Open Competitions at the U.S. Department of Education: What to Know About Race To The Top, i3 and Promise Neighborhoods
April 30, 2012
Three signature programs of the Obama Administration have open competitions right now, all of which could be opportunities for public media stations. Through the Race To The Top - Early Learning Challenge, Investing in Innovation (i3) and Promise Neighborhoods competitions, the U.S. Department of Education is poised to dole out almost $350 million this year. The Grant Center has covered these programs in the past, so now, we'll tell you what's new in this grant cycle and direct you to valuable resources from previous rounds.
Race To The Top - Early Learning Challenge
A total of $549 million was appropriated for the Race To The Top fund in FY 2012, and while most of that money will go to a new competition for school districts, a pot of $133 million was reserved for a second round of Early Learning Challenge grants. These grants will go to state-level efforts to improve early learning, and grants will only be available to the five states who were high-scoring non-winners in FY 2011: Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon and Wisconsin.
If you are a station in one of those states, do not hesitate to reach out to your state office of education and inquire about possible partnerships. With only five states eligible, the odds are better than usual.
The competition is not yet open, and a timeline has yet to be announced. The Department of Education says more information will be available later this spring.
More information: Grant Center profile, Grant Center Webinar: Partnering with your State: Helping Each Other Race to the Top, Grant Center Webinar: Signature Obama Administration Grant Programs and Public Broadcasting, Grant Center Webinar: Approaching Chief State School Officers as Funding Partners.
Investing in Innovation (i3)
The i3 Scale-Up and Validation competitions are currently open, with a total of $149 million available. As in previous rounds, three types of grants will be awarded: scale-up grants (up to $25 million per grant), validation grants (up to $15 million per grant) and development grants (up to $3 million per grant).
Several priorities in this round are good fits for public broadcasting, including promoting STEM and improving graduation rates in rural schools. Competitive preference will be given to applications taking on additional priorities, which include improving early learning, addressing the needs of students with disabilities or limited English proficiency and using technology.
Unlike with Race To The Top funding, stations can apply directly for i3 funding.
The Development grant competition required the submission of a pre-application, and the deadline for that has already passed. Applications for the Scale-Up and Validation competitions are due May 29, 2012.
More information: Grant Center Scale-Up profile, Grant Center Validation profile, Grant Center Development profile, Grant Center Webinar: i3 program, Grant Center Webinar: Signature Obama Administration Grant Programs and Public Broadcasting.
Promise Neighborhoods
Promise Neighborhoods is one of the few programs from the Department of Education that actually received more funding in FY 2012 than it did in FY 2011. Funded at $60 million for FY 2012, it received twice as much as last year. The $60 million will go to further support existing Promise Neighborhoods programs, as well as to new planning and implementation grants. Approximately $27 million will go to new implementation grants, and $7 million to new planning grants, both of which stations are eligible to apply for.
Unlike other programs, Promise Neighborhoods funding can be used outside of schools. The program notice also includes specific mention of using public radio and television as part of providing high-quality multi-platform early learning services, so stations are strong applicants and strong partners.
Promise Neighborhoods grant applications are due July 27, 2012.
More information: Grant Center Planning Grants profile, Grant Center Implementation Grants profile.
