Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANT 26 031
The Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity designed to help colleges and universities build strong, coordinated support systems for student veterans as they work toward certificates or degrees. Although the program is housed at the U.S. Department of Education (specifically the Office of Postsecondary Education), the Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor is handling the solicitation and application process on ED's behalf. The central aim is to push institutions of higher education to develop and demonstrate model approaches that can improve veteran student outcomes by intentionally coordinating services that meet a wide range of needs, not just academic ones. In practice, that means creating a cohesive campus strategy that addresses the academic, financial, physical, and social challenges veteran students can face while transitioning into and through postsecondary education.
The program is focused on encouraging institutions to move beyond scattered or informal supports and instead build integrated programs where key campus and community resources work together. The description emphasizes coordination of services, which typically involves aligning advising, tutoring, disability and accommodations services, mental and physical health supports, career services, and benefits navigation in a way that is easy for veteran students to access and that reduces the burden of having to find help across multiple offices. The intent is to support veteran student success broadly, which generally includes persistence from term to term, timely progress toward completion, credential attainment, and successful transitions into employment or further education. By framing the effort as establishing "Centers of Excellence," the opportunity also signals an expectation that funded projects will produce approaches that can be replicated or serve as examples for other institutions.
Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education as defined in Section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1001). The eligible applicant types explicitly include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education. The notice indicates that additional eligibility details are available in the ANI, so applicants should verify any specific requirements or conditions referenced there (for example, documentation or institutional characteristics that may be needed to confirm eligibility).
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity title (Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program) and number (ED GRANT 26 031). The funding instrument is a grant, and the funding activity category is education, with CFDA/Assistance Listing number 84.116. The opportunity anticipates making about four awards, with an award ceiling of $3,000,000 per award. The opportunity was created on 2026-05-21, and the original closing date for applications is 2026-06-23. Taken together, the scale of the awards and the small number of expected recipients suggest a competitive process aimed at supporting a limited set of institutions to build robust, high-impact models that can demonstrate measurable improvements in veteran student support and success.Apply for ED GRANT 26 031
- The Office of Postsecondary Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.116.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-21.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program - FAQs
What is the Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program?
The Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program is a discretionary federal grant opportunity intended to help colleges and universities build strong, coordinated support systems for student veterans as they pursue certificates or degrees. The program emphasizes creating an integrated, campus-wide approach to veteran student support rather than relying on scattered or informal services.
What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?
The central aim is to push institutions of higher education to develop and demonstrate model approaches that improve veteran student outcomes by intentionally coordinating services that meet a wide range of needs, not only academic needs. The opportunity is framed around building cohesive strategies that address academic, financial, physical, and social challenges veteran students may experience during their transition into and through postsecondary education.
Which federal agency is responsible for the program?
The program is housed at the U.S. Department of Education, specifically within the Office of Postsecondary Education.
Which agency is handling the solicitation and application process?
The Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor is handling the solicitation and application process on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education as defined in Section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1001). Eligible applicant types explicitly include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education.
Are both public and private colleges/universities eligible?
Yes. The notice explicitly includes both public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education as eligible applicant types, as long as they meet the Section 101 definition.
Where should applicants look for additional eligibility requirements?
The notice indicates that additional eligibility details are available in the ANI. Applicants should confirm any specific requirements or conditions referenced there, such as documentation or institutional characteristics needed to verify eligibility.
What types of activities does the program encourage institutions to build?
The program encourages institutions to move beyond scattered supports and create integrated programs in which key campus and community resources work together in a coordinated way. The focus is on designing a cohesive veteran student support strategy that is easier to access and reduces the burden on student veterans to navigate multiple offices on their own.
What kinds of student veteran needs is the program intended to address?
The opportunity describes a broad range of needs and challenges, including academic, financial, physical, and social challenges that can arise as veterans transition into and through postsecondary education.
What services are typically included in the kind of coordinated support system described?
While specific project designs may vary, the description highlights coordination across services such as advising, tutoring, disability and accommodations services, mental and physical health supports, career services, and benefits navigation, aligned in a way that is easy for veteran students to access.
What outcomes is the program trying to improve for veteran students?
The intent is to support veteran student success broadly. This generally includes persistence from term to term, timely progress toward completion, credential attainment (certificate or degree), and successful transitions into employment or further education.
Why does the opportunity use the term "Centers of Excellence"?
By framing the effort as establishing "Centers of Excellence," the opportunity signals an expectation that funded projects will develop approaches that can serve as strong examples for other institutions, including models that may be replicated or adapted elsewhere.
What is the funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title is Centers of Excellence for Veteran Student Success (CEVSS) Program.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is ED GRANT 26 031.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 84.116.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is education.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipates making about four awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $3,000,000 per award.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2026-05-21.
What is the application deadline?
The original closing date for applications is 2026-06-23.
How competitive is this grant likely to be?
Based on the information provided, it is likely to be competitive because the opportunity anticipates only about four awards and supports large, high-impact projects (up to $3,000,000 per award) intended to demonstrate measurable improvements and serve as model approaches.
What does the opportunity suggest about how institutions should organize veteran support?
The description stresses intentional coordination, meaning institutions are encouraged to align resources and services into an integrated program that is straightforward for veteran students to use. The emphasis is on reducing fragmentation and making support easier to find and navigate.
Does the program focus only on academic support for veterans?
No. The description explicitly emphasizes meeting a wide range of needs, not just academic ones, and calls out academic, financial, physical, and social challenges as areas that coordinated supports should address.
What is the overall purpose of coordinating services for veteran students?
The purpose is to create a cohesive campus strategy that improves access to support, reduces the need for veterans to independently track down help across multiple offices, and ultimately improves outcomes like persistence, completion, credential attainment, and transitions to employment or additional education.
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