Sponsored by the Executive Committee of Division 15, the Policy Committee, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Race and Diversity
The purpose of this one-time grant opportunity is to fund projects that (a) address the impact of COVID-19 on educational participants and/or (b) seek to understand the experiences of Renewed Civil Rights and Social Justice Movements in educational contexts.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In this area, we are looking for projects designed to understand how teaching and/or learning has been impacted in the time of COVID-19. We seek to support research that is context and participant sensitive, and teacher/student focused—that is, studies that focus on how particular participants and contexts intersect with COVID-19/quarantining circumstances (e.g., What is happening in rural schools? Urban? What is happening with respect to classroom practices? Assessments? What motivational challenges have arisen among students? Teachers? Who is missing in the reopened school? What supports help connect with those who otherwise might fade, fizzle, and drop out of education?)
Civil Rights and Social Justice Movements
In this area, we are looking for projects that specifically seek to understand the experiences of our students of color, our immigrant population and/or other marginalized groups. These projects are designed (a) to push our traditional theories forward and to understand the intersection of race and context on student learning, motivation, development, and/or academic outcomes or (b) to use our theories to deconstruct the range of experiences of students from marginalized groups during this particular social era (including students of color, LGBTQ+ students, or Dreamers).
We would encourage submitters to design studies that incorporate both of these goals—studies that aim to understand the educational opportunities, supports, and barriers created by the COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to our marginalized populations.
Other recommended (but not mandatory) aspects we seek:
- Projects that employ qualitative and/or mixed-method designs that can capture both the general patterns and particular tendencies that have potential to inform educational policy and practice.
- Projects that consider the role of a specific education policy. For example, a study that examines processes/outcomes of particular policies implemented in local schools/districts (initiated by them or imposed by the state or federal government) as they relate to COVID-19 and opportunities/barriers for marginalized students.
- Project teams that include members from diverse backgrounds and spanning career stages and contexts.
Proposal Requirements
Qualifications
The lead authors of submitted projects must be researchers in the area of educational psychology and must be Fellows, members, associates, or affiliates of Division 15. Applicants can be at any stage of career including late, middle or early career scholars. PhD students are welcome to apply as collaborators with a more senior scholar. Applications will be considered from individuals working in academic institutions, research and development organizations, or other research venues. For those individuals who are not currently APA or Division 15 members, they should consult the Division website on how to become a member at www.apadiv15.org/join
Monetary Award
We have $30,000 available to fund multiple grants ranging from $1,000-$5,000. Grants funded will depend upon the quality, overall number of submissions, and alignment of the proposed project to the goals of initiative. Funds are awarded in one lump sum, to the recipient’s institution; the institution must agree to be responsible for administering the funds and accounting to the IRS. These funds cannot be used to pay indirect costs; funds are only provided for direct costs associated with conducting the research. Funds may be used to pay for research assistant time, technology tools directly related to the research activities, participant incentives, and for travel to the APA conference. Funds may not be used for salary or stipends, APA Division 15 membership, or fees/travel to non-APA affiliated meetings/conferences.
What to Submit
- A title page with address, institution, phone, email, and title of the research proposal.
- A proposal (blinded) of not more than four single-spaced pages describing the proposed research and use of the award. This document should be structured using the following sections: Statement of the Problem (that should underscore the theoretical framework guiding the project), Research Question(s), Methods and Design, and Planned Analyses. The title page, abstract, references, and tables (up to 2) and/or figures (up to 2) are not counted toward the four-page limit.
- A 1-page budget outlining how the monies will be expended and justification for why the funds are needed.
- A timeline including the start and end dates of the project.
- A current vita for each author listed, including date of conferral of doctoral degree.
- A letter of support from your institution—indicating the institution’s capacity to administer the funds (if awarded) the grant will not pay any indirect costs.
The review committee will conduct a blind review of all applications. Therefore, please use this form https://forms.gle/yDa3rurqSSdPEBvV7 to submit your PDF application. Your PDF should be labeled with a submission file code (a color and 4-digit number of your choosing) to avoid names or institutional affiliations associated with your submission. Please also complete all other fields on the form so that once our review process is complete we can successfully link your proposal with your contact information to deliver decisions. If you have any difficulty using the submission form, please send your PDF proposal to Wade George by email ([email protected]) instead.
When to Apply
Completed applications should be submitted by no later than 11:59 (EST) on October 15, 2020. Awardees will be notified by December 15, 2020 for projects slated to begin January 1, 2021. Projects should be finalized no later than December 31, 2022.
Criteria and Obligations
Applications will be evaluated based on the scientific merits of the proposed work inclusive of – the theoretical grounding of the work, how well the project aligns with the goals of the grant program, the soundness of the methods, and the implications of the potential findings for policy and/or practice in the area of educational psychology. If the above criteria are well met, preference in funding will be given to projects that could not be completed without this support. Awardees will be expected to turn in a brief one-page progress report midway through their proposed project.
The Division must be acknowledged in any presentations or publications that result from this funding. Awardees will submit a final report at the conclusion of their project to Sharon L. Nichols, Chair of review committee ([email protected]).