Opportunity Overview
The New York State Education Department is accepting applications for RFP 199, the My Brother’s Keeper Family and Community Engagement Program (FCEP) 2026-2030. The program is designed to improve academic achievement and college-and-career readiness for boys and young men of color by strengthening sustained partnerships among schools, families, municipalities, community organizations, businesses and postsecondary institutions.
Funding and Deadline
NYSED expects $9.3 million for 2026-27, subject to continuation of the State appropriation in later years. Of that amount, $3.1 million is designated for New York City Community School Districts, High School Districts and District 75, while $6.2 million is designated for eligible Rest-of-State districts and BOCES-led consortia. Electronic applications are due October 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. One original and two copies of the FS-10 budget must also be postmarked by October 1, 2026.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants are New York public school districts that meet one of NYSED’s published combinations of high Free and Reduced-Price Lunch participation, English Learner enrollment and/or lower four-year August graduation rates using 2020-2024 data. Up to four eligible districts may also apply together as a consortium with a BOCES serving as fiscal agent. Public charter schools, nonpublic schools and home-school groups are not eligible.
Mandatory Partnership Structure
A complete application must include a signed Partnership Agreement. At minimum, the agreement must include the superintendent and at least one qualifying external partner, such as a mayor or equivalent municipal official, local business or community-based organization, or senior administrator from a postsecondary institution. NYSED states that letters of support do not substitute for the required signed partnership agreement.
Match Requirement
The program requires a minimum 25% match of the approved grant. Match may come from district resources, private sources, other governmental sources and/or in-kind services, subject to the RFP’s restrictions. The matching contribution must support FCEP activities and may not duplicate funded services.
Program Strategy
Competitive applications should move beyond one-time family events. Strong models will connect family engagement, mentoring, attendance, academic support, college and career readiness, student leadership and community partnerships to measurable outcomes for boys and young men of color. The four-year structure creates an opportunity to build durable systems rather than a short-lived pilot.
Current RFP Update
NYSED extended the application deadline on September 14, 2026. Applications are now due October 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Applicants that submitted before the original September 15 deadline may resubmit all required documents if they choose to update their application. NYSED had previously posted Questions and Answers and a revised Goal Calculation Worksheet on August 24, 2026; the worksheet removes the line for indirect costs. The August 28 Notice of Intent was encouraged but was not required to submit a complete application.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 86/100. FCEP is a substantial school-community funding opportunity with a four-year horizon, but the eligibility formula, mandatory partnership agreement and 25% match mean districts need to confirm readiness before investing heavily in the application.
N9+ Direct Vendor Fit: low and conditional. This is a family-engagement and student-success grant, not a school-health or telehealth solicitation. A healthcare partnership could be relevant only when it directly advances an approved FCEP strategy and the current RFP budget rules support the cost. Atlas should not force clinical technology into the application.
Next Action
Confirm district eligibility against the published FRPL, ELL and graduation-rate tests; secure the required signed Partnership Agreement; define the 25% match; build a four-year family-and-community engagement strategy with measurable student outcomes; use the September 14 updated RFP package and the current Goal Calculation Worksheet; submit electronically by October 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time; and mail the required FS-10 copies postmarked by October 1, 2026.
Verified source: New York State Education Department, RFP 199 MBK Family and Community Engagement Program 2026-2030.