Thinking about applying for a CSP grant?
CSP expands education choice by providing more schooling options to students, particularly those who reside in failing districts. The six grant programs available through CSP increase the number of high-quality charter schools available to students across the nation and empower parents to select the schooling option that best fits their child's unique needs. This program supports excellence, accountability, and transparency in operational performance across the charter sector.
Types of Grants
CSP offers several grant opportunities, each with a specific purpose and target audience:
- Developer Grants – For charter school developers to enable them to open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools or to replicate or expand high-quality charter schools in states that do not currently have a CSP SE grant.
- CMO Grants – For CMOs seeking to replicate or expand one or more high-quality charter schools.
- State Entity (SE) Grants – For state entities to award subgrants to eligible applicants in their state to open and prepare for the operation of new charter schools and to replicate and expand high-quality charter schools.
- State Charter School Facilities Incentive Grants (SFIG) – For states to establish and enhance or administer "per-pupil facilities aid" for charter schools.
- Credit Enhancement (CE) Grants – For eligible entities that demonstrate innovative methods of helping charter schools address the cost of acquiring, constructing, and renovating facilities by enhancing the availability of loans and bond financing.
- Model Development and Dissemination (MDD) Grants – For eligible organizations to develop and broadly disseminate information about innovative, effective, and high-quality charter school models.
Technical Assistance for Prospective Grantees
CCSE supports CSP in providing technical assistance to prospective grantees through synchronous and asynchronous webinars and other resources. These activities occur after a Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) is published in the Federal Register. To receive notifications about CSP grant opportunities, you may set up alerts in the Federal Register or subscribe to CCSE's email mailing list. Prospective applicants are encouraged to explore CSP's website to learn more about previous grant competitions and awarded applications.
Here are some questions to ask as your organization considers applying for a CSP grant:
- Are you eligible to apply? (HINT! Check previous competitions for guidance)
- Do you have the internal capacity to manage a federal grant?
- Do you have strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles?
- Do you have strong knowledge and skills to manage a federal grant project?
- Do you have the necessary systems and procedures to manage a federal grant, such as financial management systems, strong internal controls, written policies and procedures for core functions, and the capacity to carry out core functions of a federal grant? If not, can you develop them before applying for a grant?
- Have you determined whether there is a need for a charter school in your neighborhood?
- Does state charter school law currently allow for new or replicated charter schools? Are there barriers?
Please visit CSP's website for more information about each of these grant programs.