CFS RDRC Renewal Proposal FY2024 Request for Proposals

CFS is seeking investigator-driven applied RDRC research studies to be included in the competitive renewal application for a new cooperative agreement with the SSA RDRC. Research projects will be awarded for the 2024 Federal Fiscal Year (October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024). This is an applied research program designed to assist policymakers, the public, and the media in understanding Social Security, retirement, and disability policy issues across the life course. The CFS RDRC projects often focus on the impact of these issues on financially vulnerable populations.

View RFP in PDF HERE .

Applicants invited to submit full research proposals should submit in the online portal by Wednesday, April 12, 2023 HERE .
SSA will make the final determination on consortium centers and therefore which projects are funded on or before September 29, 2023. SSA typically awards $10-11 million across the consortium centers. Prior projects funded through CFS are posted on the CFS RDRC website (see listing).

Budget Information Session:
The CFS RDRC hosted an info session covering RDRC Budget Basics on Thursday, March 30, 2023. A recording of that session is available HERE

Full Proposal Instructions:
Proposals should be written in Microsoft Word and double-spaced using headers for each of the sections below. Proposals should not exceed 6, double-spaced pages in length, not including budget template or references. A detailed description of the sections are available in the HERE .
• Title
• PI & Co-PIs
• Bios (100 words per bio)
• Focal Area(s) addressed
• Keywords (3-5)
• Abstract (150 words)
• Data Sources
• Significance
• Methods
• Community Engagement & Translational Dissemination Plan
• Training Plan for Students/Junior Scholars
• Complementarity or Overlap with Other Funding Statement
• Timeline (Table)
• Budget & Budget Narrative using provided spreadsheet

Timeline:
• March 17 Letter of Intent
• March 22 Invitations for Full Proposals
• April 12 Full Proposal Due
• September 30 Award Announcements

Deliverables of Funded Projects:

  1. Working Paper or Report using CFS RDRC format
  2. Plain Language Abstract
  3. Research Brief

The goal of funded projects is to translate SSA-funded research into practical applications, and/or to be understandable to the general public. SSA may also request a “work in progress” presentation for internal staff, as well as presentations at the SSA RDRC Annual Meeting in early August 2024.

In addition, funded projects may be invited to present at CFS Seminars, as well as the CFS RDRC Fall Workshop in Madison, Wisconsin in the late summer of 2024.

Resources and Links:

  • A comprehensive focal area list is available HERE .
  • Research Development Resources are available HERE .
  • The Institute for Research on Poverty provides an excellent overview of engaging community members in the research process. This is a key component of your research proposal. View the IRP resource page HERE .
  • A recording of the March 2, 2023 Info Session is available HERE .
  • Info session slides are available HERE .