Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 003
Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 003
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Education Research and Development Center Program CFDA Number 84.305C" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.305 Education Research, Development and Dissemination.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 15, 2015 and posted on Apr 15, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 20, 2015 Applications Available May 21, 2015. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications August 20, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: City or township governments Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education State governments Private institutions of higher education Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) County governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Independent school districts.
- Eligible Applicants Applicants that have the ability and capacity to conduct scientifically valid research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, nonprofit and for profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges and universities.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Institute of Education Sciences (IES), part of the U.S. Department of Education, announced its FY 2016 research grant competitions under the authority of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. This specific opportunity is the Education Research and Development Centers program, CFDA 84.305C (Funding Opportunity Number ED-GRANTS-041515-003). The overall aim is to strengthen national leadership in education research by building fundamental knowledge about what helps learners succeed, spanning early childhood through postsecondary and adult education, and also improving understanding of developmental and school readiness outcomes for infants and toddlers with or at risk for disabilities. The larger IES research portfolio is designed to produce reliable, valid, and useful evidence that can inform education practice and policy, with the expectation that the findings will be meaningful to educators, families, researchers, students, and decision makers.
At its core, the program emphasizes scientifically valid research that can clarify which education practices, interventions, and approaches improve learning, academic achievement, and equitable access to educational opportunity. IES frames this as a public-facing evidence mission: funded work should add credible knowledge to the field and support better decision making in real educational settings. The Education Research and Development Centers competition (84.305C) sits within a broader set of eight FY 2016 competitions run across two IES centers. The National Center for Education Research (NCER) runs six competitions, including Education Research, Education Research Training, Education Research and Development Centers, Statistical and Research Methodology in Education, Partnerships and Collaborations focused on problems of practice or policy, and Research Networks focused on critical education policy and practice problems. The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) runs two competitions: Special Education Research and Special Education Research Training. Together, these competitions cover multiple CFDA listings: 84.305A, 84.305B, 84.305C, 84.305D, 84.305H, 84.305N, 84.324A, and 84.324B.
This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and can be made as either a grant or a cooperative agreement, depending on the structure and level of agency involvement described in the official notice. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated in the synopsis. The eligible applicant pool is broad, reflecting IES's interest in supporting organizations with the capability to execute rigorous research. Eligible applicants include entities such as public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses, as listed in the eligibility section), state and local governmental units (state governments, county governments, city or township governments), independent school districts, special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribal governments). The key eligibility principle highlighted is capacity: applicants must have the ability and infrastructure to conduct scientifically valid research, and IES notes that eligible applicants include but are not limited to nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions such as colleges and universities.
For timing and access, the opportunity was posted on April 15, 2015, with applications available starting May 21, 2015. The initial deadline for transmittal of applications was August 6, 2015, later updated to a current closing date of August 20, 2015. Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, using the downloadable application package for the relevant competition. A practical detail in the notice is that applicants must search by the CFDA number without the alpha suffix when locating the package (for example, search 84.305 rather than 84.305C). The notice also makes clear that applications cannot be submitted by emailing an electronic copy to the agency; submission must go through Grants.gov.
The announcement repeatedly emphasizes that the synopsis is not the authoritative source for requirements. The official requirements, priorities, application instructions, performance measures, and contact details are contained in the Federal Register notice, which applicants are expected to review closely, including any pre-application guidance and submission rules. For applicant support and questions, the notice provides contacts for Grants.gov system assistance (Julius Cotton, ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Admin, 202-245-6288, EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov) and for program-specific questions (Program Manager Erin Higgins at IES, 202-208-3749, Erin.Higgins@ed.gov), with the program office located at 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202.
In practical terms, this opportunity is about funding organizations to stand up or operate education research and development centers that can conduct sustained, high-quality research programs aligned with national needs. While the synopsis does not list specific topical priorities for centers, it situates the work within IES's broader mission: producing rigorous evidence on education outcomes across the full education pipeline and, within the overall IES competition slate, complementing related efforts in research training, methods, practice-policy partnerships, networks, and special education research. For any organization considering applying, the essential next step is to use the Federal Register notice tied to CFDA 84.305C to confirm the center program requirements, the expected scope of work, budget and project period rules, required application components, peer review criteria, and any priority areas that drive how proposals will be evaluated.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the name of this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is the Education Research and Development Centers program run by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of Education.
2) What are the CFDA number and Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The CFDA number is 84.305C. The Funding Opportunity Number is ED-GRANTS-041515-003.
3) What is the main purpose of the Education Research and Development Centers program?
The program aims to strengthen national leadership in education research by supporting organizations to establish or operate education research and development centers that conduct sustained, high-quality, scientifically valid research. The research is intended to build fundamental knowledge about what helps learners succeed and to generate evidence that can inform education practice and policy.
4) What kinds of education outcomes or populations does IES emphasize in this announcement?
The announcement frames IES-funded research as spanning early childhood through postsecondary and adult education. It also highlights improving understanding of developmental and school readiness outcomes for infants and toddlers with or at risk for disabilities.
5) What does IES mean by “scientifically valid” research in this context?
In this synopsis, IES emphasizes rigorous research designed to produce reliable, valid, and useful evidence. The goal is to clarify which education practices, interventions, and approaches improve learning, academic achievement, and equitable access to educational opportunity in real educational settings.
6) How does this competition fit within IES’s broader FY 2016 research competitions?
This competition (Education Research and Development Centers, 84.305C) is one of eight FY 2016 competitions across two IES centers. The National Center for Education Research (NCER) runs six competitions (including this one), and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) runs two competitions focused on special education research and training.
7) Which IES center runs this specific program (84.305C)?
This program is listed among the NCER competitions (National Center for Education Research).
8) What type of funding is this (discretionary or formula)?
This opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
9) What award instruments may be used under this opportunity?
The synopsis states awards may be made as either a grant or a cooperative agreement, depending on the structure of the project and the level of agency involvement described in the official notice.
10) Is cost sharing or matching required?
The synopsis states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
11) Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant pool is broad. Eligible applicants include, among others: public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations (including those with and without 501(c)(3) status); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses, as listed in the eligibility section); state and local governmental units (including state, county, and city or township governments); independent school districts; special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and Native American tribal governments and tribal organizations (including federally recognized tribal governments).
12) What is the key eligibility principle emphasized by IES?
The announcement highlights applicant capacity. Applicants must have the ability and infrastructure to conduct scientifically valid research, and IES notes that eligible applicants include (but are not limited to) nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions such as colleges and universities.
13) When was this opportunity posted and when were applications made available?
The opportunity was posted on April 15, 2015. Applications were available starting May 21, 2015.
14) What was the application deadline?
The initial deadline for transmittal of applications was August 6, 2015, and it was later updated to a current closing date of August 20, 2015.
15) How must applications be submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov using the downloadable application package for the relevant competition.
16) Can applicants submit an electronic copy by email instead of using Grants.gov?
No. The notice states that applications cannot be submitted by emailing an electronic copy to the agency; submission must go through Grants.gov.
17) How do applicants find the correct application package on Grants.gov?
A practical detail in the notice is that applicants must search by the CFDA number without the alpha suffix when locating the package. For example, search for 84.305 rather than 84.305C.
18) Where can applicants find the official and complete requirements for this competition?
The synopsis states it is not the authoritative source. The official requirements, priorities, application instructions, performance measures, and contact details are contained in the Federal Register notice. Applicants are expected to review the Federal Register notice closely, including any pre-application guidance and submission rules.
19) Does the synopsis list specific topical priorities for the Education Research and Development Centers?
No. The synopsis does not list specific topical priorities for centers. It situates center work within IES’s broader mission of producing rigorous evidence on education outcomes across the full education pipeline.
20) What should an organization do next to confirm the expected scope, budget rules, and review criteria?
The synopsis indicates the essential next step is to use the Federal Register notice tied to CFDA 84.305C to confirm the center program requirements, expected scope of work, budget and project period rules, required application components, peer review criteria, and any priority areas that may affect evaluation.
21) What other related IES competitions are mentioned alongside this one?
Within NCER, the synopsis mentions Education Research; Education Research Training; Education Research and Development Centers; Statistical and Research Methodology in Education; Partnerships and Collaborations focused on problems of practice or policy; and Research Networks focused on critical education policy and practice problems. Within NCSER, it mentions Special Education Research and Special Education Research Training.
22) Which CFDA listings are referenced across the broader set of FY 2016 competitions?
The synopsis references these CFDA listings across the slate: 84.305A, 84.305B, 84.305C, 84.305D, 84.305H, 84.305N, 84.324A, and 84.324B.
23) Who should be contacted for Grants.gov technical or system assistance?
For Grants.gov system assistance, the notice lists Julius Cotton, ED Grants.gov FIND Systems Admin, at 202-245-6288 and EducationGrantInquiries@ed.gov.
24) Who should be contacted for program-specific questions about this opportunity?
For program-specific questions, the notice lists Program Manager Erin Higgins (IES) at 202-208-3749 and Erin.Higgins@ed.gov.
25) What is the program office address provided in the notice?
The program office location provided is 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202.
26) What is the intended value of the research funded by IES, according to the synopsis?
The synopsis describes an expectation that findings will be meaningful to educators, families, researchers, students, and decision makers, and that funded work should add credible knowledge to the field and support better decision making in real educational settings.
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| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Institute of Education Sciences (IE) Statistical and Research Methodology in Education CFDA Number 84.305D Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 004 Funding Number: ED GRANTS 041515 004 Agency: Department of Education Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Partnerships and Collaboration Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy CFDA Number 84.305H Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 005 Funding Number: ED GRANTS 041515 005 Agency: Department of Education Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice CFDA Number 84.305N Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 006 Funding Number: ED GRANTS 041515 006 Agency: Department of Education Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Institute of Education Science (IES) Special Education Research CFDA Number 84.324A Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 007 Funding Number: ED GRANTS 041515 007 Agency: Department of Education Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Research Training Programs in Special Education CFDA Number 84.324B Apply for ED GRANTS 041515 008 Funding Number: ED GRANTS 041515 008 Agency: Department of Education Category: Education Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) State Tribal Education Partnership Program CFDA Number 84.415A Apply for ED GRANTS 041615 001 Funding Number: ED GRANTS 041615 001 Agency: Department of Education Category: Education Funding Amount: $500,000 |
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