Description
The U.S. Department of Education is soliciting applications for the Centers Aligned with Areas for National Need (CAANN) Program, which provides grants to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education to address areas of national need by teaching languages of strategic importance and providing instruction in fields needed to provide understanding of areas, regions, or countries in which the language is used. The program aims to support research and training in international studies and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study, and to advance the national security interests of the United States. The grants will be awarded to Centers that focus on a single country or on a world area identified as an area of national need, and will provide instruction in the principal language or languages of that country or area. Some key points about this opportunity include:
* The program provides grants to institutions of higher education or consortia of institutions of higher education.
* The grants will be awarded to Centers that focus on a single country or on a world area identified as an area of national need.
* The Centers must provide instruction in the principal language or languages of that country or area.
* The program aims to support research and training in international studies and the international and foreign language aspects of professional and other fields of study.
* The grants will be awarded for a period of up to 48 months.
* The estimated average size of awards is $1,400,000.
* The program has four Absolute Priorities and two Competitive Preference Priorities.
* Applicants must follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs.
* The application deadline is July 7, 2026.