Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) Investing in Innovation Fund CFDA Number 84.411C | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund (CFDA 84.411C)?

The Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund is a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant competition administered by the Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII). It was created under section 14007 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and is intended to help schools and their partners expand education practices that are proven and results-oriented.

What is the main purpose of this i3 grant opportunity?

The central aim is to help schools and partners take practices that have demonstrated success in improving student outcomes and scale them to reach more students, especially in high-need settings. The program is designed to support expansion or deeper implementation of what works, rather than funding purely experimental ideas.

What kinds of projects is the i3 program designed to fund?

The i3 program focuses on implementing and scaling practices, strategies, or programs that can show a record of improving student outcomes. Proposed projects should be results-oriented and tied to measurable educational improvements for high-need students.

Does this program fund brand-new or purely experimental ideas?

Based on the synopsis, the i3 program emphasizes backing applicants that can point to a record of improving student outcomes and propose to expand or deepen practices that have already demonstrated impacts, rather than supporting ideas that are purely experimental.

Who is this program intended to serve?

The program is focused on innovations that improve educational outcomes for high-need students, as defined in the official Federal Register notice. Applicants are expected to implement practices serving these high-need populations.

What outcomes does the i3 program expect grantees to improve?

The intended outcomes are tied to measurable improvements such as higher student achievement or student growth, reduced achievement gaps, lower dropout rates, higher high school graduation rates, and stronger college enrollment and completion.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to two main applicant types: (1) local educational agencies (LEAs), and (2) partnerships in which a nonprofit organization works with either one or more LEAs or a consortium of schools.

Can a nonprofit apply on its own?

The synopsis describes eligibility for partnerships where a nonprofit works with one or more LEAs or a consortium of schools. It does not describe eligibility for a nonprofit applying alone without the required LEA or school consortium partner.

How do partnership applications work, and who submits the application?

For partnership applications, the group must name an official partner to serve as the applicant of record. This must follow the Department of Education rules for group applications in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129.

What does it mean that the i3 program is "evidence-oriented"?

As described, the program emphasizes demonstrated impact and a record of improving student outcomes. Projects are expected to scale practices that have shown results, with accountability for measurable outcomes.

When was the 2011 competition posted, and what was the application deadline?

The 2011 competition was posted on June 7, 2011. Applications were made available the same day, and the deadline to submit was August 2, 2011.

How many awards were anticipated, and what was the estimated total funding?

The opportunity anticipated approximately 15 awards and listed an estimated total funding amount of $148,200,000.

What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The listed award ceiling was $3,000,000.

What types of funding instruments were used?

The opportunity lists cooperative agreements and grants as the funding instrument types.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. Applicants were required to provide cost sharing or matching funds, meaning federal dollars had to be complemented by non-federal resources consistent with the rules in the official Federal Register notice.

Where are the official and controlling requirements for this competition found?

The synopsis states that the Federal Register notice is the authoritative source for requirements such as priorities, performance measures, submission instructions, and any pre-application steps. Applicants are directed to the Federal Register notice and related regulations for complete and controlling details.

How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications were required to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov unless an applicant qualified for an exception under the instructions in the official announcement.

How do applicants find the application package on Grants.gov?

Applicants were instructed to search by the CFDA number without the letter suffix. In other words, search for 84.411 rather than 84.411C.

Where can applicants get help with Grants.gov submission issues?

Support for electronic submission was available through the Grants.gov Helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Who should be contacted for ED Grants.gov/FIND system access issues?

The notice lists Julius Cotton as the ED Grants.gov/FIND systems administrator for access issues. He can be reached at 202-245-6140 or julius.cotton@ed.gov.

Who is the program manager contact for this opportunity?

The notice lists Thelma Leenhouts as program manager at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC. She can be reached at 202-453-7122; fax 202-401-8466.

What is the overall goal or message of the opportunity?

The opportunity describes the i3 Fund as a competitive, evidence-oriented federal investment meant to accelerate the spread of effective educational innovations for high-need students, with clear expectations around demonstrated impact, capacity to implement, and accountability for outcomes.