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Nebraska Academy for Early Childhood Research
April 10, 2023
Apply now for NAECR Policy Fellows Program
NAECR is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 NAECR Policy Fellows Program! The program is a series of interactive and collaborative conversations between First Five Nebraska and NAECR early childhood researchers.

Objectives include:
  • To educate NU early childhood researchers on policy processes, impacts and relationships to research;
  • To provide the Nebraska policy community with insight into the University of Nebraska’s latest early childhood research; and
  • To create meaningful, bi-directional connections and collaborations between the research and policy communities to develop a policy-relevant research agenda and enrich early childhood experiences.

We will select four NAECR researchers to participate in the program, which runs from September 2023 to May 2024.

Applications are due by May 31. Selected applicants will be notified by June 14.

All participants will be expected to:
  • Attend a total of four conversations with First Five Nebraska and other policy fellows;
  • Participate in a culminating activity (e.g., presentation, panel);
  • Engage in and contribute to an active, ongoing and supportive dialogue about the connections between policy and research; and
  • Provide feedback on the Policy Fellows program.

NAECR Networking: University of Nebraska Early Childhood Research

This session will highlight the latest early childhood research across the University of Nebraska system and provide time for attendees to connect with colleagues and brainstorm research and collaboration opportunities. 
 
Presenters include:

  • Tiffany Moore, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, UNMC
  • Julia Torquati, Professor, Child, Youth & Family Studies, UNL
Presentation Details

NAECR Networking: University of Nebraska Early Childhood Research
Friday, May 5, 2023
Noon – 1 p.m. CDT

Virtual via Zoom

Zoom link will be distributed to registrants prior to the event.
Here are recent publications from NAECR researchers:

Marisa Macy*, Department of Teacher Education, University of Nebraska Kearney
Elizabeth A. Steed, Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Colorado Denver

 * Denotes NAECR Researcher
Would you like to see your work featured here? Contact us at naecr@unl.edu
NAECR can assist you in finding research partners for your funding applications and staff in CYFS are available to assist with your proposal development for these or other funding opportunities.

Please contact Lisa Knoche if you are interested in building a collaborative team, need assistance with proposal development or would like to discuss funding opportunities for your research.
American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites investigators to submit proposals in competition for up to four research grant.

The ASHFoundation supports innovators and sparks innovation in communication sciences to make that connection possible for everyone.
New Century Scholars Research Grant

This grant is designed to advance knowledge, tools and techniques in communication sciences and disorders. While proposal type and content area are not restricted, this grant supports studies that are innovative, have a promise of major impact, or can meet research needs not yet addressed.

The funding can be applied to a one- or two-year study. 


Award budget: $25,000
Proposal due date: April 19, 2023

New Investigators Research Grant

This grant is designed to help further new investigators' research activities by funding one-year preliminary studies that could launch larger-scale research studies.

Research, while not limited in topic, should be focused to match a one-year scope and should have clinical relevance to audiology and/or speech-language pathology. 

Award budget: $10,000
Proposal due date: April 19, 2023

Student funding: Student Research Grant in Early Childhood Language Development

These grants support master's or doctoral student research studies in early childhood language development. The grants are intended to support studies that focus on children at the preschool or earliest school developmental level. 

Award budget: $2,000
Proposal due date: April 19, 2023

Student funding: New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship

These scholarships support strong doctoral candidates in communication sciences and disorders who will pursue a teacher-investigator career in an academic environment at the university/college level in the U.S. 

Award budget: $10,000
Proposal due date: May 10, 2023

Student funding: Administration for Children and Families Graduate Student Dissertation Grants

Child Care Dissertation Grants

Award budget: $20,000-$25,000
Proposal due date: April 24, 2023

Head Start Dissertation Grants

Award budget: $20,000-$25,000
Proposal due date: April 24, 2023

Behavioral Interventions Scholars Grants

Award budget: $20,000-$25,000
Proposal due date: May 19, 2023

University of Nebraska–Lincoln Grand Challenges Catalyst Competition

One of the themes of the UNL Grand Challenges Catalyst Competition is early childhood education and development. Two types of support are available: 
 
Planning grants: Proposals submitted in this category must describe the teaming, ideation and development activities necessary for collaborative groups to coalesce around one or more of UNL’s grand challenge themes. The expected outcome for an interdisciplinary team receiving a planning grant is that they will prepare a catalyst award proposal. Planning grant proposals may request up to $150,000 for a maximum 24-month project period. 
 
Catalyst awards: Proposals submitted in this category must describe a plan of work for implementing a goal-based project developed in response to one or more of UNL’s grand challenge themes. The expected outcome for an interdisciplinary team receiving a catalyst award is that they will demonstrate measurable progress toward their goal and project sustainability. Catalyst award proposals may request the level of support necessary to pursue the project goal during a period that may not exceed five years. 

Proposal due date: April 28, 2023

Early Educator Investment Collaborative

The Collaborative will fund a limited number of grants to support the capacity of state/local/municipal/territory/tribal governments to innovate financing systems to increase the compensation (wages and benefits) of the early childhood education workforce.
 
Via this funding opportunity, the Collaborative will support partnerships among fiscal or budget agencies and program agencies to engage in efforts to catalyze transformative change for educator compensation in early childhood education systems. This grant opportunity is primarily concerned with the financial systems, including revenue generation and fiscal spending, that support the compensation of the workforce.
 
The total amount of funding to be awarded is approximately $10 million over up to three years. Grants will vary in size according to identified need and the proposed reform’s stage of development, with minimum grant awards ranging from approximately $400,000 to $800,000 and maximum awards ranging from approximately $2 million to $4 million.

Proposal due date: May 1, 2023

Spencer Racial Equity Research Grants

The Racial Equity Research Grants program supports education research projects that will contribute to understanding and ameliorating of racial inequality in education.

Funding is directed at studies that aim to understand and disrupt the reproduction and deepening of inequality in education, and which seek to (re)imagine and make new forms of equitable education.

Spencer is interested in research projects that seek to envision educational opportunities in a multiplicity of education systems, levels, settings and developmental ranges, and that reach beyond documenting conditions and paradigms that contribute to persistent racial inequalities.

Letter of Intent due date: May 16, 2023

Proposal due date: June 14, 2023

Division for Early Childhood’s Annual International Conference
on Young Children with Disabilities and their Families

Nov. 28 – Dec. 1, 2023
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Division for Early Childhood is accepting proposals for its 39th Annual Conference on Young Children with Disabilities and their Families, including strand proposals, research proposals and practitioner proposals. 

New! Visiting Distinguished Scholar Keynote
Featuring Deborah Rivas-Drake, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Noon – 1 p.m. CDT
Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, Unity Room

Deborah Rivas-Drake, Stephanie J. Rowley Collegiate Professor of Education and Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan, will give a presentation titled, "Promoting Socioemotional Development in Racially Minoritized Youth."

The event is sponsored by CYFS and the College of Education and Human Sciences, with support from the CYFS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

NAECR Networking: University of Nebraska
Early Childhood Research

Friday, May 5, 2023
Noon – 1 p.m. CDT
Virtual

This session will highlight the latest early childhood research across the University of Nebraska system and provide time for attendees to connect with colleagues and brainstorm research and collaboration opportunities. 
 
Presenters include:

  • Tiffany Moore, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing, UNMC
  • Julia Torquati, Professor, Child, Youth & Family Studies, UNL

MAP Academy Spring 2023 Methodology Applications Series
Featuring Joseph Gardella

Friday, May 5, 2023
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. CDT
Virtual

The Nebraska Academy for Methodology, Analytics and Psychometrics invites you to the final presentation of the Spring 2023 Methodology Applications Series.

On Friday, May 5, Joseph Gardella, postdoctoral research associate at the Interpersonal Violence Research Laboratory, will lead a virtual presentation.

The event is free and open to the public.

Buffett Early Childhood Institute PD for All Series:
Building and Sustaining Powerful Partnerships with Families 

January – May 2023

The Buffett Early Childhood Institute is excited to announce a new format for the ongoing Professional Development for All (PD for All) program: Bite-sized learning.

Instead of day-long in-person gatherings, activities will include videos, interactive Twitter chats and other online learning opportunities that are easily accessible to educators at any time. 
 
The next PD for All series will last throughout the spring and summer. Digital components designed for early childhood professionals working with children from birth through Grade 3 will concentrate on building and sustaining powerful partnerships with families. 


Is there an upcoming conference you want to publicize? A new publication you would like to share? Let us know!
Connecting Research and Policy

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NAECR Student Researchers

Students involved in early childhood research at the University of Nebraska can access a number of resources through NAECR.



Find a Researcher

Find and collaborate with other early childhood researchers across the NU system.

NAECR News archives available

Access past issues of NAECR News.
NAECR News will be shared twice a month to inform the early childhood research community across the NU system.

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