Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Dissertation Grants

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: Head Start Dissertation Grants. Funds aim to support dissertation research by advanced graduate students who are working in partnership with Head Start programs and with faculty mentors. These grants focus on building capacity in the research field by addressing questions relevant to early childhood programs that serve low-income children and families, as well as on fostering mentoring relationships between faculty members and doctoral students. OPRE is looking for research that addresses questions that directly inform local, state, or federal policies and should be relevant to multiple early care and education settings. Applicants are expected to demonstrate an established partnership with their early care and education program partners that should be apparent throughout the research plan, from development and refinement of the research questions through the proposed data collection, interpretation, and dissemination of findings. 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 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) has previously been published under the name Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Graduate Student Research Grants. For further information about previous Head Start Graduate Student Research Grant recipients, please refer to http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/research/project/head-start-graduate-student-research-program. For more information about OPRE, see http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre. For information about the Office of Head Start and the Head Start program, see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ohs.