Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2025: Intensive Assistance Grant (IAG)

Fund Code: 0539

Purpose:

The purpose of this three-year competitive grant is to support the delivery of high-quality instruction in every classroom, every day.

Priorities:

Improving the quality of instruction in every classroom

Schools that have been low-performing for at least the past five school years.

Eligibility:

Schools with an overall performance in the 1–3 percentiles on state accountability determinations for at least the past five consecutive years that are not identified as Underperforming on our state accountability system

Schools identified as Underperforming located in districts that quality for rural school aid in FY24 .

The schools must reside in a district that is currently being served by the Statewide System of Support.

Funding is contingent upon Department receipt of federal Title I funds.

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA: 84.010
Federal grant funds must adhere to:

UGG (2 CFR 200)
EDGAR As Applicable
EDGAR General Fiscal Administration 34 CFR Part 76

Funding:

Approximately $7.5 million dollars of funding is available through Massachusetts' federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) allocations and federal Title I funds, for expenditure in FY25 through FY27. LEAs are awarded a Intensive Assistance Grant (IAG) in Year 1 from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. A detailed FY25 budget is required and non-binding estimates for following years must be included. FY26 and FY27 funding is contingent upon a successful grant application renewal process.

Note: the average annual award is approximately $333,000 per year with a total award of approximately $1,000,000 per school over the three-year grant life-span. Award amounts will also depend on the size of the school and the scope and scale of the activities proposed for the selected intervention.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

Fund use must be consistent with applicable state and federal requirements. All expenditures must closely align with the identified school instructional priority. LEA level expenditures must directly support the implementation of the instructional priority at the identified school(s).

Unallowable expenditures:

Contract buyouts.
Capital expenses.
Purchase of technology, computer software or hardware, unless a compelling case can be made for how these materials are necessary to fully implement the proposed intervention.

All expenditures will be closely reviewed as they relate to the priorities of this grant opportunity.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval (No earlier than July 1, 2024) – June 30, 2025.

If applicable, there is the potential option to renew in FY26 and FY27, contingent upon renewal approval of the grant.

Program Unit:

Center for School and District Partnership

Contact:

Michael Seymour, michael.j.seymour@mass.gov , 781-338-3514

Date Due:

Wednesday May 1, 2024, at 5pm EDT*

*All responses must be received by the due date listed above. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Responses not received on time will not be reviewed. Applicants applying after the due date may be notified their application was received late and will not be reviewed. Applications must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions below. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed on this funding opportunity

Competitive grant applications are considered submitted when the Superintendent / Chief Executive approves the grant application in GEM$. In order to be considered for competitive funding, applicants must submit a grant application through the LEA Superintendent Approved stage by the due date listed in the RFP.

Submission Instructions:

The FY24 FC 0539 Intensive Assistance Grant will be submitted in our new GEM$ system. GEM$ is a cloud-based fiscal and program management grant system that will eventually phase out the use of EdGrants.
Grants for Education Management System (GEM$)

The Superintendent / Chief Executive Approved Step allows for the organization lead to review and approve the grant application. Removing the requirement for the Part I Standard Contract Form, this step signifies Superintendent /Chief Executive sign off. Any grant budget changes requiring signature, will re-execute this step when amended signifying the organization lead is approving these changes.

New Organizations: Grant Submission requires applicants to have their organization established in GEM$. Entities that do not have an organization established in GEM$ must contact the DESE Program Unit issuing this grant at a minimum 5 business days prior to the grant due date for temporary organization access.

Failure to provide DESE with GEMS Request Form at least 5 business days prior to the due date may result in not meeting the submission due date listed above. DESE cannot accept or review applications after the due date.

Additional Information:

Additional documents include:

Last Updated: March 4, 2024