Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics

Overview:

The Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) Program is a standing, interdisciplinary program in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE). MMS supports the development of innovative analytical and statistical methods and models for those sciences. The Program interacts with the other programs in SBE as well as other programs in the Foundation. The Program also partners with a consortium of federal statistical agencies to support research proposals that further the production and use of official statistics.

The MMS Program seeks proposals that are methodologically innovative, grounded in theory, and have potential utility for multiple fields within the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. Successful proposals often integrate across the following areas:

• The development, application, and extension of formal models and methodology for social, behavioral, and economic research, including methods for improving measurement. The proposed research must show promise for having value for multiple fields in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.
• The development of formal models that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries, including research on statistical methodology or statistical modeling. The proposed research must show promise for having value for multiple social and behavioral science fields.
• Research on methodological aspects of new or existing procedures for data collection, including
  • methodological advances for survey research;
  • research to evaluate or compare existing databases and data collection procedures; and
  • research on methodological issues related to the use and analysis of new sources of data for the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.
• Infrastructure projects that facilitate the research activities of the MMS community.

The MMS Program provides support through a number of different types of proposals including:

• Regular Research Awards
• Awards for conferences and community-development activities
• Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) Grants
• Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Supplements

MMS also supports Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) awards. Please see the CAREER Program Web Site for more information about this activity.

Solicitation limitations:

Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Awards: DDRI proposals must be submitted with a principal investigator (PI) and a coprincipal investigator (co-PI). The PI must be the advisor of the doctoral student or another faculty member at the U.S. institution where the doctoral student is enrolled. The co-PI must be the doctoral student whose dissertation research will be supported.

Other information:

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
 August 29, 2019 Last Thursday in August, Annually Thereafter 
January 30, 2020 Last Thursday in January, Annually Thereafter

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant 
Estimated Number of Awards: 15 to 35 
Anticipated Funding Amount: $3,760,000 
Approximately $3.76 million will be awarded annually, contingent upon the availability of funds. Additional funds may be available from participating federal statistical agencies for competitive research proposals of interest to those agencies. Project budgets should be developed at scales appropriate for the work to be conducted.

Ball Foundation Grant

Overview:

THE BALL FOUNDATION FUNDING GUIDELINES 
The Ball Foundation funds programs that create a positive, measurable impact in three key areas linked to Ball Corporation’s business and strategy: education, recycling, and disaster preparedness and relief. Specifically, grants are awarded in the communities in which we operate in the United States. The Ball Foundation funds specific projects and programs rather than sponsorships (i.e., tables, golf tournaments, etc.). Funding to individual schools is limited to higher educational institutions, except when the Foundation matches qualifying contributions made to schools through manufacturing facilities.  Ball reserves the right to deny funding to organizations at any time. 

Funding priorities: Recycling, Education, Disaster Relief
The Ball Foundation is the philanthropic arm of our company, to build a better world. It awards grants to nonprofit organizations in U.S. communities where we operate. In 2024, we contributed 37% of our charitable resources to recycling efforts, 44% to advancing education in STEM, and 13% to helping communities prepare for disaster and rapid relief when it strikes. 

 Focus Areas:

1. Education – especially programs that increase access and equity. Aluminum manufacturing requires talented individuals with engineering, technology and other STEM-related backgrounds. Our education partners drive diversity within STEM fields, support access to STEM education, and foster interest in engineering and STEM-related careers.
2. Recycling – initiatives that enhance education and infrastructure. As a leading manufacturer of infinitely recyclable aluminum, we are dedicated to creating a more sustainable future through packaging. Our recycling partners bridge gaps in recycling education and provide tools, resources, and other necessary infrastructure to support more sustainable opportunities.
3. Community Engagement – efforts that build stronger, more resilient communities.

WHAT THE BALL FOUNDATION DOES NOT FUND
The Ball Foundation does not support organizations that discriminate against a person or a group on the basis of age, political affiliation, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief. 

In order to maintain its focus and achieve a greater impact through the use of its funds, the Ball Foundation also will generally not support: 

• Individuals  
• Religious groups for religious purposes
• Programs targeted for people with specific physical, medical or psychological conditions 
• Medical research 
• Grant requests for production of audio, film or video 
• Grant request for capital campaigns or projects 
• Grant requests for museum exhibits or similar displays 
• Requests to support travel 
• Lobbying, political or fraternal activities
• Organizations not exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code or unaccredited public/private schools 
• Programs or organizations for which the Ball Foundation is asked to serve as the sole funding source If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]. 

Other information:

Ball Foundation grantmaking focuses on programming that aligns strongly with our priority areas, including: Recycling, Education in STEM, and Disaster Relief and Preparedness. We focus on specific, measurable projects and programs rather than offering broad sponsorships. Our deadlines to apply for a grant are the third Friday in May and the third Friday in September, annually: in 2025, grant deadlines are May 16, 2025 and September 19, 2025 (Funding Guidelines). Grant applications are reviewed after the grant submission deadline rather than on a rolling basis.

Unsolicited Grant Applications

Overview:

The J.W. Couch Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in the United States in the areas of preservation, education, and wellness. For 2025, unsolicited grant applications are accepted in the following focus areas: animal well-being, including organizations that nurture compassion and respect for all living animals; early childhood education, with a focus on schools that provide young children with a creative and balanced approach to education; teachers, with a focus on teams helping teachers succeed in educating future generations; and getting outside, including organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities.

2025 Annual Grant Focus
Each year, we seek to partner and support non-profit organizations making an impact in the focus areas listed below. We only accept unsolicited grant applications from select areas of focus that are highlighted in the list. 

We do not have any geographic restrictions on where any nonprofit is located or operates. Our foundation will prospect all other charitable programs and areas of focus that are not currently accepting unsolicited applications.

Focus areas include: 

1. Preservation:
   1. Historical Preservation
   2. Wildlife Conservation
   3. Food & Waste Management
   4. Animal Wellbeing (2025 focus)
      We are dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations that nurture compassion and respect for all living animals. We must have animal-focused organizations that advocate for animal rights and provide humane treatment across all spectrums.
2. Education: 
   1. Early Childhood Education (2025 focus) 
      We are looking for schools that are providing young children with a creative and balanced approach to education. Things we love in early childhood curriculums:

• Life Skills

• Collaboration With Their Peers and Teachers

• Having Fun

• Montessori Teachings

• Project Based Teachings

• Diversity

• More Time Outside

• Less Screen Time

  1. 21st-Century Education
     We are looking for schools that teach students the essential 21st-century skills needed for the future:
• Critical thinking and problem-solving
• Collaboration across networks and leading by influence
• Agility and adaptability
• Effective oral and written communication
• Initiative and entrepreneurship
• Ability to access and analyze information
• Curiosity and imagination
  1. Teachers \ Teacher Support (2025 focus)
     Teachers are essential to providing children with the best possible education. We must invest in their future and are always looking for teams that help them succeed in educating future generations. 

1. Wellness: 
   1. Mental Health
   2. Digital Wellbeing
   3. Get Outside (2025 focus)
      Being outside can improve memory, fight depression, lower blood pressure, and more! We support organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities. 
   4. Mentorship

Other information:

We meet twice a year to review new grant applications. 
09.26.25 Grant Applications Due
10.17.25 3rd Quarter Review Deadline

How to apply: Complete and submit this application within one of the quarterly deadline windows. You will be contacted by a foundation representative should more information be needed and/or if the application has been approved.

Awards: While award amounts are not disclosed on the sponsor’s website, the foundation has awarded $2M–$2.4M annually, distributed among approximately 30 organizations, suggesting that individual grants often fall in the $50K–$100K+ range.

American History and Civics Education National Activities-Seminar

Overview:

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the AHC-Seminars program is to promote new and existing evidence-based strategies to encourage innovative American history, civics and government, and geography instruction.

Background: As the Semiquincentennial of the American experiment in self-government approaches, it provides an exceptional opportunity to reflect on the principles that have shaped the nation's foundation. This program will support seminars for educators or students in honor of the 250th anniversary of America's founding.

Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and one competitive preference priority. We are establishing these priorities for the FY 2025 grant competition in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act.

Absolute Priority: For FY 2025 in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. This priority is: Seminars for educators or students on American History and Civics in honor of the Semiquincentennial of the United States of America.

Applicants must design and implement innovative or new and existing evidence-based approaches to seminars for educators or students specifically focused on American history and civics that directly commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Seminars must study the American political tradition (ideas, traditions, institutions, and texts essential to American constitutional government and the American heritage) with a focus on the first principles of the Founding, their inclusion in the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, and their development over time.

Competitive Preference Priority: Civic Institutes at Institutions of Higher Education.

Priority will be given to applicants from institutions of higher education that have established independent academic units dedicated to civic thought, constitutional studies, American history, leadership, and economic liberty. These institutes should demonstrate a sustained commitment to robust civil discourse, the liberal arts, and the study of American history and politics through primary documents.

Program Requirements: For FY 2025 in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications, the following program requirements apply: A grantee must operate a project for the purposes of expanding, developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating for voluntary use, innovative, evidence-based approaches or professional development programs in American history, civics and government, and geography, which shall:

(a) Demonstrate the potential to improve the quality of student achievement in, and teaching of, American history, civics and government, or geography, in elementary and secondary schools; and

(b) Demonstrate innovation, scalability, accountability, and a focus on underserved populations.

Note: An applicant may consider how to meet these requirements by (a) the pre- and post-assessment of participants, and (b) how participants will share their knowledge from attendance at the seminars with elementary and secondary schools.

Other information:

Deadlines: Notices of Intent to Apply are strongly encouraged and due July 8, 2025. Applications are due July 23, 2025.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000–$1,000,000 per year. 
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $650,000 per year. 
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $1,000,000 to any applicant per 12-month budget period. The Department plans to fully fund awards made under this notice with FY 2025 funds.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5–10. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.

National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education Personnel and Leadership Preparation Programs

Overview:

This competition includes one absolute priority. This priority is: National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education Personnel and Leadership Preparation Programs.

The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a National Center to Improve Faculty Capacity to Use Educational Technology in Special Education Personnel and Leadership Preparation Programs. For the purposes of this priority, educational technology includes AT devices and AI. This project will support faculty at IHEs by improving their knowledge and use of educational technology, and their capacity to sustain its use in special education personnel and leadership preparation programs.

The project must achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes: 

(a) Increased knowledge of faculty at IHEs about the range of educational technologies that can be used within special education personnel and leadership preparation programs; 
(b) Increased capacity of faculty at IHEs to use a range of educational technologies within special education personnel and leadership preparation programs; 
(c) Increased capacity of faculty within and across IHEs to establish and sustain professional learning networks related to the use of educational technologies within special education personnel and leadership preparation programs to keep up with technological innovations; 
(d) Increased integration of educational technologies and practices throughout special education personnel and leadership preparation programs; and 
(e) Increased number of special education personnel and leadership preparation program graduates who enter the field well-prepared to integrate educational technologies and innovative technology practices, especially evidence-based technology and practices that improve literacy outcomes, to better serve children with disabilities and their families.

Other information:

Type of Award: Cooperative agreement. 
Estimated Available Funds: $700,000. 
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2026 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $700,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. 
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities Program-Stepping-Up Technology Implementation (ETechM2 Program)

Overview:

The purpose of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program (ETechM2 Program) is to improve results for children with disabilities by (1) promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) supporting educational activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom for children with disabilities; (3) providing support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the classroom; and (4) providing accessible educational materials to children with disabilities in a timely manner.

This competition includes one absolute priority. Absolute Priority: For FY 2025 this priority is an absolute priority. The absolute priority is from the allowable activities in, or otherwise authorized under, the statute.  We consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: Use of Evidence-based Technology-based Tools or Approaches that Improve Reading Outcomes for Children with, or At Risk for, Disabilities.

The purpose of this priority is to support the implementation of evidence-based technology-based tools or approaches that improve reading outcomes for children with, or at risk for, disabilities (hereafter referred to as “children with disabilities”) in pre-kindergarten (PK), elementary, middle, or high school instructional settings;

Through this priority, the Department intends to fund five cooperative agreements to establish and operate projects that achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes:

(a) Improved reading outcomes for children with disabilities in PK-12 instructional settings using an evidence-based technology-based tool or approach; 
(b) Improved educator implementation of an evidence-based technology-based tool or approach to deliver evidence-based instruction and interventions to improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities; 
(c) Improved educator and family engagement regarding the use of an evidence-based technology-based tool or approach to improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities; and
(d) Sustained use of the evidence-based technology-based tool or approach within the instructional setting.

Application Requirements: At a minimum, to be considered for funding under this priority in the application, applicants must describe the—

(a) Evidence-based technology-based tool or approach that improves reading outcomes and is ready to use at the time of the application;
(b) Reading outcomes of children with disabilities that will be improved by implementing the technology-based tool or approach;
(c) Approach to increase educators' implementation of the technology-based tool or approach to improve the reading outcomes of children with disabilities in an instructional setting; and
(d) Accessible products and resources  that will help educators and families to effectively use and implement the technology-based tool or approach.

In addition to these application requirements, to be considered for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the following requirements:

(a) In the narrative section of the application under “Significance” describe how the proposed project will address the need for a technology-based tool or approach to improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities. To meet this requirement applicants must—

(1) Describe the developed technology-based tool or approach and core components that improve reading outcomes that are based on at least promising evidence;
(2) Describe the educators who will implement the technology-based tool or approach and the population of children with disabilities who will benefit from the technology-based tool or approach;
(3) Describe how the technology-based tool or approach is currently being implemented and has improved reading outcomes for children with disabilities, if applicable;
(4) Describe any Federal funding, if applicable, within the last five years related to this technology-based tool or approach, how the funding has supported development and current implementation, and demonstrated improved outcomes for children with disabilities;
(5) Describe how the technology-based tool or approach will improve educators' implementation of evidence-based reading instruction to improve outcomes for children with disabilities in PK-12 instructional settings; and
(6) Present applicable national, State, regional, or local data demonstrating the need for the identified technology-based tool or approach to enhance the reading outcomes for children with disabilities.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project design” how the proposed project will—

(1) Develop and refine products and resources that incorporate principles of universal design for learning to support full implementation and use of the technology tool or approach to improve reading outcomes for children with disabilities; 
(2) Recruit and engage educators and children with disabilities who are intended to benefit from the technology-based tool or approach; and
(3) Address barriers or challenges of implementation and utilize stages of implementation science with a variety of sites, such as public or private school buildings or early childhood settings, to support, sustain, and scale the evidence-based technology-based tool or approach.

To address this requirement, the applicant must include the following—

(i) Two product and resource development sites. Applicants must describe at least two proposed product and resource development sites, where the project would conduct iterative development of the products and resources intended to support the implementation of the technology-based tool or approach and produce, by the end of year one, preliminary feasibility and usability data. Applicants must include a letter in Appendix A from at least one site that indicates agreement to serve as a product and resource development site, at a minimum, in year one of the project.
(ii) Three pilot sites, one of which must be a site that is eligible for Title I funds under Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Pilot sites are the sites in which ongoing refinement of the developed products and resources, and the continued collection of feasibility and usability data, will occur. Applicants must describe how they would work with a minimum of three pilot sites no later than year two of the project, where the project would continue to refine the developed products and resources; collect feasibility and usability data; and demonstrate that the educational technology-based tool or approach is improving reading outcomes for children with disabilities.
(iii) Ten dissemination study sites, three of which must be sites that are eligible for Title I funds under Part A of the ESEA. Applicants must describe and complete work with a minimum of five dissemination sites by the end of year three and another five by the end of year four of the project period, to evaluate the performance of the technology-based tool or approach on educators' implementation and reading outcomes for children with disabilities. Dissemination sites would receive less implementation support from the project than development and pilot sites.

Other information:

Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Office of Special Education Programs and Rehabilitative Services will record a pre-application webinar for this competition, available at www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/osers/osep/new-osep-grant-competitions, within five days after publication of this notice. In addition, applicants may view information on this competition at www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/osers/osep/new-osep-grant-competitions.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $400,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreements.

Vision Grants

Overview:

The Spencer Foundation invests in research to improve education, broadly conceived. There is a critical need for innovative, methodologically and disciplinarily diverse, large-scale research projects to transform education systems for equity. Importantly, we believe that ambitious research must begin with the challenges, problems, and opportunities in education systems. To stimulate research that addresses this need, the Spencer Foundation seeks to provide scholars and collaborators with the time, space, resources, and support to plan a large-scale study or program of research: geared toward real-world impact on equity; drawing on research across disciplines and methods; reliant on meaningful and equitable collaboration with practitioners, policymakers, communities, and other partners; and focused on transforming educational systems.   

The Vision Grants program funds the collaborative planning of innovative, methodologically diverse, interdisciplinary research on education that contributes to transforming education systems for equity. Vision Grants are research planning grants to bring together a team, for 6 to 12 months, to collaboratively develop ambitious, large-scale research projects focused on transforming educational systems toward greater equity. This program takes as core that visionary, interdisciplinary, and collaborative research projects require time, space, and thoughtfulness to incubate and plan. Vision Grants are $75,000 total. Different from many of Spencer’s other programs, the proposal should not be a fully fleshed out research plan. Instead, this is an invitation to think forward about what research we need to transform education systems toward equity and then to envision how that systems-change will happen, utilizing research evidence.  Teams are encouraged to reflect on the people who need to be involved from the beginning of the research design process, and how evidence from the eventual research study/studies could be used to actually transform systems. Vision Grant proposals should identify the system(s) targeted for transformation and the specific levers the team thinks need to be engaged in order to work toward systems transformation.  

Proposals should also explicitly identify: 

1. a research topic and initial thoughts about scope and methodological approach of the study,  
2. the plan for impact, identifying the levers for systems change that will likely be engaged 
3. the collaboration process, and  
4. a team that will lead to a fully fleshed out research plan by the end of the grant period. 

Solicitation limitations:

PIs and/or Co-PIs may be involved with another Spencer funded grant or proposal as PI and/or Co-PI, in addition to being named as a PI and/or Co-PI on a Vision Grant proposal.

Other information:

The Intent to Apply is required to submit a proposal to the Vision Grants program. Full Proposals are due September 17, 2025.

While the Vision Grant program stands on its own to spark research ideas and collaborations, being awarded a Vision Grant is also a prerequisite for applying to our Transformative Research Grant program (TRG, $3.5 million), which is designed for large-scale research projects that transform education systems for equity. 

U.S. Mission Kazakhstan PSD, Alumni Engagement and Outreach

Overview:

This Funding Opportunity invites potential partners to propose innovative approaches to engage USG exchange alumni and strengthen their role as advocates for strong, mutually beneficial ties between the United States and Kazakhstan. Proposed programs should focus on sustained outreach, strategic communications, and professional engagement that reinforce alumni connections to the U.S. Mission, the American people, and promote shared prosperity, economic cooperation, and strengthening of long-term bilateral ties.  Activities should build on lessons learned, foster network growth, and highlight the continued relevance of U.S. values and expertise across Kazakhstan. 

Project Audience(s): 

• USG exchange alumni from 2019-2025
• Established USG alumni (IVLP, TechWomen, Fulbright, Humphries, AWE, etc.)
• Bachelor’s degree 

Project Goal: Increase the visibility and influence of U.S. Government (USG) exchange alumni to publicly share their exchange experience, and amplify American approaches to innovation, leadership, and economic growth by empowering them to take on more visible leadership roles in their communities and professional fields on U.S. Mission priorities.

Project Objectives: 

• Objective 1: Expand the USG Alumni Network
  Increase alumni engagement by reaching at least 2,000 USG exchange alumni through targeted communication, events, and outreach efforts over the course of the project, resulting in a 25% increase in active participation across alumni platforms (such as Mission’s social media, alumni chats, groups), networks, or activities that promote U.S. excellence. Active participation is defined as alumni attending at least two events, engaging with the Mission’s social media or alumni platforms by posting or commenting at least five times.
• Objective 2: Promote U.S. Economic Leadership through Alumni Engagement
  Increase understanding of key aspects of U.S. economic leadership, such as digital innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development in energy sectors by organizing at least four alumni-focused events across Kazakhstan (e.g., professional networking, speaker series, or sector-specific roundtables). At least 50% of participants will report increased knowledge of U.S. economic models and identify specific ways they plan to apply or share this knowledge within their professional or community settings.
• Objective 3: Reconnect Alumni with U.S. Counterparts to Showcase American Expertise
  Increase the number of alumni-led initiatives that address local challenges by bringing together alumni and U.S. exchange counterparts (such as host institutions, mentors, or professional contacts) to share U.S. expertise with local communities through targeted events or collaborative activities. Each initiative will directly engage local stakeholders and promote U.S. excellence by demonstrating how alumni are applying lessons from their exchange experience to address local challenges, resulting in at least ten (10) quality community engagement activities led by USG alumni, as measured through pre-post event/activity surveys assessing attitudes about U.S. expertise and the role of USG alumni in local communities.

Other information:

Funding Instrument Type:  Cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement of the bureau or embassy in program implementation of the project

Project Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 12 months or less. 

ECMC Foundation: Open Letter of Inquiry

Overview:

The Foundation is focused on improving postsecondary education outcomes so that all students have a better chance of career success. The scope of higher education includes credit-bearing career and technical education (CTE), and other two- and four-year postsecondary credentials. The Foundation focuses particularly on improving outcomes for underserved populations and is committed to evaluation and learning from our grantmaking and field expertise to drive evidence-based innovation in higher education.

The Foundation aims to drive systemic change, getting at the root causes of complex challenges in higher education, not just the symptoms. This may mean tackling the biases, institutional, system-level or state or federal policies, resource allocation and flows, and financial and life circumstances that create barriers to success for underserved learners.

Our strategic priorities represent a three-pronged approach to creating systemic change in higher education that includes creating immediate change by removing obstacles that stand in the way of learner success right now; equipping institutions and organizations to better serve learners; and evolving the postsecondary ecosystem over time to become more adaptive, resilient, and capable of delivering better college completion outcomes for all students.

• Removing barriers to postsecondary completion--We bolster programs that directly support learner success by meeting the unique needs, goals and aspirations of today’s learners
• Building the capacity of organizations, systems and institutions--We strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions, systems, and other support and service organizations to improve outcomes for today’s learners and evolve to meet the changing needs of learners.
• Transforming the postsecondary ecosystem--We support large-scale, cross-sector collaborations and innovations that have the potential to transform the postsecondary ecosystem so that more students, especially those farthest from opportunity, have a better chance of earning a postsecondary degree or credential.

Growing Our Initiatives
To drive systemic change, we focus a substantial portion of our strategic grantmaking and program-related investments on initiatives. As the Foundation evolves in its learning, existing initiatives will grow and new initiatives will be developed. An initiative represents the Foundation’s commitment to working toward systemic change in or through an area of the postsecondary ecosystem. All grantmaking and investing related to an initiative will be strategically connected to the initiative. 

Established initiatives include:

1. Basic Needs Initiative -- Our multipronged approach aims to decrease the percentage of postsecondary students experiencing basic needs insecurity by 10% by 2033.
   Strategies for Action: To realize this ambitious-but-possible goal, ECMC Foundation addresses basic needs insecurity in postsecondary education by supporting programs and solutions that align with the following strategies.
   1. Growing Data Capacity: Incorporate use of data to understand effectiveness of basic needs interventions on student experiences, nonacademic outcomes and academic outcomes.
   2. Scaling Effective Practices: Leverage, improve and modernize local, state and federally funded basic needs services that align to the evolving needs of today’s students and expand use of services.
   3. Informing Policy Reform: Advance the understanding of policy change to remove structural barriers to basic needs services and promote student success.
2. CTE Leadership Collaborative Initiative -- The CTE Leadership Collaborative (LC) Initiative brings together diverse perspectives and equips postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) leaders with the tools, resources and skills needed to advance the field. Across the country, there is a critical shortage of qualified workers needed to fill middle-skill jobs—jobs that require more education and training than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year college degree. Many of the middle-skill jobs in high-demand industries, like manufacturing, information technology and healthcare, pay family-sustaining wages and can be accessed by attaining postsecondary career and technical education (CTE) credentials. While CTE programs in high-demand fields exist, the quality and outcomes of programs vary, research and awareness of best practices are limited, and leadership and professional development opportunities are uncommon.
3. Rural Impact Initiative -- In response to sparse data and wide-ranging potential impact, the Rural Impact Initiative aims to enhance the field’s understanding of the unique opportunities, assets and challenges of rural postsecondary institutions and learners and to ultimately increase completion rates and build the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems to support rural learners.
4. Parenting Student Success Initiative -- By funding and supporting the work of grantee partners, ECMC Foundation strives to make strategic investments so that parenting students can realize their educational dreams, fostering a brighter and more equitable future for them and their children. 

Remaining Strategically Responsive 
In addition to our initiatives, we make grants and investments through our open letter of inquiry process. As we pursue systemic change in the postsecondary ecosystem, we remain committed to funding evidence-based innovation with the flexibility to adapt as the higher education landscape evolves. We reserve funding for projects that do not fit within one of our established initiatives but are connected to one or more of our strategic priorities.

Our Commitment to Learning and Evaluation
As part of our commitment to embodying a culture of humility and responsiveness, learning and evaluation is evolving and increasing its role significantly through our strategic framework. Learning and evaluation is a driving influence of initiative strategies to ensure that the work within each initiative is moving toward the initiative goals, advancing a learning agenda and is aligning to one or more strategic priorities.

In recent years, ECMC Foundation has strengthened attention to learning and evaluation and is developing a robust approach befitting the growth of the Foundation’s grantmaking and our strategic focus on systemic change. This approach will be ongoing and iterative, incorporating data from applications, reports and conversations with grantees to make evidenced-based decisions. Centered in equity and focused on systemic change, learning and evaluation is being integrated into the entire strategy development and works in close partnership with the grantmaking and investing teams. Grantees are essential partners in all stages of the Foundation’s learning and evaluation processes.

Other information:

ECMC Foundation makes grants and investments with durations ranging from one year to five years and amounts from $50,000 to over one million dollars. The grant period and funding amount varies based on the proposed request, however our average grant duration is two years and our average grant size is $500,000.

All new requests for funding will be required to meet one or more of the strategic priorities under the strategic framework.

LOI Deadline: ECMC Foundation’s open application and rolling deadline make us unique among national foundations. Our LOI process is open, meaning organizations do not need to be invited to apply. Each LOI, whether solicited or not, is processed the same way internally. And there’s no specific timeline for submission – LOIs are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis (all year long), which means there are no deadlines or missed windows of opportunity.

Kigali Public Diplomacy APS, U.S. Mission to Rwanda

Overview:

This funding opportunity is designed to strengthen the U.S. government’s relationship with local communities in Rwanda, advance mutual goals, and amplify the positive impact of collaborative projects. We encourage innovative proposals that address the below outlined priority areas. 

Priority Program Areas: This funding opportunity aims to maximize the impact of U.S. government investments by supporting projects that: 

• Promote Leadership through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM): Proposals should integrate STEM education through innovative projects that develop expertise, foster problem-solving abilities, and prepare young Rwandans for future challenges and opportunities. 
• Promote Media Professionals’ Capacity and Digital Literacy Among Youth: Proposals should aim to expand competencies with digital tools and storytelling. These initiatives help young reporters and changemakers foster a well-informed society. 
• Promote Sports Diplomacy: Proposals should focus on fostering cooperation and economic growth through sports. By creating opportunities for cultural exchange and building stronger international relationships, sports diplomacy helps individuals and communities connect across borders and cultures, and develop alternate economic revenues to increase self-reliance. 
• Promote Professional Skills Development: Proposals should aim to equip individuals with the necessary skills for career advancement and economic growth. By supporting professional skills development, these initiatives help improve the quality of the workforce, ensuring that individuals are better prepared to meet the demands of the modern job market and contribute to their communities' overall prosperity. 
• Enhance English Proficiency: Proposals should focus on improving English proficiency, as it enhances global communication and provides educational opportunities that can lead to personal and professional growth. By supporting English language education, individuals can better engage in international dialogue, access more information, and participate in global economic activities. 

Participants and Audiences: Priority will be given for project proposals that focus on youth audiences (over the age of 15), business and professional audiences.

Other information:

Program Performance Period: Proposed projects should be completed in 12 months or less.

Cost Sharing or Matching: Though not a requirement, the U.S. Embassy encourages proposals with cost-sharing.