboration, and support cooperation in strategically important sectors. 

Priority will be given to proposals that address one or more of the following areas: 

• Freedom250: Celebrating the American story and advancing future cooperation: Programs that support the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States (Freedom250) by highlighting American history, diplomacy, innovation, and culture, while strengthening public understanding of the U.S.–Bulgarian partnership and its importance in advancing peace, security, and prosperity. Programs should connect the American experience to future cooperation between the United States and Bulgaria and promote informed public understanding of U.S. priorities and shared strategic interests.
• American leadership, innovation, and applied solutions in strategic sectors: Programs that showcase U.S. achievements and best practices in entrepreneurship, science, technology, energy, agriculture, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space, and other frontier fields, with an emphasis on practical cooperation, locally applicable solutions, and partnerships that support economic growth, technological advancement, and long-term prosperity. This includes programs that highlight cooperation in strategic sectors such as civil nuclear energy, critical infrastructure, and emerging technologies, and that increase public understanding of the benefits of Bulgarian investments in U.S. technologies and continued cooperation in these strategic fields. 
• Education, exchanges, and workforce development: Programs that expand English language learning, promote study in the United States, strengthen academic and professional exchanges, and build partnerships between U.S. and Bulgarian institutions, especially in fields that support innovation, competitiveness, and economic opportunity. This includes programs for educators, journalists, and young professionals that provide accurate information about the United States and support long-term professional cooperation.
• Strong alliances, sovereign partners, and regional resilience: Programs that increase public understanding regarding the importance of cooperation between the United States, Bulgaria, and other allies and partners, and that demonstrate how strong, sovereign nations working together contribute to stability, security, and economic resilience in Europe and the Black Sea region/NATO’s eastern flank. This includes programs that promote accurate, fact-based understanding of U.S. policies, support freedom of speech and efforts to counter censorship, strengthen professional exchanges with influencers, media and opinion leaders, and increase awareness of the benefits of defense modernization and close cooperation with allies.  
• Entrepreneurship, investment, and transparent economic growth: Programs that promote entrepreneurship, financial literacy, intellectual property protection, fair and transparent business practices, and stronger commercial, educational, and technological ties with the United States, helping create an environment that supports innovation, investment, and prosperity. This includes programs that highlight the role of U.S.–Bulgarian cooperation in energy, technology, and strategic investment projects, and that increase understanding of how transparent, rules-based economic partnerships contribute to long-term growth and security. 

Examples of activities under Public Diplomacy Small Grants programs include, but are not limited to: 

• Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs;
• Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, exhibitions, festivals, and public events;
• Film screenings, sports and community outreach activities;
• Professional, academic, or youth exchanges and training programs;
• Entrepreneurship, innovation, and workforce development programs;
• Programs that build partnerships between U.S. and Bulgarian institutions and organizations. 

Other information:

Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing is not required.

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 1 year or less. 

The Public Diplomacy Section encourages applications from Bulgarian, European or, U.S.-based organizations and individuals with proven experience of executing programs. Proposals that demonstrate the long-term sustainability of the proposed project will receive priority.