As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) issued the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 competition for the American History and Civics – National Activities (AHC-NA) Program.
Building on ED’s historic $153 million investment in the American History and Civics Seminar program , this competition marks another step in the Trump Administration’s efforts to promote American history, civics and government, and geography instruction. It also reaffirms the Trump Administration’s commitment to prioritizing patriotic education by teaching American history and founding principles in a way that is accurate.
“In the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday, these grants will help revitalize history and civics education in classrooms across the nation, ensuring that future generations understand and cherish the ideals that have guided us since our founding,” said Assistant Secretary of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Kirsten Baesler. “Through thoughtful engagement with our history and civics, we can prepare young people who model respect, responsibility, and a deep appreciation for our nation’s exceptional founding principles.
“In light of America’s upcoming semi-quincentennial, these grants-open to applications from colleges, nonprofits and for-profits-are a timely return to teaching first principles and cultivating the Common Good,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor, Employment and Training, Dr. Henry Mack. “While the belief that individuals have certain immutable rights ordered toward an objective good is one that extends far beyond the classroom, it is a belief that must take root in classrooms, and the workplaces, for it to survive for another 250 years. The Trump Administration is committed to guaranteeing that by restoring this program to its intended purpose.”
Under the previous Administration, schools were encouraged to prioritize anti-American, race- and gender-based ideologies in the classroom, rather than to equip students with a comprehensive and honest understanding of American history and founding principles. Now, the Trump Administration is using Secretary McMahon’s Supplemental Priorities to support grantees who will promote patriotic education by providing educators with high-quality professional development and evidence-based instructional strategies that will strengthen instruction in American history, civics and government, and geography.
Background:
To date, ED has announced 10 Interagency Agreements (IAAs) with five agencies to break up the Federal education bureaucracy, ensure efficient delivery of funded programs, and pursue the President’s promise to return education to the states. Learn more about the efforts to return education to the states here .
This grant program will run through the ED-DOL partnership, formalized through an IAA, a tool routinely utilized by government agencies to procure services from each other. Under this partnership, and in accordance with 31 U.S.C. § 1535, DOL will help manage grant funds, provide technical assistance, and integrate ED’s programs that promote American history and civics education with the suite of programs that DOL already administers.
ED and DOL will continue to provide grantees with additional guidance as these efforts are implemented.