The Center’s 2024 Professional Development Grant for Emerging Scholars Studying Poverty and Economic Mobility among Latino Populations aims to support professional development activities that will enhance the professional growth of doctoral students and early career scholars whose research focuses on poverty and economic mobility among Latino populations.
The Center provides awards of up to $3,000 that can be used to cover expenses related to professional development or as seed funds to support research activities. In addition, grantees will have the opportunity to participate in professional development and networking events organized by the Center, such as training in applying an equity lens to research communications and conducting policy–relevant research.
Call for Applications Closed
The application period for the 2024 Professional Development Grant for Emerging Scholars Studying Poverty and Economic Mobility among Latino Populations cohort is closed. The Center encourages applicants to learn more about this opportunity by reviewing and following the information below. The application period closed on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 5 p.m. EST.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be a PhD student or early scholar (up to 7 years post-PhD) in economics, public policy, sociology, demography, population sciences, and related social science fields.
- Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in research focused on Hispanic families and children and their economic mobility and well-being.
The Center is particularly interested in supporting scholars whose work increases our understanding of the economic characteristics, resources, and experiences of Hispanic parents and families, and how basic cash assistance, especially the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and other social assistance programs can best support the economic well-being of Hispanic families. Specific topics of interest include (but are not restricted to):
- Equitable access to and delivery of human services (i.e., services that address basic human needs such as food, housing, health care, child care, education, and employment);
- How policies and their implementation shape access to and use of government benefits;
- Economic stability and how cash assistance and other benefits affect income stability; and
- Effective strategies for promoting job and education training that can support economic mobility.
For more information about the TANF program please visit the Office of Family Assistance.
Our team values equity and recognizes that systemic discrimination has negatively impacted the well-being of individuals, families, and communities who are also underrepresented in the research field. We strongly encourage scholars from populations that are historically underrepresented in research and academic fields (e.g., Latinx/o/e, first-generation graduate students, first-generation immigrants) to apply.
Application requirements
Applications are no longer being accepted and were due Wednesday, August 21, at 5 p.m. EST, with the following components:
- A Letter of Interest that describes (in no more than 500 words):
- How the applicant’s research agenda and work support Latino families and children.
- The applicant’s interest and experience in research focused on poverty and economic mobility, and/or human service delivery, particularly as it relates to Latino families.
- The amount of funds requested, including the specific professional development activities that the grant will support and how they will help advance the applicants’ research career.
Please include the cost of each activity in the description. Examples of professional development activities that would be covered are as follows:
-
-
- Workshops, trainings, or courses;
- Conference-related expenses (e.g., registration, travel, lodging, poster printing);
- Research-related hardware or software (e.g., analysis packages, recorders, laptops/tablets for data collection);
- Database fees;
- Publication expenses (e.g., open access articles);
- Stipends for participants;
- Books;
- Professional association membership dues; and
- Journal subscriptions.
-
Note: Applicants requesting that funds go through their institution should include overhead expenses in the amount requested (see Frequently Asked Questions). Funds cannot be used to cover beverages or meals.
-
- The extent to which their institution provides funds (if at all) for professional development and research activities, and how the professional development grant would supplement those funds or fill a gap.
- Statement of diverse experiences with relevant background, lived-experiences, coursework, and skills that will inform the applicant’s ability to center equity and cultural responsiveness in their work, and/or interest in this area. This statement is limited to 100 words and should be submitted in the application form in the indicated question.
- Curriculum vitae or resume with information about the applicant’s educational background, publications, presentations, and any other relevant professional or personal experience.
- Proof of current PhD student status or degree conferral such as an unofficial transcript or a copy of the applicant’s diploma for those who have completed their doctoral degree.
Submission guidelines
The submission period is closed. Applicants were to submit their application materials using this form by Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 5 p.m. EST. Applicants will be notified of award decisions by mid-September 2024.
Evaluation criteria
Upon review for completeness and verification of eligibility, applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
- Alignment of applicant’s research experience or interests with research focused on Hispanic families and children.
- Alignment of applicant’s research experience or interests with research focused on poverty, economic mobility, and/or human service delivery.
- Degree to which applicant’s diverse experiences inform their ability to center equity and cultural responsiveness in their work.
- Degree to which applicant’s research applies innovative frameworks, methods, or approaches to advance research focused on Latino populations.
- Extent to which professional development funds will help advance the applicant’s career, relative to resources available. Applicants from HSIs or EHSIs will receive an additional point in this criterion, as these institutions tend to have fewer financial resources available than other colleges and universities.
Please note that the Center reserves the right to award grants for a lesser amount than requested if certain activities are not aligned with the grant’s goals.
Applicants are encouraged to review our Frequently Asked Questions before submission. Please send additional questions to [email protected]. The period for questions will close on August 12. No phone calls please.