648970 - FY27 Shared Visions Parent Support Program
Funding Opportunity Details

Early Childhood At-Risk

Final Application Deadline: Mar 26, 2026 4:30 PM

Description

• IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

  FY27 Shared Visions Parent Support Program Application

  Renewal option up to five years contingent upon annual legislative appropriations.

   

  Availability of Funds:

  Grant awards are contingent on the 2026 legislative appropriation. Additional application requirements may be added if legislatively mandated. Applicants will be notified of any changes to the application. 

  APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 26, 2026 by 4:30 PM

   

  Overview and General Information

  In 1988, the Iowa Legislature established Iowa Code 256A creating the Child Development Coordinating Council (CDCC) and funding the Shared Visions Parent Support Program. The mission of the CDCC is to advocate for Iowa’s children and families and support comprehensive programs for families with children meeting risk factors. The CDCC advises the Iowa Department of Education (Department) regarding the administration and implementation of state funded at-risk programs for families with children ages birth to five. The Department administers the Shared Visions Parent Support Program which provides comprehensive educational support services for families with children meeting identified risk factors who are ages birth to five years. 

  The Department is issuing a competitive application to fund Shared Visions Parent Support Programs. The purpose is to solicit applications that will enable the CDCC to select grantees who will provide a Shared Visions Parent Support Program created in accordance with Iowa Code section 279.51 and the rules in 281—Iowa Administrative Code 64. 

   

  Eligible Applicants

  Applications may be submitted by any public school district, area education agency or any other non-profit agency in Iowa which administers quality educational support programs to parents of children meeting identified risk factors and who are ages birth through five years. Priority will be given to applicants that serve parents of children in Iowa meeting identified risk factors and who are ages birth to three years.

   

  Application and Grant Information

  Applications are competitive; consequently, all required components of the application must be completed following the stated instructions and submitted in a timely manner to be considered for funding. Funding for the Shared Visions Parent Support Program is limited; therefore, the application process is highly competitive and it is likely that not all applicants will receive funding. 

  Comprehensive educational support services may be provided through home visitation, group-based parent education or a combination of the two approaches. Grant funds may only be used to support caseloads identified in the awarded application. If a change in caseloads would be desired after funding is awarded, the Department would consider the request and administer a process of renegotiation with an awarded applicant. 

  Annual reporting is required and will include a mid-year budget report, a year-end report and a renewal application. Other information needed to determine how well the goals and objectives of the grant are being met may also be requested per 281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.10.

   

  Program Period

  Grants will be awarded for one year with a renewal option for up to five years provided grantees meet program requirements. All funding is contingent on annual legislative appropriations. The funding period for Year One – FY27 is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Renewal years include: 

  • Year Two – FY28: July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028
  • Year Three – FY29: July 1, 2028 – June 30, 2029
  • Year Four – FY30: July 1, 2029 – June 30, 2030
  • Year Five – FY31: July 1, 2030 – June 30, 2031

   

  Services to be Delivered and Performance Criteria

  Awarded applicants are expected to: 

  • Follow program requirements as outlined in 281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.
  • Enroll parents who have one or more children aged birth through five years and who meet the current income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced price meals under the child nutrition program (eligibility: 281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.22). 
  • Enroll parents of children aged birth through five years who are at risk based on one or more of the secondary eligibility categories (secondary eligibility: 281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.23). 
  • Provide comprehensive services through home visitation, group-based parent education or a combination of the two approaches as described in the awarded application.
  • Immediately inform the Department of any budget revisions to allow for negotiation (281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.11).
  • Provide an annual in-kind match of at least 20% of the total grant award.  
  • Complete a mid-year budget report and year-end report in a format determined by the Department (281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.26).
  • Complete annual renewal applications for continued funding for up to five years (last year being FY31), contingent on annual legislative appropriations. 
  • Collect and report program, child and family data in a manner to be determined by the Department
  • Maintain records to include, but not limited to (281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.26): 
    • Demographic information on parents and children served 
    • Qualifying criteria for those parents receiving educational support services 
    • Documentation of the number of contact hours in either individual or group sessions with parents
    • Documentation of the type of educational support services provided to parents
    • Indication of where the services were provided, i.e., home, school or community facility
    • Evaluation of how each project goal and objective was met, on what timeline, and with what success rate
    • Record of expenditures and an annual audit
    • Other information specified by the council necessary to the overall evaluation.

   

  Procedures Used to Determine Approval

  Applications will be reviewed for eligibility. All those submitted by an eligible applicant will be reviewed and scored by trained persons with expertise in early childhood and knowledge of educational support programs. The scoring rubric to be used can be found in IowaGrants in the Attachments section for this Funding Opportunity or on the Shared Visions Programs web page on the Department of Education website. Review forms will be used to record points and reviewer comments. Final scores of the applications will be determined based on all completed reviews, then ranked accordingly. In the event applications receive an equal number of points that necessitates a further determination of whether an applicant is to receive a grant, an additional review shall be conducted. 

  All applicants will receive notification of award for funding or non-award no later than May 8, 2026. 

  Awards will be finalized for each successful applicant within the IowaGrants System. Assurances shall be signed by an official with authority to bind the applicant and shall be submitted to the Department through the IowaGrants System prior to the award of any funds under this program. 

  Due to limited funding, grant awards will be targeted to those areas or communities in Iowa where there is a high percentage of child poverty, a high number of unserved eligible families and evidence of factors creating an increased need for quality educational support programs serving children meeting identified risk factors. 

  The Department and CDCC are committed to ensuring there is statewide distribution of grants while providing funds to programs serving parents of children identified as most at-risk. The number of grants to be awarded will be determined based on quality of grant application, established need and available funding. Budget negotiation may be necessary to accommodate the obligation of all funds. All grant awards are contingent upon the 2026 legislative appropriation and legislative sessions each succeeding year through 2030.

   

  Submission of Application

  The Department must receive the application by 4:30 PM Thursday, March 26, 2026 through the online grant application system, IowaGrants. This is a mandatory requirement and will not be subject to waiver as a minor deficiency. 

  This is a competitive application. Please adhere to all requirements and instructions within each form of the application within IowaGrants. Any information submitted separately from the application will not be considered in the review process. 

   

  Application Components

  The application consists of two components required within the IowaGrants system. These components will not be scored but must be completed:

  • Cover Sheet
  • Minority Impact Statement

  The application also consists of the following required components: 

  Program Summary	8 points
  Documentation of Need	36 points
  Program and Service Plan Information	16 points
  Service Description Plan to include the following:	40 points
  Positive Family Focus (12 points)
  Educational Support Services (8 points)
  Eligibility Identification Procedures (20 points)
  Staff Certification and Development Plan	8 points
  Letters of Support	8 points
  Program Evaluation	16 points
  Program Budget	12 points
  Assurances	Not Scored
  Total Points Possible	144 points

   

  Requests for Reconsideration and Contract Termination

  Information on requests for reconsideration and contract termination may be found in 281—Iowa Administrative Code 64.

  281—64.17(256A,279) Request for Reconsideration. An applicant who has not been approved for funding may file a Request for Reconsideration with the director of the department in writing within ten days of the decision to decline to award a grant. In order to be considered by the director, the Request for Reconsideration is to be based upon one of the following grounds:

  1. The decision process was conducted in violation of statute or rule;

  2. The decision violates state or federal law, policy, or rule (to be cited in the Request);

  3. The decision process involved a conflict of interest.

  Within 20 days of filing a Request for Reconsideration, the requester will submit all written documentation, evidence, or argument in support of the request.

   

  Critical Dates for the Application Process

  Application Process	Critical Dates
  Application open and directions available	January 27, 2026
  Recorded webinar available to review legislation and the application process	January 27, 2026
  Deadline to submit questions in writing: email Marianne Adams at marianne.adams@iowa.gov	February 27, 2026
  Application due to the Department via IowaGrants	March 26, 2026 by 4:30 PM
  Notification of awards	May 8, 2026
  Contracts issued (contingent on the annual state appropriation)	Within 45 days of state appropriation being finalized

   

Income Eligibility Guidelines