RFP #457: Charter Schools Programs (CSP) Start-Up Grants
Announcement of Funding Opportunity
Legislative Authority
Charter Schools Program, authorized by Title IV, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Purpose of Grant
To provide funding to new charter schools to support planning, program design, and initial implementation.
Project Period
10/01/2026 09/30/2029
Eligible Applicants
Charter school education corporations operating a new charter school that is authorized by either the Board of Regents or the SUNY Board of Trustees. The education corporation will apply on behalf of the charter school it operates.
Amount of Funding
$12,000,000
Funding beyond Year One will be contingent upon the State Legislature appropriating funds and the grantee demonstrating progress toward meeting the goals and objectives of its grant project.
Applicants are requested to submit their application electronically. The required documents, as listed in the Application Checklist section of this RFP, must be received via no later than September 18, 2026. Applications are due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
Questions regarding the request must be submitted via no later than the close of business August 21, 2026. A Questions and Answers Summary will be postedhere no later than August 28, 2026.
Proposals received from nonprofit applicants that are not Prequalified in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) by 5:00 PM on the proposal due date of September 18, 2026, cannot be evaluated. Such proposals will be disqualified from further consideration. Please see the Prequalification Requirement section for additional information.
The Notice of Intent (NOI) is not a requirement for submitting a complete application by the application date; however, NYSED strongly encourages all prospective applicants to submit an NOI to ensure a timely and thorough review and rating process. An applicants NOI will also help to facilitate timely review of their prequalification materials. The notice of intent is a simple notice indicating your organizations (use the legal name) intent to submit an application for this grant. Please also include your organizations NYS Vendor ID and enter 457 in the Procurement No. box. The due date is September 4, 2026. Please send the NOI via this .
Program: Valerie Martin Kowalski
Fiscal: Karen Somide
M/WBE: Thomas McBride