# English for Heritage Language Speakers Grants to U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (12.554)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/12-554-english-for-heritage-language-speakers-grants-to-u/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

English for Heritage Language Speakers Grants to U.S. Institutions of Higher Education is run by Department of Defense. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $64.7 million in 1 grants, about $64.7 million per award.

## Objectives

The English for Heritage Language Speakers (EHLS) program is designed to provide intensive English language instruction for U. S. citizens who are native speakers of critical languages. The goal of the program is to enable participants to reach professional working proficiency in English, as measured by the federal Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) level 3 and/or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) superior level. The program equips participants with the ability to read, write, speak, and listen at a superior level in an effort to build a critical base of future leaders to serve in the federal government service and the broader professional community.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $32.5 million | 1 |
| 2022 | $32.2 million | 1 |
| 2023 | $0 | 0 |
| 2024 | $0 | 0 |
| 2025 | $0 | 0 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Institute of International Education Inc | New York | $64.7 million |