Opportunity Overview
The Utah State Board of Education is accepting applications for Gold Medal Schools (27GMS), a rural elementary-school health and wellness program supporting physical activity, fitness assessment, and nutrition education.
Funding and Application Window
Eligible elementary schools will receive a preliminary award of approximately $13,000 per eligible school. The application window is August 14 through October 16, 2026. The official USBE page does not publish an exact closing time, so Atlas does not infer one. Awards may increase or decrease through redistribution.
Eligibility and Submission Structure
The program serves eligible rural Utah elementary schools outside Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties. District or charter administrators submit one application through Utah Grants Management for all eligible schools in the LEA, and funds are distributed equally among participating elementary schools.
Program Focus
Gold Medal Schools focuses on healthy school environments through physical activity, fitness assessment, and evidence-based nutrition education aligned with Utah Core Standards for Health and Physical Education.
Application Requirements
Under current USBE Rule R277-917, an application must include a detailed implementation plan aligned with the Rural Health Transformation Program, measurable time-bound goals, evidence-based strategies, available baseline student health or wellness data when required by USBE, a family-engagement plan, and applicable local partnership information. USBE may prioritize eligible schools in communities with limited health or wellness resources or with higher prevalence of student-health risk factors.
Allowable and Restricted Uses
Program funds must directly support program purposes, including physical activity opportunities, nutrition programs or food access, wellness initiatives and policies, and family or community partnerships that promote student health. Funds may not be used for general operating expenses unrelated to the program or activities that do not directly support student physical activity, nutrition, or wellness. Participating schools are subject to annual reporting and expenditure-accounting requirements.
Atlas Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 74/100. This is a directly relevant rural Utah school-health funding opportunity with a clear applicant population and meaningful per-school support.
N9+ Fit: 5/100. The verified scope is physical activity, fitness, nutrition, and school wellness rather than clinical telehealth or remote physical examination. Atlas will not force-fit the Nonagon N9+ into this opportunity.
Next Action
Eligible rural Utah LEAs should confirm participating elementary schools and submit one LEA application through Utah Grants Management before October 16, 2026.