Causal Research to Improve Outcomes for Part-Time Students
Supports rigorous causal research to identify scalable interventions that improve completion and labor market outcomes for part-time undergraduate students.
Funder: Arnold Ventures
Due Dates: June 14, 2026 (Letter of Interest) | August 16, 2026 (Full proposal for invited applicants)
Funding Amounts: No set maximum; budgets should match project scope and timeline. Funding is for research costs only, not intervention delivery.
Summary: Supports rigorous causal research to identify effective, scalable interventions that improve completion and labor market outcomes for part-time undergraduate students.
Key Information: Only randomized or robust quasi-experimental designs eligible; no funding for intervention delivery costs.
Description
Arnold Ventures is seeking proposals for rigorous causal research on programs, policies, and practices aimed at improving educational completion and labor market outcomes for part-time undergraduate students. The focus is on scalable, cost-effective approaches that address the unique barriers faced by working adults, student parents, caregivers, and others unable to enroll full-time. The research should generate actionable insights to inform institutional practices, system-level decision-making, and state policy, ultimately maximizing return on investment for students and taxpayers. Priority areas include institutional strategies to support completion, career alignment and workforce-connected pathways, and policy or systems-level reforms.
