Education Evaluation and Technical Assistance Grants

The Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funds education evaluation and technical assistance grants under Assistance Listing 84.429, with the most recent posted opportunity (Strengthening Program Evaluation Capacity) closing November 14, 2024.

The program supports development of organizational and individual capacity to conduct rigorous evaluations of education interventions aligned with IES's What Works Clearinghouse standards. Funded activities include evaluation methodology work, technical assistance on program assessment, and applied research evaluation supporting the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) mission to advance scientifically valid education research and evaluation nationally.

The program operates as Cooperative Agreements, structured to build evaluation competence within recipient organizations rather than fund one-off projects. Eligible applicants include public and private higher education institutions and other organizations with evaluation capability or demonstrated commitment to developing it.

The November 2024 opportunity closed recently; no subsequent open solicitation appears in the source material. The program's funding history and recent award volume are not detailed in the available source material, so current award cadence and recent recipient examples cannot be determined from this submission. Federal funding totals and typical award magnitudes are similarly not provided.

Organizations with expertise in education program evaluation, research methodology aligned with IES standards, or institutional capacity to serve as regional or technical assistance hubs should monitor NCEE for the next funding cycle. Competitive applications will demonstrate understanding of What Works Clearinghouse evaluation standards and articulate a clear pathway to building sustainable evaluation capacity beyond the grant period. Higher education institutions and research organizations with existing evaluation infrastructure or partnerships with school districts and education agencies are well-positioned for this funding stream.