Submitting a Winning School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) Grant
A Step-by-Step Guide to a Successful Proposal
[10/7/25: This Website now has the most up-to-date information available on the two School-Based Mental Health grants announced by the U.S. Department of Education on September 29, 2025. Thus, the information here is from the two separate Federal Register RFP announcements and their corresponding applications (see below).]
Introduction
Welcome, School Leaders.
Thank you for your interest in the U.S. Department of Education’s School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) grant programs, and your commitment to partner with me to write one or both of the available grants. These grants represents a critical opportunity to increase the number of credentialed school psychologist in your schools and address the growing mental health needs of our students.
This comprehensive website walks you through the entire application process. We have “reverse-engineered” the official nine-part application to create an effective and efficient workflow—helping you and your Grant Leadership Team to successfully navigate the entire process from team formation to grant submission.
Instead of a sequential Part 1-to-9 approach to writing the Grant, our process enables your team to strategically work on multiple sections simultaneously, starting with the administrative and infrastructure-building tasks that are either easiest to accomplish or require the longest lead times.
Our goal is to demystify the federal grant-writing process, help you craft a compelling narrative that aligns with the priorities in your Grant’s Request for Proposal (RFP), and submit a complete, compliant, and winning proposal before the deadline.
As noted above, TWO separate SBMH grant RFPs were announced on the same day:
GRANT 1–The “H” Grant: School-Based Mental Health Grant Program—ALN 84.184H
This is the “Immediate Hiring” grant. Its focus is on funding the recruitment, retention, and respecialization of already credentialed or soon-to-be-credentialed professionals. It is designed for LEAs that need to hire and place school psychologists into service roles quickly.
The ultimate goal is to increase the number of credentialed school psychologists in high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) or LEA consortia to provide mental health services at the early intervention, strategic intervention, and intensive intervention levels for students in need.
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GRANT 2–The “X” Grant: Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant Program—ALN 84.184X
This is the “Pipeline Building” grant. Its focus is on funding partnerships between LEAs and higher education universities (IHEs) that are training school psychology graduate students to be state-credentialed as school psychologists. It is designed to build a long-term, sustainable workforce by investing in the next generation of professionals. Critically, LEAs are allowed to apply for this Grant. IHEs cannot independently apply, although they will certainly be included as partners.
These ultimate goal is to address shortages of school psychologists, in high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) so they can provide mental health services at the early intervention, strategic intervention, and intensive intervention levels for students in need.
Below are (a) Federal Register announcements and official applications for these two grants; and (b) a side-by-side Briefing Document comparing and contrasting the two grants.
The H Grant:
Federal Register SBMH Grant Program 84.184H.pdf
84.184H Official Application Instructions 2025-sbmh-112443.pdf
The X Grant:
Federal Register SBMH Grant Program 84.184X.pdf
84.184X Official Application Instructions 2025 112438.pdf
H vs. X Side-by-Side Comparison
Comparison of Proposed USDoE SBMH Grants 10 1 25.pdf
Overview of the SBMH Grant and the Proposal-Writing Process (8 Minutes)
Website Pages for Grant Preparation, Writing, and Submission
Table of Contents
Page A. Activities and Timeline Before the Request for Proposals is Published
- Projected Timeline (Four to Six Weeks Maximum Prior to RFP Posting)
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Page B. Activities Immediately after the Request for Proposals is Published
- Projected Timeline (Three to Four Weeks from the RFP’s Posting)
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Page C1. Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal–Section 1
- Section 1—Business Assurances, Certifications, and State Reviews
Application Part 7—Assurances and Certifications
Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL)
Grants.gov Lobbying Form
General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Requirements – Section 427 (ED GEPA 427 form)
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs (Executive Order 12372)– This requirement has been waived for this competition.
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Page C2. Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal–Section 2
- Section 2—Writing the Project Narrative, Project Objectives, and Performance Measures
Application Part 4—Project Narrative Attachment Form
Table of Contents
Application Narrative
Project Objectives and Performance Measures (Embedded in Narrative–Management Section ii)
Application Part 3—ED Abstract Form
Project Abstract
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Page C3. Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal–Section 3
- Section 3—Writing the Budget and Budget Narrative
Application Part 2—Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524)
ED Budget Form 524—Section A
Application Part 5—Budget Narrative Attachment Form
Budget Narrative
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Page C4. Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal–Section 4
- Section 4—Completing the Cover Page and the Appendices/Other Attachments
Application Part 1—Standard Documents
Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF-424)
ED Supplemental Information for SF-424
Application Part 6—Other Attachments Form
Individual Resumes for Project Directors & Key Personnel
Copy of Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if relevant)
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Page C5. Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal–Section 5
- Section 5—Successfully Submitting the Application
Videos Available on the Website Pages
Each of the webpages above has a short 6 to 8 minute video that sets up that page. While you can wait to view each video until organizing yourself to complete the activities on that page, we strongly recommend that you watch each of the videos now so that you get a quick overview of the different elements of a winning grant proposal.
The webpages and the respective videos on this website are titled as follows:
Introductory Video: SBMH Grant—A High-Stakes Lifeline for Students
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Activities and Timelines Before the Request for Proposals (RFP) is Published
Video 1: Choosing Your Writing Team
Video 2: Navigating SAM.gov and Grants.gov Registration
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Activities and Timelines Once the Request for Proposals is Published
Video 3: Your Gameplan Once the RFP is Out
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Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 1
Video 4: Grant Submission Template and Administrative Requirements
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Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 2
Video 5: Writing a Winning Grant Narrative
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Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 3
Video 6: Writing the Budget and Budget Narrative
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Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 4
Video 7: Cover Page, Appendices, Other Attachments
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Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 5
Video 8: Successfully Submitting Your Grant Application
Links to the Pages of this Website
Activities and Timelines Before the Request for Proposals (RFP) is Published
Activities and Timelines Once the Request for Proposals is Published
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 1
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 2
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 3
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 4
Writing and Submitting the Grant Proposal—Section 5
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