FAA CANDO-ATC — Creating Opportunities for a More Diverse and Inclusive National Aviation Workforce
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) — U.S. Department of Transportation
$250,000 to $2M+
FAA aviation workforce diversity grants
CANDO-ATC is an FAA grant program that funds universities, community colleges, and aviation training organizations to develop and implement workforce programs increasing diversity in aviation careers, with emphasis on Air Traffic Control (ATC), aviation maintenance, and piloting. For-profit aviation training schools and flight academies are eligible alongside non-profits and educational institutions. Awards fund curriculum development, scholarships, simulator equipment, and program infrastructure. Note: FAA paused some aviation workforce grant competitions in 2025 for DEI-compliance review. Programs have since restarted — confirm current NOFO status at faa.gov/grants.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $250,000 – $2,000,000
- Realistic amount
- Most CANDO-ATC awards to small aviation training organizations are $250K–$750K for curriculum development and equipment.…
- Deadline
- Annual — typically one application cycle per year; check grants.gov and faa.gov for current NOFO
- Status
- discontinued
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- U.S.-based organization — eligible applicants include accredited colleges and universities, community colleges, vocational schools, for-profit aviation training schools and flight academies, non-profit aviation education organizations, and air traffic control academies.
- For-profit flight academies and aviation maintenance training schools ARE explicitly eligible — this distinguishes CANDO from many federal education grants limited to non-profits.
- Programs must demonstrate focus on increasing diversity in aviation careers — applications should include data on underrepresented groups in the applicant's current student population or describe targeted outreach to underrepresented communities.
- Aviation programs covered: Air Traffic Control (ATC) training, FAA-certificated pilot training (Part 141 or Part 61), aviation maintenance technician (AMT) programs, and aviation-related STEM education pipelines.
- SAM.gov UEI registration required for all applicants.
- No cost-share requirement stated in the CANDO program (verify in the specific NOFO — some FAA grants require match).
- Applicant organization must have at minimum a 2-year operating history in aviation education or training.
Hard requirements
- Must be incorporated
- Restricted to specific NAICS codes: true
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Aviation simulation equipment (flight simulators, ATC tower simulators, radar training systems)
- Curriculum development costs — instructional design, course materials, accreditation fees
- Instructor and program coordinator salaries directly tied to the funded program
- Student recruitment and outreach costs (career fairs, social media, school visits)
- Scholarships and stipends for aviation students (if specifically authorized in NOFO)
- Training materials, textbooks, and supplies
- FAA certification fees for students (if authorized in NOFO)
- Indirect/overhead costs at the applicant's negotiated rate (capped per NOFO)
Ineligible expenses
- Aircraft purchases — CANDO funds training infrastructure, not aircraft acquisition
- General institutional operating costs not tied to the specific program
- Construction of new buildings or major renovations
- Lobbying and political activities
- Profit margins on for-profit applicants — federal awards fund costs, not profit
How to apply
-
1
Monitor grants.gov for CANDO-ATC NOFO
Search grants.gov for 'CANDO' or 'FAA aviation workforce' under agency DOT-FAA. The NOFO contains specific eligibility requirements, application format, and deadline. Download the NOFO and read Section C (Eligibility) and Section D (Application Requirements) before investing in proposal preparation.
~12 hrs
-
2
Register in SAM.gov and grants.gov
Ensure active SAM.gov registration with current UEI. Create or log into your grants.gov workspace. Allow 2–3 weeks before deadline for registration issues. Aviation training schools sometimes forget SAM.gov renewal — check expiration date.
~12 hrs
-
3
Develop project narrative and diversity plan
Core components: (1) Problem statement — document underrepresentation in aviation careers using FAA and BLS data; (2) Project description — specific programs, curriculum, equipment, and activities; (3) Diversity and equity plan — concrete strategies for recruiting and supporting underrepresented students; (4) Evaluation plan — how you will measure program outcomes (enrollment, retention, certification rates, job placement).
~12 hrs
-
4
Prepare budget and submit
Prepare itemized budget covering: personnel (program coordinators, instructors), equipment (simulators, training aids), curriculum development, scholarship support (if applicable), outreach and marketing. Submit complete package through grants.gov workspace by the NOFO deadline. Submissions after deadline are not accepted.
~12 hrs
-
5
FAA review and award notification
FAA reviews applications over 4–6 months. Awards announced via grants.gov notification. Grant agreement finalized with FAA regional office. Funds disbursed through Payment Management System (PMS).
~12 hrs
Industry & certifications
NAICS codes: 611512, 488190, 481
The diversity data requirement is the differentiator — include specific enrollment demographics and compare to FAA's published workforce statistics. Schools in underserved rural or urban areas with documented outreach plans score higher.
Deadline & timing
CANDO-ATC issues an annual Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) through grants.gov. Application windows are typically 30–60 days. The program has run annually since FY2020. FY2026 NOFO timing was not confirmed at curation date — monitor grants.gov under FAA (agency code DOT-FAA) or subscribe to FAA education alerts. Awards are announced approximately 6 months after application deadline.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.