OCTAE Connection Flash Edition
December 18, 2018
The Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) announced the launch of a new Request for Proposals (RFP) soliciting innovative ideas to improve outcomes for students in higher education.
LJAF is interested in funding research and evaluation projects testing interventions related to post-secondary success (including student learning, persistence, completion, time to completion, job placement, and post-college earnings). They are particularly interested in interventions that promise to improve success among underserved students, such as low-income students, students of color, adult students, and veterans. LJAF has committed up to $10 million for these grants.
This RFP is soliciting two types of project proposals:
Innovation Tier: LJAF recognizes that many innovative ideas will not be ready for larger-scale evaluations of impact until they can be successfully piloted. Therefore, proposals are being solicited for small-scale pilot projects, supported by compelling logic, that faithfully implement and study postsecondary interventions.
Validation Tier: LJAF is seeking proposals to rigorously evaluate interventions that either have highly promising prior evidence or are widely implemented. These evaluations build policy-important evidence about “what works” to increase postsecondary success in a cost-effective manner. LJAF strongly prefers randomized controlled trials but under certain conditions may consider rigorous quasi-experimental evaluations with strong designs.
Letters of Interest are due by Jan. 31, 2019. To learn more about the criteria for proposals and how to apply, please read the full description on the LJAF website.
The Department of Education is extending a program to provide funds to postsecondary institutions that enrolled displaced students affected by a covered disaster or emergency, namely hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, and the wildfires in calendar year 2017. The program — Defraying Costs of Enrolling Displaced Students — helps to “defray unexpected costs in the areas of tuition, fees, and room and board (e.g., housing and meal plans) that have not already been reimbursed by a third party.” The application deadline for the program, funded at $75 million, has been extended through Dec. 31, 2018. More information about the program can be found here.
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