Policy, as much as the merits of an individual proposal, determines which researcher gets how much money to do what kind of study. Federal money accounts for over 75 percent of all educational R & D funds expended. In the formation of federal educational R & D policy, there are two separate structural events--authorization and appropriations--influenced by the same three forces: (1) the Administration; (2) external groups and consitutencies; and (3) the House and Senate Committees and Subcommittees. Despite a somewhat gloomy picture at this point, many at the National Institute of Education, in Congress, and in potential constituencies are apparently convinced of the importance of education and of educational R&D. A recent analysis concluded that, maintaining even the present level of support for education, R&D will require a solid coalition of diverse interests and emphases among concerned organizations and a reconceptualization of the role of R & D which diversifies types of and sites for productivity, bringing the process of inquiry closer to the point of effective action in education. To improve the stability of policy direction and policy itself, the formation of a board similar in intent to the New York State Educational Conference Board, formed by representatives of the coalition is recommended. (Author/JM)