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Unveiling IES Research Grants: Insider Tips for Success

Learn about IES funding opportunities, grant processes, decision-making, and ways to enhance your chances of winning an award. Discover the strategies to improve your research proposal, engage with program officers, and increase your odds of success.

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Unveiling IES Research Grants: Insider Tips for Success

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  1. IES Research Grants:Demystifying the ProcessOr, does anyone ever win an award? Thomas Brock Director and Research Professor Community College Research Center Teachers College

  2. Outline for our Conversation • This year’s IES competitions • Trends in IES funding and grantmaking • How grant decisions are made • How to improve your chances of success • Your questions

  3. IES Funding Opportunities for FY 2020 National Center for Education Research • Education Research Grants • Education Research Training • Education Research and Development (R&D Centers) • Statistical Research Methodology in Education • Research Grants Focused on Systematic Replication National Center for Special Education Research • Special Education Research Grants • Research Training Programs in Special Education • Research Grants Focused on Systematic Replication

  4. Education and Special Education Research Grants • Grants range from $600,000 – $3.3 million • Time frame: between 2 – 5 years • Funding level and time frame depends on research goal (or type): • Exploration • Development and innovation • Initial efficacy and follow-up • Replication (separate competition this year) • Measurement

  5. The IES Grant Process Is Competitive • Fewer than 1 out of 5 applicants win a grant. • Decisions are based on the quality of the application and scientific merit. • First-time applicants: least likely to be funded. But don’t be discourged! • Resubmissions are allowed. • The odds of funding as a resubmission improve. • In addition to the money, there are other benefits to winning an IES grant.

  6. IES budget (all programs): 2002 – 2019

  7. Number of Grants Awarded by Research Goal NCER (2004 – 2017) NCSER (2006 – 2017)

  8. How Funding Decisions Are Made

  9. (1) IES Review • Focused on responsiveness and compliance • Did the applicant: • Choose one of the topics and research types competed this year? • Include all required sections and appendices? Significance Research plan Personnel Resources Appendix A: Dissemination plan • Address specific requirements within sections (e.g., the characteristics of the sample under the research plan) • Conform to budget limits?

  10. (2) Peer Review • Each application that passes initial IES review is sent to at least 2 peer reviewers. • Matched by subject area and methodological expertise. • Most reviewers have received IES funding in the past. • Reviewers assess proposal strengths and weaknesses, and assign scores assigned to each section and to the overall proposal. • Each proposal is assessed on its own merit. No comparisons are allowed.

  11. (3) Panel Review • Panels generally consist of 8 – 20 reviewers organized by topic area. • Reviewers who initially read and scored the proposals initially present them to the panel, focusing on the research type and strengths/weaknesses. • Full panel is invited to ask questions and give comments. Panel chair guides the discussion. • Full panel scores each proposal using a secret ballot. • Final proposal score represents the average of the full panel.

  12. (4) Final Negotiations and Funding Decisions • IES rank orders the proposals by final panel score. • Only proposals with scores in the Outstanding to Excellent range are considered. • Program officers reach out to address questions or issues that came up during review, and to review the budget. • Applications are funded in rank order until all funds are depleted.

  13. How to Improve Your Chances of Success • Read and re-read the RFA closely. • Address all requirements. • Take seriously the Recommendations for a Strong Application. • Involve an assistant to double-check and assemble all the pieces. • Make it easy for reviewers. • Follow the outline in the RFA. • Use headers and boldface to introduce sections. • Consider diagrams and charts. • Use an editor to improve your prose.

  14. How to Improve Your Chances, Cont’d. • Emphasize the practical significance of your work. • How will it improve outcomes for students? • Pay attention to SEER Principles! • Pre-register • Commit to open data • Include an implementation and cost study • Include a strong dissemination plan that includes policymakers and practitioners as primary audiences.

  15. How to Improve Your Chances, Cont’d. • Reach out to the program officer. • Discuss your ideas before you start writing. • Share a draft of your proposal for feedback before the application deadline. • Ask a colleague to read and offer critical feedback on your proposal.

  16. What not to do: • Submit a proposal that is much longer or much shorter than the recommended length. • Over-rely on appendices to make crucial points. • Fail to include letters of support that demonstrate you have the relationships needed for the work. • Access to schools and students • Access to data.

  17. Other tips: • Watch the IES webinars for new applicants • Request copies of recently-funded proposals in your area through the Freedom of Information Act • Enter search: “FOIA U.S. Department of Education” • Ask to be an IES reviewer • Anne Riccuiti, Deputy Director for Science: anne.riccuiti@ed.gov

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