Indiana Opportunity to Learn Project Competitive Grants 2027
Indiana grants for public school corporations and charter schools or networks to launch or expand evidence-based programs addressing non-academic barriers to K–12 students’ academic success.
Indiana Opportunity to Learn Project Competitive Grants 2027
Indiana Lifelong Learning Projects (ILLP) is offering competitive grants to Indiana public school corporations, charter schools, and charter networks for programs that address non-academic barriers to K–12 students’ academic success. The opportunity is intended for new, enhanced, or expanded evidence-based programs. Successful projects may receive support for up to three years. The statewide pool is up to $373 million, but each applicant’s request is subject to an individual maximum based on the greater of $600,000 or $650 per eligible K–12 pupil. (See the ILLP request for proposals.)
The RFP calls for one competitive proposal per applicant. That proposal can seek support for multiple programs and address one or more non-academic barriers. An eligible organization therefore needs to describe a coherent plan, the barriers its programs will address, the evidence for its approach, and how it will measure results. This is a grant for an organization’s program plan, not an individual student award. The RFP does not promise a particular award amount or a common project start date.
At a glance
| Item | Published information |
|---|---|
| Grantmaker | Indiana Lifelong Learning Projects (ILLP) |
| Grant type | Competitive grant |
| Purpose | Launch or expand evidence-based programs addressing non-academic barriers to K–12 academic success |
| Eligible applicants | Indiana public school corporations, charter schools, and charter networks outside Marion County, subject to operating and other RFP conditions |
| Maximum request | Greater of $600,000 or $650 multiplied by eligible K–12 pupil enrollment |
| Total pool | Up to $373 million |
| Project duration | Awarded programs may run for up to three years |
| Application method | ILLP online portal; one proposal per applicant |
| RFP deadline | 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, March 11, 2027 |
| Tentative award announcement | Late 2027 |
| Official opportunity page | ILLP Opportunity to Learn Project RFP |
What the grant supports
The grant supports new, enhanced, or expanded programs intended to reduce non-academic barriers that affect K–12 students’ academic success. Applicants should connect the barrier they identify to the proposed program activities and explain the evidence supporting the program. The RFP asks for supporting data and evidence, measurable outcomes, a timeline, and a description of the applicant’s capacity to carry out the work. (Source: RFP PDF.)
Awarded programs may be implemented for up to three years after an award. The RFP does not specify a single start date for all projects, so applicants should avoid building a public timeline around an assumed universal start. The duration is a maximum, not a guarantee that every project will receive three full years of funding. Confirm project-specific dates and award terms through the RFP and any award communication.
Who should apply and eligibility
The opportunity is for Indiana public school corporations, charter schools, or charter networks located or operating outside Marion County. A school or network inside Marion County does not meet the location condition described in the RFP. The eligible applicant must also regularly convene in person, with only limited instructional time conducted virtually, and expect to remain operational through the 2029–30 school year. Charter applicants must meet the RFP’s stated federal tax-exempt requirements. (Source: ILLP RFP.)
Before investing in a proposal, the organization should check each of these conditions against its own operating model and status. In particular, charter schools and networks should verify that their documentation satisfies the specific tax-exempt criteria in the RFP. The brief does not provide the criteria’s detailed wording, so an applicant should consult the linked RFP itself rather than infer which tax status or document is acceptable.
The organization should also confirm its eligible K–12 pupil enrollment because that figure affects the maximum request. The formula is the greater of $600,000 or $650 multiplied by eligible K–12 pupil enrollment. The brief does not explain which enrollment count or measurement date to use; check the RFP or portal instructions for that definition before setting a budget. Do not treat the total $373 million pool as an amount available to one applicant.
How to Apply
Submit through ILLP’s online portal. Each applicant may file one competitive proposal, and that proposal may request support for multiple programs addressing one or more non-academic barriers. Follow the portal’s current directions for completing and submitting the form; the brief identifies the portal but does not specify a portal URL beyond the official opportunity page. (Source: ILLP opportunity page.)
The proposal form requests contact information for senior leaders and program leads, the current fiscal-year budget, and the most recent audited financial statements. Charter schools and networks must upload proof of federal tax-exempt status. These are application materials identified in the RFP. Check the form and RFP for any additional fields or file instructions before submission; this article’s brief does not enumerate every portal field or technical requirement.
The narrative should explain the non-academic barriers addressed, the supporting data and evidence, program activities, measurable outcomes, implementation timeline, and applicant capacity. If the proposal identifies collaborators, it should document each organization’s role and contribution with a letter of intent. This is a stated RFP expectation for identified collaborators. The brief does not specify a template, required signatory, or other letter format, so use the RFP or portal directions for those details.
Timeline and deadline
The linked RFP sets the competitive proposal deadline at 5:00 p.m. ET on March 11, 2027. ILLP tentatively plans to announce awards in late 2027. Successful programs may run for up to three years after an award, but the RFP does not state one start date for every grantee. (Source: RFP PDF.)
There is a deadline discrepancy to resolve before applying: the opportunity landing page and linked RFP contain conflicting deadline information. The linked RFP sets the deadline at 5:00 p.m. ET on March 11, 2027. Because applicants must rely on the live application instructions, verify the deadline shown in ILLP’s portal and check the detailed key dates or RFP if the page continues to show conflicting information. Use the current deadline displayed by the application system.
The award announcement is tentative, not a confirmed award date. Since no common project start date is specified, applicants should describe an implementation timeline in their proposal and verify their own approved schedule if selected. The brief provides no other milestone dates, such as an anticipated notification date for incomplete applications.
Preparation and common mistakes
Optional preparation advice: Build a short internal checklist that maps each narrative element to a source document or responsible staff member. For example, connect the barrier statement to local supporting data, the activities to the program lead’s implementation plan, and each outcome to a measurable indicator. This can make the requested rationale, activities, outcomes, timeline, and capacity easier to review together. The RFP asks for those elements; this checklist format is a suggested way to organize them.
Set the requested amount only after confirming the enrollment basis used by the RFP and applying the stated formula. An applicant can have a maximum of $600,000 or more depending on eligible pupil enrollment, since the maximum is whichever is greater: $600,000 or $650 times eligible enrollment. Do not assume that the maximum is the guaranteed award, that all applicants receive the same amount, or that the total pool is divided evenly. Exact award amounts are not known before decisions.
If naming a collaborator, describe its role and contribution and secure a letter of intent for that organization, as the RFP directs. Avoid listing partners whose responsibilities are not clear in the proposed work. For charter applicants, identify the specific evidence of federal tax-exempt status required by the RFP. For all applicants, make sure the current fiscal-year budget and latest audited financial statements are available in the form and format the portal accepts.
Unconfirmed details: The reviewed brief does not establish whether matching funds are required, what selection criteria or scoring weights apply, how enrollment is defined for the cap, whether the deadline has been changed in the live portal, or the exact award amounts and start dates. It also does not identify a contact person or acceptance odds. Applicants should consult the complete RFP and current portal for published requirements, and use the official opportunity page to locate any current clarification. If an issue is not answered there, ask ILLP through the contact method shown on its current official materials rather than relying on a guessed answer.
Frequently asked questions
Is the full $373 million available to each applicant?
No. Up to $373 million is the total pool described in the RFP. An applicant’s maximum request is the greater of $600,000 or $650 multiplied by its eligible K–12 pupil enrollment. A maximum request is not a guaranteed award.
Does an applicant have to be in Indiana and outside Marion County?
Yes. The stated eligible applicants are Indiana public school corporations, charter schools, and charter networks located in Indiana and outside Marion County. They must also satisfy the in-person convening, limited virtual instruction, and continued-operation conditions, and charter applicants must meet the RFP’s tax-exempt criteria.
Which deadline should applicants use?
The linked RFP gives 5:00 p.m. ET on March 11, 2027, while the opportunity page contains conflicting deadline information. Check the current portal and ILLP’s detailed key dates before filing, and use the portal’s live deadline if it provides an updated instruction.
When will projects start, and is matching funding required?
The RFP tentatively anticipates award announcements in late 2027 and permits implementation for up to three years after an award. It does not specify one start date for all projects. The reviewed brief also does not confirm a matching-funds requirement. Verify project-specific timing and any funding conditions in the RFP, portal, or award terms.
Official sources
- Indiana Lifelong Learning Projects: Opportunity to Learn Project RFP page
- Opportunity to Learn Projects Request for Proposals (PDF)
The RFP is the source for the grant amount formula, eligible applicants, proposal contents, required materials described above, and the March 11, 2027 deadline. The landing page is useful for checking current ILLP information, but it contains deadline information that conflicts with the linked RFP. Applicants should confirm the live portal deadline before submitting.