(The pdf for the issue in which this article appears is available for download: Bifocal, Vol. 41, Issue 1.)
Legal, health sciences, social sciences, and gerontology scholars and professionals are invited to submit research proposals to the Borchard Foundation Center on Law & Aging for 2020. The objective of the Academic Research Grants is to advance research about new or improved public policies, laws, and/or programs that will enhance the quality of life for older adults, including those who are poor or otherwise isolated by language, culture, disability, lack of education, or other barriers.
Up to four grants of a maximum of $20,000 each will be awarded to grantees who, through individual or collaborative research projects, do either of the following:
• Analyze and recommend changes to one or more important existing public policies, laws, and/or programs relating to older adults, or
• Anticipate the need for and recommend new public policies, laws, and/or programs necessitated by changes in the number and demographics of the country’s and the world’s elder populations, by advances in science and technology, by changes in the health care system, or by other developments.
It is expected that the research product will be publishable in a first-rate academic journal. Applicants are encouraged to disseminate research findings through additional channels such as conferences, stakeholder meetings, and white papers.
Larger budgets using outside matching funds are encouraged but not required. Favorable weight is given to proposals that indicate, where appropriate, that active attempts will be made to solicit required additional funds for the project (including a list of sources to be approached). Grant funds must be used for the approved budget purposes, which may include reasonable compensation for investigator(s), consultant(s), and research assistant(s), print and computer-based research materials, and other necessary expenses. Faculty salary support will not be approved other than for (1) summer when the applicant is not eligible for summer support from their university or (2) buying out a course. Grant funds may not be used for thesis or dissertation research, student tuition or fees, or university overhead or administrative charges.
Proposals must be submitted by one or more individual researchers who will be responsible for carrying out the project. Collaborating researchers may be affiliated with the same or different institutions. Grant funds must be administered by an academic, government, or other non-profit organization. Evidence of federal tax-exempt status is required before funds will be released.
The online application form on the Borchard Center’s website, www.borchardcla.org, will be available after September 15, 2019. Applications should be submitted no later than October 15, 2019. Selections will be made on or about December 15, 2019.
Proposals should include a narrative description of the research project (five pages maximum), including proposed research activities, how the research meets the objective of the center’s grant program, why the project is otherwise important, a description of the intended written research product(s), the journal(s) to which the work product(s) will be submitted for publication, and a statement regarding IRB approval. Required attachments are a project timeline, detailed budget (including matching support, if any), curriculum vitae of the investigator(s), and federal tax exemption letter evidencing the administrating organization is a 501(c)(3) organization not classified as a private foundation.
For details, go to the Borchard Center online or contact Catheryn Koss.