; and (B) may include an adult learner, working student, part-time student, student from a low-income background, student of color, former foster youth, first-generation student, student with a disability, student who is deaf or blind or visually impaired, or student who is an English learner. (3) Intermediary organization The term intermediary organization means an entity— (A) with strong skills and a track record of success in— (i) identifying effective interventions to address State, regional, or local problems; (ii) managing high-quality subgrant processes; and (iii) providing technical assistance and support to subgrantees to ensure quality and improve outcomes; and (B) that utilizes an evidence-based decisionmaking strategy when selecting high-performing entities, on a competitive basis, to receive subgrants in order to validate and grow effective interventions. (c) Program authorized (1) In general From amounts made available to carry out this section, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to create, develop, implement, replicate, or scale evidence-based and field-initiated innovations, including through pay for success initiatives (as defined in section 124(a)), in order to improve postsecondary access and completion for high-need students. (2) Grants The grants awarded under this section shall, to the extent practicable based on the strength of the applications, include— (A) early-phase grants to fund the development, implementation, and feasibility testing of a practice, program, or intervention that prior research suggests has promise, for the purpose of determining whether the practice, program, or innovation can successfully improve access to, retention in, and completion of, a postsecondary program of study for high-need students