Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 060721 001
The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program: Expansion-Phase Grants (Assistance Listing Number 84.411A) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education to help proven education innovations reach many more students, especially high-need students, while continuing to build strong, credible evidence about what works. The program is authorized under section 4611 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended, and it is built around the idea that the field should not only invent new approaches, but also test them rigorously and then scale up the approaches that show real, meaningful impacts on student outcomes.
A defining feature of EIR is its tiered structure, which ties the size and purpose of awards to the strength of evidence behind the proposed intervention. Across the full EIR program, there are Early-phase, Mid-phase, and Expansion grants, with each tier expecting a higher level of existing evidence and a larger scale of implementation. This particular opportunity is only for Expansion grants, meaning applicants are expected to bring a project that already has strong evidence of effectiveness for at least one population and setting. In practical terms, the Department is signaling that this funding is meant for strategies that have moved beyond promising pilots and have already demonstrated sizable, statistically significant results in prior work (for example, under a Mid-phase EIR project or an equivalent effort). The main goal at the Expansion stage is to replicate those impacts at a much larger scale, ideally nationally, and to learn under what real-world conditions the program works best and stays effective over time.
Expansion grants under EIR are meant to fund both implementation and rigorous evaluation. The Department expects grantees not only to expand delivery to substantially larger numbers of students, but also to study whether the positive results can be reproduced across new sites, sustained beyond the initial push, and maintained with fidelity as the program grows. Another central expectation is learning: the evaluation should help identify the conditions that strengthen or weaken results, such as differences in student populations, local capacity, staffing, training, school models, or implementation supports. This emphasis on evaluation reflects the program’s broader purpose of generating and validating solutions to persistent education challenges, so that future decisions about investments and replication are grounded in credible evidence rather than anecdote.
Eligibility for the competition is broad and includes nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education as the applicant type in those categories), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits that are not small businesses), and additional eligible entities as described in the official application notice. Because eligibility can include nuances or conditions, the notice repeatedly directs applicants to the official Federal Register publication for the definitive rules, as well as the Department’s Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published February 13, 2019) for standard requirements on how to obtain, prepare, and submit an application.
For the FY 2021 competition described here, applications were made available June 7, 2021, with a notice of intent to apply due June 28, 2021, and final applications due July 7, 2021. The deadline for intergovernmental review was September 7, 2021. The Department indicated an expected four awards, with an award ceiling of $15,000,000 per grant. Additional competition materials and updates were to be posted on the EIR program website maintained by OESE, and the program contact listed for questions was Yvonne Crockett at the U.S. Department of Education (email: eir@ed.gov, phone: 202-453-7122).
Overall, this Expansion-phase EIR opportunity is designed for applicants who already have a validated, evidence-based intervention and are prepared to take it to a much larger footprint, while also committing to a rigorous evaluation that tests whether prior successes hold up at scale and clarifies the implementation conditions that drive the strongest outcomes for high-need students. For priorities, required performance measures, required forms and narratives, submission procedures, and the Department’s exact definitions (including what counts as “strong evidence” and what qualifies as “national level” implementation), the controlling source is the official Federal Register notice referenced in the synopsis.Apply for ED GRANTS 060721 001
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program: Expansion-Phase Grants Assistance Listing Number 84.411A" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.411.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 07, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 07, 2021 Applications Available June 7, 2021. Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply June 28, 2021. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications July 7, 2021. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review September 7, 2021. Pre-Application Information The Department will post additional competition information for prospective applicants on the EIR program website https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-discretionary-grants-support-services/innovation-early-learning/education-innovation-and-research-eir/fy-2021-competition/. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Yvonne Crockett, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 3E344, Washington, DC 20202-5900. Telephone (202) 453-7122. Email eir@ed.gov.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Education Innovation and Research (EIR) Program Expansion-Phase grant (84.411A)?
The EIR Program: Expansion-Phase Grants (Assistance Listing Number 84.411A) is a discretionary grant competition run by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). It is designed to help proven education innovations reach many more students, especially high-need students, while continuing to build strong, credible evidence about what works.
What is the main purpose of the Expansion-Phase funding?
The Expansion phase is intended to replicate and scale an intervention that has already demonstrated strong evidence of effectiveness. The goal is to expand delivery to substantially larger numbers of students (ideally at a national level) and to test whether prior positive outcomes can be reproduced, sustained over time, and maintained with fidelity as the program grows.
How does the Expansion-Phase fit into the broader EIR program?
EIR uses a tiered structure that links award size and project purpose to the strength of evidence behind an intervention. Across the full EIR program there are Early-phase, Mid-phase, and Expansion grants, with Expansion expecting the highest level of existing evidence and supporting the largest scale of implementation.
Is this opportunity for new ideas or for interventions that already have evidence?
This specific opportunity is only for Expansion grants, which are meant for interventions that have moved beyond early pilots. Applicants are expected to bring a project that already has strong evidence of effectiveness for at least one population and setting, including prior work showing sizable, statistically significant results.
What does the Department mean by “strong evidence” for Expansion grants?
The synopsis indicates that Expansion applicants are expected to have strong evidence of effectiveness and cites the need for sizable, statistically significant results in prior work. However, the controlling source for the Department’s exact definition of “strong evidence” is the official Federal Register notice referenced in the synopsis.
What kinds of activities does an Expansion-Phase grant support?
Expansion-Phase grants support both implementation and rigorous evaluation. Funding is intended to help grantees scale delivery to substantially more students and to evaluate whether impacts can be reproduced across new sites, sustained beyond the initial expansion, and maintained with fidelity at a larger footprint.
Is an evaluation required, and what is it expected to address?
Yes. A defining expectation at the Expansion stage is rigorous evaluation alongside implementation. The evaluation is expected to determine whether positive results can be replicated at scale, whether results persist over time, and what real-world conditions strengthen or weaken outcomes (for example, differences in student populations, staffing, training, school models, local capacity, or implementation supports).
Why does the program emphasize evaluation so heavily?
The program is built around the idea that education approaches should be tested rigorously and that approaches with meaningful impacts should then be scaled. The evaluation component supports the broader goal of generating and validating solutions to persistent education challenges using credible evidence rather than anecdote.
Who is eligible to apply for this competition?
Eligibility is described as broad. It includes nonprofit organizations (both with and without 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education as the applicant type in those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits that are not small businesses), and additional eligible entities as described in the official application notice. For definitive eligibility rules and any conditions, applicants are directed to the official Federal Register notice.
Are institutions of higher education (IHEs) eligible as applicants?
The synopsis notes that nonprofits can be eligible “excluding institutions of higher education as the applicant type in those categories.” Any additional nuances or circumstances are governed by the official Federal Register notice.
Where do applicants find the definitive rules and required application instructions?
The controlling source for priorities, required performance measures, required forms and narratives, submission procedures, and the Department’s exact definitions is the official Federal Register notice referenced in the synopsis. Applicants are also directed to the Department’s Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published February 13, 2019) for standard requirements on how to obtain, prepare, and submit an application.
What were the key FY 2021 application dates for this competition?
For the FY 2021 competition described: applications were made available June 7, 2021; a notice of intent to apply was due June 28, 2021; final applications were due July 7, 2021; and the deadline for intergovernmental review was September 7, 2021.
How many awards did the Department expect to make for FY 2021?
The Department indicated an expected four awards for the FY 2021 competition described in the synopsis.
What is the maximum award size (award ceiling) for an Expansion-Phase grant?
The award ceiling listed in the synopsis is $15,000,000 per grant.
Does the program prioritize high-need students?
Yes. The synopsis emphasizes expanding proven innovations to reach many more students, especially high-need students, while continuing to build credible evidence about impacts on student outcomes.
What does “scaling up” mean in this program context?
In this context, scaling up means expanding an intervention beyond earlier pilots to substantially larger numbers of students and additional sites, with an expectation of maintaining effectiveness and fidelity while operating under real-world conditions. The synopsis also notes that the Department’s exact definitions, including what qualifies as “national level” implementation, are provided in the Federal Register notice.
What is meant by “implementation fidelity” at the Expansion stage?
The synopsis frames fidelity as delivering the program as intended while expanding to more sites and students. The Department expects grantees to study whether the program remains effective and is implemented with fidelity as it grows.
Where were additional competition materials and updates posted?
The synopsis states that additional competition materials and updates were to be posted on the EIR program website maintained by OESE.
Who is the program contact for questions about this opportunity?
The listed contact is Yvonne Crockett at the U.S. Department of Education. Email: eir@ed.gov. Phone: 202-453-7122.
What legal authority authorizes the EIR program?
The EIR program is authorized under section 4611 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended.
If there is a conflict between a summary and the official requirements, which governs?
The synopsis indicates that the controlling source for official requirements, definitions, priorities, performance measures, forms, narratives, and submission procedures is the official Federal Register notice referenced in the synopsis.
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