April 11, 2012

1. Welcome to Today’s Webinar April 11, 2012

2. Focus of Today’s Webinar • Highlight the RIDGE Center’s 2012 Competitive Grants Programs • The Regular RIDGE Center Grant Program • 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

3. 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

4. The Regular RIDGE Center Competitive Grants Program

5. 2012 Priority Areas • 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

6. 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

7. Research Methodology Secondary Data Primary Data http://ers.usda.gov/briefing/foodnutritionassistance/data/

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. SRDC RIDGE Series:Grantees Urged to Contribute to the Series

12. The Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant Program

13. 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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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)

17. Review Guidelines • The RFP provides detailed information on the grant application procedures. See: http://srdc.msstate.edu/ridge/archive/files/ridge_doctoral_dissertation_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

18. 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

19. What Students are Requiredto 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

20. 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

21. Special Thanks to: Alex Majchrowicz Director, RIDGE Program Economic Research Service, USDA Dr. Mary Bohman Administrator Economic Research Service

22. Now. . . Your Turn !