Closed
California state funding opportunity
21st Century California School Leadership Academy, Cohort 3
CA Department of Education
- Portal ID171630
- Grant ID7537
- StatusClosed
Competitive proposals usually start 6+ weeks out.
Program summary
Synopsis
California Education Code Section 44690(c)(1) directs the California Department of Education (CDE), the State Board of Education (SBE) and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) to select providers of professional learning for administrators and other school leaders. The professional learning through the 21CSLA will be free of charge to local educational agencies that receive federal Title II funds.
The CDE, SBE, and CCEE will select one awardee to serve as the 21CSLA Center and up to seven awardees to serve as 21CSLA Regional Academies. Please note that the Center application is a renewal. Only the current 21CSLA Center may apply. Awardees, supported by the CDE, CCEE, and SBE, will work collaboratively within the Statewide System of Support (SOS) to build the capacity of educational leaders statewide through professional learning aligned to the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL) and the Quality Professional Learning Standards (QPLS). A goal of this program is to have a Regional Academy located in each of the seven Geographic Lead Agency boundaries. A statewide map of the Geographic Lead Agency boundaries can be found on the CDE Geographic Lead Agency web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/sw/t1/crss.asp. The 21CSLA Center will be awarded a minimum of $2 million per year and each 21CSLA Regional Academy will be awarded a minimum of $1 million per year for a three-year period. Additional funding may be available based on regional needs. Regional Academy applicants shall develop a budget that reflects the coverage of their region. Final selection of awardees is subject to approval by the Executive Director of the SBE. The 21CSLA Program was established by Senate Bill 75, Section 26 Statutes of 2019 (see Appendix A). Article 5 (commencing with Section 44690) was added to Chapter 3.1 of part 25 of Division 3 of Title II of the California Education Code, see https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/pl/ca21cslasb75.asp. The law specifies that the professional learning provided through 21CSLA will be made free of charge to LEAs that receive federal Title II funds and include the following: ·Training and coaching for principals and other school leaders in critical areas identified by the CDE and CCEE, in consultation with the Executive Director of the SBE ·Training mentors for novice principals and teachers. ·Training coaches to support leaders in high-need settings. ·Training for central office leaders, principals, and other school leaders, including teacher leaders, involved in school improvement efforts. Lead applicants must be institutions of higher education (IHEs), nonprofit educational services providers, and local educational agencies (LEAs) with expertise in providing professional learning, coaching, and mentoring to principals and other school leaders in public schools serving transitional kindergarten and grades one to twelve, inclusive, to organize and offer high-quality professional learning, coaching, and mentoring for central office leaders, principals, and other schools leaders, including teacher leaders, involved in school improvement efforts.
Timeline
Key dates
-
May 13, 2026
Opportunity posted to California Grants Portal -
June 24, 2026
Applications close -
September 3, 2026
Expected award date
Who may apply
Eligibility
Eligible applicant types as published by the awarding agency:
- Nonprofit
- Public Agency
- Geography
- A goal of the 21CSLA Cohort 3 Program is to have a Regional Academy located in each of the seven Geographic Lead Agency boundaries. A statewide map of the Geographic Lead Agency boundaries can be found on the CDE Geographic Lead Agency web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/sw/t1/crss.asp. Please note that applicants may only apply to serve one region.
Awarding agency
Additional information
- Agency name
- CA Department of Education
- Full announcement
- View the full announcement ↗
- Grantor contact
-
Alexis Clift and Jeffrey Franey
1-916-445-7331
21CSLA@cde.ca.gov
Funding
Funding source
- Source
- Federal
- Funding method
- Reimbursement(s)
- Notes
- The 21CSLA Cohort 3 grant program is funded through Budget Act 26, Item 6100-195-0890 Schedule 3 as established by California Education Code Section 44690.
Government Grants Consulting
Federal, state, and local grant funding is highly competitive, and the gap between a complete application and a winning one usually comes down to strategy, compliance, and execution. GTC 360° Advisors supports organizations across the entire grant lifecycle — from identifying the right opportunities to managing the award long after it is won. The questions below cover how our grant consulting practice works and the organizations we serve.
What is government grant consulting, and how does GTC 360° Advisors help?
Government grant consulting means guiding an organization through the full grant lifecycle — research, eligibility review, strategy, writing, submission, and post-award compliance. GTC 360° Advisors manages this end to end, pairing grant writers, project managers, financial analysts, and compliance analysts to maximize the odds of an award and keep it in good standing afterward.What types of organizations can GTC 360° Advisors help win grants?
GTC 360° Advisors supports municipalities, state agencies, nonprofits, school districts, tribal governments, higher education institutions, and private companies pursuing grant funding. Clients have included the City of Los Angeles, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, Virginia Commonwealth University, and nonprofit partners such as the Walton Family Foundation and Blue Meridian Partners.What federal agencies has GTC 360° Advisors secured funding from?
GTC 360° Advisors has secured funding from agencies including the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Commerce (EDA and NIST), Education, and State, as well as FEMA, EPA, NSF, NIH, HRSA, SAMHSA, and the CDC. The firm has won over $860 million and counting in federal and state contracts and grants for its clients.Does GTC 360° Advisors handle state and local grants, or only federal?
GTC 360° Advisors pursues grant funding at the local, state, federal, and international levels. The firm’s advisor network is positioned in every state to help clients identify and compete for regional and state-level funding in addition to federal opportunities.What is GrantSignal AI, and how does it help find grant opportunities?
GrantSignal AI is GTC 360° Advisors’ AI-powered funding intelligence platform. It aggregates federal, foundation, and other public funding sources into a single dashboard, then uses AI to match opportunities to an organization’s mission, eligibility, and capacity — rather than relying on simple keyword search — and sends alerts as new, winnable opportunities appear.Does GTC 360° Advisors provide grant compliance and post-award management?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors manages grants through close-out, including compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), Davis-Bacon labor standards, Section 3, environmental review requirements, and funder reporting obligations. The firm builds compliance systems and reporting frameworks so clients stay in good standing with federal and state grantors.What is GTC 360° Advisors’ track record on grant applications?
GTC 360° Advisors has historically maintained an 88%-plus win rate on the grant applications it has submitted, including a 100% win rate in 2024 across several highly competitive programs. Recent wins include $180 million in EDA Tech Hubs funding for three consortia and $20 million in EDA Recompete funding for the City of Birmingham, Alabama.Can nonprofits and higher education institutions work with GTC 360° Advisors on grants?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors regularly supports nonprofits and universities with grant strategy, writing, and administration, including current work with the Walton Family Foundation, Blue Meridian Partners, Texas A&M University, the Montana State University System, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Working With GTC 360° Advisors
Every engagement is scoped around the organization in front of us — its goals, its deadline, and the internal capacity it already has. Pricing, team assignments, and project milestones are agreed before any work begins, so there are no surprises mid-project. Below are the questions prospective clients and partners ask us most often.
How much does it cost to work with GTC 360° Advisors?
Pricing is customized to the scope, timeline, and budget of each engagement, with both hourly and fixed-fee options available depending on the deliverable. GTC 360° Advisors prices transparently, with no hidden fees for administrative or incidental work, and structures fees so clients gain a full team of senior professionals for less than the cost of a single in-house hire.What is the process for getting started with GTC 360° Advisors?
Engagements typically start with a conversation about your organization’s goals, funding needs, or growth targets, followed by a scoped proposal outlining services, team, and pricing. From there, GTC 360° Advisors assigns team members matched to the work and begins with research, strategy, or capture planning, depending on the engagement.How long does it take to see results from a grant or contract engagement?
Timelines vary by opportunity: some grant or contract cycles run a few months from research to submission, while others (large infrastructure or multi-year programs) take longer and continue through post-award management. GTC 360° Advisors sets clear project timelines and milestones at the start of every engagement so clients know what to expect.Does GTC 360° Advisors work with organizations outside the United States?
GTC 360° Advisors primarily supports U.S.-based government contracts, grants, and business development, but its public affairs and business development services extend internationally through its global partner network for clients running cross-border campaigns.Can I join the GTC 360° Advisors Network as a consultant or subject matter expert?
Yes. GTC 360° Advisors welcomes applications from experienced firms and freelancers who align with its mission and values to join the GTC 360° Advisors Network, giving members access to mutual marketing, referrals, and new client opportunities.How do I contact GTC 360° Advisors to discuss a project?
You can reach GTC 360° Advisors at info@gtc360.com or through the contact form at gtc360.com/join-our-network. The firm typically responds to discuss goals, funding needs, or growth targets and outline next steps for an engagement.
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