Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER): Transformative Research in Special Education, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.324T
🏛 Department of Education (ED)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 18, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for institutions conducting scientifically rigorous research on special education challenges. Eligible applicants include colleges, universities, and nonprofit or for-profit organizations with capacity to conduct quality research. Projects must develop transformative, scalable solutions to improve teacher education systems and outcomes for students with disabilities. Applicants must demonstrate research capability and commit cost-sharing resources.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
Through the Transformative Research in Special Education Grants program, IES seeks to support research and development of transformative solutions to seemingly intractable problems and challenges in special education. Transformative projects enact bold and innovative thinking, involve interdisciplinary collaboration, are inherently risky, and use high-quality research approaches to create high-reward, scalable solutions with the potential to lead to dramatic improvements for students with or at risk for disabilities.
In FY 2027, the Transformative Research in Special Education Grants program will focus on Phase 1 grants to research and develop transformative solutions to dramatically improve preservice teacher education systems so they can better attract, train, and retain preK-12 general and special education teachers who are prepared to provide high-quality instruction and substantially improve outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities.
Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.324T
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424 Supplement (Research and Related Other Project Information)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Cost-Share Documentation
- Institutional Capacity/Qualifications
- References and Support Letters
Program contact
- 👤 Holly Clark Management and Program Analyst
- 📧 Courtney.Pollack@ed.gov
- 📞 2022456408
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 84.324 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$4,761,023
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$4,500,000
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$4,492,505
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$3,999,930
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$3,995,272
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$3,974,172
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$3,966,426
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$3,800,000
-
$3,799,999
-
$3,799,999
Top States by Funding
- TX 15 awards $36.9M
- FL 13 awards $34.3M
- KS 13 awards $32.7M
- CA 10 awards $29.4M
- OR 8 awards $25.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 84.324). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $68,798,477 | |
| 2025 | $48,567,424 | |
| 2026 est. | $64,255,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Institutions of higher education, nonprofits, for-profits, and public or private organizations with research capacity. Your organization must demonstrate ability to conduct scientifically valid research.
What is the funding focus for FY 2027?
The program prioritizes transformative research on preservice teacher education systems. Projects should improve teacher recruitment, training, and retention in general and special education.
What makes a project "transformative"?
Transformative projects combine bold innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, high-quality research methods, and potential for dramatic scalable improvements. Projects are intentionally risky but high-reward.
Is cost-sharing required?
Yes, cost-sharing is required for this grant. Your budget must include institutional or partner contributions.
What is the typical award size?
Individual awards can reach up to $3.75 million. Actual awards vary based on project scope and competitiveness of proposals.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize bold, innovative thinking and interdisciplinary team composition. Standard education research alone is unlikely to be competitive.
- Connect your teacher education improvements directly to outcomes for students with disabilities. Impact must be explicit and evidence-based.
- Build a strong cost-share commitment from your institution or partners. Reviewers expect genuine institutional investment in the work.
- Use rigorous research design and timeline. Transformative work requires defensible methodology and realistic milestones.
- Pilot or preliminary data strengthens proposals. Show early evidence that your approach shows promise before scaling.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Proposals lack bold vision—reviewers reject "incremental improvements" over transformative solutions. Applications fail to connect teacher training changes to measurable outcomes for students with disabilities. Cost-share commitments appear minimal or unsecured; institutions must provide genuine resources.
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