National Research Center for Promoting Work and Strong Families

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) anticipates soliciting applications for a National Research Center for Promoting Work and Strong Families.

The Center aims to improve the effectiveness of federal and state policies that promote the dignity of work, economic self-sufficiency, and build stable, married families while reducing their reliance on public assistance. The Center will support rigorous, policy-relevant research and build stronger connections between researchers and policymakers in human services programs.

The Center will carry out three core activities:

1. Fellowship Program: Support in-residence fellows placed within ACF and other HHS offices to provide policy-relevant research expertise on work, earnings, family stability, and human services programs.

2. Extramural Research Grants: Administer a competitive grant program to fund timely, actionable research aligned with ACF priorities, including promoting the dignity of work, economic self-sufficiency and reduced dependence on public assistance, family formation and stability through marriage, child well-being, and program effectiveness.

3. Dissemination and Communication: Host in-person and virtual events and produce policy-focused materials to ensure research findings are accessible and actionable for federal, state, tribal, and local policymakers.

ACF anticipates making one cooperative agreement award for a five-year project period. The recipient must be able to show, and ACF must be able to monitor, that funds appropriated were spent on activities that can be directly attributed to those required and allowed by each funding source.