The Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is pleased to invite applications for a dissertation grant for up to $5,000. The dissertation grant is intended to support and advance the work of CYAF doctoral students whose proposed dissertation research reflects a strong potential for long-term impact. Each grant will be awarded for up to 18 months.
Total amount available: $5,000
Number of grants: 1-2 grants may be awarded, depending on the merit of applications and availability of funds.
Application Deadline: December 1 of each year.
Eligibility: Students must have successfully had their dissertation proposal approved by their doctoral committee prior to the application deadline.
Submission materials:
1) Current Curriculum Vita
2) Description of your dissertation, which should include the following:
- (1) Significance and innovation of this work; (2) Description of the proposed methodology; and (3) Impact of this work on communities, schools, families, and/or children; (no more than 1,000 words)
- Detailed Budget; please list each item proposed and subsequent dollar amount requested for each item (1 page)
- Budget justification; For each item proposed in your budget provide a justification for the need as well as an expected timeline for the usage of funds (1 page)
- Letter of recommendation from student’s dissertation advisor (1 page)
Budget: Budget requests must not exceed $5,000; Any requested items that are not allowed will be removed from the proposed budget and the award will be reduced by that amount. See page 2 for a list of allowable and prohibited budget request items for guidance. Please note that funding may be awarded at a lower amoung than requested.
Review: Applications will be reviewed by the CYAF Graduate Education Committee. Faculty advisors will not be permitted to serve on this committee if they have an advisee applicant.
Awardees: The dissertation grant(s) has a duration of 18 months, with awarded funds available beginning January 1, 2025 and expiring June 30, 2026. No cost extensions will not be granted and any unused funds will be reclaimed by the department. The student(s) that receive a dissertation grant will be required to submit a brief spending progress report by December 31, 2025.
Allowable budget request items
- Photocopies of required materials (e.g., of surveys, forms, etc.)
- Payments to human subjects, if justified
- Travel for data collection
- Payments for services essential to successfully conduct the research (e.g., translation, transcription)
- Essential equipment not already available in the department
- Recruitment (e.g., flyers)
Prohibited budget request items
- Expenses that are typically covered under a faculty member’s research grant (for students funded as graduate research associates)
- Repair and maintenance of equipment
- Direct financial support of applicant (e.g., salary)
- Office materials and general supplies
- Food
Application Submission:
Please complete the CYAF Dissertation Grant application below no later than December 1, 2024. A letter of recommendation from your primary dissertation advisor must be sent to Dr. Michael Merten (michael.merten@unl.edu) prior to the December 1 application deadline.
Please see the Dissertation Grant Scoring Rubric here.