In 2020, as part of a wider IES investment in resources around cost, IES funded the Cost Analysis in Practice (CAP) Project, a 3-year initiative to support researchers and practitioners who are planning or conducting a cost analysis of educational programs and practices. The CAP Project Help Desk provides free on-demand tools, guidance, and technical assistance, such as support with a cost analysis plan for a grant proposal. After inquiries are submitted to the Help Desk, a member of the CAP Project Team reaches out within two business days. Below is a list of resources that you can access to get more information about cost analysis.
STAGES FOR CONDUCTING A COST ANALYSIS
CAP Project Resources
Cost Analysis Standards and Guidelines 1.0: Practical guidelines for designing and executing cost analyses of educational programs.
IES 2021 RFAs Cost Analysis Requirements: Chart summarizing the CAP Project's interpretation of the IES 2021 RFAs cost analysis requirements.
Cost Analysis Plan Checklist: Checklist for comprehensive cost analysis plans of educational programs and interventions.
Introduction to Cost Analysis: Video (17 mins).
General Cost Analysis Resources
The Critical Importance of Costs for Education Decisions: Background on cost analysis methods and applications.
Cost Analysis: A Starter Kit: An introduction to cost analysis concepts and steps.
CostOut®: Free IES-funded software to facilitate calculation of costs once you have your ingredients list, includes database of prices.
DecisionMaker®: Free software to facilitate evidence-based decision- making using a cost-utility framework.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Early Reading Programs: A Demonstration With Recommendations for Future Research: Open access journal article.
*More resources available here.
The content for this blog has been adapted from the Cost Analysis in Practice Project informational flyer (CAP Project, 2020) provided by the CAP Project Team. To contact the CAP Help Desk for assistance, please go to https://capproject.org/. You can also find them on Twitter @The_CAP_Project.
