CFDA 84.411 · Education · Active

Race to the Top — Early Learning Challenge

Federal assistance program administered by U.S. Department of Education (ED), catalogued in the SAM.gov Assistance Listings.

View agency → Check eligibility

$10M–$100M
Typical award range: 20
Indexed opportunities: 0
Open now: ED
Administering agency

Compiled byPlainGrants Editorial, Federal Grants Editorial Team · September 16, 2025

The verdict

CFDA 84.411 is an active Education program with 20 indexed Grants.gov opportunities - 0 open for application right now.

$10M–$100M
typical award range (SAM.gov): -
next application deadline: $15.0 million
largest award ceiling indexed: 18%
of the catalog is Education

Program overview. CFDA 84.411 - Race to the Top — Early Learning Challenge - is a federal assistance listing in the Education category, administered by U.S. Department of Education (ED). The typical award range cataloged on SAM.gov is $10.0 million to $100.0 million. The program is currently active in the SAM.gov Assistance Listings database. Eligible applicants include State or Local Government.

Funding opportunities. PlainGrants has indexed 20 Grants.gov opportunity announcements tied to CFDA 84.411. Of those, 0 are currently open for applications and 20 have closed. The largest award ceiling seen across these announcements is $15.0 million. Agencies have projected roughly $3.9 billion in total estimated funding across the indexed announcements for this CFDA number. Individual Notice of Funding Opportunity documents on Grants.gov carry the exact deadlines, required forms, and submission instructions.

Next steps. Before applying for CFDA 84.411, confirm your organization has an active SAM.gov registration and a Unique Entity ID (UEI) - these are mandatory for every federal funding instrument. Read the current Notice of Funding Opportunity end-to-end, paying close attention to the cost-share or matching requirement, the evaluation criteria, and the narrative page limits. Education-category grants frequently require formal partnerships with local education agencies or accredited institutions, line those commitments up early. For structural help, the guides linked below cover SAM.gov setup, NOFO interpretation, and common rejection reasons.

Where Education sits in the federal catalog

Education accounts for 93 of the 504 catalogued programs (18%). This is one of them.

Share of the 504 federal assistance programs by functional category, SAM.gov Assistance Listings

Typical award as share of ceiling 10.0%

$10.0 million to $100.0 million

Program Description

Competitive grants to improve early learning and development programs for children birth through age five.

Who Is Eligible?

State or Local Government

Ready to Apply?

Visit the official program website for current application requirements and deadlines.

View Official Program

Administering Agency

ED 77 programs

U.S. Department of Education

Federal education programs, student financial aid, and grants to states for K-12 and higher education.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CFDA 84.411 grant program?

CFDA 84.411 is the "Race to the Top — Early Learning Challenge" program administered by U.S. Department of Education. Competitive grants to improve early learning and development programs for children birth through age five.

Who is eligible for Race to the Top — Early Learning Challenge?

Eligible applicants include: State or Local Government. Always verify current eligibility requirements directly with the awarding agency, as requirements can change between funding cycles.

How much funding is available through CFDA 84.411?

The typical award range for this program is $10.0 million to $100.0 million. Actual amounts depend on available appropriations, the number of applicants, and the scope of the proposed project. Check the current Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for exact figures.

How do I apply for this federal grant?

Most federal grants require registration in SAM.gov and submission through Grants.gov. Start by reading the program's Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for specific instructions, deadlines, and required documents. See our step-by-step guide for the full application process.

What is the application deadline for Race to the Top — Early Learning Challenge?

The listed deadline is Annual. Deadlines vary by funding cycle, so always verify with the current NOFO on Grants.gov.

Where can I find more education grants?

PlainGrants lists education grant programs from across federal agencies. Browse all Education grants by category, or use our Eligibility Finder to filter programs by your organization type and funding needs.

Funding Opportunities

Closed Closes: Oct 14, 2025

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Innovation and Early Learning Programs: Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program Expansion Grants Assistance Listing Number 84.411A

Publisher	PlainGrants
Sources	the SAM.gov Assistance Listings and Grants.gov

Race to the Top — Early Learning Challenge

Where Education sits in the federal catalog

Program Description

Who Is Eligible?

Administering Agency

Frequently Asked Questions

Funding Opportunities

Related Education Programs

Grant Application Resources

Related