PURPOSE

The Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison seeks to fund research to improve child support operations and policies, a key area of interest identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). Proposals are invited from Ph.D.-holding scholars at all career stages, from postdoctoral fellows to senior faculty, and from all disciplines. IRP anticipates funding four to eight projects, with total funding (including direct and indirect costs) ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 each. The award period is from March 1, 2018, to February 28, 2019. The proposal deadline is January 2, 2018.

BACKGROUND

IRP is a center for interdisciplinary research into the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality and the impact of related policies and programs. As the National Poverty Research Center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, IRP coordinates the U.S. Collaborative of Poverty Centers (CPC) in an integrated set of activities with the ultimate goal of improving the effectiveness of public policies to reduce poverty and inequality and their impacts on the well-being of the American people. IRP has established this small grants program to support timely secondary analyses of data to address emerging policy-relevant research questions and to provide seed funding for preliminary and pilot work that is likely to lead to high-impact research. The program is administered by IRP Director Lawrence Berger.