• How have previous recessions and economic downturns affected well-being and/or program use?

• What are the effects of the current recession on well-being and/or program use?

• What can we learn from policy or programmatic expansions similar to those in ARRA about the effects of these changes on well-being?

Applicants for NPC grants must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent academic degree by July 1, 2010.  Preference will be given to non-tenured researchers with full-time academic appointments and researchers using new approaches and innovative research methods. University of Michigan faculty and postdoctoral fellows and recipients of previous NPC small grants are ineligible for funding

Grants may start between May 1, 2010 and July 1, 2010.  Grants will end one year from the start date. A final report will be due no later than August 26, 2011.  No-cost extensions will not be allowed.

These awards will only be made as personal services contracts to one or more individual researchers; the NPC will not contract with the grantees’ employers or any other organization.

The NPC will fund reasonable research expenses, specifically: up to two months of summer salary for each investigator (for those not receiving summer salary from their employers), data or software purchases, research assistance, research-related travel, and relevant supplies, to a maximum of $17,500.

The NPC will fund direct costs only; we will not provide indirect cost recovery (overhead)

Grant recipients must submit a progress report by August 31, 2010.

• The quality of the research design, including the appropriate research methodology and data;

• The feasibility of the proposed study to be completed during a one-year period;

• The use of new data sources or innovative use of existing data;

• The policy significance of the proposed analyses in terms of extending knowledge;

• The value of small-grant funding to the career development of the investigator and to successful project completion.

1.

A cover sheet with:

• The title of the proposed research
• The investigators' name and institutional affiliation with mailing address, email address, phone and fax numbers
• If the proposed research involves more than one investigator, a principal investigator (PI) must be identified. All correspondence will be with the PI.

A one-page abstract describing the study's specific aims, data and methods, and policy significance.

A project narrative of 7-10 double-spaced pages (excluding figures and references). The narrative should (1) clearly describe specific aims and their research and policy significance, (2) very briefly summarize the relevant literature, (3) present major hypotheses, (4) fully describe the research design, proposed methodology and data sources, (5)  indicate how the proposed analyses will address the research and policy questions.  Long literature reviews should not be submitted. Particular emphasis should be given to items (3), (4) and (5).

An itemized budget and a budget narrative that explains each line item.  Awards will only be made as personal services contracts to one or more individual researchers (we will not contract with universities, colleges or other research organizations).  

Please detail each funding item requested. Appropriate research expenses include:

• Research assistance
• Up to 2 months of summer salary for each investigator at the investigators' current salary level (for those not receiving summer salary from their employers)
• Travel
• Purchase of data or software or pertinent supplies
  

A project timeline listing specific milestones for study completion. The timeline must be within the period from May 1, 2010 through August 26, 2011.

 

Curriculum vitae for all investigators.

 

Human subjects review approval (often a waiver in the case of secondary data analysis) is required for all projects before funding can be dispersed.