The Foundation for Child Development is currently accepting proposals for its 2020 Young Scholars Program (YSP). YSP supports scholarship for early career researchers. The program funds implementation research that is policy and practice-relevant and that examines the preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and on-going professional learning of the early care and education (ECE) workforce. Research awards are up to $225,000 for primary research and up to $180,000 for secondary data analysis.

Research Focus

All proposed research must have primary questions that are relevant to the ECE workforce. With a particular focus on the ECE workforce, all supported research questions must support scientific inquiry into the implementation of specific early care and education programs, policies or practices. Implementation research provides the opportunity to engage in meaningful exploration of what works (or not), for whom, and under what conditions. Finally, all supported research must have a clear connection to policies and practices that have the potential to result in a positive impact on the ECE workforce and on the young children in YSP’s priority populations.

Who Should Apply?

YSP is an open competition; applicants need not be nominated to apply. The Foundation regards diversity as an asset for building a strong and productive society and is committed to diversity and equity in scholarship and through our grantees. To increase the diversity of research perspectives, the Foundation encourages applications from:

  • Scholars who are from underrepresented groups that have historically experienced economic instability and social exclusion, including, but not limited to: researchers of color, first-generation college graduates and researchers from low-income communities
  • Scholars who represent a variety of disciplines and methodological approaches

Interested applicants must have received their doctoral degrees within one to nine years of the conferral date and between one to eleven years for applicants with a doctor of medicine.

How to Apply

For additional information on the research focus, eligibility criteria, application timeline, how to apply, and more, please visit the Foundation’s Website.

The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is Monday, June 10, 2019, at 3:00pm EST.

We are looking forward to receiving your application!

Please send all questions about the application including technical questions about the online system to ysp@fcd-us.org.

Sign Up for the April 24th YSP Webinar!

To learn more about YSP, join us on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 from 2:00 – 3:30pm EST for an informational webinar about the required Letter of Intent (LOI) process. Foundation staff will discuss YSP’s research focus and review the LOI process, including applicant and institutional requirements. Additional resources will be provided during the webinar to assist with the development of proposals. Attendees will also have an opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A session.

To register for the webinar, please click here.