Institute of Education Sciences (IES): Education Research: Transformative Research in The Education Sciences Assistance Listing Number 84.305T | ED GRANTS 112020 002

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 112020 002

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES), through its National Center for Education Research (NCER), is offering a discretionary research funding opportunity titled "Education Research: Transformative Research in the Education Sciences" (Assistance Listing 84.305T). The core goal of this program is to fund education research that can deliver reliable, valid evidence about education practices and policies that improve learning, raise academic achievement, and expand access to educational opportunity for all learners. What makes this particular competition distinct is its emphasis on transformative work: NCER is looking for proposals that go beyond incremental advances and instead have a credible path to major impact, such as opening up new scientific directions, producing unconventional but promising approaches to practice or policy, or creating technologies that could substantially improve learner outcomes.

This competition is specifically designed for innovative or unconventional research that could reshape how education research is conducted or how education systems operate. NCER indicates it will consider only those applications that clearly argue for the potential to produce a major impact in areas aligned with the Institute's mission. In practical terms, a strong application under this program would not just propose a standard study in a familiar line of work, but would make a compelling case that the project could change the field's assumptions, methods, or available solutions. While the synopsis does not list topical priorities, it frames the program broadly around education practices, policy, access, and outcomes, with a strong preference for ambitious ideas that could shift the current landscape.

The funding instrument for this opportunity is a cooperative agreement, meaning applicants should expect a more involved relationship with the funder than a standard grant, potentially including substantial federal participation or collaboration during the project. The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The opportunity number is listed as ED GRANTS 112020 002, and the original closing date in the provided summary is March 11, 2021. The synopsis does not provide an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the official Federal Register notice for those details, along with any budget limits, project duration guidance, or topic-specific requirements.

Eligibility is broad, centered on whether an applicant has the capacity to conduct scientifically valid research. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses, per the listing), and a wide range of government entities. The eligibility list explicitly includes state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled colleges and universities, private colleges and universities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (so long as they meet the relevant requirements), and other types of organizations that can demonstrate research capability. For nonprofits, the notice references 34 CFR 75.51 as the basis for proving nonprofit status, and it lays out common forms of acceptable documentation. These include IRS recognition of 501(c)(3) tax-deductible status, certification from a state taxing authority or attorney general, incorporation documents that clearly establish nonprofit status, or equivalent documentation for a parent organization along with a statement confirming the applicant is a local affiliate.

For application logistics and compliance requirements, the synopsis stresses that it is only a summary and that the authoritative requirements are in the official Federal Register notice. Applicants are directed to review the official notice for pre-application and application requirements, submission instructions, performance measures, priorities, and program contact details. The synopsis also points applicants to the Department of Education's Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published February 13, 2019, at 84 FR 3768) for standardized guidance on how to obtain and submit applications, including addresses and other procedural requirements. In short, the program funds high-risk, high-reward education research with the potential to be field-changing, is open to a broad set of research-capable organizations, and requires close attention to the official Federal Register notice and the Department's common application instructions to ensure compliance.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Institute of Education Sciences (IES): Education Research: Transformative Research in The Education Sciences Assistance Listing Number 84.305T" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.305.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-03-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Others.

Apply for ED GRANTS 112020 002

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: