SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Education Department on Wednesday announced 49 finalists for a share of the $650 million it plans to give away to encourage innovation.
The finalists chosen from among nearly 1,700 applications to the Investment in Innovation fund have until Sept. 8 to find a 20 percent private match in order to secure the federal grant. A group of private foundations has set up a website to help the grantees find matching dollars.
The applications come from school districts and nonprofit organizations, as well as colleges and universities.
Grants of up to $50 million are being awarded for scaling up education programs with a chosen track record; grants of up to $30 million for growing a program with emerging evidence of success; and up to $5 million for development of promising ideas.
