Open — FY27 Tier 2 application window October 26 to December 7, 2026.
Michigan FY2027 Grow Your Own Educator Development — Tier Two Retention and Expansion Grant (December 7)
Funding$25,000,000 statewide combined FY27 appropriation for all FOUR tiers; individual Tier 2 award ceiling not published in reviewed official source.
DeadlineDecember 7, 2026; official program page does not state a closing hour or time zone. Apply via MDE NexSys.
Last verifiedOctober 29, 2026 — MDE FY27 program page, Tier 2 fillable application, and published scoring/allowable-cost instructions reviewed. Final NexSys instructions remain controlling.
Required next actionDetermine the correct eligibility tier. Download and complete the FINAL Tier 2 PDF posted October 21, 2026, obtain required educator preparation/development agreements and eligibility documentation, prepare NexSys budget and assurances, and submit by December 7, 2026. Check official page for amendments and times.
Broad Eligibility
Tier Two is a restricted retention and expansion pathway. The official Tier Two form requires an established program operating at least four years, a third-party research relationship with promising results, a track record exceeding 100 participants in geographically diverse areas, partnerships with at least nine districts and a national nonprofit strategic staffing organization, Michigan nonprofit 501(c)(3) program status, both rural and urban educator pipelines, a degree-granting district leadership initiative, and partnerships with at least five Michigan educator preparation providers. The application names a district fiscal agent for consortium requests. These statutory Tier Two criteria must be documented; general schools or nonprofits are not automatically eligible.
Atlas Analysis
Competitive state-funded education workforce development assistance, not a government purchasing contract. Tier 2 is a distinct statutory eligibility track. $25,000,000 is the combined four-tier appropriation, NOT an individual grant. State matching requirement and specific per-applicant amount are not explicitly specified in the examined materials; verify any additional NexSys conditions prior to approval.
Michigan Department of Education opened the FY27 Grow Your Own (GYO) Educator Development grant application October 26, 2026. Applications close December 7, 2026 through NexSys, using the FINAL October 21 fillable PDF for the appropriate tier plus a requested budget and supporting materials. Four tiers share an additional $25,000,000 statewide appropriation; no individual award maximum for this tier is stated on the available official program page or application. The $25 million is not a per-applicant award. The program develops teacher certification, additional endorsements and educator advancement pathways for school employees, in partnership with educator preparation or development providers. Funds may support eligible tuition and certification expenses, training-related travel, approved technology, coaching and substitute coverage. Direct participant payroll, duplicative support, certain overlapping state scholarship/stipend funding, and unauthorized tuition are excluded. Administrative costs are capped at 10%. Applicants must document arrangements with educator preparation/development providers, provide participant-support assurances and budget details.
Tier Two is a restricted retention and expansion pathway. The official Tier Two form requires an established program operating at least four years, a third-party research relationship with promising results, a track record exceeding 100 participants in geographically diverse areas, partnerships with at least nine districts and a national nonprofit strategic staffing organization, Michigan nonprofit 501(c)(3) program status, both rural and urban educator pipelines, a degree-granting district leadership initiative, and partnerships with at least five Michigan educator preparation providers. The application names a district fiscal agent for consortium requests. These statutory Tier Two criteria must be documented; general schools or nonprofits are not automatically eligible.
The official Tier 2 form is available at Michigan Department of Education Tier 2 application. Review the current FY27 grant program page for application instructions, scoring rubric and updates. The state has not published a confirmed per-applicant ceiling for this tier; the $25,000,000 figure refers to the combined statewide FY27 funding pool. Do not interpret this as an award available to each applicant.
Source verificationOfficial government source · www.michigan.govAtlas last verified this record October 29, 2026 — MDE FY27 program page, Tier 2 fillable application, and published scoring/allowable-cost instructions reviewed. Final NexSys instructions remain controlling.. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
