Welcome to Today’s Webinar
April 11, 2012
Focus of Today’s Webinar
 Highlight the RIDGE Center’s 2012 Competitive
Grants Programs
1. The Regular RIDGE Center Grant Program
2. The New Doctoral Dissertation Research
Program
 We’ll briefly discuss each during today’s
webinar and respond to questions you have on
either of these two programs
The SRDC RIDGE Center: Purpose
To invest in innovative social
sciences-based research that
explores the food and nutrition
assistance challenges facing
residents and communities in
rural America, including
• Native Americans
• Immigrants
• Other racial/ethnic
minorities
• Single parents
• Youth
• The persistently poor
• Other key populations
The Regular RIDGE
Center Competitive
Grants Program
2012 Priority Areas
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Child Nutrition Programs
Food Security
Household Economic Instability and Food
Assistance Participation
Food Choices: Socio-Economic Determinants
and Consequences
Built Environment & Food/Nutrition Assistance
Program Use
Place-Based Factors Affecting Food Access or
Choices
Other Relevant Topics
Check out more detailed information on each of these
topics at:
http://srdc.msstate.edu/ridge/archive/files/ridge_12_grant_rfp.pdf
Items to Keep in Mind
 Focus must be on the economic/social science
aspects of food assistance and nutrition issues
 The geographic focus of this year’s RIDGE program is rural
America
 Comparative studies within the four major regions or
across regions are appropriate, as are case studies in 1 or
more sites.
 Land-grant universities, non-LGUs, research centers or
institutes are eligible to apply
Research Methodology
Secondary Data
Primary Data
http://ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodnutritionassistance/data/
Budget Matters
 Limited to $35,000
(including F&A)
 Indirect Cost (F&A) of 10%
is allowed
 Purchase of computer
equipment not allowed
 Budget must include travel
to take part in the ERS
National RIDGE Workshop,
Fall 2013 (in Washington,
DC)
 Project time period:
July 2012 – Dec. 2013
 SRDC will host meeting
Summer 2013 (using our
funds for your travel) to
help prepare grantees for
the DC meeting
 No extension of the grant
will be allowed
Review Process
 Reviewed by members of the RIDGE Center for
Targeted Studies National Research Advisory Board
 Multi-disciplinary board; drawn from all four regions of
the country
 Criteria used to evaluate proposals are outlined in the
RFP
 Reviews to be completed by late May; successful
grantees to be notified by early June
 Formal paperwork to be in place (hopefully) by July
Proposal Due Date!
• Postmarked no later than May 4, 2012
• Send completed proposal by overnight, two-day, or
regular mail
• No email or fax copies of the proposal will be
accepted
• ONE copy of the proposal is needed
SRDC RIDGE Series:
Grantees Urged to Contribute to the Series
The Doctoral
Dissertation
Research Grant
Program
Who’s Eligible
• PhD students from accredited higher
education institutions in the U.S.
• All formal coursework must be done; at the
ABD (All But Dissertation) stage.
• Dissertation proposal must be already
approved by doctoral committee
• Research must be conducted in the U.S. –
anywhere in rural America
The Key Research Topics
• Same areas as those
listed in the regular
RIDGE competitive grant
program.
• Remember, the research
must address the social
sciences aspect of the
topic you propose to
address.
Other Grant Details
 Limited to $17,500 total (for the entire
duration of your doctoral research work)
 No indirect costs (F&A) allowed
 Students with graduate assistantships are still
eligible to apply -- as long as RIDGE funds are
used exclusively to support doctoral research
activities
 Dissertation must be completed by June 2014
Who Submits the Grant?
 The student’s supervising professor, department head/chair, or
center director must submit the grant application. But, funds
must be dedicated to support the student’s doctoral research.
 Why can’t the student submit the grant proposal? Most
universities require that grants be submitted by a faculty or
department/center administrator.
 Carefully study the RFP to make sure all required documents are
submitted (student cover sheet, supervising professor statement,
recommendation letter from supervising professor, proposal,
short CV)
Review Guidelines
 The RFP provides detailed information on the grant
application procedures. See:
http://srdc.msstate.edu/ridge/archive/files/ridge_doctoral_dis
sertation_research_program_2012_rfp.pdf
 All reviews will be carried out by our RIDGE Center
National Research Advisory Board
 See the RFP for the criteria and points being used to
evaluate proposals
Due Date for the Doctoral Dissertation
Research Grant Proposal
 Postmarked no later than May
18, 2011
 Send completed proposal by
overnight, two-day, or regular
mail.
 ONE copy of the proposal is
needed
 Awards will be announced by
early July 2012
What Students are Required
to Provide When PhD is Done
 Electronic copy of the completed dissertation
or publication ready manuscript(s)
 250-word abstract and 8-12 double page research brief
(non-technical language) for use by the RIDGE Center
 If possible, presentation at the ERS conference
 Note: Proprietary rights regarding the PhD research
belong to the grantee
Who to Contact
(for either grant programs)
 Bo Beaulieu, Director and Professor
RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies @ the SRDC
ljb@srdc.msstate.edu; 662-325-3207
 Vicki Vaughn, Program Manager
Southern Rural Development Center
vickiv@srdc.msstate.edu; 662-325-3207
Special Thanks to:
Alex Majchrowicz
Director, RIDGE Program
Economic Research Service, USDA
Dr. Mary Bohman
Administrator
Economic Research Service
Now. . . Your Turn !