2025 Charter Schools Program Start-Up Grants

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Charter Center is accepting Federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) Start-Up Grant applications from developing and newly operational charter schools. Donor Name: Minnesota Department of Education State: Minnesota County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 10/22/2024 Size of the Grant: More than $2,000,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: CSP grants provide federal financial start-up assistance for: Planning Program design Initial implementation of new charter schools operated by an eligible local education agency (LEA). Grant Objectives Minnesota’s objectives focus on increasing the number of high-quality and sustainable charter schools and by doing so, the number of students served and improved academic achievement for all students, with particular attention to those who are disadvantaged, underserved and/or at-risk. Objective #1: Facilitate further student access, particularly for traditionally underserved students, to high-quality public charter schools in Minnesota by awarding CSP Start-up and site, grade and/or seat Expansion/Replication subgrants. Objective #2: Provide technical assistance to and share best practices with charter schools to further increase student academic and operational performance. Objective #3: Provide evaluation and technical assistance to support charter school authorizer best practices. Funding Information The maximum three-year grant award may not exceed $2,000,000. Allowable Activities Grant funds may only be used on programs and grades not previously funded under a previous CSP grant. A grantee under this program may use the grant funds only to open and prepare for the operation of a new charter school by: Aligning grant funds to the programming the school plans to offer as outlined in this application. Providing professional development. Hiring and compensating, during the eligible applicant’s planning period specified in the application for funds, one or more of the following: licensed teachers, school leaders, and specialized instructional support personnel. Acquiring supplies, training, equipment including technology, and educational materials including developing and acquiring instructional materials aligned to the educational program being offered by the charter school. Carrying out necessary facility repairs and maintenance to ensure that a new school building complies with applicable statutes and regulations, excluding construction. Providing one-time, startup costs associated with providing transportation of students to and from the charter school (planning period only). Providing for other appropriate, one-time costs related to opening a new charter school when such costs cannot be met from other sources. Funds can only be used for programs approved in the new charter school affidavit and CSP application. Eligibility Criteria This competitive grant opportunity is open to developing and new charter schools that are not currently funded under a Minnesota federal CSP Grant Project; are governed by a school board that includes at least one individual currently licensed to teach in the state of Minnesota; and meet the provision of Minnesota Statutes on the formation of a charter school and have a commissioner-approved new charter school affidavit OR are a charter school in its first two years of operation. For more information, visit MDE.