What's New
In coordination with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State (State), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Centers Aligned with Areas of National Need (CAANN) program.
Additional details can be found on the CAANN Applicant Info tab.
The official funding opportunity announcement for the FY 2026 CAANN Program competition is forthcoming and will be available in the Federal Register.
Program Description
The Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need (CAANN) program provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs to address one or more of the following areas of national need by teaching modern foreign languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czech, and other languages; providing instruction in fields needed to provide understanding of areas, regions, or countries in which the language is used; supporting research and training in international studies and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study; and providing instruction and research on issues in world affairs in areas such as Latin America, Europe, and Russia.
FY 2026 Application
The official funding opportunity announcement for the Centers Aligned with Areas of National Need (CAANN) program competition is forthcoming and will be available in the Federal Register.
Resources for the FY 2026 Competition
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition Application Notice and Instructions
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition Technical Assistance Webinar Slides (forthcoming)
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition Technical Assistance Webinar recording (forthcoming)
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition FAQs (forthcoming)
Call for Peer Reviewers
ED is seeking individuals to serve as peer reviewers and assess grant program applications for the FY 2026 CAANN program grant competitions.
For more information, please review the Call for Peer Reviewers.
Eligibility
- An institution of higher education (as defined in this notice) or a consortium of institutions of higher education is eligible to receive a grant under this part as either a comprehensive Center or undergraduate Center.
Program Authority
Title VI, Part A, Section 602(a)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1122(a)(4)); the Explanatory Statement accompanying Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-75).
Applicable Regulations
- The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
- Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
- Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.
- The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.
- The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474.
- The statutory authority for the program 20 U.S.C. 1121-1130b.
- The Supplemental Priorities.
- Supplemental Priority on AI.
Areas of National Need
In accordance with section 601(c) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1121(c)), the Secretary consulted with a wide range of Federal agencies and received recommendations regarding national need for expertise in foreign language and world regions.
Performance Reports
A grant under this competition, you must ensure that the necessary processes and systems are developed to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
At the end of the project period, the grantee must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If a grantee receives a multi-year award, it must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). Review the specific requirements on reporting.
Performance Measures
ED has developed the following performance measures for the purposes of the reporting to ED under 34 CFR 75.110.
Program Performance Measures
The Department developed the following program performance indicators to evaluate the overall effectiveness of this program. These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project. If funded, you will be required to collect and report data in your project's annual performance report (34 CFR 75.590).
Applications must describe within the evaluation plan:
- The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data
- The applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.
Program Performance Measure 1: The number of project participants who enrolled in intermediate or advanced level language courses in the priority areas as defined by the Secretary of Education during the course of the grant period.
Program Performance Measure 2: The number of project participants who completed intermediate or advanced level language courses in the priority areas as defined by the Secretary of Education during the course of the grant period.
Program Performance Measure 3: The increase in number of certificate, minor, or major degree programs in the priority area and/or foreign languages, area studies, or international fields during the course of the four-year grant period.
Program Performance Measure 4: The number of project participants active in research and training in international fields, and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study.
Program Performance Measure 5: The number of project participants active in post graduate employment, education, or training in areas of national need related to language and area studies knowledge.
Key Staff
Main program email: CAANN@ed.gov
Kurrinn Abrams
FY 2026 MECE Competition Manager
(202) 987-1920
Kurrinn.Abrams2@ed.gov
Margarita Melendez
FY 2026 CAANN Competition Manager
202-987-0408
Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov
Dr. Stacey Slijepcevic
Division Director, Institutional Service
(202) 453-6150
Stacey.Slijepcevic@ed.gov
What's New
In coordination with the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State (State), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is soliciting applications in support of the administration of the Centers Aligned with Areas of National Need (CAANN) program.
Additional details can be found on the CAANN Applicant Info tab.
The official funding opportunity announcement for the FY 2026 CAANN Program competition is forthcoming and will be available in the Federal Register.
Program Description
The Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need (CAANN) program provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia of IHEs to address one or more of the following areas of national need by teaching modern foreign languages, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czech, and other languages; providing instruction in fields needed to provide understanding of areas, regions, or countries in which the language is used; supporting research and training in international studies and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study; and providing instruction and research on issues in world affairs in areas such as Latin America, Europe, and Russia.
FY 2026 Application
The official funding opportunity announcement for the Centers Aligned with Areas of National Need (CAANN) program competition is forthcoming and will be available in the Federal Register.
Resources for the FY 2026 Competition
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition Application Notice and Instructions
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition Technical Assistance Webinar Slides (forthcoming)
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition Technical Assistance Webinar recording (forthcoming)
- FY 2026 CAANN Competition FAQs (forthcoming)
Call for Peer Reviewers
ED is seeking individuals to serve as peer reviewers and assess grant program applications for the FY 2026 CAANN program grant competitions.
For more information, please review the Call for Peer Reviewers.
Eligibility
- An institution of higher education (as defined in this notice) or a consortium of institutions of higher education is eligible to receive a grant under this part as either a comprehensive Center or undergraduate Center.
Program Authority
Title VI, Part A, Section 602(a)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1122(a)(4)); the Explanatory Statement accompanying Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Pub. L. 119-75).
Applicable Regulations
- The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
- Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
- Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.
- The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485.
- The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of ED in 2 CFR part 3474.
- The statutory authority for the program 20 U.S.C. 1121-1130b.
- The Supplemental Priorities.
- Supplemental Priority on AI.
Areas of National Need
In accordance with section 601(c) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1121(c)), the Secretary consulted with a wide range of Federal agencies and received recommendations regarding national need for expertise in foreign language and world regions.
Performance Reports
A grant under this competition, you must ensure that the necessary processes and systems are developed to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
At the end of the project period, the grantee must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If a grantee receives a multi-year award, it must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). Review the specific requirements on reporting.
Performance Measures
ED has developed the following performance measures for the purposes of the reporting to ED under 34 CFR 75.110.
Program Performance Measures
The Department developed the following program performance indicators to evaluate the overall effectiveness of this program. These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project. If funded, you will be required to collect and report data in your project's annual performance report (34 CFR 75.590).
Applications must describe within the evaluation plan:
- The data collection and reporting methods the applicant would use and why those methods are likely to yield reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data
- The applicant's capacity to collect and report reliable, valid, and meaningful performance data, as evidenced by high-quality data collection, analysis, and reporting in other projects or research.
Program Performance Measure 1: The number of project participants who enrolled in intermediate or advanced level language courses in the priority areas as defined by the Secretary of Education during the course of the grant period.
Program Performance Measure 2: The number of project participants who completed intermediate or advanced level language courses in the priority areas as defined by the Secretary of Education during the course of the grant period.
Program Performance Measure 3: The increase in number of certificate, minor, or major degree programs in the priority area and/or foreign languages, area studies, or international fields during the course of the four-year grant period.
Program Performance Measure 4: The number of project participants active in research and training in international fields, and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study.
Program Performance Measure 5: The number of project participants active in post graduate employment, education, or training in areas of national need related to language and area studies knowledge.
Key Staff
Main program email: CAANN@ed.gov
Kurrinn Abrams
FY 2026 MECE Competition Manager
(202) 987-1920
Kurrinn.Abrams2@ed.gov
Margarita Melendez
FY 2026 CAANN Competition Manager
202-987-0408
Margarita.Melendez@ed.gov
Dr. Stacey Slijepcevic
Division Director, Institutional Service
(202) 453-6150
Stacey.Slijepcevic@ed.gov