To address nationally significant problems and issues in education. The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and its five national institutes support university-based national research and development centers. These centers were funded for a five-year period. The National Institute on Educational Governance, Finance, Policymaking, and Management is currently funding two R&D Centers: The Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) and the Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy (CTP). For further information on the Center, see the R & D Center Section of the Institute's Home Page.
The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and its five national institutes also support educational research and development projects by funding Field-Initiated Studies. The Field-Initiated Studies (FIS) grants are grants for education research projects, including basic and applied research, inquiry with the purpose of applying tested knowledge gained to specific educational settings and problems, development, planning, surveys, assessments, evaluations, investigations, experiments, and demonstrations in the field of education and other fields related to education. Topics and methods of study are generated by the investigators, including teachers and other practitioners. While there are no absolute priorities for FIS grants, the applicants must apply to one of the five National Institutes and the National Institutes may fund only applications that are within their legislative missions. The FIS grants are awarded up to three years. For further information, see the Field-Initiated Studies Grant Section of the Institute's Home Page, or contact Norma Fleischman at (202) 208-3749.
The Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) and its five national institutes also support the R & D efforts of small business firms to produce innovative educational products. Under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, firms with strong research capabilities in educational technology, science, or engineering will receive funding from the national institutes to conduct research and develop products in topic areas identified by the institutes. Objectives of the SBIR program include stimulating technological innovation in the private sector, strengthening the role of small business in meeting Federal R&D needs, increasing the commercial application of ED-sponsored research results, and improving the return on investment from Federal-funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation. The funding includes three phases. Phase I is to determine the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas submitted under the SBIR program; Phase II is to expand on the results and to further pursue the development of Phase I; and Phase III is intended that under Phase III, non-Federal be used to pursue commercial applications of the research. For further information, please contact Duc-Le To at (202) 219-2248.
Other grants and contracts are also available. All institute grant competitions are announced in the Federal Register. Contract opportunities are announced in the Commerce Business Daily. While these publications are the official announcements of competitions, we will be posting unofficial announcements of competitions at this web site. You also may want to check the "grants and contracts" section of the Department's Funding Opportunities. This site provides information on funding throughout the Department and contains background materials, including a grant application guide, that maybe of interest to potential applicants. In addition, the Department also maintains a list of Other On-Line Education Resources which includes links to the National Science Foundation and Health and Human Services, among other organizations and institutions, which sponsor education related research.
You may find the publication, What Should I Know About ED Grants? useful. This booklet is intended for readers who are interested in applying for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) discretionary grants and cooperative agreements, those who have received an award, or persons who are simply interested in knowing more about the discretionary grant-making process at the Department.
Last update January 26, 2000 (glc)