2023 Young Scholars Program for early childhood research – Jun 9

Posted by Foundation for Child Development on May 10, 2022

Foundation for Child Development issues RFP for 2023 Young Scholars Program

The mission of the Foundation for Child Development (FCD) is to harness the power of research to ensure that all young children benefit from early learning experiences that affirm their individual, family, and community assets, fortify them against harmful consequences arising from poverty, racism, prejudice, and discrimination, and strengthen their developmental potential.

To that end, FCD invites LOIs for its 2023 Young Scholars Program. The program funds implementation research that is policy- and practice-relevant and examines the preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and ongoing professional learning of the early care and education (ECE) workforce.

Award amounts are up to $225,000 for primary data collection or a combination of primary data collection and secondary data analysis and up to $180,000 for secondary data analysis.

Three specific goals frame the foundation’s current programmatic priority to strengthen the ECE workforce including professionalizing the early childhood field and building greater awareness of the status of the early childhood workforce, enhancing the quality of professional practice, and improving teacher preparation and ongoing professional learning, with special attention to the influence and role of institutions of higher education.

The foundation supports research related to the ECE workforce that serves the YSP priority population of young children who experience the harmful effects of poverty and discrimination from birth to age eight. Priority populations include children from low-income families and/or those experiencing extreme poverty; children with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds; immigrant or refugee families, undocumented minors, or children whose family members have been detained or deported; dual language and multilingual learners; children with social education classifications; children experiencing homelessness; and victims of trauma and/or child maltreatment.

The foundation encourages applications from scholars from underrepresented groups that have historically experienced poverty, racism, prejudice, and discrimination.

To be eligible, researchers must have received their doctoral degrees (e.g., PhD, EdD, PsyD, JD, etc.) between January 1, 2013, and June 30, 2021. Physician applicants must have received their MD degrees between January 1, 2010, and June 30, 2021. The affiliated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or public American college or university must have a minimum operating budget of $2.5 million and a minimum three-year track record in conducting multiyear research projects (at least three over the last three years).

Letters of intent are due June 9, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. ET., and selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application by October 13, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

For additional information on research focus, eligibility criteria, application instructions, and timeline, see the FCD website.

Deadline: June 9, 2022 8:00 p.m. ET (Letters of Intent)