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Important Dates

Single-year grant

  • Applications opened: February 9, 2026
  • Grant modification request submission: May 1, 2026
  • Applications close: May 29, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET
  • Recipients notified: August 26, 2026
  • Initial payment/disbursement: September 2026
  • Midyear check-in: January/February 2027
  • Final reports due: August – October 2027
  • End-of-year campus visits: August – December 2027

The NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program (AASP) supports Division I historically underfunded institutions/member schools in advancing student-athletes’ academic achievement and graduation. AASP grants provide targeted resources to strengthen academic support, improve Academic Progress Rate outcomes and build sustainable campus programs that help student-athletes thrive.

For 2025–26, 19 Division I institutions received AASP single-year grants totaling more than $1.7 million. See the official NCAA release for the full list and details.

Who's Eligible

Single-year grants

  • Division I FCS or non-football institution
  • Historically underfunded institutions/member schools status (meet at least one):
    • Among the bottom 15% of Division I based on NCAA research metrics (per-capita institutional expenditures, per-capita athletics funding, per-capita Pell Grant aid)
    • Member of a conference where at least 60% of schools fall in the bottom 15% on the same metrics
  • APR performance (meet at least one):
    • Two or fewer teams below a 930 APR
    • Three teams below 930 APR and no Level II or Level III penalties in the past two APR years

Award Details

Note: Comprehensive grants are offered in select cycles. When not available, institutions may apply for initiatives (single-year) grants.

How to Apply

Resources

Accelerating Academic Success Program
Governance and Member Services Academic, Education, and Engagement Working Group
Single-Year Award Honoree Database
Multi-Year Award Honoree Database

Questions?

Contact us at 317-917-6506 or email at kyurk@ncaa.org.