Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Education Research (NCER): Statistical and Research Methodology in Education, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.305D
🏛 Department of Education (ED)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 1, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions conducting rigorous education research using statistical and methodological approaches. Eligible applicants include universities, colleges, nonprofit organizations, for-profit organizations, and public or private agencies with capacity for scientific research. Projects must develop new statistical methods (Core Grants) or compile existing research into toolkits and guidelines (Toolkits track). Products must be user-tested and disseminated to education researchers nationally.
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Program description
The goal of the Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (Stats/Methods) grant program (84.305D) is to provide a wide range of methodological and statistical tools that will better enable applied education scientists to conduct rigorous education research.
Under this program, NCER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics: (1) Core Grants or (2) Toolkits, Guidelines, Compendia, Review Papers, and Curated Data Resources (Toolkits). The Core Grants topic supports the development of new and improved statistical and research methods for use by education researchers. These methods are to be user tested by education researchers to ensure their usability, revised as needed, then broadly disseminated through different types of products such as articles in applied education journals, detailed working papers and monographs, workshops, software, and curated data resources. The Toolkits Grants topic supports compiling existing research and information for a given method into products, such as toolkits, guidelines, compendia, review papers, curated data resources, workshops that help education researchers understand and apply the method. These products are to be user tested by education researchers to ensure their usability, revised as needed, and then broadly disseminated.
Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.305D.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Application (SF-424 or online portal form)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Curriculum Vitae of key personnel
- Letters of support from potential users or collaborators
- Dissemination plan
Program contact
- 👤 Holly Clark Management and Program Analyst
- 📧 Emily.Weaver@ed.gov
- 📞 2022456408
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 84.305 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$11,989,799
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$10,000,000
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$9,999,999
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$9,999,999
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$9,996,923
-
$9,994,246
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$9,938,277
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$9,497,860
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$6,963,728
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$6,738,010
Top States by Funding
- VA 16 awards $64.8M
- CA 13 awards $59.0M
- NY 10 awards $51.3M
- MA 6 awards $35.6M
- PA 7 awards $33.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 84.305). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2018 | $192,695,000 | |
| 2019 | $192,695,000 | |
| 2020 | $195,877,000 | |
| 2021 | $197,877,000 | |
| 2022 | $213,323,000 | |
| 2023 | $209,672,000 | |
| 2024 est. | $233,124,000 | |
| 2025 est. | $225,638,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Universities, colleges, nonprofits, for-profits, and public/private agencies with research capacity. You must be able to conduct rigorous scientific research.
What types of projects are supported?
Core Grants develop new statistical methods. Toolkits Grants compile existing research into guidelines, compendia, or review papers. Both must be user-tested and disseminated.
Is there a deadline?
Yes, the deadline is October 1, 2026. Check with IES for any future annual deadlines.
What makes an application competitive?
Strong methodological rigor, clear user-testing plans, and practical dissemination strategies for education researchers increase competitiveness.
Is cost-sharing required?
No, cost-sharing is not required for this program.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Align your project clearly with either Core Grants (new methods) or Toolkits (existing research compilation). Reviewers need to understand which track you're in.
- Build a detailed user-testing plan. Demonstrating how education researchers will test and refine your product is critical.
- Emphasize dissemination broadly. Plan multiple pathways—journals, workshops, software, or curated data resources—to reach your audience.
- Focus on practical utility. Your methods or toolkit should solve real problems that education researchers actually face.
- Include letters of support from potential users. Education researchers who will test or use your product strengthen your credibility.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Vague dissemination plans fail to convince reviewers you'll reach education researchers. Proposing new methods without rigorous user-testing protocols is a common weakness. Overestimating your team's methodological expertise without demonstrating prior success weakens competitiveness.
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