Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2017 ACF OPRE YR 1219
The Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Graduate Student Research Grants opportunity is a discretionary federal grant program run by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its main purpose is to fund dissertation research conducted by advanced graduate students whose work is closely connected to Head Start and related early childhood systems. The program is designed to strengthen the evidence base in early care and education by supporting student-led studies that are both academically rigorous and directly useful for decision-making in programs and public policy.
At the center of this grant is the expectation of a genuine, ongoing partnership between the graduate student researcher and one or more early care and education program partners, especially Head Start programs. The opportunity emphasizes that strong applicants will not simply recruit a site to access participants, but will show a collaborative relationship that is visible across the entire research process. That partnership should shape the study from the earliest stages, including refining the research questions, planning and conducting data collection, interpreting results in context, and sharing findings back with stakeholders through appropriate dissemination strategies. Applicants are also expected to have faculty mentorship as part of the dissertation research structure, reinforcing the focus on high-quality scholarship and feasible study design.
The kinds of projects OPRE is looking for are those that answer research questions with clear implications for local, state, or federal policy and that speak to multiple early care and education practices. While Head Start is central, OPRE encourages applicants to think across settings and systems rather than treating programs in isolation. In particular, applicants are urged to consider data collection across contexts such as child care, pre-kindergarten programs, home-visiting services, Head Start, Early Head Start, and potentially other early childhood platforms. This cross-context emphasis signals an interest in research that helps policymakers and practitioners understand how different early childhood services operate, align, or differ, and what that means for children and families.
From a funding and logistics standpoint, this opportunity was posted under Funding Opportunity Number HHS 2017 ACF OPRE YR 1219, with a creation date of April 12, 2017 and an original closing date of June 12, 2017. Applications were required to be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. The award ceiling listed is $25,000 per grant, and OPRE anticipated making about six awards, with awards contingent on the availability of funds and the federal government’s determination of best interest. The program is categorized under Income Security and Social Services and is associated with CFDA number 93.600.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of entities that could serve as the applicant organization on behalf of the graduate student’s research effort. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. In practice, the dissertation context and faculty mentorship strongly suggest that institutions of higher education are common applicant organizations, but the eligibility list allows for different administrative arrangements depending on how the research partnership is structured.
OPRE also points applicants to additional background resources, including OPRE’s main website (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre) and information about prior Head Start Graduate Student Research Grantees through OPRE’s project pages. They also reference an expired prior-year announcement as a point of comparison for those looking to understand the program’s earlier structure and expectations. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a targeted, policy-relevant dissertation grant meant to build a pipeline of early care and education researchers who can work hand-in-hand with Head Start and other early childhood programs to produce findings that are practical, credible, and usable in real-world program and policy settings.Apply for HHS 2017 ACF OPRE YR 1219
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OPRE in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Graduate Student Research Grants" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.600.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 12, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 12, 2017 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $25,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, 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, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Early Care and Education Research Scholars: Head Start Graduate Student Research Grants program?
It is a discretionary federal grant program administered by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program funds dissertation research by advanced graduate students whose work is closely connected to Head Start and related early childhood systems.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The purpose is to strengthen the evidence base in early care and education by supporting student-led dissertation studies that are academically rigorous and also directly useful for program and public policy decision-making, especially in Head Start and connected early childhood settings.
Who runs and oversees this grant program?
The program is run by OPRE, which sits within ACF, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What type of research does the grant support?
The grant supports dissertation research conducted by advanced graduate students. The supported studies are expected to be rigorous and designed to produce findings that are practical and usable for stakeholders in early care and education, with Head Start as a central focus.
Is Head Start required to be part of the project?
Head Start is central to the opportunity, and the research is expected to be closely connected to Head Start and related early childhood systems. The opportunity also encourages thinking across settings rather than treating programs in isolation.
What does OPRE mean by a "genuine, ongoing partnership" with an early care and education program partner?
The opportunity emphasizes that strong applications will show collaboration across the full research process, not just using a program site to access participants. The partnership is expected to be visible from early project development through dissemination, including refining research questions, planning and conducting data collection, interpreting results in context, and sharing findings back with stakeholders.
Does the program expect collaboration beyond simply recruiting a research site?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly notes that strong applicants will not simply recruit a site to access participants. Instead, applicants should demonstrate an active partnership that shapes the study throughout the research lifecycle.
At what points in the research process should the program partner be involved?
Based on the opportunity description, partner involvement should start early and continue throughout, including research question refinement, data collection planning and implementation, interpretation of results with program context in mind, and dissemination of findings to stakeholders.
Is faculty mentorship part of the expectation for this grant?
Yes. Applicants are expected to have faculty mentorship as part of the dissertation research structure, reinforcing the focus on feasibility and high-quality scholarship.
What kinds of research questions is OPRE looking for?
OPRE is looking for projects that answer research questions with clear implications for local, state, or federal policy and that speak to multiple early care and education practices. The opportunity emphasizes policy relevance and usefulness for decision-making.
Does OPRE encourage research across multiple early childhood settings?
Yes. OPRE encourages applicants to think across settings and systems. The opportunity specifically urges consideration of data collection across contexts such as child care, pre-kindergarten, home-visiting services, Head Start, Early Head Start, and potentially other early childhood platforms.
Is cross-context data collection required?
The opportunity strongly encourages cross-context thinking and notes interest in data collection across multiple early childhood settings. The description presents this as an emphasis and encouragement rather than stating it as an absolute requirement.
Why does the opportunity emphasize cross-system or cross-setting research?
The emphasis signals interest in research that helps policymakers and practitioners understand how different early childhood services operate, align, or differ, and what those similarities and differences mean for children and families.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is HHS 2017 ACF OPRE YR 1219.
When was this funding opportunity created and when did it close?
The creation date listed is April 12, 2017, and the original closing date listed is June 12, 2017.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically.
What was the submission deadline time zone and time?
Applications were due electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) per grant?
The award ceiling listed is $25,000 per grant.
How many awards did OPRE anticipate making?
OPRE anticipated making about six awards.
Are awards guaranteed?
No. Awards were described as contingent on the availability of funds and the federal government determination of best interest.
What CFDA number is associated with this program?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 93.600.
What category is this program listed under?
The program is categorized under Income Security and Social Services.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of entities: state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (in the specified nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses.
Do applicants have to be a university or college?
No. The eligibility list includes many entity types. However, the dissertation context and the expectation of faculty mentorship suggest that institutions of higher education are common applicant organizations, even though other arrangements may be possible depending on how the research partnership is structured.
Can a nonprofit apply?
Yes. The eligibility list includes nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, as described in the opportunity (including the noted condition that the nonprofit categories referenced are not institutions of higher education).
Can a for-profit organization apply?
Yes. For-profit organizations (other than small businesses) are included as eligible applicants, and small businesses are also listed as eligible.
Can tribal governments or tribal organizations apply?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed as eligible.
What role do early care and education program partners play in this grant?
Program partners, especially Head Start programs, are expected to be active collaborators throughout the research process. The partnership should influence study design and implementation and should include interpreting findings and sharing results back with stakeholders.
What dissemination expectations are described in the opportunity summary?
The summary indicates that dissemination should include sharing findings back with stakeholders using appropriate dissemination strategies, as part of the collaborative partnership between the student researcher and program partner(s).
Where can applicants find more information about OPRE and related projects?
The opportunity points to OPRE's main website at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre and references OPRE project pages that include information about prior Head Start Graduate Student Research Grantees.
Does the opportunity mention prior-year information or comparisons?
Yes. It references an expired prior-year announcement as a point of comparison for understanding earlier program structure and expectations.
What is the overall goal of the program beyond funding a dissertation?
The opportunity is described as a targeted, policy-relevant dissertation grant intended to help build a pipeline of early care and education researchers who can work hand-in-hand with Head Start and other early childhood programs to produce findings that are practical, credible, and usable in real-world program and policy settings.
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