Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants

The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) plans to solicit applications for Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants. Funds aim to support dissertation research by advanced graduate students who are working on child care policy issues in partnership with a Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) agency or administrator and with faculty mentors. These grants focus on building capacity in the research field by addressing questions relevant to child care policy decision-making and program administration, as well as on fostering mentoring relationships between faculty members and doctoral students. OPRE is looking for research that addresses issues of significance related to CCDF; aims to inform policy decisions and solutions, particularly for underserved / understudied populations; and utilizes the most rigorous research methodology for the selected research question. Applicants must consult with a CCDF agency or administrator in the conceptualization of the research plan, from development and refinement of the research questions, through the proposed data collection, interpretation, and dissemination of findings. Accredited public, state-controlled, and private institutions of higher education acting on behalf of doctoral-level graduate students are eligible applicants. In addition to other eligible institutions of higher education, eligible Tribally Controlled Land Grant Colleges and Universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and faith-based institutions of higher education are encouraged to apply. The applicant organization must have a history of research and budget oversight and must have appropriate research support resources to support the student. The faculty mentor who will serve as principal investigator must have a Ph.D. or equivalent in the respective field and conduct research as a primary professional responsibility. Faculty mentors with doctoral training and research expertise will be able to provide proper supervision and quality control over the research project to help ensure a quality end product. To be eligible for award, the graduate student must provide evidence of an approved dissertation proposal before award. This FOA has previously been published under the name Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Research Scholars. For further information about prior awards made to Child Care Research Scholars, please refer to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/child-care-research-scholars. The *EXPIRED* Funding Opportunity Announcement for the prior Fiscal Year can be reviewed at https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/index.cfm?switch=foa&fon=HHS-2017-ACF-OPRE-YE-1208. For further information about OPRE, see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre. For information about the Office of Child Care and CCDF, see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/about/what-we-do.