NEWSLETTER

Society for the History of Children and Youth

New Column:  FOR AND ABOUT GRADUATE STUDENTS

Finding Funding for Dissertation Research

Jessica Nelson, Graduate Student Representative to SHCY Executive Committee

As I am sure most of you know, finding money to do research can be difficult and stressful, nevertheless it is essential for the completion of any dissertation.  I have spent the last 6 months searching for and applying for grants and fellowships, most of which did not relate to the study of childhood and youth.   However, that does not mean that they are not out there.  As I was looking for myself, I also took note of those that had any relation to the history of childhood and youth to pass on to you, my fellow graduate students.  This is a small list of what I found. 

The first one that I came across is for the Stanford Center on Adolescence titled the “Youth Purpose Research Award.”  This award is not limited to just graduate students working on a dissertation, but also for postdoctoral and early faculty career research.  The award is for research that “sheds light on adolescent intention, involvement with the beyond-the-self causes, and topics that lead to the development of purpose, function of purpose in a youth’s life, and supports for and challenges to purpose.” For more information on this award, eligibility requirements, application procedures and selection and disbursement procedure, visit the website. (http://www.standford.edu/group/adolescent.ctr/Grants/researchawards.html)

The second grant is the Hannah Beiter Graduate Student Research Grant through the Children’s Literature Association.  This grant is intended to help support the research for a dissertation or master’s thesis in the field of children’s literature.  For more information see the website, http://www.childlitassn.org/beiter_grant.html

Another grant available is the Woodrow Wilson Johnson & Johnson Dissertation grants for research related to the understanding of women’s and children’s lives and it’s significance for public policy treatment.  For more information see the website, www.woodrow.org/womens-studies/

A resource for those engaged in educational research can be found through many different organizations, see the following website, http://www.spencer.org/content.cfm/fellowhship-awards.

  As was the case for me, I did not find any grants or fellowships that applied to my research on adolescent orphans in Dijon, I had to look more broadly. I also found that several universities like UCLA and historical organizations like H-net and the AHA have excellent databases of funding opportunities with information and links.  You should also check with your own university and department for funding opportunities.

My advice for anyone who will soon embark on the long road of finding and applying for funding is to:

1. Start looking early, some deadlines are as early as October but most are due around the end or beginning of the year. 

2. Make a list of all deadlines and what is needed for each application. 

3. Check to make sure that if there are membership requirements and fees that you take care of these. 

4. For recommendations from advisors, etc, ask early and if you are applying for multiple applications, provide them with a list, instructions, and deadlines. 

5.  Since some of the applications require you to send all materials together, check on this, it should be in the directions. 

6. Apply for as many, even if it is a small amount, it all adds up. 

7. Show your proposals/essays to faculty and fellow graduate students to get feedback. 

8. Talk to you advisor and other graduate students about possible funding opportunities that they may know about. 

9. If your university provides a grant/proposal writing workshop, attend it, it could help you out. 

10.  Double check everything, dates, materials, application procedures, to make sure that you haven’t missed anything. 

  Good luck and if anyone comes across any other grants/fellowships/etc. please let me know.  Contact information: jessjnelson@hotmail.com

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