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The Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant (DDRG) program empowers a new generation of scholars to develop and conduct applied research on policy-relevant housing and urban development issues. This program:

• Encourages doctoral candidates to engage in research studies that focus on policy-relevant housing and community development issues that impact the country.
• Provides a forum for Ph.D. candidates to share their research findings.
• Focuses attention on research that may impact federal problemsolving and policymaking and that is relevant to HUD's policy priorities and annual goals and objectives.

OUP competitively awards one-time grants of up to $25,000 for a period of 24 months to doctoral candidates currently enrolled at accredited institutions of higher education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. These grants must be used to support direct costs incurred that support the timely completion of the dissertation.

Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants are accredited institutions of higher education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education that sponsor doctoral students who meet the following program requirements:

• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (recipient of an Alien Registration Recipient Card-Form I-551, commonly referred to as a Green Card) currently enrolled an accredited doctoral program.
  
  
• Have an approved dissertation proposal.
  
  
• Provide documentation from the dissertation committee chairperson that states the feasibility of the following:
  • By the application due date, the student's dissertation proposal will be accepted by the full dissertation committee.
  • The student will have an assigned dissertation advisor.
  • By September 1 of the funding year, the student will have satisfactorily completed all other written and oral Ph.D. requirements, including all examinations and defense of the proposal except the dissertation.
  • The proposed dissertation can be prepared and delivered within the 2-year grant period.
    
    
• Provide a support letter from the institution. This support may not replace support or assistance the institution would otherwise provide to the student (for example, physical working space).

Eligible Activities. Grant funds awarded under this program must be used to support direct costs incurred in the timely completion of a dissertation. Eligible costs include stipends, computer software, the purchase of data, travel expenses to collect data, transcription services, and compensation for interviews.

Funds awarded under this program may not be used to pay for tuition, computer hardware, or meals.

Research Topics. The DDRG program was created to support grantees researching a wide range of topics. OUP welcomes applications from students in any academic discipline that can provide policy-relevant insight on housing and community development-related research issues.

Examples of topics addressing these issues include but are not limited to:

• Increasing homeownership opportunities.
• Promoting decent affordable housing.
• Strengthening communities.
• Ensuring equal opportunity in housing.
• Embracing high standards of ethics, management, and accountability.
• Promoting participation of faith-based and community organizations.
  

Program Contact

Susan Brunson
Program Analyst
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of University Partnerships
Room 8106
451 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20410
Telephone: (202) 708–3061, ext. 3852
Fax: (202) 708–0309
Email: susan.s.brunson@hud.gov