Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 052417 003
This grant opportunity, run by the U.S. Department of Education under OSERS and OSEP, funds a single Research and Development Center focused on creating software that helps educators adapt and customize instruction inside digital learning environments so children with disabilities can achieve better outcomes. It sits within the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program (CFDA 84.327A), which is intended to push forward practical, classroom-relevant technology and services that improve learning for students with disabilities, including supports like accessible instructional materials and media features such as captioning and video description when appropriate for educational use.
The core aim of the competition is to support work that goes beyond general educational software and instead targets tools that make digital instruction more flexible and responsive to individual learner needs. In practice, that means software that can help adjust content presentation, pacing, scaffolding, supports, or instructional pathways in ways that better align with disability-related learning needs, and that can be used in real classrooms. The opportunity is structured as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which typically means the Department of Education expects to have more ongoing involvement than in a standard grant, such as technical input, coordination, or monitoring tied to the project’s milestones and deliverables.
Eligibility is broad and includes state educational agencies and local educational agencies (including public charter schools that qualify as LEAs under state law), public and private institutions of higher education, other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), Indian tribes and tribal organizations, freely associated states and outlying areas, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses). This wide eligibility reflects the idea that effective R&D in special education technology may come from school systems, research universities, nonprofits specializing in accessibility, or developers with capacity to build and test software at scale.
Funding details in the listing indicate an anticipated single award with an award ceiling of $1,000,000. The opportunity was posted on May 24, 2017, and the original closing date for applications was July 10, 2017. Because it is a federal discretionary competition, applicants are expected to follow the official Federal Register notice for the authoritative requirements, including any absolute or competitive priorities, project design expectations, evaluation requirements, performance measures, budget rules, and reporting obligations.
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov, not by email. Applicants were instructed to locate the application package by searching for the CFDA number without the letter suffix (search 84.327 rather than 84.327A). The synopsis also emphasizes that the short description is not a substitute for the Federal Register notice; the notice is where the detailed rules are laid out, including any pre-application steps, formatting and submission instructions, and program contact information.Apply for ED GRANTS 052417 003
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OSERS: OSEP: Research and Development Center on Developing Software to Adapt and Customize Instruction in Digital Learning Environments to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities CFDA Number 84.327A" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.327.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-05-24.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-07-10. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this grant opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant opportunity, administered under OSERS (Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services) and OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs). It supports one Research and Development (R&D) Center focused on creating software that helps educators adapt and customize instruction within digital learning environments so children with disabilities can achieve better outcomes.
Which program is this competition part of?
The opportunity is part of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program (CFDA 84.327A). The program is intended to advance practical, classroom-relevant technology and services that improve learning for students with disabilities, including supports like accessible instructional materials and media features such as captioning and video description when appropriate for educational use.
What is the main purpose of the funded project?
The core purpose is to fund work that goes beyond general educational software by developing tools that make digital instruction more flexible and responsive to individual learner needs related to disability. The software is expected to help educators adapt instruction in real classroom settings.
What kinds of software capabilities does the opportunity emphasize?
The synopsis points to software that can adjust content presentation, pacing, scaffolding, supports, or instructional pathways to better align with disability-related learning needs. The emphasis is on tools that enable adaptation and customization of instruction inside digital learning environments.
Is the goal to build general education software?
No. The competition specifically emphasizes work that goes beyond general educational software and instead targets tools designed to make digital instruction adaptable and responsive to disability-related learning needs.
How many awards are expected?
The listing indicates an anticipated single award. That means the Department expects to fund one project/R&D Center under this opportunity.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed is $1,000,000.
What type of award is this?
This is a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement typically means the Department of Education expects ongoing involvement during the project (for example, technical input, coordination, or monitoring tied to milestones and deliverables), rather than a more hands-off approach associated with some standard grant structures.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes:
- State educational agencies (SEAs)
- Local educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools that qualify as LEAs under state law
- Public and private institutions of higher education (IHEs)
- Other public agencies
- Private nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status)
- Indian tribes and tribal organizations
- Freely associated states and outlying areas
- For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
Are for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations are eligible, except for small businesses (the eligibility list specifies "for-profit organizations (other than small businesses)").
Can a public charter school apply?
Yes, if the public charter school qualifies as an LEA under state law.
Do nonprofit applicants need to have 501(c)(3) status?
No. The eligibility list includes private nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on May 24, 2017. The original closing date for applications was July 10, 2017.
Where were applications submitted?
Applications had to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Submissions by email were not accepted.
How do applicants find the application package on Grants.gov?
Applicants were instructed to search using the CFDA number without the letter suffix. In other words, search for 84.327 rather than 84.327A to locate the application package.
Is the synopsis/short description the authoritative source of requirements?
No. The synopsis emphasizes that the short description is not a substitute for the official Federal Register notice. The Federal Register notice is identified as the authoritative source for detailed requirements and rules.
What details are expected to be in the Federal Register notice?
According to the synopsis, the Federal Register notice includes the authoritative requirements for the competition, including items such as absolute or competitive priorities, project design expectations, evaluation requirements, performance measures, budget rules, reporting obligations, and any pre-application steps, formatting/submission instructions, and program contact information.
What does this grant focus on in terms of student population?
The funded work is focused on improving outcomes for children with disabilities by enabling educators to better adapt and customize instruction within digital learning environments.
How does accessibility fit into the program context?
Within the broader program (Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities), the grant context includes supports like accessible instructional materials and media features such as captioning and video description when appropriate for educational use.
What does "real classrooms" imply for the proposed work?
The synopsis notes that the tools should be usable in real classrooms, signaling an emphasis on practical, classroom-relevant software rather than purely conceptual or non-deployable prototypes.
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