Military-Connected Schools Construction, Modernization and Facilities Maintenance Program
Grant Opportunity Analysis
The Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) is offering a discretionary grant program to support construction, modernization, and facilities maintenance for schools serving military-connected students. The program funds construction, renovation, repair, or expansion projects that improve learning conditions by addressing critical infrastructure needs and enhancing safety, accessibility, environmental quality, emergency preparedness, instructional space, and technology-ready environments. Eligible local education agencies must receive U.S. Department of Education Impact Aid Basic Support Payments under Section 7003(b), and target schools must have at least 15% military-connected student enrollment; projects are also expected to comply with Build America, Buy America Act and Davis-Bacon Act requirements, with priority for emergency health and safety needs and for projects that clearly align modernization with academic needs. The announcement makes $100 million available, with awards from $250,000 to $25 million, applications due through Grants.gov by May 22, 2026, and award decisions anticipated by September 29, 2026; questions may be directed to dodea.grants@dodea.edu or Jennifer Dailey-Perkins at 571-372-5861.
Eligible Applicants
The local education agency (LEA) applies for this funding opportunity on behalf of their specific target schools. The following eligibility requirements apply: • LEA must be eligible to receive U.S. Department of Education Impact Aid Basic Support Payments under Section 7003(b). Under this eligibility, an LEA must educate at least 400 federally connected children in average daily attendance, or the federally connected children must make up at least 3 percent of the LEA’s total average daily attendance; and, • Target schools for this opportunity must have 15 percent or more military connected student enrollment at the time of application. Under this announcement, military-connected students are defined as the children of members of the uniformed services and children whose parents work on Federal property. This enrollment must be verifiable through school records and/or military student identifier sources.