The U.S. Department of Education has released the latest information regarding the 2015 Innovative Fund (i3) Development Grants. The Investing in Innovation Fund was established in 2009 to support local educational agencies and nonprofit organizations in partnership with educational agencies. All programs applying for the grants must aim to improve student achievement and attainment, including expanding practices that will enhance student growth and achievement. Programs must have a demonstrated impact on closing achievement gaps, increasing high school graduation rates, increasing college enrollment and completion rates, and decreasing dropout rates.
For this year’s i3 Grants competition, organizations can submit a pre-application before April 29, 2015. Each pre-application will be reviewed and scored by peer reviewers, and organizations with a highly rated pre-application will be invited to submit the complete application for a grant. The hope is that the pre-application process will reduce the burden of submitting a complete grant application. However, any organization may apply for a grant without submitting a pre-application.
In 2014, Transform Consulting Group helped the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA) apply for two innovation fund program grants: Investing in Innovation Validation (i3) and Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL). The grants were sought to expand the implementation of the research-based Early Literacy Project (ELP) or SPARK program. SPARK is a core BGCA “wrap-around” program that improves classroom reading achievement through literacy work in three spheres of influence: school, family, and community.
Transform Consulting Group applauds BGCA’s leadership in improving the literacy rate of students at high-need schools and working to bridge the school-community-family spheres. Contact us today to learn how we help organizations apply for grants and find new funding streams.
