Education Department grantees, nonprofits among them, must now justify every request for grant money
Since Nov. 1, each drawdown through the department's G5 payment system needs a written reason of up to 255 characters. A broader proposed rewrite of the department's grant rules, which would let it end grants for convenience, is still pending.
Washington. Every recipient of a U.S. Department of Education grant, nonprofits included, must now give a written justification each time it asks to draw down grant money, under a requirement that took effect Nov. 1. The department set it out in a Sept. 28 memo to grantees, and it applies to every payment request submitted through G5, the department's grants payment system.
The department says the step carries out Executive Order 14222, which President Donald Trump signed on Feb. 26, 2025. The order told each agency to record a brief, written justification for every payment under its grants and contracts, with a way for the agency head to "pause and rapidly review" any payment that lacks one.
What a request must say
Each justification must give the program name, the expense categories and amounts, and the start and end dates of the expenses, in no more than 255 characters, according to the memo as reported by K-12 Dive. The requirement reaches early childhood, K-12, higher education and adult education programs. If the department or a partner agency flags a justification, the grantee receives an email asking for more explanation, and the payment is processed once the request is updated. The department's how-to guide applies the rule to withdrawals as small as $75, The 74 reported.
“In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to reject a recipient's justification for payment request outright.”
Mr. Bessette told K-12 Dive the measure "doesn't really require much on the part of the grantees." A department official told the publication that of 7,600 payments worth $2 billion processed since September 2025 for the department's career, technical and adult education programs, six were flagged for more explanation.
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, said the step adds work for states and districts and duplicates existing budget approvals, audits and fiscal reviews. The National Association of State Directors of Special Education said any delay in federal payments would directly affect services for students with disabilities.
A wider rewrite still pending
Separately, the department proposed on Aug. 24 a rewrite of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations, the rules that govern its grants. The proposal would state the department's ability to terminate discretionary grants for convenience, set out how it may frontload the money for a multiyear project, and end the requirement to publish grant competitions in the Federal Register, leaving applicants to rely on Grants.gov. The department said it intends to finalize the rules in late 2026.
More than 5,500 groups and individuals commented before the Sept. 23 deadline, The 74 reported. Some grantees told the publication they worry that cancellations like the department's cut of nearly $170 million for community schools in 12 states last December could become routine.
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