Grant Writing Workshop for Young Investigators Elizabeth R. Albro, Ph.D. Associate Commissioner Teaching and Learning Division National Center for Education Research

Getting Started Recognize that competing a successful grant application is a process that begins before the initial application submission. And that preparing a grant application is part of building your program of research.

“Pre-Application Submission Process” Acquire experience taking responsibility for components of research projects (graduate student, postdoctoral fellow) Start small –Smaller projects (e.g., internal grants) –Lesser roles on external proposals (e.g., co-PI, project manager) Demonstrate productivity

Application Process Read the Request for Applications carefully Build a good team Talk to your Program Officer Write a good application

Read the Request for Applications Carefully

Finding Requests for Applications FY 2012 Requests for Applications are available on: Sign up for the IES Newsflash:

Finding Application Packages FY 2012 Application Packages are available on

Identify Appropriate Research Program Review RFAs Review Project Abstracts – – Talk to IES Program Officers

Research Grant Programs Education and Special Education Research Grants Programs National Research and Development Centers Statistical and Research Methodology in Education Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies

Focus of this Presentation Education Research Grants Program (84.305A) Special Education Research Grants Program (84.324A)

Identify Appropriate Topic within Research Program

Education Research Topics (84.305A) Reading and Writing Mathematics and Science Education Cognition and Student Learning Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning Education Technology Effective Teachers and Effective Teaching Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization, Management, and Leadership Postsecondary and Adult Education Early Learning Programs and Policies English Learners

Special Education Research Topics (84.324A) Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education Reading, Writing, and Language Development Mathematics and Science Education Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning Transition Outcomes for Special Education Secondary Students Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education Professional Development for Teachers and Related Service Providers Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems Autism Spectrum Disorders Technology for Special Education Families with Children with Disabilities

Identify Appropriate Goal

Determine Which Goal is Right for You Exploration Development & Innovation Efficacy and Replication Scale-Up Evaluation Measurement

Helpful Hint Proposing a smaller project often makes sense for junior investigators without long histories of managing research grants.

Exploration Explore the association between malleable factors and education outcomes – A malleable factor can be changed by the education system be it a characteristic of students (e.g., skills, behaviors), teachers (e.g., credentials, practices) or school (e.g., climate, size), or an education program or policy Underlying processes that enhance or inhibit learning Aspects of a school, district, or community associated with beneficial education outcomes Education interventions associated with beneficial education outcomes (e.g., professional development, curricula, policies) Explore factors that mediate or moderate the relationship between malleable factors and student outcomes

Exploration May Include Original data collection with appropriate statistical analyses Secondary data analysis of existing datasets Secondary data analysis complemented by primary data collection Meta-analyses designed to determine moderators or moderators of effects

Exploration –Secondary data analysis or meta-analysis: Typical award: $100,000 to $300,000 per year (direct and indirect) Maximum 2 years and $700,000 –Primary data collection and analysis (with or without a secondary data analysis): Typical award: $100,000 to $400,000 per year Maximum 4 years and $1,600,000

Development and Innovation Develop new interventions (e.g., instructional practices, curricula, teacher professional development) Demonstrate the feasibility of the intervention for implementation in an authentic education delivery setting Collect pilot data on promise of intervention to achieve intended outcomes

Development and Innovation Typical award: $150,000 to $400,000 per year Maximum of 3 years and $1,500,000 No more than 30% of award can be used for the pilot study

Efficacy and Replication Causal test of whether or not a fully developed intervention has a beneficial impact on student outcomes relative to a counterfactual in an authentic educational setting –Interventions already in wide use –Interventions not in wide use Takes place under “ideal” conditions –Homogenous sample of students/schools –Extra assistance to support high implementation

Efficacy and Replication Typical award: $250,000 to $650,000 per year Maximum of 4 years and $3,500,000

Scale-up Evaluation Independent causal test of whether or not a fully developed efficacious intervention has a beneficial impact on student outcomes relative to a counterfactual in an authentic educational setting under routine implementation –Independent: evaluation team has no financial interest in intervention –Efficacious: evidence of intervention’s efficacy –Routine implementation: as implemented by practitioners with expected level of support if adopted by a school or district

Scale-up Evaluations Typical award: $350,000 to $900,000 per year Maximum of 5 years and $5,000,000 Limit of 25% of budget for implementation of the intervention

Measurement Develop and test assessments or other measurement tools Typical award: $150,000 to $300,000 per year Maximum of 4 years and $1,600,000

Which Goal and Topic are Right for You? Choose topic and goal that demonstrate your expertise and skills Start to think about which goal is appropriate for the question(s) you want to answer Look at the abstracts of projects funded under a research topic

What if My Program is “Between” Goals or Topics? PICK ONE! –Read the Request for Applications –Break the project down into smaller pieces –Don’t just go for the largest amount of money –Aim for a well-crafted project that will deliver what it promises….

Challenge Your challenge is to convince reviewers that you and your team have the skills and experience to implement well what you have proposed.

Build a Good Team

How to Build a Team Think about the type of expertise that is needed to carry out the project. For example, Curriculum Development Psychometrician Statistician/Methodologist Consider Goal Consider your own training and experience

How to Build a Team (cont.) Demonstrate your productivity Include a senior researcher with a strong grant record as a member of the team Ensure all team members commit sufficient time to implement competently the proposed research

Next Steps Read the Request for Applications closely one more time and confirm that your idea fits the requirements for a specific Topic (e.g., Read/Write) and Goal Then talk to your Program Officer

Talk to the Program Officer Call or IES program officers early in the process IES program staff can provide feedback on: –research idea –topic –goal –abstracts and draft proposals

Information for Applying  Requests for Applications  Letter of Intent  IES Grants.gov Application Submission Guide  Application Package  Key Dates

Request for Applications (RFA) A separate RFA for each grant program Describes the requirements for an application Requests for Applications are available on: To be informed about the release of future RFAs, sign up for the IES Newsflash:

Letter of Intent (LOI) A short description of your intended application –PI, institution, collaborators –Budget – rough estimate –Up to 1 page abstract describing the work Purpose –Used by program officers to discuss your idea –Used by IES Office of Standards and Review to plan for peer review process –Not used in the peer review process – superseded by your application Submitted on

IES Grants.gov Application Submission Guide Instructions for completing and submitting the application package Available on

Application Packages Contains the forms to be filled out and submitted as your application Available at –Help: or For the June 23, 2011 application deadline, packages will be available starting April 21, 2011 For the September 22, 2011 deadline, packages will be available starting July 21, 2011 Packages are specific for grant program and deadline

Key Dates Application Deadline Letter of Intent Due iesreview.ed.gov Application Package Available Start Dates 6/23/114/21/11 3/1/12 to 9/1/12 9/22/117/21/11 7/1/12 to 9/1/12

Write a Good Application (Complete ALL components)

Preparing the Application Package SF 424 Research and Related (R&R) forms including R&R Total Federal and Non-Federal Budget form Project Summary/Abstract Contents of the Application

Contents of Application Include: Project Narrative Bibliography and References Cited Biographical Sketches of Key Project Personnel Narrative Budget Justification Subaward Budgets

Contents of Application Also Include: Appendix A (tables, charts, figures, and response to reviewers if a resubmission) Appendix B (curriculum materials) Appendix C (letters of agreement) Additional forms for applicants selected for funding

Creating a Budget: Get Help Personnel Fringe Benefits Travel Equipment Supplies Contractual Other Indirect Costs

Preparing the Project Narrative

Project Narrative Has 4 Sections Significance Research Plan Personnel Resources For greater detail see the IES Grant Writing Workshop webinar slides.

Significance Read the RFA Information required to address significance of project depends on the Research Goal Theoretical foundation, and prior empirical support for your proposed work

Research Plan Read the RFA Information required of the research plan depends on the Research Goal Details are key Make sure what you plan to do, and how you plan to do it, is clearly described

Personnel Include short description of role of key personnel in “Personnel” section of narrative Use biographical sketches (CVs) to further document expertise and productivity Budget narrative can also include information about research assistants and other personnel

Resources Include a section called “Resources” Possible resources include: –Datasets –Teachers, classrooms, schools –Computer laboratories In Appendix C document access to schools or datasets needed to conduct research project

A Critical Resource: Relationships with Schools

Additional Reminders Pay attention to what can and cannot be included in the Appendices Have a colleague who isn’t involved in the project read a draft

Reviewers’ Perspectives Write clearly and concisely Address the points described in RFA Organize information in logical sequence Label sections and number pages Make it easy for reviewers to find and understand the information

Submitting an Application All applications must be submitted electronically to: – Application Deadlines –June 23, 2011 –September 22, 2011 – 4:30:00 pm Washington DC time DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE!

Grant Submission Make sure your institution is registered on grants.gov Complete your online forms and upload PDFs Authorized representative completes the process Submit by 4:30:00 EST on deadline – earlier is safer If problems uploading –Contact Help Line and get a case number You should receive four s –Grants.gov: assigns you a number that starts with GRANT –Grants.gov: your application is validated or rejected due to errors. If the latter, correct and resubmit until validated. –Dept. of Ed: retrieved your application from Grants.gov –Dept. of ED: assigns you a number that starts with R305 or R324

Notification All applicants will receive notification of the status of their application All applicants receive copies of reviewer comments If you are not granted an award the first time, plan on resubmitting and talk to your program officer

Final Reminders

Don’t Forget... Start early Read the Request for Applications Talk with the program officer Start the online submission process early

Remember You can’t get funded if you don’t submit an application Revise and resubmit is the rule, not the exception Persistence (often) pays off

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