Education Department Offers Disaster Deadline Relief
Published Date: 6/26/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Education may give extra time or reopen grant application deadlines for people affected by major disasters. This helps those in disaster-hit areas get a fair chance to apply for funding, usually adding up to five extra business days. These changes only affect eligible applicants in the disaster zones and could shift related review deadlines too.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Extra Time for Grant Deadlines After Disasters
When the President issues a Major Disaster Declaration, the Department of Education may extend or reopen the application deadline for a discretionary grant competition for eligible applicants in the disaster area. In general, the Department will limit extensions or reopenings to no more than five business days, though it may allow longer extensions in exceptional circumstances.
Who Can Use the Extended Deadline
Only eligible applicants who are 'affected applicants' located in the federally declared Major Disaster area may use an extended or reopened deadline. To qualify, the applicant’s mailing address must be in the declared area and the applicant may need to provide supporting documentation; for consortia, the lead applicant must be an affected applicant.
Resubmission Rules for Affected Applicants
If an affected applicant already submitted an application before the original deadline, they may resubmit on or before the revised deadline; if they do, the Department will consider the application last submitted and timely received by 11:59:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on the revised deadline. If no new application is submitted, the Department will use the original submission.
No Deadline Extension for Non-Affected Applicants
The Department will not extend the application period for all eligible applicants; applications from applicants who are not 'affected applicants' (i.e., not located in the federally declared disaster area) will not be accepted past the original transmittal deadline.
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