FY 2018 Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program - Early-Phase Grants - LA n Sync Funding ForecasterLA n Sync Funding Forecaster

Category/Topic
Education

Level
Federal

Summary
The Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program, established under section 4611 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), provides funding to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students; and rigorously evaluate such innovations. The EIR program is designed to generate and validate solutions to persistent educational challenges and to support the expansion of effective solutions to serve substantially larger numbers of students. There are three types of grants under this program: “Early-phase” grants, “Mid-phase” grants, and “Expansion” grants. Early-phase grants provide funding to support the development, implementation, and feasibility testing of a program, which prior research suggests has promise, for the purpose of determining whether the program can successfully improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students. Early-phase grants must demonstrate a rationale. These Early-phase grants are not intended simply to implement established practices in additional locations or address needs that are unique to one particular context. The goal is to determine whether and in what ways relatively newer practices can improve student achievement and attainment for high–need students.

Summary

The Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program, established under section 4611 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), provides funding to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students; and rigorously evaluate such innovations. The EIR program is designed to generate and validate solutions to persistent educational challenges and to support the expansion of effective solutions to serve substantially larger numbers of students.

There are three types of grants under this program: “Early-phase” grants, “Mid-phase” grants, and “Expansion” grants.

Early-phase grants provide funding to support the development, implementation, and feasibility testing of a program, which prior research suggests has promise, for the purpose of determining whether the program can successfully improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students. Early-phase grants must demonstrate a rationale. These Early-phase grants are not intended simply to implement established practices in additional locations or address needs that are unique to one particular context. The goal is to determine whether and in what ways relatively newer practices can improve student achievement and attainment for high–need students.

Eligible Entities
Academic Institutions, K-12 School Districts, K-12 Schools, Local Public Agencies, Native American Tribes, Nonprofit Organizations, State Government

Eligibility Notes
Eligible applicants are local educational agencies (LEAs); state educational agencies (SEAs); the Bureau of Indian Education; a consortium of SEAs or LEAs; a nonprofit organization; or one of the previous eligible applicants in partnership with a nonprofit organization, a business, an educational service agency, or an institution of higher education. Applications must address Absolute Priority 1 and one additional absolute priority. Absolute Priority 1 – Demonstrates a Rationale Projects must demonstrate a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. Absolute Priority 2—Field-Initiated Innovations—General Projects that are designed to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students. Absolute Priority 3— Field-Initiated Innovations—Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science Projects that are designed to: 1) Create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students, and; (2) Improve student achievement or other educational outcomes in one or more of the following areas: science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science (as defined in this notice).

Eligibility Notes

Eligible applicants are local educational agencies (LEAs); state educational agencies (SEAs); the Bureau of Indian Education; a consortium of SEAs or LEAs; a nonprofit organization; or one of the previous eligible applicants in partnership with a nonprofit organization, a business, an educational service agency, or an institution of higher education.

Applications must address Absolute Priority 1 and one additional absolute priority.

Absolute Priority 1 – Demonstrates a Rationale
Projects must demonstrate a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes.

Absolute Priority 2—Field-Initiated Innovations—General
Projects that are designed to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students.

Absolute Priority 3— Field-Initiated Innovations—Promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education, With a Particular Focus on Computer Science Projects that are designed to:
1) Create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale entrepreneurial, evidence-based, field-initiated innovations to improve student achievement and attainment for high-need students, and;
(2) Improve student achievement or other educational outcomes in one or
more of the following areas: science, technology, engineering, math, or computer science (as defined in this notice).

Due Date
Jun 05, 2018

Due Date Notes
The deadline for notice of intent to apply is May 9, 2018. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a notice of intent by completing a web-based form, though non-completion does not prevent an applicant from submitting an application. The deadline for submission of full applications is June 5, 2018.

Due Date Notes

The deadline for notice of intent to apply is May 9, 2018. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a notice of intent by completing a web-based form, though non-completion does not prevent an applicant from submitting an application.

The deadline for submission of full applications is June 5, 2018.

RFP Release Date
Apr 19, 2018

Max Award
$4,000,000

Total Possible Multi-Year Award
$4,000,000

# of Awards
8-16

Annual or Multi-Year?
Annual

Match Required?
Yes

Match Notes
Grant recipients must provide 10% match in cash or in-kind contribution. Match can be from Federal, State, local, or private sources.

Funder
Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement

Total Amount Available for All Grants
$115,000,000

Competition Notes
$115 million is available for all three types of grants under the EIR program, including the early-phase grants. The estimated average and maximum size of an award is $4 million for a single project over 60 months. For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which ED makes awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, there are two invitational priorities: personalized learning and early learning and cognitive development. These priorities do not give applicants a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

Competition Notes

$115 million is available for all three types of grants under the EIR program, including the early-phase grants. The estimated average and maximum size of an award is $4 million for a single project over 60 months.

For FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which ED makes awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, there are two invitational priorities: personalized learning and early learning and cognitive development. These priorities do not give applicants a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

Resources
Opportunity Posting or Webpage

FY 2018 Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program – Early-Phase Grants