The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) welcomes grant proposals for research projects concerning the civic engagement of Americans between the ages of 15 and 25. This RFP is made possible by a generous grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

A large majority of our research funds will be devoted to two specific topic areas: one on Civic Education at the K-12 level, and the other on Political Participation and Electoral Engagement. For projects addressing civic education among k-12 students, see the RFP "Research in Civic Education." For projects addressing political participation and electoral engagement, see the RFP "Research on Political Participation and Electoral Engagement." We can also fund a small number of timely and cost-effective research projects in other areas of youth civic engagement such as:

o national service,
o choosing public-service careers,
o joining and forming organizations,
o community building,
o addressing community problems,
o volunteering or youth leadership as ways of engaging young people in civic and political affairs,
o gathering and interpreting the news, and
o related skills and attitudes such as trust, tolerance, public-spirit, critical thinking, and patriotism.

CIRCLE funds research, not practice. However, all CIRCLE-funded research should have implications for specified categories of practitioners such as legislators, candidates, teachers, educational administrators, youth-serving organizations, journalists, professional associations, or nonprofits that work to encourage youth voting and political participation.

CIRCLE welcomes all recognized disciplines and rigorous research methodologies, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches and multi-disciplinary research.

CIRCLE grants for this RFP will normally not exceed $25,000 per year. However, we welcome opportunities for joint funding with other foundations, organizations, and agencies. In some cases, CIRCLE may be able to assist applicants in finding co-funders for proposals that exceed $100,000.

Younger scholars are especially encouraged to apply for CIRCLE support, as are research teams that include practitioners. CIRCLE may also support graduate students in the writing of dissertations that specifically address some aspect of youth civic engagement listed here.

Application Process

Applicants should submit a preliminary letter of inquiry (normally 1-3 pages). Inquiry letters should address the project's goals, the work plan, the qualifications of the persons engaged in the research, the estimated overall budget, and contact information. Applications without an accepted letter of inquiry will not be considered. Mandatory letters of inquiry for this RFP should be sent to CIRCLE no later than Friday, September 19, 2003.

After reviewing all letters of inquiry, the CIRCLE staff will respond with advice about whether and how to proceed to a formal application by October 6, 2003. Full applications will be due November 19, 2003. All applications will be screened by CIRCLE staff. Those approved by the staff will be sent to an appropriate specialized screening committee of CIRCLE's Advisory Board for review. CIRCLE staff will make a final decision. We expect to make final funding decisions by the end of January 2004.

Policies

CIRCLE supports individuals (including academics, graduate students, practitioner-researchers, and independent scholars) as well as appropriate institutions (including research centers, nonprofits, news organizations, and consulting firms).

Overhead or indirect costs are limited to no more than 10 percent of the salaries and benefits portion of the total budget.

When publishing results, appropriate acknowledgement of CIRCLE's support should be given. CIRCLE will post all grantees' work on the CIRCLE website upon completion of a project unless there is a prior agreement not to do so. Data arising from CIRCLE-sponsored research will be made public via the CIRCLE website (www.civicyouth.org) upon receipt of the finished research project unless other agreements are reached in specific cases. In addition, CIRCLE reserves the right to publish summaries of technical research in a format accessible to general audiences.

All grants awarded by CIRCLE through this RFP are funded indirectly by The Pew Charitable Trusts. All grant recipients through this RFP will grant to the Trusts a nonexclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license, for noncommercial use on the Trusts' Web site, in Trusts' publications, and for internal and archival purposes, to use, display, perform, reproduce, publish, copy, alter, and distribute any original work provided to the Trusts pursuant to the conditions of the grant. In the event that the grantee ceases to undertake the project, it will agree, at the Trusts' request, to grant to the Trusts a nonexclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license for noncommercial purposes to use, display, perform, reproduce, publish, copy, alter, and distribute any intellectual property created using the Trusts' grant, and to modify, improve upon and make derivative works based on such work, and to authorize others to do so.

Where to Send Applications

Please send letters of inquiry to Dionne Williams, Executive Assistant, CIRCLE, School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland, 2101 Van Munching Hall, College Park, MD 20742-1821. Email applications are acceptable; please send them to Dionne Williams. CIRCLE's telephone number is (301) 405-2790; the fax number is (301) 314-1900.