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Visiting Poverty Scholars Program, 2026–2027
Application Deadline: Friday, April 3, 2026 (11:59 p.m. CT)
Optional Webinar: March 4, 2026
12:00–12:30 p.m. Eastern | 11:00–11:30 a.m. Central | 10:00–10:30 a.m. Mountain | 9:00–9:30 a.m. Pacific
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About the Program
The Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison invites applications from U.S.-based scholars from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to apply for its Visiting Poverty Scholars Program.
Applicants may choose to visit IRP or any one of its U.S. Collaborative of Poverty Centers (CPC) partners (see text box on right) for five days to interact with that center’s resident faculty, present a poverty-related seminar, and become acquainted with staff and resources. Visiting scholars will confer with a faculty host, who will arrange for interactions with others on campus.
About IRP
IRP is a center for interdisciplinary research into the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality in the United States and the impact of related policies and programs.
As the National Research Center on Poverty & Economic Mobility sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, IRP coordinates the U.S. Collaborative of Poverty Centers (CPC). IRP and its partner centers support and train poverty and economic mobility scholars. In addition, IRP provides relevant, cutting-edge research on a wide range of topics with the goal of improving the effectiveness of public policies to reduce poverty and its consequences.
Terms
Eligibility
Applicants must be PhD-holding, U.S.-based poverty scholars at any career level who are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. To meet the economically disadvantaged definition, applicants must meet one or more of the following criteria:
University of Wisconsin–Madison
and Policy
University of California, Irvine
Columbia University
University of California, Davis
Howard University
University of Michigan
Stanford University
University of Kentucky
University of Washington
University of Notre Dame
- come from a low-income family;
- be from a family in which neither parent earned a four-year college degree;
- come from an underserved urban, rural, or farming community;
- have attended a high school with limited college preparatory curriculum;
- have attended a high school in a high poverty concentration school district;
- have other economic family circumstances that have impacted the applicant’s educational opportunities.
Funding
IRP will cover transportation, lodging, and meals during the five-day in-residence visit.
Award Info
Up to four scholars will be sponsored. Applicants will be notified of their application outcome by mid-May 2026.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Applicants should provide the following materials as one PDF file to the online Application Form:
- A letter (up to 2 pages single spaced)
- describing your poverty research interests and experience, and
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- indicating the CPC institution(s) (you can list up to three in order of preference) you are applying to visit and why that center is a good fit for you;
- Curriculum vitae
- Two examples of your poverty-related written material.
CONTACTS
Questions should be directed to: irpapply@ssc.wisc.edu
TIMELINE
|
Call Release |
February 18, 2026 |
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Optional Webinar |
March 4, 2026, 11:00-11:30 a.m. CT https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/93388097309 |
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Deadline for proposal receipt |
April 3, 2026 |
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Notification of award |
Mid May 2026 |
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Dates for visits |
Dates flexible but must occur during the academic year 2026–2027 |