[Arnold Ventures](https://www.arnoldventures.org)

May 1, 2026 (Letter of Interest) | August 7, 2026 (Full Proposal, invited applicants)

No set minimum or maximum; budgets should reflect project scope and duration, with proposals over $500,000 potentially requiring additional review time.

Supports rigorous causal research on the academic, behavioral, and mental health impacts of K-12 school cell phone policies in the U.S.

--- ## Description This opportunity from Arnold Ventures funds rigorous, policy-relevant research that investigates the effects of cell phone policies in K-12 schools across the United States. The focus is on generating high-quality causal evidence—through Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) or Quasi-Experimental Designs (QEDs)—to better understand how restricting cell phone use impacts student academic achievement, behavior, and mental health. The goal is to provide actionable insights for policymakers and education leaders as they consider, implement, or refine cell phone policies to improve learning environments and student well-being. --- ## Due Dates - **May 1, 2026:** Letter of Interest (LOI) deadline - **August 7, 2026:** Deadline for invited applicants to submit a full proposal Applicants will be notified if invited to submit a full proposal by June 12, 2026, and award notifications are expected by October 16, 2026 (proposals over $500,000 may require additional time for approval). --- ## Funding Amount - There is **no specified minimum or maximum award amount**. - Budgets should be appropriate for the proposed project’s scope and duration. - Proposals with budgets over $500,000 may require additional review time. - Funding is generally for research costs; in limited cases, support for intervention delivery may be considered if essential for a rigorous evaluation. --- ## Eligibility - Open to researchers proposing studies focused on U.S. K-12 schools. - Projects must use rigorous causal research methods: **Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)** or **Quasi-Experimental Designs (QEDs)** (e.g., natural experiments, regression discontinuity, difference-in-differences, instrumental variables). - Studies relying solely on matching or selection on observables as the identification strategy are **not eligible**. - All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to protected characteristics. --- ## Application Process 1. **Letter of Interest (LOI):** - Submit an LOI via the Arnold Ventures applicant portal (see links below). - Use the required LOI template. - LOIs must address policy relevance, study design, and feasibility to the extent possible. - Include optional uploads: study team overview (1-2 pages), CVs (1-3 pages each), and a budget request summary. 2. **Full Proposal (by invitation):** - Applicants whose LOIs are selected will be invited to submit a full proposal. - Full proposals must provide comprehensive details on study design, power analysis, data sources, timeline, and budget. 3. **Review & Selection:** - Proposals are evaluated on policy relevance and study design rigor. - Emphasis is placed on the potential to generate actionable, policy-relevant evidence. --- ## Additional Information - Projects should emphasize U.S. relevance and have a clear pathway to policy impact. - Strong applications will articulate how findings could inform practice or policy at scale. - Adherence to open science and research transparency is encouraged (e.g., pre-registration, pre-analysis plans). - For more details, refer to the [full RFP PDF](https://assets.arnoldventures.org/uploads/PDFs/AV_RFP_Cell-Phones-in-Schools.pdf). --- ## External Links - [Arnold Ventures Home](https://www.arnoldventures.org) - [Current Requests for Proposals](https://www.arnoldventures.org/grantees#requests-for-proposals) - [Full RFP PDF](https://assets.arnoldventures.org/uploads/PDFs/AV_RFP_Cell-Phones-in-Schools.pdf) - [Applicant Portal](https://proposals.arnoldventures.org/) - [General FAQs](https://www.arnoldventures.org/grantees#requests-for-proposals) (see linked documents on the funder site) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |------------------------------|-----------------------------------------| | General & Evidence Team | [EvidenceTeam@arnoldventures.org](mailto:EvidenceTeam@arnoldventures.org) | | General Inquiries | [info@arnoldventures.org](mailto:info@arnoldventures.org) | | Funder Contact Page | [Contact Arnold Ventures](https://www.arnoldventures.org/contact) | ---

Causal Research on the Impacts of Cell Phone Policies in K-12 Schools

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