Request for Proposals: Workforce and Expertise Research Stipends

ARRC invites proposals on timely research projects that advance work aligned with ARRC’s Workforce & Expertise Community of Practice (CoP) research priorities and advance understanding of how federal workforce capacity, expertise, and attrition intersect with agency performance, equity, and democratic accountability. Particular attention will be made to the following questions:

1. Which agency capacities and functions have been impacted by personnel cuts?

2. How have recent administrative policies affected hiring and recruitment? How are these policies tied to capacity and democratic responsiveness?

3. Has specific expertise or knowledge loss occurred due to personnel actions or policy changes surrounding data collection, maintenance, or accessibility?

4. What are the geographic and policy impacts of recent personnel cuts?

5. Which federal roles are most at risk of being automated by AI, and how feasible is AI-driven workforce replacement?

6. Which agencies are hiring and for what positions? How does the composition of today’s incoming federal workforce differ from past administrations? What are the theoretical and practical implications to capacity and democratic responsiveness?

7. How do talent pools vary across government agencies, occupations, and in different political climates? What does this tell us about the political nature of federal employment?

Projects may address one or more of these questions and can focus on single agencies, cross-agency comparisons, specific mission areas or occupations, or system-level implications for democratic governance. Comparative and mixed-methods approaches are welcome, as are projects that connect federal workforce changes to outcomes for particular communities, regions, or stakeholder groups. 

Selected projects will receive research stipends of up to $5,000. In addition, relevant data that speaks to some of these questions can be provided by the Civic Leadership Education and Research (CLEAR) Initiative* and graduate research assistance may be provided in kind by Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, subject to budget availability and project need. Funds may be issued directly to individual researchers or through their home institutions (with 0% indirect costs).

Applicants are strongly encouraged to leverage institutional or in-kind support where feasible (e.g., matching salary, research assistance, or access to data, equipment, or subscriptions). Requests for match waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 

* Access to 2025 updates to the following data infrastructure may be provided based on a candidate’s inquiry: https://figshare.com/projects/_NEW_Integrated_Network_Solutions_in_Federal_Government_Hiring_Trends_INSIGHT_/239336. Please read the codebooks and accompanying material to make informed inquiries.  
 

Eligible applicants include:

• Faculty members, researchers, and graduate students affiliated with accredited universities; and

• Research staff at nonpartisan, nonprofit institutions engaged in applied public administration research.

Recipients of ARRC Research Stipends are expected to:

• Actively participate in the Workforce & Expertise CoP, including sharing works-in-progress during CoP meetings;

• Engage with peers on research design and methodological approaches; and

• Acknowledge ARRC in resulting publications or presentations. 

Applications must be submitted through this online form. Proposals must include:

• Research Description (max. 1,000 words, not including references):

  • Purpose: Which of the listed questions will your research address? What agencies, occupations, policy changes, or geographic contexts will you examine?

  • Methodology: What methods, data sources, and analytical approaches will you use (e.g., administrative data, personnel records, surveys, qualitative interviews, case studies, text or network analysis, AI or automation modeling)? How will you measure changes in capacity, expertise, or talent pools, and connect them to outcomes or risks?

  • Itemized Budget: What resources are needed to accomplish this work?

  • Timeline: What is your plan and timeline for completing the project and deliverable?

  • Anticipated Results: What do you expect to demonstrate or discover about capacity loss, talent dynamics, AI-related risk, or geographic and political variation? How will your findings inform policymakers, practitioners, and affected communities?

  • Deliverable: What will be the final product (e.g., policy brief, working paper, data visualization or dashboard, white paper, academic article draft)? How will you and ARRC disseminate these findings (e.g., briefings, CoP presentations, public reports)?

• Curriculum Vitae

• Supplemental material (if applicable)

  • Tables, appendices, preliminary findings, etc.

• Institutional Match Description (if applicable) How will you or your institution contribute resources to the research (e.g., faculty time, research assistants, data access, software, or in-kind support)?

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Timeliness, relevance, and potential policy impact of the research contribution;

• Relevant academic background, publications, or professional experience;

• Methodological rigor and suitability of research approach;

• Unique perspective brought to the research question;

• Ability to complete within specified timeframe;

• Willingness to collaborate with the CoP and/or match resources toward the deliverable;

• Accessibility of research for a wide range of audiences, including policymakers and media; and

• Alignment with ARRC priorities and other funded research projects. 

• Submissions due January 16, 2026.

• Selection decisions will be announced in late February 2026.

• Deliverables due on or around May 31, 2026. 

For questions about the Workforce & Expertise Research Stipends or the application process, please email [email protected] with the subject line “ARRC Research Stipends – Workforce & Expertise.”