Inspired by Mission.
Guided by Reason.
Ensuring Excellence
in Education Research
What I Do
Proposal Development
I work with you to develop your research ideas into strong grant proposals.
I synthesize prior research on your topic to guide your research questions.
I review your grant proposal drafts and provide feedback for improvement.
Funding Strategy
I identify relevant funding sources for your education research projects.
I’m your thought partner in planning your future learning or research agenda.
Research & Evaluation
I help you build sound evidence about what works to increase student success.
I clearly communicate your results to inform education policy and practice.
Grant Management Systems
I develop strategic systems and processes to streamline your grant management.
I build tools to help you keep timelines and budgets on track.
Peer Review
I provide thorough reviews of research proposals with constructive feedback.
I serve on peer review panels for Federal grant competitions.
Watch me do a FREE webinar about grant writing in the education sciences here!
Clients Include:
Donahue Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst
The Education Collaboratory, UMass Amherst College of Education
City Connects, Boston College
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Manhattan Strategy Group (MSG)
College of Education, Prairie View A&M University
Who I Am
Welcome!
My name is Corinne Alfeld, and I am the Founder and Principal of Good Reason Consulting, LLC.
I have a Ph.D. from the Combined Program in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan and 25 years of experience as an education researcher. I served as an Education Research Analyst/Program Officer in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of Education, for 13 years, where I helped research grant applicants to strengthen their proposals, observed peer review panel discussions, and ensured funded projects proceeded smoothly.
Prior to IES, I worked in university and non-profit settings, conducting and reporting on education research. Following the Federal layoffs in 2025, I have been working as a consultant, using my skills and experience to support researchers. I serve as a though partner, review and edit research proposals and reports, and build tools for efficient grant coordination processes.
I understand education research at both the classroom teaching and learning level as well as at the district, state, and national policy/systems level. I am well-versed in multiple research methods and study designs, and I have experience in what funders are looking for. I authored multiple publications in academic and practitioner journals, reports, briefs, and blog posts and know how to clearly communicate research findings for a variety of audiences.
I established Good Reason Consulting, LLC to support other researchers in building new evidence to improve learning for all students. I look forward to working with you to improve your proposals and assist with any grant-related tasks you need!
TESTIMONIALS
“ Beyond Corinne’s ability to see the big picture and her thoughtful approach, she has brought a sense of steadiness and curiosity that makes collaboration easy and genuinely enjoyable. She makes me think, and laugh, and I’m grateful for that.”
—Sharon Vardatira, Director of Business Development, University of Massachusetts Amherst Donahue Institute
”Consultant exceeded expectations. Corinne did an excellent job on a complex proposal. Her review was really helpful to the client and demonstrated her expertise re: the Dept of ED.”
—Marianne Jordan, McAllister & Quinn
“I can't recommend Corinne highly enough. She's a great thinker who is good with the details and at a high level. She knows the content, the methodology, the dissemination, the meaning, and the potential impact. She's very conscientious and professional. She's also just a wonderful and kind person.”
—Katherine Hughes, former Director of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Research Network at the American Institutes for Research (AIR); current Principal at EdWordian
“Corinne takes initiative to innovate and problem solve for the specific while always focused on the mission and the big picture . I could not recommend her highly enough for any opportunity given her skills and expertise observed first hand working with her over seven years.”
—Kim Sprague, Lead Social/Behavioral Scientist at MITRE
“Dr. Alfeld has the unique ability to deliver information and wisdom so that people understand it. Her expert knowledge, professional delivery, and collegial expectations were exactly what our group needed.”
—Travis Park, Professor, North Carolina State University
“Corinne brings clarity, integrity, and a steady hand to complex projects. Her ability to thoughtfully navigate nuanced issues and deliver high-quality work has made her an indispensable colleague. Beyond her technical skills, Corinne is simply a joy to work with. I would jump at the chance to collaborate with her again.”
—Christina Chhin, Managing Director, Georgia State AI4STEM Education Center
“I definitely enjoy and learn from all of my interactions with Corinne. She is a great thought partner and has always given us wonderful advice.”
—Julie Edmunds, Director, Early College Research Center, UNC Greensboro
Let's Discuss Your Ideas and How I Can Help You!
Send me a quick note and I’ll get back to you within one business day.