Department of Labor Elizabeth Brandeis Unemployment Insurance Labor Research Center
Chief Evaluation Office
This announcement will solicit applications to establish an Elizabeth Brandeis Unemployment Insurance (UI) Labor Research Center. We expect total availability of approximately $5 million to fund one cooperative agreement with a 48-month period of performance. Applicants may apply for a maximum of $2 million under this announcement, for which DOL anticipates to make one award. Recipients that receive an award as a result of this competition may also receive a second increment of $3 million, based on productive program outcomes and the availability of federal funds.
Through a cooperative agreement with the DOL Chief Evaluation Office, the UI Labor Research Center program is expected to fund one qualified institution (or consortium of institutions) of higher education to expand our understanding of the U.S. unemployment insurance system—including its effects on workers, employers, and local communities—with a cross-cutting focus on equity in program administration and outcomes. The goal of this program is to support rigorous research, including inter-disciplinary research, in order to increase understanding of equitable UI program administration and policy. DOL has a preference for applicants that have already established, or could readily establish, research partnerships with state UI agencies to support collaborative research and data sharing.
The UI Labor Research Center will achieve its objectives through four activities:
- (1) producing rigorous academic research on UI and related labor issues;
- (2) teaching students about the UI program, including training future social and behavioral scientists whose research agenda focuses on UI and related labor and social insurance issues;
- (3) supporting state UI agencies and DOL in bringing research and data analytical capacity to program administration; and
- (4) disseminating policy-relevant research and findings to administrators, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders and members of the public.
The Center will also heighten awareness of UI and related social insurance and labor issues for all students by bringing relevant content into the classroom and in mentoring activities. The selected awardee must have the ability to carry out a program that fulfills strong scholarly traditions and methods across disciplines, which may include public policy, social work, economics, labor relations, political science, sociology, and history, among others.
Questions regarding this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Forecast may be emailed to Flowers.Jeanette@dol.gov; however, please note there is limited information that may be shared with the public during the forecast period until the FOA is open for applications. We encourage prospective applicants and interested parties to use the Grants.gov subscription option to register for future updates provided for this particular announcement.