Knowing-Doing Network Leadership Coalition: Is my organization a good fit (and vice versa)?

1. Eligible organizations

• Non-profit organizations (501c3 or international equivalent)
• Research organizations (501c3 or international equivalent)
• Accredited non-profit universities and colleges
• Other think tanks (501c3 or international equivalent)

KDNLC organizations must be legally recognized not-for-profit organizations or international equivalent, registered with the appropriate local authorities and in compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Please note, applicants will be required to provide documentation of this if invited to submit a full application.

Additionally, the organization must be able to accept grant monies/funds from foreign entities.

The following entities are NOT eligible:

• Individuals
• For-profit corporations
• Government or government-affiliated institutions (any ministry, bureau, department, agency, government corporation or any other entity chartered or established by the Government).
• Organizations that primarily engage in partisan political activities, including lobbying
• Organizations not eligible to receive grants from U.S. entities

2. Qualifications

CUE seeks to partner with local, not-for-profit, CSOs working to inform evidence-based policy on education systems transformation and holistic learning in local education jurisdictions (at the national or sub-national level). CUE will review candidates from around the world but will prioritize organizations headquartered and operating in the Global South.

Additionally, KDNLC organizations should demonstrate:

• Experience with and organizational focus on holistic learning and breadth of skills development for all young people, particularly those in marginalized contexts;
• Experience with one or more of the topical areas of interest to the broader network;
  • early childhood education
  • family and community engagement in education
  • gender equality in education
  • innovative pedagogies
  • climate education
  • teacher professional development
• A track record of engagement with local education ecosystem actors;
• Clarity around how the organization would leverage this opportunity;
• Established or emerging institutional positioning to inform systems change in their context;
• Capacity and interest in actively participating in network and KDNLC events; and
• Ability to responsibly absorb, spend and report upon funding in compliance with Brookings’s policies and requirements.

KDNLC organizations should have a substantial focus on non-partisan, policy-oriented research and/or advocacy. Organizations that also engage in direct provision of education services may apply, but this should not be the principle or sole focus of the organization.

3. Benefits of participating in the KDNLC

The KDNLC offers the opportunity for organizations and their leadership to participate in a global network seeking to inform education systems transformation in support of holistic learning for all children and young people. As such, participating organizations will have the opportunity to:

• Co-construct a collaborative space to explore, experiment and learn with peer organizations from across the world.
• Bring contextual local expertise and priorities to the global conversation.
• Deepen understanding of relevant topics that impact young people’s education, including early childhood, innovative pedagogies, family engagement, gender equality, climate, and educational technology.
• Improve evidence about what works, when, how and why through the joint creation of knowledge products and tools.
• Receive financial and technical support to engage in innovative research and policy work on systems transformation toward holistic learning in local and global contexts.
• Expand organizational reach – locally, regionally and globally.

4. Responsibilities of KDNLC members

• Participate in all KDNLC meetings, including virtual sessions (up to 3/month) and up to 2 in-person network convenings during the calendar year;
• Engage in ongoing asynchronous work (jointly developed documents, written feedback, etc.);
• Pursue one or more research projects to inform learning and policy in the organization’s local context and the wider network and/or at the global level. (Please note: access to the findings of this project to be made available to the public and policymakers at no cost);
• Participate in and contribute to peer learning sessions with the broader Knowing-Doing Network;
• Maintain a collaborative relationship with all member organizations of the KDNLC and the broader network;
• Participate in monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities of the KDN and KDNLC as well as annual learning retreats;
• Be in compliance with Brookings’s policies and requirements as outlined in the Brookings subgrantee agreement (template to be provided to invited applicants).