From Seedlings to Scale

Overview

Through the From Seedlings to Scale (S2S) Grants program, IES will invest in innovative ideas within an identified focus area through three phases of increasing funding and duration to support ideas as they grow from seedlings to scalable solutions. Projects will incorporate high-quality research, robust solution development, and attention to sustainability and scaling throughout all phases. 

For the FY 2027 S2S program, IES invites applications for Phase One projects under the Coordinating Systems to Translate Evidence into Policy and Practice (C-STEP) focus area. C-STEP seeks to develop and rigorously test innovative AI- and technology-enabled solutions that help education systems intentionally integrate evidence-based products, processes, and policies to improve outcomes for prekindergarten through grade 12 students. Proposed solutions should reflect a deep understanding of the systems in which they operate and enable education leaders to align resources, anticipate impacts, and overcome implementation barriers, thereby strengthening the connection between research, policy, and practice.

When brainstorming possible solutions, applicants to the S2S program will need to consider questions such as: 

• What is getting in the way of implementing evidence-based practices? How can we reimagine the status quo and innovate to achieve dramatically better outcomes for all students? 
• What insights from other fields have the potential to improve the alignment of structures, policies and resources within education systems to allow for transformational systems-level change? 
• What makes your solution innovative enough that it might finally solve the identified seemingly intractable challenge facing education, and ultimately lead to improved outcomes for students? 

The S2S program invites bold thinkers to apply for funding to grow their transformative ideas from seedlings to scalable solutions. The program is designed to ground that growth in high-quality research and development (R&D). Its phased structure scaffolds sustained attention to both users’ needs and the solution’s effectiveness at improving students’ education outcomes. 

Throughout three phases, teams will conduct R&D to refine their understanding of the problem being addressed, to evolve their solution’s theory of change, and to gather evidence of whether—and if so, how and how much—the solution improves education systems and students’ education outcomes. A living document, a solution’s theory of change describes how the solution will work. This includes a description of the core components of the solution, how users will interact with the solution, and how those interactions will result in the intended outcomes. All components and connections in the theory of change should be supported by existing evidence or should be considered hypotheses to be tested. As the project progresses, teams will test those hypotheses and update their theory of change to incorporate new data and evidence. IES will provide R&D-focused training and resources to project teams throughout the project period via the ATS Hub (https://ats-hub.org/).

1. Phase One – Seedling Stage. Here, the prototype develops into a usable solution that improves student outcomes in a limited setting. Phase Two projects will be selected based on the strength of Phase One activities and Phase Two plans, as evaluated by peer review. Phase Two teams will have two years of funding to develop their concept into a fully functioning solution and refine it as they identify needed improvements, including those that will support scaling. Teams will also test the impact of the solution on students’ education outcomes.
2. Phase Two – Early Growth. IES may, at its discretion, support additional work in Phase Three. During Phase Three, teams will bring the innovation to maturation, focus on refining the solution based on learning from Phase Two, deploying and evaluating the impact of the solution across multiple settings and contexts, and solidifying the foundation to scale the solution to users. At the end of this phase, the innovation is usable and improves
3. Phase Three – Scaling Up. IES may, at its discretion, support additional work in Phase Three. During Phase Three, teams will bring the innovation to maturation, focus on refining the solution based on learning from Phase Two, deploying and evaluating the impact of the solution across multiple settings and contexts, and solidifying the foundation to scale the solution to users. At the end of this phase, the innovation is usable and improves student outcomes at scale, demonstrating evidence-based impact across diverse education settings.

Multiple Submissions: You may submit applications to more than one of the FY 2027 research grant programs offered through the U.S. Department of Education (ED), including those offered through IES as well as those offered through other offices and programs within ED. You may submit multiple applications to this grant program as long as they propose different solutions. However, you may submit a given application only once for the IES FY 2027 grant competitions, meaning you may not submit the same application or similar applications to multiple grant programs within IES, to multiple topics within a grant competition, or multiple times within the same topic. If you submit multiple similar applications, IES will determine whether and which applications will be accepted for review and/or will be eligible for funding.

Letter of Intent: IES strongly encourages applicants to submit a letter of intent on the IES Peer Review website (https://iesreview.ed.gov/LOI/LOISubmit). The letter of intent is non-binding and optional but strongly recommended. IES staff use the information in letters of intent to identify the expertise needed for the scientific peer review panels and to secure enough reviewers to handle the anticipated number of applications. See Part IV.C.1 for more information on what to include in your letter of intent.

Award Limits: The maximum award amount and duration for a S2S C-STEP Phase One project is $500,000. The maximum grant duration is 1 year. Applicants to this program must not exceed the limits on award duration and cost per year and should request the actual duration and amount of funding necessary to conduct the proposed scope of work, rather than the maximums allowable by IES.