IES announces research grant opportunities due Oct. 1
- Letters of intent deadline (optional but encouraged): Thursday, Sept. 3
- Applications due to Office of Research: Friday, Sept. 18
- Applications deadline: Thursday, Oct. 1
The Institute of Education Sciences released a funding announcement for the fiscal year 2027 grant competitions in education research. Currently, there are five opportunities available, with more anticipated in September and October.
Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences (84.305B)
For FY27, IES is accepting applications under two programs: Early Career Development and Mentoring (Early Career) and Methods Training for Special Education Research (Methods Training).
Early Career
The Early Career Development and Mentoring in Education Research Program provides support to early-career faculty employed by institutions of higher education or early-career researchers at non-academic research organizations who are developing education research careers. Under the Early Career program, investigators complete an integrated research and career development plan with guidance from experienced mentors.
Eligibility:
- Applicants to the Early Career program must be a research institution, academic or non-academic.
- Institutions located in the territorial U.S. that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply.
- The PI must have completed a doctoral degree no earlier than April 1, 2019 and no later than the start of the award period.
- For PIs at academic institutions, the PI must hold a faculty position or research scientist position that includes research as a major component of their position at the applying academic institution or must have accepted an offer for such a position to begin before the start of the award. The PI must not have received tenure by the application submission deadline.
- The PI must be a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
- The PI must not have served as a PI or co-PI on a research grant from IES.
Award: $500,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect)
Duration: Four years maximum
Methods Training
Methods Training for Education Research supports training of current education researchers to expand and upgrade their methodological skills. Education researchers include individuals located in colleges and universities as well as individuals working in state and local education agencies, education-focused organizations, and companies that have developed and deployed education-related products and services.
Eligibility:
- Applicants located in the territorial U.S. who have the ability and capacity to conduct training in scientific research methods for education research are eligible to apply.
Award: $800,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect)
Duration: Three years maximum
Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (84.305D)
In this request for applications, NCER invites applications for projects that will contribute to its Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (Methods) Grants Program. The specific purpose of the Methods Grants Program is to develop and disseminate statistical and methodological products for use by education researchers as they carry out the type of education research IES supports. The Methods grants program supports the development of a wide range of statistical and methodological products, including new or improved methods, toolkits, guidelines, compendia, review papers, software, and curated data resources, to better enable education scientists to conduct rigorous education research.
Eligibility:
- Institutions that have the ability and capacity to conduct scientific research are eligible to apply.
Core grants:
- Award: $900,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect)
- Duration: Three years maximum
Toolkits:
- Award: $350,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect)
- Duration: Two years maximum
Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking (84.305S)
In this request for applications, NCER invites applications for projects that will contribute to its Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking (Using Data for Policymaking) Grants Program (ALN 84.305S). Through this grant program, IES supports state agencies’ use of their statewide longitudinal data systems to provide evidence for their own program and policy decisions, and those of their local education agencies regarding increasing learners’ access to high-quality education and increased academic achievement.
Eligibility:
- Institutions that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, state agencies responsible for education programs and policies, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges and universities.
- The state agency responsible for the education issue, program, or policy to be examined must be included in the application. The state agency may be the applicant, in which case the PI must be from the state agency. If the state agency is not the applicant, then a co-PI from the state agency must be included.
Award: $1.2 million (inclusive of direct and indirect)
Duration: Three years maximum
Research Training Programs in Special Education (84.324B)
For FY27, NCSER is accepting applications for two programs: Early Career Development and Mentoring (Early Career) and Methods Training for Special Education Research (Methods Training).
The Early Career program provides support for an integrated research and career development plan for early career investigators at institutions of higher education or non-academic research organizations who have established an interest in special education research and are developing research careers focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. The awards provide support for research and career development, including salary for protected time to conduct research and engage in career development activities, that includes training under the guidance of an experienced mentor or mentors.
Early Career
Eligibility:
- Applicants to the Early Career program must be a research institution, academic or non-academic.
- Institutions located in the territorial U.S. that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply.
- The PI must have completed a doctoral degree no earlier than April 1, 2019 and no later than the start of the award period.
- For PIs at academic institutions, the PI must hold a faculty position or research scientist position that includes research as a major component of their position at the applying academic institution or must have accepted an offer for such a position to begin before the start of the award. The PI must not have received tenure by the application submission deadline.
- The PI must be a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.
- The PI must not have served as a PI or co-PI on a research grant from IES.
Award: $500,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect)
Duration: Four years maximum
Methods Training
Methods Training for Special Education Research supports training of current education researchers to expand and upgrade their methodological skills in order to conduct high-quality research focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. Education researchers include individuals located in colleges and universities and research organizations and firms, as well as individuals working in state and local education agencies, education-focused organizations, and companies that have developed and deployed education related products and services.
For FY27, NCSER is only accepting applications for Methods Training focused on analyzing large administrative datasets to address research questions related to learners with or at risk for disabilities. The training should provide support to education researchers, including individuals working in state and local education agencies, in acquiring the skills necessary to clean, merge, analyze, and interpret data from large administrative datasets for the purpose of better understanding outcomes for learners with or at risk for disabilities and/or informing policy and programmatic decisions related to these learners.
Eligibility:
- Applicants located in the territorial U.S. that have the ability and capacity to conduct training in scientific research methods are eligible to apply.
Award: $800,000 (inclusive of direct and indirect)
Duration: Three years maximum
Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking in Special Education (84.324S)
In this request for applications, NCSER invites applications for projects that will contribute to its Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking in Special Education Grant Program. Through this grant program, NCSER supports state agencies’ use of their statewide longitudinal data systems to provide evidence for their own program and policy decisions and those of their local education agencies pertaining to learners with or at risk for disabilities.
Eligibility:
- Institutions that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, state agencies responsible for education programs and policies, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges and universities.
- The state agency responsible for the education issue, program, or policy to be examined must be included in the application. The state agency may be the applicant, in which case the PI must be from the state agency. If the state agency is not the applicant, then a co-PI from the state agency must be included.
Award: $1.2 million (inclusive of direct and indirect)
Duration: Three years maximum
More information about the IES research programs, application process, and deadlines are available on the IES funding opportunities webpage.
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, please complete the project submission form. You may also reach out to the Office of Research pre-award team if you have questions about these opportunities.