OPEN: Iowa FY2027 21st Century Community Learning Centers application resources announced November 2, 2026. Mandatory Letter of Intent due November 30, 2026; full application due December 31, 2026. Eligibility, site limits and required partnership documents are controlled by the FY2027 application package.
Iowa — FY2027 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants for Schools and Nonprofits ($50,000–$300,000 per Year; December 31)
FundingIndividual award $50,000–$300,000 per application per year; max $150,000 per program site per year; max three program sites. Intended five-year cycle, years 1-3 full and years 4-5 75% conditional on review and continuation. Not an aggregate state allocation.
DeadlineMANDATORY LOI: November 30, 2026. FULL APPLICATION: December 31, 2026. FY2027 program page does not state exact closing hours or time zones.
Last verified2026-11-03
Required next actionComplete the mandatory Letter of Intent survey linked at https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/essa/guidance-allocations/learning-center-resources by November 30, 2026; then gain CASA application access and submit full application no later than December 31, 2026. Prepare fiscal agent/UEI, Form D1 budget, legal-status documentation, needs assessment, minimum five partner MOUs, sustainability and management plan, school coordination and assurances, required evaluation and communication plans, and other forms listed under FY27 RFA. Use the state webpage and current FY27 RFA rather than FY26 application instructions for controlling terms.
Broad Eligibility
Iowa local educational agencies/schools, community-based organizations, faith-based and nonprofit organizations, eligible government entities, and consortia, with a qualifying school partnership and programs serving Title I schoolwide-eligible schools (at least 40% free/reduced price lunch). Community organizations must satisfy school district partner notice. UEI and adequate startup capacity required.
Atlas Analysis
FULL FY2027 PRIMARY-SOURCE DOCUMENT REVIEW November 3, 2026: Iowa Department of Education funding announcement dated Nov 2 at https://educate.iowa.gov/headline-story/2026-11-02/application-period-opens-schools-organizations-providing-out-school-time-programs ; current program/FY27 instructions at https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/essa/guidance-allocations/learning-center-resources ; FY27 13-page RFA preview at https://educate.iowa.gov/media/7454/download?inline= . FY27 RFA p1 verifies $50,000 min, $300,000 annual application maximum; up to $150,000/site per year, 3 sites, 5-year cycle 75% for years 4/5 in sections. Required LOI Nov 30 and full application Dec 31 (source does not state hours). School target >=40% free/reduced-price lunch, CBO school partner notice, 5 partner MOUs, Form D1, UEI, fiscal readiness, annual evaluation. Documentation of partner contributions is required; no specific matching percentage in FY27 material reviewed, do not invent. Caution: linked 38-page application instructions PDF is labeled FY26 and is not controlling FY27. This is legitimate applicant-facing state-administered federal education assistance; no procurement. Authenticated all-status WordPress title/identifier searches found only Virginia, Massachusetts and Indiana 21CCLC cycles, no Iowa FY27 match. Pending Review due protected approval denial previously encountered, not missing verification of current FY27 core documents.
Iowa FY2027 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants
The Iowa Department of Education has opened the FY2027 competitive 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) funding round for programs serving students in Iowa during non-school hours. These are state-administered federal education subgrants for schools and qualifying organizations, not vendor purchasing contracts.
Funding available to applicants
Applicants may seek $50,000 to $300,000 per application per year, with a maximum of $150,000 per program site per year and no more than three funded sites per application. The planned five-year period provides three years at full funding, with years four and five at 75% of the original award subject to program performance, review, and continuation. Awards are competitive and not guaranteed.
Who is eligible
Eligible Iowa applicants include local educational agencies, schools, qualifying community-based organizations, faith-based and nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and consortia. Programs focus on schools where at least 40% of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Community-based organizations must meet school-partner notification and collaboration requirements described in the official application. Applicants need a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and sufficient financial capacity to begin operations.
Mandatory deadlines and submission
Required Letter of Intent to Apply: November 30, 2026. All applicants must submit the required Iowa online LOI survey to gain access to the full application. Full grant application: December 31, 2026. Complete the application through the Iowa Department of Education Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA) system, not by mailing the informational PDF. The current official FY2027 website states these dates without a specific cutoff hour or time zone.
Allowable activities and restrictions
Funding supports before- and after-school and summer academic enrichment, tutoring and mentoring, literacy and mathematics, recreation, arts, nutrition, student and family services, and other authorized out-of-school activities. Applicants must include required financial forms, site profile, student needs assessment, project and research plans, management and sustainability plans, communication and evaluation plans, assurances, and partnership documents including at least five memoranda of understanding. Applicants must document community partner contributions and must not replace existing funding or incur pre-award costs with grant funds. The current application provides limits on local evaluation costs and requires budgeted professional development and program evaluation.
Read the Iowa Department of Education FY2027 application resource page and its linked FY2027 RFA and forms before preparing an application. Consult all governing budget guidance and the live CASA submission system for final form-level requirements.
Source verificationOfficial government source · educate.iowa.govAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-03. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
