Grants to Military-Connected Local Educational Agencies for the World Language Advancement and Readiness Program

The World Language Advancement and Readiness Program (WLARP), administered by the Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA), is a federal grant initiative aimed at enhancing world language programs in K-12 public schools serving military-connected students. The FY26 WLARP is part of a broader strategy outlined in the National Defense Authorization Act to address the shortage of military personnel with advanced language skills, positioning early language learning as essential to national security and global engagement. This grant opportunity supports local educational agencies (LEAs) that host or have applied to host Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) units and serve a student population that includes at least 10% military-connected students at each target school. The WLARP provides competitive grants ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000 per LEA, depending on the number of military-connected students served. The funding period spans 54 months, from September 30, 2026, through May 31, 2031. Applicants are expected to use the first year for planning and capacity building, including refining their project strategies, evaluation plans, and professional development activities. Allowable uses of funding include establishing or expanding world language programs in any of the DoD-designated Strategic Languages, implementing technology-enhanced instruction, creating immersive language experiences, or integrating language study across subject areas. Indirect costs are capped and must comply with federal regulations, and cost sharing is not required but may be voluntarily included. Eligibility is limited to LEAs—including charter schools recognized as LEAs by state law—that meet both the military-connected student percentage threshold and the JROTC unit criteria. Applicants must demonstrate capacity to manage federal funds and commit to maintaining at least a part-time (0.5 FTE) Project Director for the grant’s duration. Only one application per LEA is allowed. Applications must include required federal forms (SF-424 series), a detailed project narrative, a logic model, a professional learning and evaluation plan, and a detailed budget. Proposals must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov no later than April 24, 2026, by 11:59 PM ET. Evaluation of applications will follow merit-based review criteria outlined in Appendix E of the NOFO. Projects will be scored on need, goals, implementation strategy, sustainability, and other quality indicators. Five competitive priority points are available for LEAs that have not previously received a DoWEA grant or do not have an active grant as of June 1, 2026. Selected applicants will be notified no later than September 30, 2026. Post-award, grantees are required to submit regular performance and financial reports via the DoDEA online reporting system and participate in mandatory Community of Practice meetings. Key contacts for the WLARP grant include Jennifer Dailey-Perkins, Grant Program Manager ([email protected]), and ShaHannah Brown, Grants Officer ([email protected]). Additional resources, including templates and budget tables, are provided within the NOFO appendices. The program is expected to continue in future years, making it a recurring funding opportunity aligned with national defense educational goals.

Ensure inclusion of sustainability strategy and performance metrics; provide detailed budget justifications; Project Director must be at least 0.5 FTE and based locally; proposals without these fail pass/fail review.