Application Guidelines

What We Fund

The Foundation funds two types of projects:
  1. evaluations of existing model programs
  2. innovative research on model development, including both efficacy and effectiveness studies

The Foundation favors:
  • projects that bring researchers and service providers together to prove and improve the effectiveness of early care and education environments for children at risk for poor school outcomes due to environmental factors associated with living in poverty
  • projects that leverage other funds
  • projects with the potential to inform or guide policy of funding decisions
  • projects that structure time for researchers/evaluators and program providers to collaborate

What We Don't Fund

The Foundation does not fund:
  • scholarships
  • continuing education for providers
  • program operating costs
  • capital projects
  • research for children at risk of poor school outcomes due to medical conditions
  • support for scaling up programs already found to be effective
  • support for individual providers who wish to increase their center's Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale score or obtain accreditation
Application Process

The Brady Education Foundation currently accepts proposals throughout the year. There is a two-stage application process. Stage 1 requires a maximum four-page (not including CV of principal invstigator or ptrom director or letters of support from partnering organizations) electronic submission via a pdf file. If approved by the Board, the applicant will be invited to continue to Stage 2. The Board meets three times a year.


Stage 1 Early Childhood Grant Application Process
Required Format:
  • 11-point font or larger
  • 1-inch margins
  • electronic .pdf file   (Note: Any proposal not submitted as a .pdf file will be returned unread)

Proposal should include the following:
  • Two pages:
    1. Either:
    2. a) A brief description of the program to be evaluated, including mission, history, and percentage/numbers of low income at-risk students, or
      b) A brief description of proposed project and how practitioners will be working with researchers to develop new programs.
    3. Brief explanation of how this project matches the Foundation's mission and has the potential to inform or guide policy or funding decisions.
    4. Project summary
    5. Beginning and ending dates
    6. Addresses and contact information
  • Letters of support from partnering organizations
  • One page: Cursory background review of research literature and citations
  • One page: Estimate of total program cost and specific request to Brady Education Foundation if different from total cost. Indirect costs or overhead costs may not exceed 10% of total project cost.
  • Resume/CV of Principal Investigator or Program Director (not to exceed three pages)

The Brady Education Foundation currently accepts proposals throughout the year. There is a two-stage application process. Submission deadlines are as follows:

Submission Timetable

Stage 1 Proposal 
Due Date
Notification Date
If Invited to 
Continue to Stage II, Proposal Due Date
Earliest Funding Date
04/24/2012
6/27/2012 8/17/2012 10/15/2012
8/17/2012 10/24/2012 12/14/2012 2/15/2013
12/14/2012 2/20/2012  4/22/2013 6/15/2013 
 4/22/2013 6/26/2013 8/19/2013 10/15/2013 
8/19/2013  10/23/2013 12/16/2013  2/15/2014 
 12/16/2013 2/18/2014   4/21/2014  6/15/2014
 4/21/2014  6/25/2014 8/17/2014  10/15/2014 
 8/18/2014 10/22/2014  12/15/2014 2/18/2015
 12/15/2014  2/18/2015 4/20/2015  6/24/2015
4/20/2015 6/24/2015 8/17/2015  10/21/2015 


Submit Stage 1 Early Childhood Grant applications as a .pdf file to: 
applications@bradyeducationfoundation.org


Stage 2 Early Childhood Grant Application Process
Required Format:
  • 11-point font or larger
  • 1-inch margins
  • electronic .pdf file   (Note: Any proposal not submitted as a .pdf file will be returned unread)

If the Brady Education Foundation invites the applicant to continue on to Stage 2, the proposal should include the following:
  • A narrative of up to ten pages detailing:
    1. background/significant literature review
    2. research/evaluation design
    3. research site
    4. methodology
    5. timeline with benchmarks
  • Letters of support from partnering organizations
  • Resumes/CVs of key personnel, each resume/CV not to exceed three pages
  • Other funding sources or partners
  • Detailed budget including specific request to Brady Education Foundation if different from total cost
  • Proof of tax exempt status
  • Beginning and ending dates
  • Addresses and contact information


Stage 2 Early Childhood Grant applications are accepted by invitation only.


100 Europa Drive, Suite 351  Chapel Hill, NC 27517
info@bradyeducationfoundation.org