Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE): Strengthening Program Evaluation Capacity grant program, Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.429A | ED GRANTS 081524 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 081524 001

This funding opportunity comes from the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), specifically the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), and it is called the Strengthening Program Evaluation Capacity grant program (Assistance Listing Number 84.429A). It is a discretionary competition, and awards are made through a cooperative agreement, which typically means the federal agency expects to be more actively involved during the project period than under a standard grant. The overarching goal is to strengthen both individual and organizational ability to carry out rigorous evaluations of education interventions, with the intent that these evaluations align with the evidence and design standards associated with the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). In practical terms, the program is focused on improving the field's capacity to produce evaluations that are credible, methodologically sound, and useful for decision-making, rather than simply funding isolated studies without building longer-term evaluation infrastructure.

The purpose statement emphasizes "high-quality evaluations" and points applicants directly to the What Works Clearinghouse handbooks as the reference point for evaluation expectations and standards. This strongly signals that funded work should reflect accepted approaches to causal inference and research rigor in education evaluation, such as well-designed randomized controlled trials when feasible, or strong quasi-experimental designs when randomization is not possible, along with clear documentation, appropriate measures, and transparent reporting. The broader policy mission behind the program is NCEE's role in encouraging the production and use of scientifically valid education research and evaluation across the United States, so the capacity-building component matters: the program is not only about answering one evaluation question, but also about leaving behind better systems, skills, and institutional know-how to do high-quality evaluation work in the future.

Eligibility is limited to a fairly specific set of entities. Eligible applicants include State higher education agencies and public or private institutions of higher education as defined under section 101 of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001). A key structural requirement applies to colleges and universities: if the applicant is a public or private institution of higher education, it must lead a consortium that includes at least two public or private institutions of higher education. That means a single institution cannot apply alone under the IHE pathway; it must form a multi-institution partnership where the lead institution coordinates the consortium's activities. The opportunity listing also reflects that eligible applicant types include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and "others," but the narrative eligibility language anchors the competition to State higher education agencies and IHEs meeting the statutory definition, with the consortium requirement for IHE-led applications.

Key administrative details included in the listing are the opportunity number (ED GRANTS 081524 001), the agency (Department of Education), and the original application closing date of November 14, 2024. The synopsis also repeatedly notes that the public-facing description is only a summary and that the controlling requirements are in the official Federal Register notice. Applicants are directed to consult that official notice for the full set of requirements and rules, including any pre-application steps, how to submit, required forms and narratives, performance measures, competition priorities, and program contact information. It also points applicants to the Department of Education's Revised Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (published December 7, 2022) for standardized guidance on obtaining and submitting an application, suggesting that compliance with those common instructions is an expected baseline for a complete and responsive submission.

Taken together, this competition is best understood as a capacity-building investment aimed at improving the quality and consistency of education program evaluations nationwide, using WWC-aligned standards as the benchmark. It targets higher education entities (and State higher education agencies) that can organize collaborative, multi-institution efforts to strengthen evaluation practice, and it uses a cooperative agreement structure that typically involves substantive federal engagement during implementation. For any organization considering applying, the most important next step is to review the Federal Register application notice closely, since that is where the details that shape competitiveness and compliance (specific priorities, required deliverables, budget rules, and evidence expectations) will be spelled out.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE): Strengthening Program Evaluation Capacity grant program, Assistance Listing Numbers: 84.429A" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.429.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-08-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for ED GRANTS 081524 001

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: