The Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting applications for Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Child Care Dissertation Grants.
Donor Name: Administration for Children and Families
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/19/2023
Size of the Grant: $25,000
Grant Duration: 24 months
Details:
Funds support dissertation research by advanced graduate students 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,
- supporting applied research experiences through collaboration with CCDF agencies,
- fostering mentoring relationships between faculty members and doctoral students.
OPRE is interested in research that addresses issues of significance related to CCDF; aims to inform policy decisions and solutions, particularly for populations that are underserved/understudied; and utilizes the most rigorous research methodology for the selected research question.
Goals and Requirements of the Child Care Dissertation Grants
The Child Care Dissertation Grants aim to support research that has direct implications for child care policy decision making and program administration; to foster collaboration between researchers and CCDF agencies and/or administrators; to facilitate connections between graduate students, senior researchers in the field, and key stakeholders; and to support mentoring relationships between faculty mentors and doctoral students. Specifically, the goals of the grant program are to:
- Conduct rigorous research that has the capacity to inform child care programs, policies, and practices.
- Support active communication, collaboration, and partnerships between researchers and CCDF policymakers
- Foster the exchange of current research, ideas, and information among research, policy, and practice communities.
Priorities
Top topical priorities for the 2023 opportunity include (but are not limited to) improved understanding and building the evidence-base for:
- Understanding how the infusion of funding resulting from the COVID 19 stabilization funds have affected retention and recruitment of the CCEE workforce, supply of CCEE that responds to the needs and preferences of families for CCEE post pandemic, and financial viability of CCEE programs/providers to provide services to families with low incomes;
- Understanding how the implementation of CCDF policies (e.g., family copayments, state payment rates, subsidy provisions) may be related to addressing inequities in the CCEE system and to equal access for all families;
- The focus and effectiveness of states’ investments in quality of early care and education programs serving children and families who use subsidies;
- Strategies to increase the supply of subsidized care for children in households with working parents;
- Strategies to retain and/or support a qualified child care workforce.
- Strategies to recruit and retain child care providers to participate in the child care subsidy program;
- Understanding how reimbursement rates based on different approaches to estimate costs (i.e., market rate, cost estimation data) relate to equity, access, and quality; and
- Issues related to child care in tribal communities, including maintaining culture, language, and traditions through intergenerational approaches to child care and coordination with state.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Funding: $150,000
- Award Ceiling: $25,000
- Award Floor: $20,000
Length of Project Periods
- 12-month project period and budget period
- 24-month project period with two 12-month budget periods
Eligible Applicants:
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- State governments
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- City or township governments
- Independent school districts
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
- Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
- Small businesses
- Special district governments
- County governments
Additional Information on Eligibility:
Applicant eligibility is unrestricted except as noted in this section. Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from competitive review and funding under this funding opportunity. Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity. Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization’s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
