The Department of Education (Education) used a two-phase strategy for
awarding Promise Neighborhoods (Promise) grants, and aligned grant activities
with program goals. Education awarded 1-year planning grants to organizations
with the potential to effectively align services for students in their respective
neighborhoods. Planning grants were generally intended to enhance the
grantees’ capacity to plan a continuum of services. Through a separate
competition, Education awarded 5-year implementation grants to organizations
that demonstrated they were most ready to implement their plans. However,
Education did not communicate clearly to grantees about its expectations for the
planning grants and the likelihood of receiving implementation grants. As a result,
some grantees experienced challenges sustaining momentum in the absence or
delay of implementation grant funding.
