Professional Development Grant

The 2025 Professional Development Grant for Emerging Scholars is offered by the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. This program is supported by Grant Number 90PH0032 from the Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation (OPRE) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Center operates as a research and capacity-building organization focused on improving the lives of Hispanic children and families in the United States. This grant initiative reflects the Center’s commitment to fostering academic development and producing rigorous, policy-relevant research that serves Hispanic communities in households with low incomes. This grant program aims to support doctoral students and early career scholars—defined as up to seven years post-PhD—in the fields of economics, public policy, sociology, demography, population sciences, and related disciplines. The purpose of the grant is to enhance the professional and research development of scholars whose work addresses poverty, economic well-being, and early care and education (ECE) among Hispanic children and families. The program seeks to fund activities that align with federal human service programs such as TANF, CCDF, and Head Start, particularly in ways that can inform service delivery and outcomes for Hispanic communities. Each award provides up to $2,850 to support eligible professional development activities or to serve as seed funding for research. Covered expenses may include conference fees and travel, professional training courses, hardware and software for research, journal publication fees, and membership dues. Funds cannot be used for meals, beverages, or research participant incentives. Applicants may request the full amount or a portion thereof, and stipends can be disbursed directly to the applicant or their institution. When routing funds through an institution, applicants are advised to include overhead costs in their budget request. Eligibility is restricted to PhD students or early career scholars with demonstrated interest and involvement in research concerning Hispanic children and families in low-income households. Research must focus on at least one of the following: experiences with TANF or CCDF, ECE workforce characteristics, Head Start participation, labor force impacts of childcare access, or service utilization patterns among Hispanic families. Research must be based in the United States. International projects, as well as those focused solely on K–12 or higher education, are not eligible. Applications are due by 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. Required materials include a letter of interest (max 500 words), a detailed budget, a current curriculum vitae or resume, and proof of doctoral student status or degree conferral. Applicants must submit materials via the designated online form. Questions regarding allowable expenses can be submitted to hispanicresearchscholars@childtrends.org until August 6, 2025. No phone inquiries are accepted. Applications will be evaluated based on alignment with the Center’s mission, relevance to ACF-administered programs, potential policy implications, and how significantly the grant will enhance the applicant’s professional growth. The Center anticipates awarding between four and six grants ranging from $1,500 to $2,850 each, depending on budget proposals and available funding. Award notifications are expected by mid-September 2025. Grantees will also be invited to participate in networking and professional development events hosted by the Center.

Applicants are encouraged to review the FAQs and submit questions by August 6. They should also consider how the funding complements existing institutional support.