Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need (CAANN) Program Assistance Listing Number: 84.015C
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions of higher education (IHEs) and consortia of IHEs that want to teach strategic languages and international studies.
Eligible applicants are U.S. colleges and universities, including public, private, and for-profit institutions. Consortia of multiple institutions may also apply.
The program supports language instruction in strategic languages like Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and others. It also funds regional studies, international education, and professional field training related to critical regions like Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Latin America.
Program description
Program Description: 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 for National Need program. This 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 languages of strategic importance to the United States’ national security and economic prosperity, such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czech, Arabic, Swahili, Hausa, Hindi, Urdu, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Farsi, Bahasa, Thai, 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 advancing the national security interests of the United States by providing instruction on critical regions such as Latin America, Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Assistance Listing Number: 84.015C.
Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Institutional Capacity Documentation
- Letters of Support (if consortium)
Program contact
- 👤 Holly Clark Management and Program Analyst
- 📧 CAANN@ed.gov
- 📞 2022456408
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 84.015 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$2,547,857
-
$2,312,028
-
$1,939,071
-
$1,729,470
-
$1,615,002
-
$1,565,997
-
$1,553,860
-
$1,480,831
-
$1,455,244
-
$1,434,953
Top States by Funding
- MI 10 awards $12.7M
- IL 10 awards $11.7M
- NY 9 awards $10.7M
- CA 9 awards $10.1M
- WA 9 awards $10.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 84.015). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2018 | $53,595,223 | |
| 2019 | $54,229,723 | |
| 2020 | $54,945,347 | |
| 2021 | $54,945,347 | |
| 2022 | $56,796,677 | |
| 2023 | $60,569,027 | |
| 2024 est. | $60,569,027 | |
| 2025 est. | $60,568,460 |
FAQ
Who can apply for CAANN funding?
U.S. institutions of higher education and consortia of IHEs are eligible. Both comprehensive and undergraduate centers can apply.
What languages and regions are supported?
Strategic languages including Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, and others. Critical regions include Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe, Eurasia, and Latin America.
What activities can I fund with this grant?
Language instruction, area studies courses, research and training in international studies, professional field development, and teaching on critical regions aligned with U.S. national security interests.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is July 7, 2026. Applications must follow the 2025 ED Common Instructions for Discretionary Grant Programs.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required to apply for this grant.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your proposed language and regional focus with U.S. national security and economic interests explicitly mentioned in your application.
- Demonstrate how your institution or consortium will sustain language enrollment and international studies programs.
- Clearly connect language instruction to professional field development and workforce needs.
- Use the 2025 ED Common Instructions for Discretionary Grants to ensure compliance with all formatting and submission requirements.
- Show partnership strength if you are applying as a consortium; explain how institutions will coordinate and contribute.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when language programs lack clear connections to national security or economic priorities. Weak sustainability plans suggest the center cannot survive without continued federal funding. Insufficient detail on student outcomes and career pathways for language learners weakens competitiveness.
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