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 and expiring June 30 of the following year (i.e., the upcoming grant period: January 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028). No cost extensions will not be granted, and any unused funds will be reclaimed by the department. The student(s) who receive a dissertation grant will be required to submit a brief spending progress report by the end of the grant period or once the funds have been used, whichever comes first.
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, 2026. A letter of recommendation from your primary dissertation advisor must be sent to Dr. Soo-Young Hong (shong5@unl.edu) by the December 1 application deadline.
Please see the Dissertation Grant Scoring Rubric here.