Grant Writing Workshop for Minority Serving Institutions

1. Grant Writing Workshop forMinority Serving Institutions Katina Stapleton, Ph.D. National Center for Education Research Rob Ochsendorf, Ed.D. National Center for Special Education Research

2. Purpose of this Presentation Increase awareness of researchers at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) of research grant funding at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Provide tips to MSI researchers on the grant application process

3. Quick Overview of IES

4. Organizational Structure of IES Office of the Director National Board for Education Sciences Standards & Review Office National Center for Education Evaluation National Center for Education Research National Center for Education Statistics National Center for Special Education Research

5. A Very Quick Introduction to Developing Grant Proposals “Great ideas do not appear in thirty-minute windows of time. When designing a research project, expect to spend lots of time on it. You will.” Writing Successful Science Proposals

6. Grant Application Cycle Critical first step is to determine that your research fits within IES priorities and specific Request for Application.

7. Missions of the Research Centers • NCER • supports rigorous research that addresses the nation’s most pressing education needs, from early childhood to adult education • NCSER • sponsors a rigorous and comprehensive program of special education research designed to expand the knowledge and understanding of infants, toddlers, and students with or at risk for disabilities from birth through high school

8. IES Grant Programs: Research Objectives • Develop or identify education interventions (practices, programs, policies, and approaches) • that enhance academic achievement • that can be widely deployed • Identify what does not work and thereby encourage innovation and further research • Understand the processes that underlie the effectiveness of education interventions and the variation in their effectiveness

9. NCER Investments by Competition (2002-2013)

10. NCSER Investments by Competition (2006-2013)

11. Funding Opportunities for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)

12. A Quick Overview of MSIs Alaska Native-Serving Institutions American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) High Hispanic Enrollment and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Native American-Serving, Nontribal Institutions Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)

13. IES Funding Opportunities for MSIs There are no targeted funding opportunities for MSIs. We encourage MSIs to apply for Education Researchand Special Education Research grants and training grants. We encourage MSIs to take advantage of the technical assistance IES provides.

14. How can researchers at MSIs get started? Recognize that completing a successful grant application is a process that begins before the initial application submission Also know that preparing a grant application is part of building your program of research

15. Increase MSI Awareness of Available Funding Opportunities At the Institutional Level . . . • Scan The Federal Register (https://www.federalregister.gov), where funding opportunities are announced • Become knowledgeable about IES funding priorities and competitive grant competitions (http://ies.ed.gov/funding) • Identify researchers on campus who do work in education research (i.e., potential applicants) • They may come from outside your education department/school

16. Increase MSI Awareness of Available Funding Opportunities At the Institutional Level . . . • Make sure potential applicants are aware of available funding opportunities and IES program officers in their areas of interest • Coordinate phone or in-person meetings with IES staff to discuss your institution’s research capacity and interests

17. Strengthen Research Partnerships At the Institutional Level . . . Make sure researchers on your campus are fully aware that these partnerships exist. • Research consortiaand research networks • Available at the national, regional, and local levels • Partnerships with LEAs, SEAs, and regional laboratories • Partnerships with other research universities and firms

18. Increase MSI-based Researchers’ Awareness of Available Funding Opportunities At the Researcher Level . . . • Sign up for the IES Newsflash (http://ies.ed.gov/newsflash) to be notified about new competitions • Become knowledgeable about IES funding priorities and competitive grant competitions (http://ies.ed.gov/funding)

19. Our Assumptionsof You and What You Want • We assume that you want… • to help improve education • to carve out your own research agenda • to get funding to conduct your research • We assume that you have… • expertise in a wide range of topic areas and research methods/analyses • varying levels of familiarity with grant writing

20. Identifying the Appropriate Funding Opportunity • Identify your own research interests and strengths and see if they overlap with current funding priorities • Read the separate Requests for Applications (RFAs), which describe the application requirements • Contact the relevant IES Program Officer to discuss your ideas (e-mail first)

22. First Step? Identify Appropriate Research Program, Topic, and Goal • Review the RFAs (http://ies.ed.gov/funding) • Identify a program (305A, 324B, etc.) • Identify a topic (Reading & Writing, Postsec, etc.) • Identify a goal (Exploration, Development, etc.) • Review abstracts of other projects within that topic or goal: • http://ies.ed.gov/ncer/projects • http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects • Talk to IES Program Officers

23. FY 2015 Research Grant Programs • Education Research Programs (84.305A) • Special Education Research Programs (84.324A) • Education Research & Development Centers (84.305C) • Knowledge Utilization • Standards in Schools • Virtual Learning • Statistical & Research Methodology in Education (84.305D) • Statistical & Research Methodology Grants • Early Career Statistical & Research Methodology Grants • Partnerships & Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice & Policy (84.305H) • Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research • Continuous Improvement Research in Education • Evaluation of State & Local Education Programs & Policies

24. FY 2015 Research Training Grant Programs • Research Training Grant Programs in the Education Sciences(84.305B) • Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training • Postdoctoral Research Training Program • Methods Training for Education Researchers • Research Training Program in Special Education: Early Career Development and Mentoring (84.324B)

25. A Closer Look . . . Education Research Grants (84.305A)

26. “Does IES fund the kind of research that I (we) do?” What education problemdo you want to solve? What questiondo you want to answer? Does the underlying issue of this research question/problem fit within one of the IES grant topics? What content will you address? What samplewill you study? Does your research method fit the requirements of one of the IES goals?

27. NCER Ultimate Outcomes of Interest: Student Outcomes 27

28. NCER Ultimate Outcomes of Interest: Student Outcomes 28

29. NCSER Ultimate Outcomes of Interest: Student Outcomes 29

30. Identify Appropriate Topic and Goal Your research question(s) and research method(s) determine the topic and goal.

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

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

33. FY2015 Research Goals Exploration Development & Innovation Efficacy & Replication Effectiveness Measurement

34. Exploration Goal • Explore associations between education outcomes and malleable factors • Identify factors and conditions that may mediate or moderate relations between malleable factors and student outcomes • Possible methodological approaches include: • Analyze secondary data • Collect primary data • Complete a meta-analysis • Combination of above

35. Development & Innovation Goal Development process must be iterative! • ANDcollect data on its feasibility, usability, and fidelity of implementation in actual education settings • ANDcollect pilot data on student outcomes. Develop an innovative intervention (e.g., curriculum, instructional approach, program, or policy) ORimprove existing education interventions

36. Efficacy & Replication Goal Evaluate whether or not a fully developed intervention is efficacious under limited or ideal conditions OR Replicate an efficacious intervention varying the original conditions OR Gather follow-up data examining the longer term effects of an intervention with demonstrated efficacy OR Analyze retrospective (historical) secondary data to test an intervention implemented in the past

37. Efficacy & Replication Goal Intervention must be fully developed Implemented under ideal or routine conditions Implemented by end user in authentic education settings

38. Remember to Address Requirements Cost analysis Data Management Plan (in appendix E)

39. Effectiveness Goal Evaluate whether a fully developed intervention that has evidence of efficacy is effective when implemented under typical conditions through an independent evaluation

40. Effectiveness Goal Must have two prior efficacy studies of the intervention with beneficial and practical impacts on student outcomes Implemented by end user under routine conditions Project team must be independent of intervention

41. Remember to Address Requirements Cost analysis Data Management Plan (in appendix E)

42. Measurement Goal Development of new assessments or refinement of existing assessments, and the validation of these assessments OR Validation of existing assessments for specific purposes, contexts and populations

43. Measurement Goal • Must include a rationale for a new assessment or refinement • Will result in well-specified assessment framework: • Operation definition(s) of construct(s) • Theoretical model showing relation of construct(s) • Description of how assessments provides evidence of construct(s) • Description of the intended use(s) and population(s)

44. For All Goals Dissemination plan Check RFA for materials for each Appendix

45. The Goals Build on One Another • Exploration could lead to… • Development or modification of an intervention • Efficacy evaluation of an intervention • Development & Innovation could lead to an Efficacy evaluation, if the intervention is found feasible and pilot data is supportive • Efficacy & Replication could lead to an Effectiveness study, if impact is found across multiple efficacy/replication studies • Measurement could feed into the other goals

46. What if My Project is “Between” Goals or Topics? PICK ONE! • Read all of the goals in the RFA so that you understand where your work falls along the continuum of goals. What should come before your project? What should come after it? • 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 • Discuss your ideas with a Program Officer

47. Maximum Award Amounts (84.305A & 84.324A)

48. The Application’s Research Narrative Key part of your application 4 Sections: Significance Research Plan Personnel Resources Requirements vary by topic and goal 25 pages, single-spaced

49. Read the RFA Very Carefully See pages 6-7 for highlights of changes in the FY 2015 84.305A RFA. See pages 5-6 for highlights of changes in the FY 2015 84.324A RFA. Pay attention to all topic and goal requirements to avoid making errors that will keep your application from being reviewed. 49

50. Significance • Describes the overall project • Your research question(s) to be answered, or • Intervention to be developed or evaluated, or • Measure to be developed and/or validated • Provides a compelling rationale for the project • Theoretical justification • Logic models, change models • Empirical justification • Practical justification • Justifies the overall importance of the work 50