The FY25 Scholarships for Opportunity and Results (SOAR) Act Facilities Grant is a competitive funding opportunity administered by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in the District of Columbia. This grant, made possible through the federal SOAR Act (Public Law 112-10), is designed to support the renovation of facilities used by high-quality DC public charter local education agencies (LEAs). The grant seeks to improve and expand high-quality public charter schools across Washington, DC by addressing critical infrastructure needs.

The application portal for this grant will open on March 28, 2025, at 3:00 PM, and all applications must be submitted through OSSE’s Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS) no later than 3:00 PM on Friday, May 23, 2025. OSSE strongly encourages applicants to submit a notice of intent to apply by Friday, May 9, 2025. Two pre-application webinars will be held to support applicants: the first on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from 10:00–11:00 AM, and the second on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 1:00–2:00 PM. Webinar registration links will be available in the full Request for Applications (RFA).

Eligible applicants are limited to high-quality DC public charter schools that occupy the facilities for which they are requesting renovation support. Each applicant must provide proof of site control, either through property ownership or a lease of at least 50 years. Applications will be evaluated by a neutral review panel based on a series of criteria, including project data, needs assessment, project description, theory of action, equitable access and participation, logic model, and budget.

The total funding available for this opportunity is $3.5 million, with a maximum award amount of $750,000 per LEA. OSSE anticipates making five to eight awards, although the number and size of awards will depend on the number and quality of applications received. Each LEA may receive only one award under this funding cycle.

The grant period spans two years, with the initial award ending on September 30, 2025, and a continuation award possible in the second year. Continuation is subject to available funding, compliance with federal and District regulations, satisfactory progress, and appropriate use of funds.

All information, including application materials and the RFA, is available at grants.osse.dc.gov. For further questions, applicants should contact Marie Hutchins at Marie.Hutchins@dc.gov.