2026-2027 District Request for Proposals

Timeline

• May 21, 2026, 10:00 AM-11:00 AM: Optional Virtual Information Session
  Click here to register
• May 29, 2026: Recording of the virtual information session will be available on this page.
• June 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM PST: Proposals are due.
  Click here to apply
• July 31, 2026: Tentative notification from SOWA to districts.
• October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027: Anticipated funding period for projects.

Program Priorities and Services

The central goal of the Refugee School Impact (RSI) program is to fund activities that lead to the effective integration and education of eligible children and youth.

Allowable activities must be aligned with the intent and purpose of the Refugee School Impact funding.

The following are the priority areas and allowable activities:

1. Providing specialized approaches and support for eligible students, such as English as a Second Language classes, tutoring, newcomer or transitional programs, after school and summer programs, mentoring, behavioral health supports, and programming that supports integration.
2. Supporting families learning to navigate the U.S. education system, such as school-specific orientation for both families and students, navigators or cultural brokers, and language access.
3. Developing capacity for school staff and systems, through activities and resources such as specialized trainings for school staff around the unique and varied needs of ORR-eligible populations, ensuring language access by translating critical documents, interpretation, and specialized staff dedicated to working with ORR-eligible school-aged children, youth, and families.

Eligible Beneficiaries

Participants eligible for this program include Washington State residents who:

• Have legally resided in the U.S. less than 60 months and are not yet a U.S. citizen; and
• Are currently a school-age child (Kindergarten – 12^th grade), enrolled in an equivalent GED program, or will start kindergarten in the fall (hence is served the summer directly preceding the fall of kindergarten enrollment) or the parent of a school-age child; and
• Provide acceptable documentation of any of the following immigration statuses:
  • Refugee
  • Asylee (meaning asylum was approved and is not pending immigration proceedings)
  • Cuban/Haitian Entrant
  • Amerasian
  • Certified Victims of Trafficking
  • Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Holder (and their eligible family members)
  • Afghan Humanitarian Parolee*
  • Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee**
  • Other populations made eligible by ORR

*Afghan Humanitarian Parolee must have a valid/current parole to enroll in new programming and were paroled into the US during these dates:

• Afghans who were paroled into the U.S. between July 31, 2021 and September 30, 2023.
• Afghans who were paroled into the U.S. after September 30, 2023 ONLY IF they are:
  • A spouse or child of an Afghan Humanitarian Parolee who was paroled into the U.S. between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2023, OR
  • A parent or legal guardian of an Afghan Humanitarian Parolee who is an unaccompanied child and was paroled into the U.S. between July 31, 2021 and September 30, 2023.

**Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee must have a valid/current parole to enroll in new programming*(See Ukrainian Re-Parole Note below) and were paroled into the U.S. during these dates:

• Ukrainians or non-Ukrainians who last habitually resided in Ukraine and who were paroled into the U.S. between February 24, 2022 and September 30, 2024.
• Ukrainians who were paroled into the U.S. after September 30, 2024, ONLY IF they are:
  • A spouse or child of an Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee who was paroled into the U.S. between February 24, 2022 and September 30, 2024, OR
  • A parent or legal guardian or primary caregiver of an Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolee who is an unaccompanied child and was paroled into the U.S. between February 24, 2022 and September 30, 2024.

*Note Regarding Ukrainian Re-Parole

A UHP must have a current/valid Humanitarian Parole to enroll in new programming. If the grantee intends to continue services after the parole expires the grantee is required to:

1. Ensure the client has filed their re-parole application at least 1 day prior to the expiration. Documentation of this must be kept on file. If the client has not applied for re-parole, they can no longer participate in programming.
2. The grantee must reverify that the client is approved for re-parole. Documentation must be kept on file. If pre-parole was denied and the client does not have another eligible status (such as asylum), the client must be exited from programming.

Sub-grant Applicants

Only school districts in Washington State may submit a proposal. If providing student services, districts are required to partner with at least one community-based organization.

Funding Availability

This funding opportunity is made available through a grant from the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services’ Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (DSHS/ORIA). Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services’ Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (DSHS/ORIA) anticipates the availability of approximately $3.1 million for 10-20 sub-grants with Refugee School Impact funds. Grant funding from School’s Out Washington (SOWA) is contingent upon SOWA receiving a 2026-2027 contract from ORIA for Program Administration of the Refugee School Impact Program.

Funding Priorities

Proposals should include student activities, parent engagement and/or professional development activities. School orientations for students and parents are also allowable.

In general, proposals should include direct student services. New or small districts are exempt from this requirement and may propose only professional development or only parent engagement activities. Each district proposing student activities must serve at least 20 unduplicated students or more.  Districts may serve students and parents who have been in the U.S. less than five years.

Funding Requirements

Since this is federal funding, funded districts must comply with federal regulations. Funded grantees will be required to collect data and submit reports to meet ORR Refugee School Impact requirements. If proposing student services, grantees must provide individualized student demographic data and submit English Language Proficiency Assessment data. If proposing student or parent activities, grantees must collect and submit copies of immigration documentation verifying that participants are eligible for refugee services.

Funding Restrictions

• Grant funds cannot be used to serve ineligible students and parents.  Ineligible students and parents cannot benefit from programming solely funded through this grant.  Any programming that supports both eligible and ineligible students and parents must have proportional non-RSIP funding.
• Grant funds cannot be used for stand-alone field trips or recreational activities.  Field trips and recreational activities can only be offered in conjunction with a core program such as an English as a Second Language class, tutoring, newcomer or transitional program, after school and summer program, mentoring, behavioral health support, or programming that supports integration.  A student must be enrolled in a core program in order to participate in a field trip or a recreational activity.
• Grant funds cannot be used for teaching a language other than English, participant stipends, college application fees, driver’s license or permit fees, parents’ English classes or job search activities, case management and resource/referral services related to families’ basic needs, construction and renovation, or to supplant other federal, state, local or private funds available to assist refugee students.
• These RSIP-District services must either be different from the RSIP-School Age CBO and ERSI services or serve individuals not participating in RSIP-School Age CBO or ERSI services.
• Administrative costs are limited to 15% or your district’s federally approved indirect rate.

Student Activities

• To more closely align activities to the ORR priorities, core activity types  for student activities in the application only include: (1) Literacy and STEM; (2) School Navigation/Integration; (3) Graduation and Beyond; (4) Mentoring; and (5) Behavioral Health/Mental Health Supports.
• Stand-alone field trips and recreational activities are NOT allowable.  You can use grant funds for field trips/recreational activities in conjunction with a core activity type.
• Orientation has been removed from our activity type descriptors because we have fewer new arrivals, but you can provide this service under School Navigation/Integration.
• We added Behavioral Health/Mental Health Supports, which includes counseling, group therapy, support groups, specialized programming to address trauma, to improve well-being and to build resiliency, etc.

Questions

Please contact Sheona Sauna at ssauna@schoolsoutwashington.org.