Writing an Application for an IES Research Grant

Session Type: Professional Development Course

Abstract

This course will provide instruction on writing a successful grant application to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Education Research Grants Program (84.305A) and Special Education Research Grants Program (84.324A). The course will focus on (1) the research topics, (2) the research goal structure, and (3) the four sections of the Research Narrative (Significance, Research Plan, Personnel, and Resources) that comprise the most important part of the IES grant application. If there is also a demand for information on the IES grant programs that support partnerships between researchers and practitioners (84.305H, 84.305L, and 84.324L), the course will also address these grant programs, including the fifth section of the Research Narrative (Partnership). Course leaders will introduce specific concepts and examples of strategies for writing key sections of the Project Narrative (e.g., introduction to the proposal, intervention description, theory of change, research design, analysis, and personnel), as well as examples of common errors and how to avoid them. Participants will be asked to submit initial drafts of some of these key sections and will work in small groups to revise them based on course leader and participant feedback. This course is by application only.

Sub Unit

• Professional Development and Training Committee

Instructors

• Allen Ruby, Institute of Education Sciences

• Meredith J. Larson, National Center for Education Research