Perkins V Rural Innovation Career and Technical Education Program

The Florida Department of Education, Division of Career and Adult Education, administers the Perkins V Rural Innovation Career and Technical Education program under the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, CFDA 84.048. The program uses a portion of Florida's Perkins V reserve funds to support career and technical education in rural counties and designated rural communities. Funding is intended to help eligible recipients develop the academic and technical skills of students enrolled in career and technical education programs that prepare participants for high-skill, high-wage, and/or high-demand fields. Projects must strengthen connections between secondary and postsecondary education, align with the recipient's Secondary or Postsecondary four-year Perkins V plan, and comply with applicable Perkins V requirements. For the funding period, eligible applicants are Florida public school districts and Florida College System institutions serving rural counties or designated rural communities that are also eligible recipients of Perkins V Secondary and/or Postsecondary funds. Rural eligibility is tied to areas recognized through Florida's Rural Economic Development Initiative, including eligible rural counties and designated rural communities located within urban counties. Rural Innovation funding may support secondary and postsecondary career and technical education programs offered by a school district, district postsecondary institution, or Florida College System institution serving the applicable county. Programs supported with the grant must appear on the applicant's approved Secondary or Postsecondary fundable programs list. Applicants must address at least one of four priority areas: Distance Learning; priorities identified through the Secondary or Postsecondary Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment; Entrepreneurship Education and Training Initiatives; or additional integration or support for postsecondary credentials of value to ensure that CTE programs continue to meet Perkins V Size, Scope and Quality requirements. The project abstract must explain how reserve funds will support career pathways, how comprehensive local needs assessment results informed program and activity selection, what CTE services and activities will be provided, and how the project will prepare students for high-wage, high-skill, and/or high-demand occupations. Budget items must directly align with the narrative, Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment priorities, Perkins V uses-of-funds requirements, and applicable CTE program or CIP numbers. Program funds must be used for activities that directly support the grant purpose, priorities, and expected outcomes during the approved performance period. Allowable costs may include appropriate project staff, office materials and supplies, consultant fees, printing, meeting-room rentals, and other relevant project administration costs. Certain technology devices may be allowable with prior FDOE approval and appropriate justification. The RFA identifies numerous generally unallowable costs, including pre-award costs, entertainment, meals and refreshments, celebrations, incentives, gift cards, advertising, promotional items, facility or vehicle purchases, land acquisition, furniture, tuition, capital improvements, clothing or uniforms, and costs already covered through indirect cost allocation. Equipment must comply with applicable federal and state property requirements. No matching contribution is required. The total program funding identified in the RFA is $2,600,000. Allocations are formula-based and tied to eligible rural counties and designated communities, with no identified rural county or designated rural community receiving less than $25,000. The allocation chart ranges from $25,000 for multiple designated communities to $120,052 for Nassau County. Allocations are subject to change based on Florida's final federal award and applicable performance information. The budget and program performance period is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The Commissioner may recommend an award amount greater or less than the amount requested. Rural Innovation awards are funded only in conjunction with the eligible recipient's Secondary or Postsecondary Perkins V grant application. Applications must be submitted electronically to the Florida Department of Education Office of Grants Management through the established ShareFile folder using the required agency naming convention. The application package includes the narrative sections, priority-area selection, abstract, Letter of Agreement and option selection, Support for Reading or Strategic Imperatives response, a one-page GEPA summary, Projected Equipment Purchases Form when applicable, Application Review Criteria and Checklist, DOE 100A Project Application, and DOE Budget Narrative. A signed local Letter of Agreement must document the allocation arrangement between participating local education agencies. The stated application due date was June 30, 2026. Applications received after that date may be accepted, but the DOE 100A had to be received by June 30 for a July 1 grant start date. Program contacts are assigned geographically; grants-management contacts include Phyllis White at Phyllis.White@fldoe.org and 850-245-0715 and Ashley Williamson at Ashley.Williamson@fldoe.org and 850-245-9479.

Align the project with the Secondary or Postsecondary four-year Perkins V plan and CLNA; use only programs on the approved fundable programs list; address at least one of the four stated priority areas; tie each budget line to the applicable CLNA need, Perkins V use-of-funds requirement, and program or CIP number; obtain the required signed local Letter of Agreement; follow the prescribed file order and ShareFile naming requirements.