Balance the Equation - A Grand Challenge for Algebra 1

Balance the Equation is the first-ever Grand Challenge focused on U.S. education.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is seeking to disrupt the deeply imbalanced system against this generation – and previous generations – of Black, Latino, English Learners (ELs), and students experiencing poverty in the United States, who we will refer to as priority students, as it relates to their Algebra 1 experience in 7th, 8th, or 9th grade, in-class or online.

Submissions are welcome from across the globe for a chance at a Phase 1: Planning and Prototyping grant for US$100,000 to develop a pilot study plan alongside our external learning partner, American Institute for Research (AIR). Upon completion of the first Phase, awardees can then apply for a Phase 2: Pilot Study grant for up to US$1 million. Applicants are encouraged to consider how their solution* could benefit from the expertise of two or more organizations in a partnership or combine with emerging or existing in-market solutions. Partnerships representing collaboration with a full-course Algebra 1 or relevant middle grades mathematics series provider are especially encouraged, as this would represent a clear go-to-market pathway.

Please contact Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator, at intl.research@lakeheadu.ca if you are interested in applying to this funding opportunity.